You’ve long been able to waste away in Margaritaville by the ocean, looking at it, or at the very least conjuring blue waters through convincing props. After all, Jimmy Buffett’s resorts and restaurants whir their blenders everywhere from Nassau, Key West, and Cancun to Nashville and Times Square.
And now, devotees of the Margaritaville lifestyle can actually experience their version of the good life out on the water, too, as the brand debuts its first cruise ship, Margaritaville at Sea Paradise—a 659-cabin ship that’s a rebrand of the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line.
During a media sailing aboard the ship, which had just arrived back in its home port, the Port of Palm Beach, following months of refurbishments, Margaritaville at Sea CEO Oneil Khosa, called the ship the “cradle of so many Margaritaville ships to come… breaking the barrier of typical cruise ships.” Later that afternoon, Jimmy Buffett arrived to play a barefoot set on the ship’s pool deck, belting out hits like “Cheeseburger in Paradise” and, of course, “Margaritaville,” telling the crowd how good it was to finally have a Margaritaville bastion that was actually on the water.
As long as you don’t come aboard expecting a luxury liner, a good time awaits during two-night/three-day sailings from the Port of Palm Beach on Florida’s east coast to Freeport on Grand Bahama Island.
The 10-deck ship has 8 dining venues and five bars and lounges where it’s five o’clock everywhere and you can get a salt-rimmed margarita, banana, or mango daiquiri or a cheeseburger in paradise, in addition to some fancier fare options, too (JWB Prime Steakhouse is excellent).
Other onboard amenities include pools (including an adults-only), Jacuzzis, the Par-a-Dice Casino, a theater with nightly shows featuring (what else?) a soundtrack of famous Jimmy Buffett tunes dished up with an overload of tropical kitsch, the St. Somewhere Spa and Fins Up! Fitness Center.
To extend your time in the Bahamas on land and tie in shore excursions (swimming with pigs or dolphins among them), the cruise line is offering several packages, including ship to shore deals for four to six nights, with tack-on Bahamas stays available in Grand Bahama at the Viva Wyndham Resort or Taino Beach Resort.
From our first glance at the ship during the media preview, we’ve already got a favorite spot onboard for cocktails with ocean views—the 12 Bolt bar, perched high above the stern. Make it your first stop to refresh.
Also not to miss—the views leaving the Port of Palm Beach as the ship sails out.
Snag a railside spot on the starboard upper deck for incredible views of the island of Palm Beach, lined with waterfront mansions and yachts in one of the highest net worth zip codes in the nation.
Sea turtles are often spotted frolicking in the shallows near the jetties, too, so make sure to settle your eyes down low on Mother Ocean. It’s a pirate’s life, to be sure.
