Margaritaville at Sea Review

On my first cruise post-pandemic, I chose Margaritaville at Sea’s Paradise as they were the first to welcome all guests back regardless of vaccination status. Additionally, since a few friends were celebrating milestone birthdays, this Jimmy Buffet-inspired cruise seemed like a fun way to celebrate and check out the newly remodeled ship that was re-launched in April 2022. 

My first impression of the terminal building is that it’s light and bright and quick to navigate upstairs to the check-in area. While the check-in staff is less enthusiastic, and the language barrier can be a bit frustrating, the atmosphere is very welcoming and festive. 

Once on the ship, you embark at Deck 5 and are welcomed by a huge Jimmy Buffet-themed art installation featuring a big flip-flop and parrots. This really sets the tone for the Margaritaville theme.

Throughout the ship, the remodel from the Grand Classica to Margaritaville at Sea is very evident and has been done in fun and festive colors. The public rooms are nicely appointed with ample seating. One surprise was there was no bar service when seated in the Euphoria Lounge and several other public areas. I expected to see waiters with trays full of drinks for sale, but instead, the first day onboard is sell, sell, sell a Margaritaville branded refillable blender. This take-home trinket which will likely be included in your next garage sale, had passengers lining up to purchase for $20 upfront and refills for $17 or one drink package credit plus $5 since the blender holds two drinks. 

Speaking of drinks, if you plan to indulge in ‘Boat Drinks,’ the aptly named package is a great deal at $99 for 10 drinks. This package includes all drinks up to $12 value (most cocktails were $10 - $12). For beer drinkers, the better value is the bucket o’beer which is Buy 4, Get 1 Free, or $30 for the five beers, which you can mix and match brands. A la carte beers are $7.50 each plus gratuity. 

Because of the limited time onboard (all sailings are 2-nights), everything feels very rushed. Hurry up, do the next thing, and cram as much as possible into 48 hours. What I thought would be a more laid-back vibe was actually a mad dash. The main show in the evening conflicts with late seating dinner, so unless you want to eat at 5:30 pm, that is the only way to see the show. The only reservation at the steak house we could get was the first evening at 8:30 pm, so we missed the show. 

Dining

One of the most important aspects of any cruise is the quality and selection of food. I have to say Margaritaville at Sea missed the mark on food at almost every turn. While there were some things that were done very well, there were more misses than hits. The Frank and Lola pizzeria was a cute space, nicely themed with lots of seating. Usually, pizza on a ship is complimentary. Not on Margaritaville at Sea. The pizzas are individual-sized and will set you back $12, which for a snack for two people may not be a big deal, but for a family or group of four or more, the cost adds up quickly. 

The Port of Indecision Buffet offers a variety of dishes to choose from, most of which are inedible. I had high hopes of finding a Cheeseburger in Paradise, only to be greeted with a soggy patty of what may or may not have been real meat and not a slice of cheese to be found. Don’t get me started on the stale buns that you could chip a tooth on. There were several times I found myself mumbling Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On. Also, the air conditioning in this area seemed to be non-existent. Perhaps part of a Sweatin’ to the Oldies onboard event we weren’t aware of. 

The first night I was excited to try out the JWB Prime Steakhouse. At a $50 per person cover charge, this is one of the most expensive at sea. At first glance, I wasn’t sure I was even in the right place except for the entrance sign that gave it away. The lighting is harsh (think bright white lights), there is not a tablecloth to be found, and the area is part of the main dining room that has been separated off with some decorative room dividers and its own entrance. Putting that aside, our party of 6 was greeted by a nice waiter and head waiter, a bar steward, and a sommelier. AIl were very attentive and welcoming and frankly the highlight of the night and the cruise. The menu selection was quite good, and everyone in our party had high expectations that this would be a great experience.

Appetizers were served to rave reviews all around the table. Next course, soup, and salad. This is where things started to go off the rails. Half of our group ordered a caesar salad. Kinda hard to screw that up. Oh, but wait; apparently, it’s not. The first bite had all three looking at each in disbelief as the salad was warm, soggy, and tasted nothing as a caesar salad should. I opted for the wedge salad, which, I have to be honest, was quite good and a nice presentation. 

Now for the entrees. The creme de la creme. The big event. It was like someone farted in church. Every single entree except one had to be sent back as they were inedible. I ordered the Wagyu Short Ribs, which should have been a lump of lovely tender meat served on the bone, usually in a pillow of mashed potatoes. Nope. Not even close. The chef had the bright idea to take this lovely meat, cut it against the grain and through the bone, then bake or fry it (not sure) and serve sliced in a pile with chimichurri. One bite was akin to eating a flip-flop. Actually, I think my flip-flops would taste better. 

Here is a picture of what short ribs should look like:

Instead, this is what was served:

The overall experience was sad (and hungry) faces all around the table… except for my husband, who was the only one that ordered lamb and said it was great. Additionally, he was the only one that got a complete meal that night. We sat in the steakhouse for more than 2 hours with one disappointment after another. It should be noted that the wait staff was fantastic and tried really hard to make it right, but even the “make-up” entrees were bad. The issue is the back of the house, not the front. You can see from the menu above there are high-quality items to justify the surcharge, but the preparation is where things go amiss. We did stick it out for dessert, which was nice, but nothing that had a “wow” factor like in most steakhouses. I was expecting a molten lava cake, table-side bananas foster, or cherries jubilee.

