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For newbies looking to try a cruise vacation or frequent sailors searching for a quick getaway, Margaritaville at Sea Paradise provides a good-enough experience that might very well get you hooked on Mother Ocean. Unlike Virgin Voyages that is only designed for the 18 and up crowd, there are no age limits to sail into paradise. Like Buffett’s landside ventures, it’ll be a family-friendly atmosphere allowing all ages onboard. If you want to spend a little more time in paradise, you can arrange to also do a land stay on Grand Bahama Island and take the ship back when it returns, on a date of your choice (subject to availability). A quick booking on the two-night inaugural April 30th voyage for two people in an inside stateroom showed a total of $674.88 (including port fees and taxes).
Cruise Away to Margaritaville: First Impressions of Margaritaville at Sea Paradise
Massage and then gone right back out to the bar to catch a show; there were simply no other times available. A comedy show is held twice nightly, once for a PG audience and another R-rated show later. These acts were well-attended, even more so than the Buffett show on our sailing. Come early or on time, as late-comers searching for their seats will get roasted. Unvaccinated guests are still required to provide proof of a negative antigen COVID-19 test taken no more than one day before the sailing. To return to Florida, you then board the ship again at the port on Grand Bahama Island on May 7th and disembark when it docks back in Florida on May 8th.
Island Time
With 658 staterooms and 14 decks, the older ship wouldn’t be confused for today’s enormous cruise ships, but still has plenty to offer. The refurbishment not only put in place new dining/bar venues on the ship, but also renovated staterooms to follow with the Buffett style that passengers would expect. Additionally, the ship will offer onboard leisure activities and entertainment, including the Par-A-Dice Casino, a Stars on the Water Theater, St. Somewhere Spa, Fins Up! The ship was built at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard and entered service as a pioneer ship. She has opened many new markets and frontiers during her lifetime, so it is fitting that Margaritaville Paradise will again be a pioneer for Margaritaville at Sea.
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The cruise line charges $14.95 per person, per night for most cabins. So on a two-night cruise, a couple sailing would pay about $60 in gratuities. Guests staying in one of the suites onboard will see a charge of $19.95 per person, per night. So you sail over, spend either four or six nights at a hotel on the island (Grand Lucayan or Wyndham Fortuna Beach) and then sail back after your stay. Unlike most cruise lines, Margaritaville at Sea allows its passengers to get off the ship in the Bahamas and stay at an all-inclusive resort on Grand Bahama Island. You can choose from two or four days at the partner resorts, either the Viva Wyndham or Grand Lucayan.
Bigger Jimmy Buffett cruise ship will sail out of Tampa next year - Tampa Bay Times
Bigger Jimmy Buffett cruise ship will sail out of Tampa next year.
Posted: Mon, 04 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Free Ocean Views
But you don’t have to be the world’s biggest Parrothead to enjoy what the new line offers. Affordable and quick trips with the full cruise experience give you the opportunity to take a cruise without taking much time off or spending a fortune. The Margaritaville at Sea Paradise is your easy escape for a Bahamas getaway where there’s always a party in the makin’. Kick back in comfort with live entertainment and performances, drinks by the pool, games of chance at the casino, and delicious food – always ready when you are. Sailing from the Port of Palm Beach, Florida to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island on 2- and 3-night itineraries.
We also overheard one couple who said they went through two $99 drink packages in just one night. Short cruises have a reputation for being "booze cruises." And while we certainly saw people getting their drink on in the nightclub, the ship was surprisingly quiet as the evening grew later. Most people went to the shows and perhaps had a drink in the lounge before going to bed.
If you book a package through the ship, transfers from the port in Freeport to the resort and back again are included in your fare. If you choose this option, note that you'll have to have a passport, and not just a birth certificate. That being said, on a cruise this short, where you're in port for one of the two days, you're not spending much time in your room anyway. Part of the Jimmy Buffett/Margaritaville vibe is that anything goes, as long as you remain laid back. As a Buffett fan, I would have preferred a more immersive experience. But I can also see where having too much Buffett make alienate newer cruisers and -- let's face it -- younger and more diverse passengers.
