From a gigantic flip flop statue and a dancing "parrot" on the atrium floor to colorful fish and parrot figurines as well as margarita glasses “floating” in the soaring open space above, Margaritaville at Sea’s newly revitalized, 2,650-passenger Islander delivers a tropical vibe, look and feel.
Entering this colorful ship, guests will be greeted by crew members bestowing flower-like leis and offering a glass of bubbly. Peering into the atrium, they'll feel a tropical, island-time vibe. Setting sail earlier this month on a two-night preview cruise from the line's new home port of Tampa, FL, we immediately sensed that this voyage would be great fun. And we were on target.
New Opportunities with a Revitalized Ship
Providing a bit of background, Margaritaville at Sea has sailed for a few years with just one ship, the 1,680-passenger Paradise, which operates short cruises to the Bahamas from the Port of Palm Beach, FL. Now, however, the line has more than doubled its capacity with the newly added 86,619-gross-ton Islander, the former Costa Atlantica that's fresh from a $150-plus million revitalization. Inside, nearly every space has been updated.
That and the addition of a second Florida home port are expected to help the Margaritaville at Sea brand attract new-to-cruise and new-to-brand guests, as well as those past guests eager for more itinerary diversity. This year, Islander's four- and five-night voyages will sail the Gulf of Mexico region including Key West, FL, plus Mexico's Progreso and Cozumel.
In 2025, the ship will also sail six- and seven-night cruises to Belize, Jamaica and Grand Cayman, along with Key West and Mexico.
The Former Costa Atlantica
Built in 2002, the ship sailed two decades for Costa Cruises. Laid up during the pandemic, the vessel hadn't operated for several years. While it was slated to be part of the Adora Cruises joint venture between Carnival Corporation and China State Shipbuilding Corp in serving the Asian market, that didn't happen.
At a press briefing aboard Islander earlier this month, the line's CEO Christopher Ivy told reporters that the cruise line had meticulously inspected eight vessels in searching for its second ship. But after walking into the atrium of Costa Atlantica, they knew almost immediately that the ship was the right choice. "We thought it just gave us a perfect place to do everything we wanted to do from a brand standpoint," Ivy told reporters at a press briefing aboard.
"I think we can obviously do more in the future, but this was a really great way for us to bring [the brand] to life and to hopefully connect a lot of the components and the core of what Margaritaville stands for with an at-sea experience," says Ivy. "From the guest-facing elements, it was a really great fit, and then the 'under the hood' elements were also equally there," he stressed, referring to Costa's mechanical and operational upkeep of the vessel.
Costa Atlantica was built as a so-called Spirit-class ship. Over the years, this class has been quite popular. In fact, Carnival Cruise Line still operates four Spirit-class ships—Carnival Spirit, Carnival Legend, Carnival Pride and Carnival Miracle—while Costa Cruises still sails with sister Spirit-class Costa Mediterranea. Several Vista-Spirit-hybrid-class ships are also still sailing.
It's easy to see the perks this class of vessel creates for Margaritaville at Sea. First, it's much larger than the brand's other ship—opening up more diverse spaces, including more dining options both inside and atop the ship. Most notably, Islander offers 700 balcony cabins as well as larger suites, too.
A Jimmy Buffett Island Vibe
While famed singer and songwriter Jimmy Buffett sadly passed away last year, his musical impact remains front and center on Islander. In fact, the late singer’s daughter Savannah Buffett served as godmother to christen the ship earlier this month.
Throughout the ship, guests also will find elements of Buffett's tropical rock-style music and island escapism approach. For example, the Cheeseburger in Paradise eatery proved a highly popular spot, while the humongous video screen above the pool deck displayed a colorful video of a Buffett performance. Other island vibe touches include the aptly named Flip Flop Bar (with a huge flip flop statue on the adjacent atrium floor), soft palm tree drawings in guest corridors, and a surfboard and three-level LandShark bar on the pool deck. And the list goes on.
One wall of our balcony stateroom was graced by a colorful parrot photo as well as two other prints with an island feel. And an elongated, blue-and-white pillow on our bed depicted a singular wave and the words, “Livin on Islander time.”
In one public corridor, we spotted a recreation of road signage for A1A, a Florida highway officially renamed by the state’s legislature as the “Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway.”
Diverse Food and Drinks
Guests will find plenty of culinary choices aboard Islander, including many dishes inspired by Florida and Caribbean influences. But there's also dining diversity. Five restaurants are complimentary: Fins Dining Room, the Port of Indecision Buffet, Frank and Lola's Pizzeria, Cheeseburger in Paradise and the line's new Mexican Cutie Cantina, where guests can customize their own tacos or enjoy a breakfast burrito.