Read: Top 6 Cruise Ship Steakhouses

It was time to hit the casino with everyone restless and ready to get on with the evening.  Enter the Par-a-dice Casino. 

Again, harsh bright white lights abound (think prison interrogation), and only a few tables in the center of the room and one craps table. Based on the size of the ship and that all there was to do later in the evening was gamble or listen to music, this place should have been hopping. Instead, it was only sparsely populated with a few cruisers trying their luck at the meager selection of slot machines that lined the room. Most of the machines were outdated, and a few were broken and out of service. Honestly, this has to be the saddest casino I’ve ever seen in my life. I tried my luck on a one-armed bandit and left after my $20 ran out. 

Since the main show was only available to those with early dining, the Euphoria lounge was the place to be in the evening. A beautifully appointed lounge with a great band belting out tunes from various genres and generations. Truly something for everyone and a great spot to hang out. Our group gave this location and the band a big Fins Up! 

Cabin

I booked an ocean-view cabin and was pleasantly surprised that the pictures online lived up to expectations. The cabin is comfortable in size and nicely decorated, including a vanity area and a small table area on top of the mini-refrigerator. The bathroom is also nicely modeled and has shampoo, conditioner, and body wash pumps on the shower wall. Our friends love the firm mattress, but it was too firm for my husband and me however, the pillows are fantastic. A nice large TV in the corner of the room offers more stations than I’ve seen on a cruise ship, and you can access your onboard account and other features anytime. 

The air conditioning is a bit spotty - one minute, it’s nice and cool, and in another, it seems rather warm. Given that the ship is 31 years old, spotty AC is to be expected, but some could find it difficult to sleep if you prefer your room akin to an ice box. Also, to note, there is only one 110v plug, and it’s inconveniently located under the room vanity close to the floor. It’s hard very hard to get to if you need to plug in various items. There is also one USB port and one 220v outlet, which are above the vanity and easily accessible. 

Those traveling with medical devices, such as a CPAP, may need an extension cord. Be sure to ask the room steward (if you can find one) or guest services as soon as you board the ship. On a side note, we never saw our room steward, even though we looked several times to get ice. There is an ice bucket in the room but no ice. Additionally, there is only a once-a-day cabin service in the morning. 

Pool

One feature that was nice to see was the Adults Only Pool on the aft of the ship. While small, there are two adjacent hot tubs that seem to be the hot spot for sail away and most any time of the day. 

The main pool area was also small, but that was to be expected on a ship of this age and size. There were not a lot of deck chairs, so get there early to get a spot. 

Port

Day Two was the arrival in Freeport, where our group decided to set off for the Viva Wyndham, an all-inclusive resort. The ship sells this resort day pass for $129, including transportation to/from the resort - leave the ship at 9:30 am and pick up at the resort at 3:30 pm for the return to the ship. If you have the Paradise Package, you will save $50 per person on this option, or any shore excursion booked onboard. 

For those without excursion credit, purchasing a day pass directly from Resort for a Day is the best option. The Viva Wyndham is only $89 per person and includes lunch and unlimited drinks. The beach is stunning, with crystal clear water and a nice large pool with umbrellas for shade. The only issue at the resort was no wait staff for the pool or beach, which meant that everyone had to wait in a very long line for drinks. 

All aboard from Freeport is 4:30 pm. 

Final Thoughts

Overall impression of the ship: the refurbishment was nicely done, and the Margaritaville theme was fun and festive. For non-parrotheads that think they may be driven insane with Jimmy Buffet music on a constant loop, don’t worry. I can’t recall hearing any Jimmy Buffet songs at all once onboard. 

Pros: short cruise, great for those with limited time and/or budget to get away. This cruise is good for those new to cruising or for those wanting to check out the experience without the commitment of a longer journey.

Cons: lack of (bar) service throughout the ship, harsh lighting in the steak house, dining room, and casino, and inconsistent air conditioning throughout the ship. Also, there are no bar menus to be had. It would be nice to have a menu for some liquid inspiration and to know the price before ordering. 

Undecided: food - some hits but mostly misses. Having said that, for some passengers, the food may be way better than expected. Everyone has a different meter for judging what is good and bad. I went on board with pretty low expectations, and I would say the food did not meet expectations. Others onboard thought the food was good or great. The overall sophistication level of the crowd onboard seemed like they could be found at the Golden Corral for a special night out or local drive-thru regularly. 

Do your homework when it comes to selecting your next cruise. While Margaritaville at Sea offers a very low upfront cost (think two-for-one cruise rates), you get what you pay for. Also, be prepared to spend several hundred dollars more once onboard with gratuities, fuel surcharge, drinks, specialty dining or pizza, casino, shore excursion, etc. 

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