Margaritaville at Sea, on the brands’ third anniversary, has announced that they’re expanding their fleet. Currently, the line operates just two ships: Margaritaville at Sea Paradise and Margaritaville at Sea Islander.
The brand is known on land for its Jimmy Bufet inspired resorts and restaurants, and when they partnered with and rebranded the former Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, they began operating two night sailings on Paradise between West Palm Beach and Freeport, Bahamas. More recently, they’ve expanded service from The Port of Palm Beach to Nassau, Key West, and Cozumel. In mind-2024, they began sailing the Islander, formerly the Costa Atlantica, from Tampa to ports in Mexico, Belize, Key West, and The Bahamas.
Their third ship will be another former Costa vessel. In 2026, the Costa Fortuna, a Destiny Class ship built in 2003, will move into the Margaritaville at Sea fleet. This 102.5k gross ton, 3,450 passenger ship will be the largest and newest in the fleet. In addition to being new to the line, this ship, being another class of ship, will offer the company opportunities provide unique opportunities after what we're sure will be a refurbishment to bring the Margaitaville style and venues to this European ship. The name that the ship, once she moves over, nor the homeport for the newly acquired vessel, have been announced.
Our Take & Predictions
We were on the maiden voyage of Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, and while we had a fun time, the ship showed its age in design and amenities, despite impressive service. Our takeaway, perhaps more forgiving than others, was that it was a nice time, but with too many compromises when there are so many other cruise options. Lately, however, their newest currently-operating ship, the Islander, seems to be getting solid reviews, not only from other cruise and travel writers, but recently from our own friends (David and Luisa, shown below) who appreciated the generous Heroes Sail Free promotion, offering deep discounts for members of the military. Given that a newer ship seems to be providing more refined experiences, we’re keen to see the line expand to offer even more variety for those looking to take a Caribbean cruise.
Watch Our Margaritaville at Sea Paradise Vlogs and Cabin Tour
The teasing of a new homeport is interesting, too. The line’s existing homeports, Tampa and Palm Beach certainly have capacity for another ship, and given a Caribbean placement seems almost certain, we have to wonder the motivation for a move. Port Miami or Port Everglades are both short drives from Palm Beach, but could stand to increase the brand’s exposure. Similarly, Port Canaveral, just east of Orlando is a very popular cruise port which also has advantages, and while it’s not significantly more convenient than Tampa for visitors to Orlando, it would allow them to easily sail to The Bahamas and even the Eastern Caribbean. Another possibility? Galveston. This Texas port generally restricts ships to sailing Mexico, Belize and other destinations in the Gulf, however it does open up a significant market of cruisers looking to drive to the port, but who aren’t located near Florida.
As for the name of their next ship? Just five weeks ahead of this announcement, Margaritaville at Sea filed a trademark for the name Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber, so that’s where our money is, but if we’re wrong, we’ll apologize when we sail on her.
Press Release
ORLANDO, Fla. (May 14, 2025) – Today, marking the third anniversary of the company’s inception, Margaritaville at Sea has announced the next phase of its fleet expansion plan with the purchase of its third ship, the Costa Fortuna, currently operated by Costa Cruises. This new acquisition continues the line’s proven track record of bringing the Margaritaville state of mind to new and passionate cruisers through exceptional vessel reimaginations combined with Margaritaville’s best-in-class hospitality.
Since the May 2022 launch of its first ship, the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, the cruise line has delivered the brand’s signature sense of fun and escapism to hundreds of thousands of guests. In 2024, the company launched the Margaritaville at Sea Islander to elevate the line’s successful formula for award-winning, laid-back getaways. The brand has gone on to receive critical acclaim from major industry publications and guests regarding the exceptional experience onboard its vessels, including winning Cruise Critic’s #1 Cruisers Choice Award and Newsweek 2025 Best Ship for Families, among several others.
Built for Costa Cruises, the Costa Fortuna will be the largest vessel in the Margaritaville at Sea fleet at over 102,500 gross tons and accommodating approximately 3,450 passengers. Featuring more than 1,340 staterooms, 13 passenger decks, expansive outdoor spaces, and a soaring 8-story center atrium, the ship will be reimagined by Margaritaville at Sea in the signature island-inspired design central to the line’s success.
“Over the last three years we have been incredibly focused on building Margaritaville at Sea by delivering more of what our guests love – a uniquely laid-back island attitude with award-winning hospitality. With the acquisition of our third ship in three years, we are proud to once again invite guests to step into the Margaritaville state of mind on the open ocean,” said Christopher Ivy, Chief Executive Officer of Margaritaville at Sea. “The launch of the Margaritaville at Sea Islander was a significant moment for our company, and the acquisition of the Costa Fortuna, our largest ship to date, gives us another exciting opportunity to bring even more fun and escapism to guests from a new homeport in 2026.”
John Cohlan, CEO of Margaritaville, added, “Margaritaville at Sea has been on an exceptional trajectory since its launch only a few short years ago. We’re thrilled to once again expand the experience of our brand on the water and share the cruise line’s signature experiences and amenities with even more guests.”
The ship will continue to be operated by Costa Cruises as Costa Fortuna until late next year.
For news, updates, and exclusive access to pre-sale incentives, cruisers are encouraged to join Margaritaville at Sea’s VIP email list at MargaritavilleAtSea.com/New-Horizons.
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