Campari Brings Luxury Brand Activation To Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day At CocoCay

Published on December 19, 2025

Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at Coco Cay, became the center of a brand new venture between Campari Group Global Travel Retail (GTR) Americas and Royal Caribbean International. This milestone event during the 2025 President’s Cruise was the first occasion where a branded activation of Campari was implemented on the island. The brand activation took an immersive approach and took place in two locations–Oasis Lagoon and Hideaway Beach–which provided travelers with a new and tailored experience crafted around two of Campari’s brands, Aperol and Espolon Tequila.

To the guests of the 2025 President’s Cruise, an unforgettable experience was created by merging leisure with branding and creativity in a way that the private island was transformed into an exclusive branded venue. This occasion was not limited to on-site promotion; it was an experience that offered a unique way to engage the brands in the magnificent setting of Coco Cay’s beaches. This event offered guests a unique way to interact with the brands.

A Very Special Destination Takeover

With the island crossover event, Campari Group and Royal Caribbean’s partnership expands beyond just the cruise experience, as the brands split for the very first time. By bringing their partnership to shore, the companies offered new branded experiences and created a unique atmosphere that transported customers to the worlds of Aperol and Espolón Tequila.

“This partnership unlocks new potential for both brands as an active engagement to the territories that take these brands to a new dimension. This was an activation in joy, in connection, as we saw them actively engaged in the growing trend of destination activations that combined branded experiences with leisure.” Campari Group’s Global Head of Marketing, Biancamaria Sansone, stated.

In this instance, the island takeover redefined the meaning of brand presence. Instead of just product placement, this activation crafted a vacation for guests and a brand experience. The metamorphosis of Oasis Lagoon and Hideaway Beach, which offered guests the intertwined illusion of a vacation and the opportunity to participate with the brands, was unparalleled and remarkable.

The Activation Stars: Aperol and Espolòn Tequila

Aperol, one of the stars of Campari’s flagship brands, shone the brightest in this activation, where the guests were presented with Aperol’s new brand identity through vibrant DJ booths, pool bars, and chill-out zones placed all around the Oasis Lagoon. It was, and still is, impossible to overlook Aperol, and the guests were treated to an updated presence of the brand, with the added signature elements of the brand mixed with the island’s natural beauty.

In the program’s debut for Espolòn Tequila, a young brand with personality and audacity, joined the island experience. For the adults-only zone of the island, Hideaway Beach, Espolòn Tequila took over the On The Rocks Bar and treated guests to an assortment of creative tequila-based cocktails. There were also steered in the direction of the brand through some attention-seeking and social media-worthy photo ops, which helped generate a post-event buzz via the socials.

Engaging and Interactive Experiences for Guests

One of the activation highlights was the incorporation and complexity of different immersive experiences besides the activation’s main component, which was the drink. Guests were welcomed to Hideaway Beach, where, along with the cocktails, they were also welcomed to a social environment and a relaxed ambiance with the brought-over open trailer of Aperol, where guests were able to acquire complimentary drinks. Mobile bars, compliments of Aperol, and gifting stations were dispersed along the beach and the walkways, where travelers were offered branded merchandise such as sunglasses and caps, and the social and also tangible memory of the visit was safekept.

Moreover, in the locations with potential tethering and photo opportunities, social moments, and sharing of the souvenir photos` private branding to social media were overlayed and executed, combined with delightful beverages and stylish merchandise offered to guests, to socialize and take in the island’s stunning scenery. The participants of the event and their offered experiences contributed to deliverables to the island.

The guests, on the different gold plates presented to them, along with the offered food and drinks to socialize, were also offered, along with a style, a luxury, and a fun event. The success was definitely attributed to the event, which offered guests the opportunity to interact with the brands and interact with them harmoniously.

The experience, for many of the participants, was also seen as a luxury and fun, in combination with the difference offered to the participants in a social style, along with the picturesque landscape and the brilliant sunshine, with the vacation atmosphere that Royal Caribbean is known for.

This portion also offered guests the perfect atmosphere meant to socialize, as the curated drinks were designed to synchronize perfectly with the event’s relaxed and fun island style, where the event offered an opportunity for everyone to enjoy each other’s company and the stunning views of the island.

Campari and Royal Caribbean’s New Expanding Partnership

This partnership is the beginning of a new relationship between Campari Group and Royal Caribbean International. The two companies partnered for the first time on board the Oasis of the Seas in 2024. The 2025 event on CocoCay further solidified their partnerships by providing new and exciting experiences for travelers.

Both companies understand the benefits of working together. Campari and Royal Caribbean were able to go beyond the traditional cruise ship to provide new experiences. Travellers were able to immerse themselves in the brand experiences in a tropical environment. The event on CocoCay is a part of a larger trend in luxury travel. Many people now expect sponsored activations integrated into their travel experiences. These activations provide a way for visitors to engage and connect with the brand memorably.

Future Potential of Island Experiences

CocoCay’s branded activation success will set the bar high for potential partnerships between travel brands and the cruise industry. As the market continues to transform and create opportunities to engage with travel brands, the cruise industry will likely offer more of these experiences. Campari Group’s dedication to brand engagement is redefining travel and shifting focus from mere destinations to crafting multisensory experiences that travel brands can engage with from start to finish.

With Campari and Royal Caribbean’s partnership growing, guests will gain even more opportunities to travel to new destinations and interact with new brands and events. These partnerships will shape the experiences of guests on board. Thoughtfully and strategically implemented within a vacation environment, branded activations can inspire and captivate guests in new ways, reinventing and enhancing their travel experience.

Conclusion

The Royal Caribbean and Campari activations at Perfect Day at CocoCay were prime examples of collaborating to build unique and energizing experiences. The offerings at the island were enhanced by the bright and fun infusion of Aperol and the bold presence of Espolon Tequila, ensuring guests walked away with unforgettable experiences, as well as a strong and lasting bond with the brands they love.

The activations showcased the partnership potential of brands in the travel sector and demonstrated how travel experiences can transform as new and innovative opportunities become available to address the evolving needs of travelers in search of experiences rather than a traditional vacation. Events such as this provide proof that the future of luxury travel encompasses a seamless and intertwining consummation of guests, brands, and the destinations they travel to.