Recently I shared my story of how I finally tried cruising and really liked it.  (Here’s Part 1 and Part 2 of that story.)

What I haven’t said much about was my SECOND cruise, just a few weeks after the first!   A big part of my job as a travel advisor is to be aware of travel opportunities and to train with different companies/cruise lines to learn about each one and what they offer to my clients.  While exploring cruise options, I kept running into Margaritaville at Sea.  I had noticed that some older reviews were pretty rough, but I ALSO noted that current reviews were getting better and better!  And now they’re raking in big awards!  They’re working hard, and it’s paying off for the line itself AND their passengers!

I participated in several webinars with Margaritaville at Sea, and when they offered a 2-night cruise with a training opportunity for travel advisors, I jumped on it!   They seemed different from the other lines, and I wanted to see for myself what they were all about. I’m glad I did!

I sailed on the Paradise out of West Palm Beach, Florida.  The terminal/dock is super easy to find, and parking was a breeze.  They offer both self-parking and valet parking.  My travel buddy and I sailed through security (pun totally intended) and headed to the check-in counter.  While there was a line, it moved fairly quickly.  The agents were kind and knowledgeable and got us checked in with no problems at all. 

We boarded the ship and headed straight to the Port of Indecision Buffet to grab some lunch.  I was surprised to see that the buffet dining area’s windows had an obstructed view!  They let in a lot of natural light which was nice, but instead of a great view of the water, we had a view of the lifeboats!  That caught me off guard, but we enjoyed scoping out the food options and ate a good lunch.  There were two primary buffet lines that offered several entrees, sides, and desserts.  We noted the salad bar and a made-to-order panini counter.  I liked that there were plenty of options but not so many that it seemed wasteful.

And here’s what we also learned!  The Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar was just outside the buffet, on the aft deck!  You can get your food from the buffet and then enjoy eating it outside!  So don’t let the lifeboat view bother you!  You have options!

During our cruise we ate at Cheeseburger in Paradise several times and at the Fins Restaurant both evenings for beautiful, delicious dinners.  I can also recommend the Margaritaville Coffee Shop!  The bars were plentiful and offered sodas as well as adult beverages.

We enjoyed two shows while we were on board, and the musicians were fantastic.   Live music was everywhere, and everything I heard was great!  In at least one of the bars, if live music wasn’t going on, you could enjoy watching one of Jimmy Buffet’s recorded concerts.

The ship itself is smaller than a lot of other ships these days,  and that allowed us to learn our way around pretty quickly.  My friend and I walked the whole ship, and we both noted how beautifully themed it is.  Bright and pretty!  It shows its age every now and then, but overall I thought it was very nice.  We had an ocean view room, and it was lovely!

My favorite part of the ship was the vibe!  Laid back.  Not pretentious.  If you want huge pools and water slides, the Paradise may not be for you.  As one of the Margaritaville at Sea folks put it in a webinar, “We’re more hammock than roller coaster.”  Well said!  Exactly!

I’ll be honest, this two-night cruise was a teaser!  The point of my going on the cruise was to learn more about the company, so I was in training for several hours of the one full day onboard.   A couple of friends and I enjoyed exploring Nassau for a couple of hours that afternoon, then it was back onboard in time to change for another delicious dinner and a show.  If you want a quick getaway, a short cruise on the Paradise might be a good fit for you.  Her itineraries include 2- to 4-night cruises.  I know the Paradise has—since I sailed in January—seen some big updates and enhancements, so it will be even better than when I enjoyed my cruise!  Check out virtual tours of Paradise HERE!

Next time I sail with Margaritaville at Sea, I plan to sail on their larger, newer ship, Islander!   I’m hearing really great things about her!  The Islander sails out of Tampa, Florida, and she offers 4- to 10-night itineraries.  Islander also boasts more and different restaurants, bars, and lounges than Paradise.  (Bigger means more room for more options!)  You can enjoy virtual tours of Islander HERE. 

Margaritaville at Sea offers great cruises at surprisingly affordable prices.  Sailing with them would be a good way to try cruising for the first time.  If you have kids, I think Islander would be the better choice for you.  If you’re traveling without kids, Paradise is a cozier option whereas Islander offers more things to see and do.  Either ship you choose, Margaritaville at Sea is a worthy choice for a cruising vacation!

Let me know if you’d like to book a cruise with Margaritaville! I’d love to help you with that!

Follow me in social media:

• 
• 
•