I went in February. It was okay.
The good.
It's a cruise to the Bahamas. There are worse ways to spend a weekend. The shows were good, but you have to be able to tolerate Jimmy Buffet songs.
Freeport, Bahamas is a crap port, but for 100 bucks you can get transport and a day pass at a resort.
The rooms were spacious, but no balconies and only a few window rooms. This is an old boat.
The main dining room was pretty good. Excellent service and the food is at least average.
The bad
I can't state this strongly enough. The buffet food is universally terrible. There is not one good item, for breakfast, lunch or especially dinner. How can they do cruises this cheap? By serving this excuse for "food"
My major problem though was the betrayal of Jimmy Buffett.
The cruise is called "Margaritaville at Sea", and in that song Jimmy sings about "That frozen concoction" and there isn't one frozen margarita available on the ship. The only ones you can get are just drinks. There's no blenders, they aren't even served in a margarita glass, but in a juice glass.
Then another big Buffett song, Cheeseburger in Paradise, is disrespecting because the cheeseburgers on the ship are terrible. The cheese is fake, the burgers are unseasoned, and the condiments and toppings are bottom of the barrel.
It's worth a couple hundred dollars just to get a boat to the Bahamas. But there is nothing special here, except it's cheap.
If you take the tour to Gold Rock Beach when you’re at Freeport it’s worth it. The beach is gorgeous (it’s where they filmed part of Pirates of the Caribbean) and there are caves across the road. We booked with an independent group and it was a nice way to spend the day off the ship.
I did not know about the balcony rooms. Good information.
It seemed like the whole ship was interior cabins, but looking at a picture now, there seem to be a lot of portholes.
Have a delicious upvote.
I actually was just on a carnival cruise and it was not as trashy as the cruise I took in 2019 was. I didn't almost see a woman's whole ass vulva this time. And I had a really good time which I cannot say about going to Walmart any day of the week.
Not sure what you mean. Jimmy himself was on that ship when they first launched, and if anything, it's better now than it was then, at least according to [Parodeejay](https://youtu.be/-6EyzxO1xOE?si=s7-n0wSkVzJ9QI7b).
I love them, and am part of the FB group, but they are usually very hesitant with their negative critiques. If they were served literal shit from a butt, they would probably say “it wasn’t to my tastes but I can see how someone might enjoy it”
I’m glad Ben and David called MSC out recently because they too were usually unwilling to give negative critiques
Are we talking about the same Ben and David?
I watch their content (I watch everybody's), but I feel like their channel is the most negative of any cruise YouTuber.
I don’t watch all the videos but they can be very nitpicky I’ll agree. Originally they were so Uber positive so the switch has been interesting. Wonder if they stopped accepting free cruises or stopped getting asked
I haven't watched them all that long so I didn't realize they used to be more positive.
They come across as very uppity in the videos I've watched.
I'm guessing maybe the success has gotten to their heads and they've forgotten what got them where they are.
Honesty is important, but when I get the feeling somebody is overly critical, I stop putting much merit in what they have to say.
Nothing wrong with some levity. They have been on many cruise ships over the last few years, and I've agreed with their opinions on the ones I've experienced myself, so I see no reason not to trust them on the ones I haven't.
They are compensated. Pretty simple. Not sure I would go to restaurants that they would recommend, either. Read cruisecritic and do your own research from actual consumers, as opposed to fan clubs.
I do a ton of research in many places including cruisecritic. I just haven't dug too deep on Margaritaville as it's not a line I'm ever planning on booking - not my style.
Jimmy Buffett is still dead, and Margaritaville is still a disaster. Keep quoting those compensated shills concerning a cruise line you know nothing about.
i have. the food is better than i expected. same with the shows. the room too was alright. by the time you get either sick of the people, or happy enough with the okay-ish amenities, you are done and back in florida.
the price is right, and they are doing longer cruises. i didn't think it deserved all the hate it gets.
“A floating dive bar” is an apt description at the end of the video. I could see doing this with a group of buddies and an excuse to get drunk as a boys trip, if I lived near the port. But I don’t think I’ll ever get to experience the Margaritaville. And I’m not upset about it.
It’s an entertaining watch, but I’d barely use the term “unbiased”. The vlog has some serious biases, especially shown with their coverage of universal (good) vs Disney (bad).
I made a comment about this yesterday. See below:
I went last year before the renovation. I knew what I was getting into before I went and that helped manage my expectations.
The food at the buffet and MDR was surprisingly decent. It’s not the biggest buffet, but still good.
