Margaritaville at Sea, a cruise line operated by the famed Jimmy Buffett brand of beachy resorts, has come a long way since it began running two-night voyages between Florida and the Bahamas with a single ship in 2022. It has earned itself a loyal following in a short time, with many repeat passengers sailing again and again.
As part of its expansion, which features a second (and, soon, a third) ship, it now offers weeklong voyages from Tampa to Mexico and the Caribbean.
To fill the extra time onboard, the line has also rolled out additional programming to keep travelers — especially those who have already sailed multiple times — entertained. Cruisers can expect lots of additional parties and events (some free and some for a fee), as well as live music.
I sailed recently on Margaritaville’s Islander ship and caught up with Amee Raval, the line's senior director of marketing, to chat about what’s new. Here are the major additions to the vessel’s seven-night sailings.
Amped-Up Casino Programming
In an effort to draw a larger crowd into the casino and provide passengers with more ways to spend their time, the line has started offering casino classes that teach cruisers the basics of various games. Consider it a bit of light enrichment for those who have always wanted to try gambling but don’t quite know where to start.
"We attract quite a bit of new-to-cruise [passengers], and I think ... a lot of folks are not familiar with casinos or casinos on cruise ships," Raval said. "We've got kind of open office hours where you can learn how to play."
Margaritaville at Sea doesn’t have a standard loyalty program for frequent cruisers like other lines do, so its casino program is the only way to earn perks through spending. Passengers move up through the four-tier system to score extras like complimentary drinks, priority embarkation, and even free cruises.
White Hot Neon Nights
Get ready for a wild party on Islander. New on weeklong sailings, it’s Margaritaville’s answer to other cruise lines’ white nights, white parties, and glow parties.
This version comes complete with a DJ, complimentary neon facepainting by members of the talented crew, and lots of your fellow passengers clad in white clothing. (Don’t worry if you didn’t pack appropriate garb; you can buy a white ensemble or light-up captain’s hat onboard.)
As for why it's held in the ship's atrium instead of the onboard disco, the answer is simple.
"Sometimes people want to dance, sometimes people want to listen to music, but they don't necessarily want to do those things in a nightclub," Raval said.
This event is designed to be family-friendly, but on my cruise, it was nearly all adults. The music went on until late, and the dance floor was packed. Passengers who attended “Thriller” dance classes earlier in the voyage put together a flash mob of sorts when the song came on, which was fun to watch.
Expanded Shore Excursion Options
As part of the line’s expansion to include new ports of call on its longer voyages, Islander now calls on Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize City, and Costa Maya. Naturally, with new ports come new shore excursions.
Raval told me Margaritaville at Sea added more than 200 new shore excursions across its fleet between Memorial Day and mid-September of 2025. (Even more will be offered when the line’s third ship, Beachcomber, begins sailing from Miami in early 2027.)
I tried one of the new excursions — a Dia De Los Muertos tour in Cozumel — which is also a seasonal option that ties in with the ship’s Halloween programming. They took our small group about 20 minutes outside of the port area for a fun lesson on the history of the holiday, its significance, and how it’s celebrated.
Along the way, we tried homemade Mexican food (including chocolate, made the traditional Mayan way), decorated sugar skull magnets to take home, and had a chance to build our own altars in honor of those we’ve lost. It’s an excellent tour for all ages, and it’s great for days when the weather makes going to the beach a drag.
Islander Superstars
Think “American Idol,” Margaritaville style. This karaoke competition allows passengers to try out over a three-night period for a chance to compete in the finals. On my sailing, entrants’ talent levels ran the gamut from William Hung to Kelly Clarkson.
Tryouts take place at Far Side of the World, which functions as the home base for group events like trivia and dance classes. The finals are held in the main Stars on the Water Theater. It’s great fun to watch, even if you don’t participate.
Crew Talent Show
I know what you’re thinking: “I’ve seen crew talent shows before, and they weren’t great.” Trust me when I tell you that you don’t want to miss the one on Islander. Due to a scheduling conflict with another activity, I caught only the second half and was sorry I hadn’t shown up earlier.
There’s only one performance per voyage, so it was packed. As I walked in and stood in the back, Emmanuel, who works onboard as a bartender at the Hemisphere Dancer cocktail bar, had my jaw on the floor with his vocals, as did dining room waiter Sendy. Another server took the stage in full traditional dress to perform a dance from Indonesia, her home country.
Another crew member rocked out with an incredible guitar solo from Prince’s hit song “Purple Rain” as the crowd roared, and the ship’s quarter master — the one who’s in charge of steering the vessel — stunned everyone with his unexpected breakdancing skills. Seriously, go.
Even More Live Music
To switch things up a bit and nudge passengers to move throughout the ship, the line added more live music across more venues. Now, passengers can expect daytime live music near the Five O’Clock Somewhere Pool, as well as in the Flip Flop Atrium.
As nighttime approaches, music in the atrium continues. You’re also likely to find live piano in the Bubbles Up Lounge, musical performances next to the Hemisphere Dancer Craft Spirits bar, and, perhaps, tunes at the Havana Daydreamin’ Sports Bar when there aren’t sporting events on TV.
The types of performances are as varied as the spaces. You might find a DJ in one spot, a solo guitarist playing and singing in another, and, on another deck on another stage, a live band. On a previous voyage on Islander, I also greatly enjoyed steel drum shows.
"Give people a time, good music, and good energy, and that's really all you have to do," Raval said.
Wine Tasting and Mixology
If you’re someone who likes to learn a thing or two while having fun (read: while drinking alcohol), Islander’s new wine tastings and mixology classes might be a good fit for you. Offered a couple of times per cruise on sea days, both come with an extra fee — $29.99 per person for wine tasting and $34.99 per person for mixology, plus a 20% service charge.
The wine tasting I attended happened in the Islander dining room and featured a brut sparkling wine, a riesling, a chardonnay, a merlot, and a cabernet sauvignon, all from Washington State in the United States. Each passenger received a small glass of each, complete with an explanation, a bit of information about Washington wine growing, and a plate of cheeses, fruits, orange marmalade, and chocolate. Cruisers who participate also receive 30% off bottles bought onboard.
The mixology class was at Hemisphere Dancer Craft Spirits and led by two of its expert bartenders. We learned facts about bartending and the history of certain cocktails. We were able to try our hand at using shakers — prying them apart is not easy — and then taste the finished products.
They included four alcoholic beverages: Watermelon Express, a sweet tequila-based watermelon drink; Paper Plane, a bourbon and Aperol drink that was on the bitter side; and a smoky Mile High bourbon and vermouth cocktail. The finale, labeled “bartender’s choice,” was a strong but tasty marshmallow old-fashioned.
New Menus
Islander’s main dining room is a two-deck space split into two separate serving areas: Fins (for passengers booked in standard cabins) and Islander (which offers the same menu as Fins but with a supplement that offers additional items to passengers booked in suites or those willing to pay to dine there).
The menus change nightly; for the longer itineraries, rather than repeating the menus from the first couple of nights, Margaritaville created new ones, featuring items like a wonderful salmon slider with dill and delicious pulled pork enchiladas, among other items.
Ashley Kosciolek
Ashley boarded her first cruise more than 20 years ago and never looked back. Her experience encompasses nearly 100 sailings across every major cruise brand, as well as niche luxury, river and expedition lines. She has written thousands of cruise tip features; ship, port and shore excursion reviews; and industry news articles for The Points Guy, Cruise Critic and other publications. She has been quoted as an expert by outlets that include The New York Times, CNBC, Fox Business, Forbes, Good Morning America and others.
