Curaçao Heats Up While a Key Excursion Supplier Stays in Legal Limbo

Sandals is publicly spotlighting Curaçao as its next breakout destination, citing rising visibility tied to the 2026 World Cup and a string of celebrity visits to Sandals Royal Curaçao. For advisors, the read isn't the marketing copy itself but the timing: this is a newer-build property in a market that hasn't historically carried the rate pressure of Sandals' Jamaica or St. Lucia flagships. Demand signals like this typically precede firmer pricing and tighter room-block availability, especially for couples chasing 2026 wedding or honeymoon dates that overlap with tournament travel. Advisors with clients eyeing Curaçao — or looking for a Sandals alternative with more current cachet — have a window to secure group rates and ceremony slots now, before the destination's profile catches up with its marketing. Treat this as an early-mover cue rather than a finished trend.

The Dolphin Company's Chapter 11 case continues after a Delaware bankruptcy court rejected an ousted executive's bid to have the case dismissed, keeping the operator's governance dispute and restructuring unresolved. Dolphin Company runs dolphin-encounter and marine-park excursions widely bundled into Riviera Maya, Punta Cana, and Jamaica wedding and honeymoon itineraries — the kind of add-on many advisors sell alongside a resort stay without a second thought. There's no evidence yet of bookings, availability, or pricing being affected, and litigation of this sort can drag for months without touching day-to-day operations. Still, prolonged court fights and leadership disputes are exactly the conditions that eventually produce closures, ownership changes, or service disruptions with little warning. Advisors packaging these excursions for upcoming group weddings should keep an eye on the case rather than treat it as resolved, and have a backup activity ready to suggest if needed.