Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Cruise Ship: What You Need to Know

Table Of Content

• The Ship Remains A Few Steps Away From Full Margaritaville Immersion
• Introducing a New Way to Sail
• Margaritaville at Sea Unveils $899 Unlimited Cruise Pass — What to Know
• Margaritaville at Sea's current concierge offering, and the potential for a ship-within-a-ship cruise class
• Who Can Sail on Margaritaville at Sea Paradise?
• Final Thoughts of the Margaritaville Cruise Ship

Now, passengers can buy a season pass to paradise and enjoy long walks on the beach throughout the year,” Margaritaville at Sea’s President and CEO Kevin Sheehan, Jr. said in a statement provided to Travel + Leisure. “Thanks to our unique two-night itinerary, the groundbreaking 'Ultimate Paradise Pass' will give avid cruisers a new way to experience unlimited getaways to The Bahamas." The ship’s bars will be rebranded to the Margaritaville bars, with its Rock bar becoming 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar. Its main dining room, the Yellow Elder, named after a Bahamian flower, will become Fins, and its Admiral’s Steakhouse will be called JWB Prime Steak & Seafood. Margaritaville features more than 25 hotels and resorts andtwo gaming properties, as well as RV resorts, 60-plus food and beverage venues, real estate communities, vacation clubs and products from frozen shrimp to footwear. They’re all part of Margaritaville’s multi-billion-dollar global lifestyle brand.

The Ship Remains A Few Steps Away From Full Margaritaville Immersion

Margaritaville at Sea will sail new ship from Tampa in 2024 - USA TODAY

Margaritaville at Sea will sail new ship from Tampa in 2024.

Posted: Mon, 04 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Sailing June 2024 from Port of Tampa Bay, Florida to Key West and Mexico on 4- and 5-night cruise itineraries. At that point, the ship was 27 years old, and it’s safe to say the Florida-based company got a great deal on the vessel. Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line changed the ship’s name from Costa Classica to Grand Classica. The ship successfully sailed two-day voyages from Palm Beach, Florida to Freeport, Bahamas until March 2020.

Introducing a New Way to Sail

The ship will undergo a multimillion dollar overhaul in advance of the sailings that will bring Margaritaville's signature casual-luxe design to the ship's cabins and public areas, the company said. Get ready to be nibblin' on sponge cake and watchin' the sun bake from the deck of a cruise ship. A 20,000-square-foot event lawn and stage would anchor the resort, hosting musical acts, simulcast Margaritaville concerts, art shows, food truck nights and other events. If you listen to Jimmy Buffett's music, you know if his songs are playing on board they are kid-friendly. His lyrics are absent of curse words and he even imparts humor in some of his songs that children and adults alike enjoy. There are 658 cabins onboard, with a variety of cabin categories within the ship's 10 decks.

Margaritaville at Sea Unveils $899 Unlimited Cruise Pass — What to Know

Our cruise offers are an irresistible opportunity to get a great deal on your next Caribbean escape. Margaritaville at Sea is your new off-shore resort experience, sailing from Palm Beach and Tampa to Grand Bahama Island, Mexico and Key West. On this floating island vacation, you can unwind, enjoy the endless activities and entertainment, or just relax and soak up the sun. Dining options will include JWB Prime Steakhouse, Port of Indecision Buffet, and Far Side Sushi, and Rita’s Taco House. In addition to 1,100 new staterooms, a 14-story nautical-themed atrium, cornhole and mini-golf courses, and plenty of lively bars and restaurants, the new ship will feature the longest itineraries Margaritaville at Sea has ever sailed.

Everything To Know About Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Cruises - Travel Noire

Everything To Know About Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Cruises.

Posted: Thu, 22 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Margaritaville at Sea's current concierge offering, and the potential for a ship-within-a-ship cruise class

From flexible, island-inspired venues to personalized entertainment schedules and dedicated onboard programming, Margaritaville at Sea offers a unique Bahamas getaway perfect for any business or leisure group. A larger ship called the Islander on the Margaritaville at Sea cruise line will offer four- and five-night cruises to Mexico and Key West starting in June. For instance, if you sail on a May 2nd cruise, you would get off the ship in Freeport on May 3rd and you'd be transferred to your hotel in Grand Bahama Island. You will board your Margaritaville at Sea cruise from the Port of Palm Beach on Day 1.