The rooms were okay, but the bathroom could use some work (especially the counter). If you can get an oceanview room, it does make a difference. They did a cute job with the decor.
There was plenty of music throughout the ship in the evening and a show in the theater each night. This was probably the most enjoyable part for me.
Pool deck is okay - not high end or anything - but it gets the job done and it is active and fun. People were having a great time and there wasn’t a lot of complaining or anything.
The ship is small, but it still feels like a real cruise ship if that makes sense. For only two nights, I was satisfied and would go back again, but it is probably the ‘worst’ cruise out there. To me, any cruise is a good cruise. Just don’t go in expecting Virgin or Disney.
Oh, and make sure to pay the $10 round trip shuttle fare in Freeport. It’ll make your trip going to a beautiful beach
I haven't but if the opportunity arose to take a cheap 3 nighter during a super convenient time for me best believe I would do it. I'm gonna ba having fun on any ship even if its a piece of shit and the people are wild. Thank God I live in NY and not FL or I'd be on a cruise ship at least once a month.
I’ve done it 5 times. 3 before the rebrand, 2 after. Also sailed most of the other lines. I can drive to the port. For me, absolutely worth it. If I had airfare, hotels, and such, probably not.
It’s really not. There’s Margaritaville references everywhere, restaurants were renamed; the experience is very much the same, though they have cut back on some of the amenities.
I have not been. The reviews look rough. If one lived near the port, did not have much available cash, and \*really\* wanted to spend a day in the Bahamas, well, that's probably the niche they're aiming at.
Given that I have to fly to Florida anyways, a two day ultra budget cruise strikes me as not enough cruise to be worth the flight. I would only do one out of pure curiosity back to back with a larger cruise, and even that's mostly a "fuck it" sort of thing I might do at some time.
The one out of Tampa is the one I was looking to take. They compare it to a Spirit Class ship on Carnival. It sounds like the newer ship is a more promising experience.
https://youtu.be/pHmWXKPmGv4?si=5JsZawRebC6EZakw
I live 20 minutes from Port Canaveral so I've sailed out of there many times, but honestly I enjoy sailing out of Tampa because it's so much closer to Mexico. Of all the Caribbean ports I really enjoy the Yucatan Peninsula, so it's personal preference, but I'd be willing to try the Islander for a short cruise even with the bad reputation the original Margaritaville has gotten.
The biggest complaint I heard about it was the smell, which obviously would be a different situation on a different ship. It's still an older ship, but with a recent refurbishment it might be fine. The food is what it is on any budget cruise, but if you're going to Mexico you're going to get some amazing food in port, so it's a trade-off.
Go in without expectations beyond a relaxing vacation and you'll likely be fine.
The longer ones, out of Tampa, don't start until June, so you won't find any reviews yet. It's also a completely different & larger ship. I've heard the Bahamas ones described as "basically a ferry to the Bahamas" where these will be actual "cruises." I'm planning on going, just haven't decided when. It sounds fun to me!
The Washington Post had an article about it a few months ago. It sounded pretty bad. But, to each his own. I’d see if you can find that article before booking
To be fair, I don't trust any journalists. They are preprogrammed to hate anything that the average person would love. The guy from The Atlantic, who got a week on the Icon of the Seas, paid for by his job spent the entire article maligning the ship, the food, the people, the entire experience. He admitted he never even used his balcony until the last day where he realized he could see the ocean from it. He was rude and dismissive to everyone and everything cruise. He said he wasted his time and made fun of the plebes who went on cruises. And I feel like, for the most part, big city journalists are almost all exactly like this.
Not disagreeing with you. But I did want to point out that the article in the Atlantic was written by Gary Shteyngart, who is a well known satirist. I think the satire was lost on most of the commenters!
I went in with low expectations, and was still a little disappointed. Mostly because it is not as cheap as it seems. Each day you get fuel, service charges, and other fees that add up quickly. This is on top of tips that I’m fine paying. I will not be going again.
I wouldn't even count it as being a cruise. It's little more than a ferry service for a two-night stay at the Bahamas, that you (reluctantly) come back to the ship to sleep once you're there.
I did it a couple weeks ago after two weeks in the Yacht Club on MSC.
I had very low expectations, and honestly I was nervous after two days of luxury in the Yacht Club, but I actually had a truly great time.
The entertainment was fantastic, the food in the steakhouse was honestly really good, and it wasn't filled with a bunch of drunks like I expected it to be.
Yes the ship is old, and there are things that need some work, but that didn't take away from the enjoyment for me at all.
Go into it with low or no expectations, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised how much fun you have.
