Royal Caribbean has scrapped “Perfect Day Mexico,” says Mexico’s president

Royal Caribbean has dropped plans to build its massive “Perfect Day” water park on Mexico’s southern Caribbean coast after the government denied environmental permits, according to the country’s President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Mexico’s environmental authorities concluded the proposed project in Mahahual posed too great a risk to the region’s delicate ecosystem, including nearby mangroves and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, Reuters reports.

The development had sparked opposition from local residents and environmental groups worried about the effects of large-scale tourism on the world’s second-largest coral reef.

The project was expected to open in fall 2027 in a beach town near a coral reef.

Marketed as Royal Caribbean’s “biggest, baddest, boldest destination,” Perfect Day Mexico was set to include beach clubs, pools, bars and more than 30 waterslides.

Mahahual, which has fewer than 3,000 residents, is known for clear, warm waters and its proximity to the Mesoamerican Reef, the largest reef in the Western Hemisphere.

The reef draws scuba divers who come to see fish, coral and other marine life.

The surrounding coast is also a nesting area for turtles and leads into mangrove forests and tropical jungle that are home to jaguars.

Speaking Wednesday (May 27), Sheinbaum confirmed the project would not move forward at the planned site and said officials are discussing the possibility of relocating it to a less sensitive area.

Authorities rejected all three permits tied to the project, including one for a pier.

Royal Caribbean has not publicly commented on the latest decision but previously said it remained interested in investing in Mexico and was open to exploring alternative proposals.

The abandoned project was part of a broader $1.5 billion investment initiative that had been promoted as a major tourism destination with sustainability measures in place.

The controversy has also reignited debate over the impact of mass tourism along Mexico’s coastlines, where critics argue that large resort developments often limit public access to beaches despite constitutional protections.

Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean still plans to open a separate beach club later this year on the nearby island of Cozumel.

The new beach club experience is the latest in the cruise line’s growing lineup of destinations, which includes the Bahamas’ Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The Royal Beach Club Collection also includes the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, located on Nassau’s Paradise Island, which opened late last year.

Royal Caribbean is also set to open a Santorini beach club, in Greece, this summer. 

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