Jimmy Buffett fans, world's first 'Margaritaville' cruise to sail from Port of Palm Beach

That said, a cruise is a typically more immersive experience than a resort. We like the idea that the organizers have put forth -- that the line eventually offer full Margaritaville packages where people can have the best of both in one vacation. A two-night cruise itinerary is usually the perfect amount of time for people to let loose and blow off steam. You don't expect a ship named Margaritaville at Sea to be quiet and staid; if you're looking for a party, you'll find it here, going late into the night. The second showing of the musical hardly spelled the end of Margaritaville at Sea Paradise's night entertainment.

Jimmy Buffett extends his 'fun is a part of life' mantra to Margaritaville-themed cruise

The cruise line charges $14.95 per person, per night for most cabins. So on a two-night cruise, a couple sailing would pay about $60 in gratuities. Guests staying in one of the suites onboard will see a charge of $19.95 per person, per night. We were surprised to learn on our 2022 sailing that the Margaritaville at Sea appeal goes far beyond Parrotheads, as Jimmy Buffett's fans are called. Nearly 60% of the passengers on a typical Margaritaville at Sea sailing are taking their first cruise ever, we were told, and the vast majority of them have only a passing knowledge of Buffett.

In this case, for $99 you get 10 coupons to redeem for alcoholic drinks. Essentially it’s getting your beverages for $10 per glass, a discount off the regular price. Look at the options for a typical cruise line and what’s offered can be overwhelming. For now, the cruise line only offers two-night trips over the Grand Bahama.

Final Thoughts of the Margaritaville Cruise Ship

It was well known for being a heavily discounted cruise line, offering sailings for under $100 per person for the least expensive cabins. Still, the ship is compact compared to a modern-day megaship, and there's certainly enough onboard to keep you occupied. In fact, we found the two-day trip somewhat chaotic; with such limited time, passengers are packing in as much as they can, leaning to a fast-paced, occasionally frenzied, vibe.

Like Buffett’s landside ventures, it’ll be a family-friendly atmosphere allowing all ages onboard. A quick booking on the two-night inaugural April 30th voyage for two people in an inside stateroom showed a total of $674.88 (including port fees and taxes). After the cruise industry shutdown, the ship re-entered service in July 2021, and sailed until November, where the cruise line took the ship out of service for its dry dock transformation. In 2012, the vessel underwent a multimillion-dollar refit to add new cabins and refreshed interior space. After the refurbishment Costa changed the name to Costa neoClassica.

Margaritaville at Sea, however, sails from the Port of Palm Beach, about 45 miles north of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. Margaritaville at Sea will take you from relaxation to revelry with your choice of stops anywhere in between. Delectable food, St. Somewhere Spa & Salon, live music and shows–from sunrise to sunset and every moment in between, there’s always something exciting happening. Margaritaville Paradise will make its debut with two-night getaways to Grand Bahamas Island from the Port of Palm Beach, the same itinerary offered by Grand Classica under its previous branding. Originally built for Costa Cruises, the 10-deck-high vessel currently is operated by West Palm Beach, Florida-based Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, which will be a partner in the new venture. The company sold its other ship, the Grand Celebration, in March 2020 following the pandemic-induced shutdown of the cruise industry.

It’ll include a complete rebranding of 658 cabins, all outfitted with Buffett’s signature Margaritaville-themed nautical look. If you want to stay connected back home, then you can also order the “Coconut Telegraph” Internet package. This runs $25 per device for the entire cruise, or $12.50 per night. There is also an 18% service charge on things like bar drinks, specialty dining, and spa services. Perhaps the biggest and boldest change was the paint job done on the ship’s hull, complete with palm trees, parrots, and an iconic touch of teal accent color that sets the ship apart from anything else sailing. Ports like Miami, Port Canaveral, and Port Everglades see millions of passengers each year.