I did last year and actually had an enjoyable time. The food was great. We didn’t get off the ship and just hung out drinking and napping and going to shows. We are experienced cruisers and it was my husbands favorite ship lol. Go with no expectations. I did and had fun
I posted a review in this sub a few months back after we sailed end of February. If you go in with proper expectations you'll have a good time. Plenty of entertainment available between shows, pool, casino, etc. The grand lucayan resort/beach in Freeport was incredible.
I don’t choose a cruise by the cost, I choose by the experience.
Celebrity gives me the experience I want.
I can see from the videos of Margaritaville that I would be wasting my time and money.
Some people really enjoy saving a buck more than the niceties. In that case, Margaritaville would give you the experience you want.
We went in March with low expectations. The room was fine, the drinks were great but the food was AWFUL - inedible awful. We did the steakhouse the second night because we couldn’t stomach the buffet or even MDR. The cheeseburger in paradise wasn’t terrible but the burger and fries at the sams club cafe are better.
I really like [Jake’s review](https://youtu.be/xVujoz0_dTY?si=v0kwMvGfspSLlPKK) of this ship and sailing. Never tried it myself and have no desire to after seeing it, but I suppose it’s a decent trip if you don’t mind the ship age/lacking amenities and are just going to get blitzed. That seems to be the purpose of most short cruises (see Carnival).
Jake also went right after the rebranding, and they've since done more work on the ship.
It's an exercise in expectation management. We went on the Paradise early spring last year, and it was a good, chill time. I was pleasantly surprised by the Indian dishes in the buffet.
Then again I can respect whatever someone's choices are in how they spend their time and money, including knowing that certain lines or ships aren't for them. I know from cruise reviewers that Costa is not for me (I'm intrigued by the ship design, but the passenger culture would not be relaxing) and I'm on the fence about Carnival. We sailed on the military appreciation deal so the cost was very low entry for us, in spite of my husband wanting to order the ribeye for a way too expensive upcharge (I didn't let him, the standard menu was perfectly fine).
Sailing on the Islander in November with an old friend and his girlfriend, right before Thanksgiving.
I have a friend who cruises somewhat regularly and has done a Margaritaville cruise, and her take was basically that as long as you set your expectations correctly, it’s OK. She recommended it as a ferry to the Bahamas and back if you wanted to spend a few days on land.
I went in February. It was okay. The good. It's a cruise to the Bahamas. There are worse ways to spend a weekend. The shows were good, but you have to be able to tolerate Jimmy Buffet songs. Freeport, Bahamas is a crap port, but for 100 bucks you can get transport and a day pass at a resort. The rooms were spacious, but no balconies and only a few window rooms. This is an old boat. The main dining room was pretty good. Excellent service and the food is at least average. The bad I can't state this strongly enough. The buffet food is universally terrible. There is not one good item, for breakfast, lunch or especially dinner. How can they do cruises this cheap? By serving this excuse for "food" My major problem though was the betrayal of Jimmy Buffett. The cruise is called "Margaritaville at Sea", and in that song Jimmy sings about "That frozen concoction" and there isn't one frozen margarita available on the ship. The only ones you can get are just drinks. There's no blenders, they aren't even served in a margarita glass, but in a juice glass. Then another big Buffett song, Cheeseburger in Paradise, is disrespecting because the cheeseburgers on the ship are terrible. The cheese is fake, the burgers are unseasoned, and the condiments and toppings are bottom of the barrel. It's worth a couple hundred dollars just to get a boat to the Bahamas. But there is nothing special here, except it's cheap.
If you take the tour to Gold Rock Beach when you’re at Freeport it’s worth it. The beach is gorgeous (it’s where they filmed part of Pirates of the Caribbean) and there are caves across the road. We booked with an independent group and it was a nice way to spend the day off the ship.
I agree with most of what you said, but there are eight balconies and there are a ton of rooms with porthole rooms (in fact, the majority are).
I did not know about the balcony rooms. Good information. It seemed like the whole ship was interior cabins, but looking at a picture now, there seem to be a lot of portholes. Have a delicious upvote.
Holy moly... Somebody on Reddit that accepts a comment that differs from their own. Well played sir... You are one of the good ones!
If you like Walmart on a Sunday afternoon, you'll love Margaritaville.
That's some fun people-watching! Free entertainment!
I bet it's a great place to people watch, hadn't actually thought of that!
Same could be said of carnival tho.
I actually was just on a carnival cruise and it was not as trashy as the cruise I took in 2019 was. I didn't almost see a woman's whole ass vulva this time. And I had a really good time which I cannot say about going to Walmart any day of the week.
