Margaritaville at Sea unveiled plans for its second ship, the Margaritaville at Sea Islander, to set sail from Port Tampa starting June 14, 2024. The move comes after the original ship, Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, exceeded expectations with over 400,000 passengers in its current year, prompting the acquisition of a larger vessel.

The Margaritaville at Sea Islander, boasting a capacity of 2,680 passengers, was purchased from Costa Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, and was formerly known as Costa Atlantica. This new addition to the fleet will offer four- and five-night cruises to popular destinations including Key West, Cozumel, and Progreso in Mexico.

Christopher Ivy, the CEO of Margaritaville at Sea, emphasized that the decision to acquire the second ship was driven by customer demand for longer itineraries and the exploration of new ports of call. Ivy expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “The addition of the Islander is an exciting moment for Margaritaville at Sea and marks the next chapter of growth for our business. We are also pleased to add Tampa as a new homeport, the perfect location to provide access to our new itineraries in and around the Gulf of Mexico.”

COMMITMENT TO IT'S ROOTS

Despite the expansion to Port Tampa, the company remains committed to its roots at the Port of Palm Beach. Margaritaville at Sea will continue to operate its three-day, two-night getaways to Grand Bahama from Palm Beach. Ivy reassured that the new Tampa cruises are expected to complement rather than detract from the Palm Beach operations, citing the distinct itineraries and longer durations of the Tampa cruises.

The Margaritaville at Sea Islander will feature signature elements that have contributed to the success of the cruise line, including an atrium bar, a three-story poolside LandShark Bar, and familiar favorites such as Paradise Pickleball at Sea, Frank and Lola’s Pizzeria, Margaritaville Coffee Shop, and Cheeseburger in Paradise.