Other dining venues have either à la carte pricing or carry a fee. They include the JWB Prime Steakhouse, Margaritaville Coffee Shop and a couple others. So, travelers might head for the new Far Side of the World Sushi Bar, while Island Eats is a new adults-only seafood shack inside the Tiki Bar; it serves peel-and-eat shrimp, crab salad and other seafood delights. Also new is the Tiki Grill where cruisers can chow down on crispy smothered wings and filet skewers. And how about an enticing pina colada crème brûlée? That's also available at Tiki Grill.
Another new dining venue is the Islander Dining Room, located on the upper level of the main dining room. We dined here one evening and the food and service were both superb. The menu for dinner offers the Fins Dining Room's favorite dishes, but also other chef-crafted specialties. The wine list in the Islander Dining Room offers a good selection of bubbly, white and red wines by the glass as well as full bottles for purchase.
Live Music, Fun Vibe
Whether a guitarist and singer entertained on a platform above the Flip Flop Bar, or guests enjoyed pool play or karaoke in the Coral Reef Lounge, life seemed good during our two nights aboard. The decor did its part to immerse guests in "Islander time."
For instance, we particularly liked what the designers did with the look and decor within that Coral Reef Lounge, home to a fun game show, karaoke and other entertainment. Atop the ship guests will also find the world's only three-story LandShark Bar; it graces center stage above the Islander’s pool deck with two levels of shaded and seated bar areas. It's topped with the LandShark Lookout, a good spot to soak in 360-degree outdoor views.
The new Far Side of the World Arcade and Lounge offers bubbly boba teas and fun games by day, and adult-friendly sakes and sake-infused cocktails at night. Guests can dance the night away at the two-level Hot, Hot, Hot Night Club.
Our favorite spot aboard? Well, we admit, we love aviation, so we couldn’t resist Hemisphere Dancer Craft Spirits, just off the atrium. It’s a calm, feel-good space with comfortable chairs, a curved bar, performance stage and dance floor. What drew us in, though, were the seaplane touches such as wall art, a propellor and bar stools with seaplane etchings.
The Hemisphere Dancer Craft Spirits also offered attentive, professional servers and creative cocktails. We ordered a “Paper Plane,” comprising Buffalo Trace bourbon, Aperol, Nonino Quintessentia amaro and lemon juice.
Islander also has a Havana Daydreamin’ Sports Bar and Lounge, combining island vibes with live Latin beats, craft beers and an extensive rum menu. Classic pub games are also on tap. Best views from an onboard bar? One good choice is the Tiki Bar, an adults-only haven aft.
And, for those who enjoy a drink with some dice or slot machine play, the Love and Luck Casino Bar awaits. We felt the casino space with many slot machines and table games was fairly robust. (If clients wonder about the smoking policy, here's the scoop: Margaritaville at Seas tells us that smoking is not permitted anywhere inside, including within the casino. Smoking is only permitted in several "outside designated smoking areas.")
Comfortable Balcony Stateroom
With custom interior decor and styling reminiscent of sand, sea and sky, Islander’s 1,105 staterooms sport all new furnishings including Margaritaville’s signature bedding, pillows and linens. Many, as previously mentioned, have balconies. Our stateroom, No/ 8149, had good storage space, a stool and desk/makeup surface with a large mirror on the wall, tropical artwork, plus plenty of drawers and a mini-fridge. A large flat-screen TV graced the wall above the desk/storage area.
Our queen bed could be split into two twins and each had one end table. The balcony, with two chairs and a small table, was a bit more spacious in width than most we've had on other ships.
The bathrooms have elements that guests (ourselves included) will recall from other Spirit-class ships. Those include a small walk-in shower with a dark floor and small curved lip on the floor to corral the water. Plus, the aqua colored vanity is a holdover from Costa Atlantica, but the coloring fits the vibe the line is working to achieve.
Those seeking even more space and amenities can opt for Grand Terrace Suites, Corner Suites and luxurious Signature Grand Suites. The latter are themed and influenced by popular songs such as "Come Monday" or "Everlasting Moon."
Our cabin steward was fabulous and proactive. He continually engaged with us about our stateroom, asked if there was anything we needed, and, when we told him about an A/C issue, he called immediately for a supervisor to assist.
Family Fun Aboard Islander
Many travelers on our preview cruise were traveling with their families. Based on our observations, this ship is a good fit for families with young children, tweens and teens. Simply put, children of all ages on our cruise seemed to be having a ball.
