Cruising giants Royal Caribbean and Carnival dominate the world of cruises that leave from South Florida and sail around the Caribbean.
Still, it didn’t take long for Margaritaville at Sea to build a smaller but very loyal community of cruisers. This comes four years after the cruise line themed around Jimmy Buffett’s island-vibe restaurant and resort brand launched in 2022.
The cruise line currently has a fleet of two passenger ships, the Margaritaville At Sea Islander and the Margaritaville At Sea Paradise. It sails out of Tampa and Palm Beach, with itineraries that include Key West and Mexico, as well as Caribbean destinations such as Aruba, Curaçao, and the Dominican Republic.
The 3,460-passenger Beachcomber will also join Margaritaville’s fleet as its newest and largest ship with a maiden sailing out of Miami on Jan. 9, 2027.
Margaritaville at Sea will start sailing out of Galveston by October 2027
As part of its efforts to reach sailers from different parts of the country, the cruise line also just announced that it will start sailing out of Galveston on the Gulf Coast of Texas in October 2027.
The new embarkation port was announced together with the Port of Galveston, which confirmed that it signed a contract to add Margaritaville At Sea to the six other cruise lines sailing from the city. The contract is for one year with the option to renew for two additional five-year terms, depending on how things go.
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With mroe than 3.6 million cruise passengers passing through it in 2025, the Port of Galveston is the fourth-busiest cruise port in the U.S. and the ninth-busiest in the world.
The sailings will embark on itineraries stopping in the Caribbean and Central America, although Margaritaville At Sea has not yet confirmed which of the three ships in its fleet will sail out of Galveston.
Specific sailings and the opportunity to book one’s spot will also become available closer to the start date.
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“Trade Texas highways for open water”: Margaritaville At Sea on new Galveston homeport
“Our new Galveston sailings will make it easier than ever to trade Texas highways for open water, island time, and a few Boat Drinks along the way,” the cruise line said in announcing the new embarkation port.
Margaritaville At Sea chief executive Christopher Ivy also called Galveston “an important and growing cruise gateway” that is “a significant step in the continued expansion of our brand.”
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The Margaritaville brand expanded to more than 30 restaurants and 40 resorts and vacation property communities by leaning into Buffett’s original “5 o’clock somewhere” song lyric to create a vibe built around island fun, music, and permission to slow down and enjoy the moment.
The cruise expansion was envisioned as a more budget-friendly option for smaller groups of travelers with a common interest in alternatives to major cruise lines.
Many of the restaurants, bars, and lounge areas on the ships are also a blast for hardcore Buffett music fans, featuring names like the “Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar,” the “Havana Daydreamin’ Sports Bar and Lounge” and the “Bubbles Up Lounge and Champagne Bar.”
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