The former Bahamas Paradise Cruise Lines wanted to offer an inexpensive way for people to take a short Caribbean cruise from South Florida.
Operating out of the Port of Palm Beach in West Palm Beach Florida, about halfway between Miami and Port Canaveral, on the east coast of Florida, the cruise line offered low-frills cruises on cruise ships that had seen better days.
With Royal Caribbean (RCL), Carnival Cruise Line (CCL), and Norwegian (NCLH) all sailing newer, nicer, and bigger ships out of Port Canaveral, Miami and Fort Lauderdale, it was hard for a rival to compete solely on price.
That has been especially true since cruising resumed in July 2021 when the overall market, at least for shorter sailings, has been somewhat depressed, making Royal Caribbean's and Carnival's sailings, at least some of them, not much cheaper than Bahamas Paradise.
Enter Jimmy Buffett.
Margaritaville Paradise
Jimmy Buffett Grows His Margaritaville Brand
While the Bahamas Paradise brand didn't mean anything, Jimmy Buffett has built the Margaritaville brand into a colossus.
It's used on high-end resorts, 55+ housing and a chain of high-profile restaurants.
The singer has created a lifestyle brand that's easy to understand for his core audience of Parrotheads. They know what the singer stands for and have been very willing to consume it.
“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 Buffett.
Now, he can accomplish that for his loyal fanbase as the one-time Grand Classica has been transformed into Margaritaville at Sea, a cruise ship designed for Buffett's fans.
"Margaritaville Paradise will include 10 passenger decks and 658 cabins in various stateroom categories," the company said in a press release.
Following a multi-million investment and refurbishment, the ship’s cabins and common spaces will feature Margaritaville’s signature casual-luxe design with subtle nautical details and colors influenced by the surrounding sea, sand, and sky," it said.
It's the same ship, but totally redone to give it the Margaritaville feel.
Margaritaville Paradise has its first sailing on April 30 from Port of Palm Beach. It will generally offer two-night sailings with a stop at Grand Bahama Island.
This Is More Than a Name Change for Margaritaville Paradise
Buffett has never been a celebrity willing to just slap his name on a product for a payday. He's heavily involved in his brand and that's the case here as he lends his iconic song to the cruise line.
“Margaritaville at Sea will be a new, exciting, and fun way for guests to escape and vacation in Margaritaville,” said John Cohlan, CEO of Margaritaville.
“From oceans to lakes, Margaritaville has an organic tie to the water and with Margaritaville at Sea, we’re able to put our iconic lifestyle, resort experiences, and elevated service directly on the sea. We look forward to seeing guests on, and in, Paradise.”
The ship will be built around food, drinks, entertainment, and having a laid-back good time — all key elements of the singer's brand.
Dining options will include JWB Prime Steak & Seafood, Frank and Lola’s Pizzeria, Port of Indecision Buffet, LandShark Sports Bar and Margaritaville Coffee & Pastry Shop, as well as the Euphoria Lounge, Sunset Bar and 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar.
There's also the Par-A-Dice Casino, a Stars on the Water Theater, St. Somewhere Spa, Fins Up! Fitness Center, pools, a retail shop and more.
"Margaritaville at Sea will provide guests with Margaritaville’s authentic culture, entertainment, and food en route to a beautiful destination in Grand Bahama Island," added Margaritaville at Sea CEO Oneil Khosa.
"The experience will be complemented by an unmatched, personalized approach to guest service from start to finish via valet service and exclusive cruise terminals for smoother embarkation and disembarkation. It’s the perfect partnership in paradise."
A one-ship cruise line may not threaten Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian and it may actually bring new people onto a cruise ship.
Those customers may embrace the Buffett brand and become regulars, or try the bigger ships and longer itineraries offered by the larger cruise lines.