That said, there was one rule that most adults appreciated. The line's policy is that children must be 12 years or older to be out and about in the ship without adult supervision. We watched one female crew member nicely stop a group of four kids to ask their ages. A fellow traveler commented to us, "It's good to know that the rules are enforced."
Beyond the pool, in the "Dis and Dat Activity Zone," the entire family will find a Margaritaville-inspired cornhole and mini-golf course. At the Caribbean Amphibian Play Pad and Slide, young children will discover an elevated play space, waterslide and splash-and-play "lily pad." In addition, families can enjoy Paradise Pickleball at Sea, as well as Defying Gravity Experience for all ages with circus-themed workshops, interactive game shows and scavenger hunts. At the Far Side of the World Arcade and Lounge, teens can sip on boba milk tea, sing their favorite karaoke songs, and play arcade games.
For kids and teens ages three to 17, Islander also offers four complimentary kid’s programs organized by age group, including:
- Jolly Mon (ages three to five) – Look for ocean-inspired games, arts and crafts, immersive experiences, mermaid storytelling, and visits from friendly characters.
- Parakeets Kid’s Club (ages six to nine) – A full activity schedule features magic workshops, the “Escape from Chichen Itza” game, mini-DJ academy, sports hour on deck, ship tour, and crazy hat party.
- The Hang Out (ages 10 to 12) – Children will participate in high-energy games and sports such as pickleball classes, basketball, mini golf, and cornhole tournaments, along with DJ academy sessions, magic workshops, a Mar-glo-ritaville glow party, and pop star jam sessions with musicians.
- The Far Out (ages 13 to 17) – This teens-only club offers a movie night, a nightclub takeover, a scavenger hunt with prizes, percussion workshops, and a TikTok/Instagram content battle.
Solo Cruisers, Friends and Couples
Islander also is a fun option for single travelers, friends traveling together and couples. It delivers not just an island vibe but nearly two dozen diverse bars, an adult nightclub, a large casino, many different dining options and fun-in-the-sun Gulf of Mexico itineraries.
Fare-wise, Margaritaville at Sea is also affordable and it offers package deals.
Good to know? The line acknowledges that in the past a travel advisor might not have wanted to consider working with the brand as it only sold very short cruises. That's because an advisor's time for booking and servicing a two-night cruise is about the same as a week-long cruise, yet the commission is far less. But now that the line has added longer options with Islander, Ivy hopes that advisors will see the new opportunities. Margaritaville at Sea now offers 15 percent commission to travel advisors for the cruise booking itself, and 10 percent commission on all supplements sold prior to sailing. That includes all packages and shore excursions.
Another point of interest, according to Ivy? It's a fact that the newest, razzle-dazzle, large ships that launch for major contemporary lines are simply too large to sail from Tampa. That's because all ships must sail under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which has height restrictions. But he now points out that the market now has another option and it's a newly revitalized ship.
Shake-Down Cruise
We sailed for just two nights, so, we weren't able to see and do everything available on this ship. Entertainment-wise, for example, we enjoyed the game show and subsequent karaoke one evening in the Coral Reef Lounge, but we didn't see the theater shows.
Our preview sailing was also prior to the inaugural, so the crew had just boarded and were working together for the first time. But overall, in terms of guest service, friendliness, attentiveness and professionalism, the crew on Islander exceeded our expectations.
Yes, there were a few "shake-down" operational quirks on the first week of service, which often happens during any ship's inaugural period. We mentioned the AC issue in our stateroom earlier, but it was resolved. We also were served lukewarm food at dinner on the first day of guest operations. But that too was corrected by the next day as our appetizer, soup and entree all arrived piping hot, and a fellow journalist on the subsequent cruise told us her food was both tasty and hot every night.
Parrot Time in the Atrium
Overall, we loved the tropical, island-themed vibe and Jimmy Buffett-themed spaces and touches throughout Islander. There seemed to be something fun around every corner. For instance, the ship's parrot "character" in the atrium was a hoot. Guests loved posing and taking selfies with this colorful mascot.
Fellow guests sailing on our brief cruise to nowhere also loved ordering a Cheeseburger in Paradise," sipping on a fantastic frozen pina colada, playing on the pool deck or just relaxing in their accommodations on "Islander time."
Throughout our brief voyage, we saw many smiles and heard much laughter. People were having a great time aboard Islander. So, would we sail again? That’s easy. Our answer is "yes, in a heartbeat." We can't wait to go back.
For more information on Margaritaville at Sea, visit www.margaritavilleatsea.com.
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