In this case, for $99 you get 10 coupons to redeem for alcoholic drinks. Essentially it’s getting your beverages for $10 per glass, a discount off the regular price. The Margaritaville at Sea Paradise is your easy-breezy resort at sea, with visual accents that inspire adventure. The ship’s inviting atmosphere is filled with music, lights, island-inspired sculptures, artwork, and more. Lovers of non-stop entertainment can enjoy the Margaritaville Casino, Stars on the Water Theater, and various nightclubs while wellness-enthusiasts can stop by the St. Somewhere Spa & Salon or Fins Up!
"To me, the only thing better than being on a beach by the ocean, is to be on the ocean," Buffett said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure. When you blow out your flip-flop and step on a pop top, it's time to cruise on out to sea. “To me, the only thing better than being on a beach by the ocean, is to be on the ocean. Now you can follow in our wake,” said singer, songwriter and best-selling author, Jimmy Buffett. The well-stocked store onboard has all kinds of T-shirts, sweatshirts, towels, stuffed animals and more souvenirs to take back to your friends. You can also buy anything you forgot here, like sunscreen, although hours are limited.
Perspective I took the Margaritaville cruise. It's like basic economy at sea. - The Washington Post
Perspective I took the Margaritaville cruise. It's like basic economy at sea..
Posted: Thu, 01 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Their ship, Grand Classica, has been transformed into Margaritaville at Sea Paradise. The Port of Palm Beach is only 20-minutes from the West Palm Beach airport (code PBI) and about an hour from Fort Lauderdale Airport (code FLL). Grand Bahama Island is the northernmost island in the Bahamas and is directly east of Palm Beach, Florida. Anyone can have a good time on the ship, but Parrotheads might be in heaven. Food on Margaritaville at Sea Paradise has some highlights, although you might have to step away from the crowded Port of Indecision buffet to find them.
This site focuses on small-format cruises and ship-within-a-ship concepts on large cruise ships, including special cruise experiences you can enjoy during your next vacation. Everything you’d expect onboard any other cruise ship is also found here. From kid’s clubs to the casino, from the dining room to the buffet, from the spa to production shows… it’s all on Margaritaville at Sea.
Bahamas Paradise ran a similar itinerary but offered two ships before the pandemic impacted business. It was well known for being a heavily discounted cruise line, offering sailings for under $100 per person for the least expensive cabins. While closed-loop cruises, where you embark and disembark in the U.S., allow you to sail with a birth certificate instead of a passport, we recommend the latter. A lot of people on this cruise only had birth certificates, and so were subject to longer lines at the terminal, both coming and going. One thing we found extremely appealing, especially for new cruisers, is that Margaritaville at Sea Paradise has no real dress code.
There's no formal night, and you can wear shorts anywhere on the ship. It's fun to watch people feeling their own 'fits -- some people dressed to impress for the club, while others kept it chill. At that point, the ship was 27 years old, and it’s safe to say the Florida-based company got a great deal on the vessel. Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line changed the ship’s name from Costa Classica to Grand Classica. The ship successfully sailed two-day voyages from Palm Beach, Florida to Freeport, Bahamas until March 2020. Passengers who purchase the “Ultimate Paradise Pass,” will also get added benefits on board such as welcome amenities, and 10% discounts on upgrades and onshore excursions.
If you want to stay connected back home, then you can also order the “Coconut Telegraph” Internet package. Margaritaville at Sea, which began sailing in May 2022, offers still affordable rates, but is priced somewhat higher. On the plus side, as the only cruise line serving the port, it can make it easy to navigate versus the larger and busier cruise ports around the rest of the state. In other words, if you want to just hit the port and get on the ship, it’s easy to do.
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