Margaritaville at Sea’s new ship, Islander, officially set sail on its first voyage from Tampa on Tuesday. So far, it’s doing a great job of catering to Parrotheads with plenty of tropical decor, including a giant flip-flop photo backdrop in the atrium, two dining rooms with giant palm trees in the middle and renovated cabins that feel more like you’re renting someone’s beach house than taking up residence on a ship.
Until now, the line, a partnership between Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville brand and the former Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, has only sailed from the Port of Palm Beach, Florida. Since 2022, it has exclusively offered two-night voyages on its first ship, the 1,680-passenger Paradise, to Freeport in the Bahamas.
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With the addition of Islander, Margaritaville at Sea has increased its capacity by 160% and will now also serve Florida’s west coast cruise market with regular four- and five-night departures to Key West and the Mexican Riviera from the Port of Tampa Bay.
Islander originally debuted in 2000 and sailed for Costa Cruises for more than two decades under the name Costa Atlantica. The vessel shared a ship design with Carnival Cruise Line‘s Spirit Class. For that reason, Islander is likely to feel familiar to some cruisers.
I walked on board and immediately fell in love with the delightful mix of tropical Margaritaville vibes and remnants of designs by Joe Farcus, the architect and interior designer responsible for more than three decades of quirky decor on ships under the Carnival Corp. umbrella.
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Under its new moniker, the 24-year-old, 2,650-passenger vessel was refurbished to include the first three-deck poolside LandShark bar, a tropical-themed atrium and cabins, and an adults-only pool and tiki bar. These updates make for colorful, lively fun that’s synonymous with the Margaritaville name. Passengers can also look forward to 12 eateries and more than a dozen bars that serve a variety of cocktails.
The line’s first ship debut had some hiccups. Stay tuned for more TPG coverage to see how Islander’s first sailing compares and what you can expect from the new vessel.
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