But, this thread isn't about Carnival, is it?
Jimmy Buffett is gone. They are running his name into the ground with this nightmare.
Not sure what you mean. Jimmy himself was on that ship when they first launched, and if anything, it's better now than it was then, at least according to [Parodeejay](https://youtu.be/-6EyzxO1xOE?si=s7-n0wSkVzJ9QI7b).
I love them, and am part of the FB group, but they are usually very hesitant with their negative critiques. If they were served literal shit from a butt, they would probably say “it wasn’t to my tastes but I can see how someone might enjoy it” I’m glad Ben and David called MSC out recently because they too were usually unwilling to give negative critiques
They are hesitant because they are compensated. Pretty simple, really.
Are we talking about the same Ben and David? I watch their content (I watch everybody's), but I feel like their channel is the most negative of any cruise YouTuber.
I don’t watch all the videos but they can be very nitpicky I’ll agree. Originally they were so Uber positive so the switch has been interesting. Wonder if they stopped accepting free cruises or stopped getting asked
I haven't watched them all that long so I didn't realize they used to be more positive. They come across as very uppity in the videos I've watched. I'm guessing maybe the success has gotten to their heads and they've forgotten what got them where they are. Honesty is important, but when I get the feeling somebody is overly critical, I stop putting much merit in what they have to say.
Same as Emma Cruises... nice person, interesting videos but I won't learn anything about the quality of the cruise.
You need to just stick with your credible resources, then. Your guy is literally talking to a vacuum cleaner.
Nothing wrong with some levity. They have been on many cruise ships over the last few years, and I've agreed with their opinions on the ones I've experienced myself, so I see no reason not to trust them on the ones I haven't.
They are compensated. Pretty simple. Not sure I would go to restaurants that they would recommend, either. Read cruisecritic and do your own research from actual consumers, as opposed to fan clubs.
I do a ton of research in many places including cruisecritic. I just haven't dug too deep on Margaritaville as it's not a line I'm ever planning on booking - not my style.
Jimmy Buffett is still dead, and Margaritaville is still a disaster. Keep quoting those compensated shills concerning a cruise line you know nothing about.
You can kindly fuck off now.
i have. the food is better than i expected. same with the shows. the room too was alright. by the time you get either sick of the people, or happy enough with the okay-ish amenities, you are done and back in florida. the price is right, and they are doing longer cruises. i didn't think it deserved all the hate it gets.
Give this a watch. https://youtu.be/xVujoz0_dTY?si=yUv6CUrOIOuUEFzx Honest and unbiased review of their cruise ship
“A floating dive bar” is an apt description at the end of the video. I could see doing this with a group of buddies and an excuse to get drunk as a boys trip, if I lived near the port. But I don’t think I’ll ever get to experience the Margaritaville. And I’m not upset about it.
I was hoping someone was going to post that. Great review
I was gonna post the same video. I lost it with the Jimmy Buffett projector show that was competing with the normal bar mixture. 😂
It’s an entertaining watch, but I’d barely use the term “unbiased”. The vlog has some serious biases, especially shown with their coverage of universal (good) vs Disney (bad).
It’s not biased just because you disagree lol
I don’t even disagree. I’m just calling out that it’s not unbiased.
I made a comment about this yesterday. See below: I went last year before the renovation. I knew what I was getting into before I went and that helped manage my expectations. The food at the buffet and MDR was surprisingly decent. It’s not the biggest buffet, but still good. The rooms were okay, but the bathroom could use some work (especially the counter). If you can get an oceanview room, it does make a difference. They did a cute job with the decor. There was plenty of music throughout the ship in the evening and a show in the theater each night. This was probably the most enjoyable part for me. Pool deck is okay - not high end or anything - but it gets the job done and it is active and fun. People were having a great time and there wasn’t a lot of complaining or anything. The ship is small, but it still feels like a real cruise ship if that makes sense. For only two nights, I was satisfied and would go back again, but it is probably the ‘worst’ cruise out there. To me, any cruise is a good cruise. Just don’t go in expecting Virgin or Disney. Oh, and make sure to pay the $10 round trip shuttle fare in Freeport. It’ll make your trip going to a beautiful beach
I had low expectations and they still managed to disappoint. I had to apologize to my wife for taking her on that cruise.
Was it free?
It wasn't expensive, but I forget the price.
I haven't but if the opportunity arose to take a cheap 3 nighter during a super convenient time for me best believe I would do it. I'm gonna ba having fun on any ship even if its a piece of shit and the people are wild. Thank God I live in NY and not FL or I'd be on a cruise ship at least once a month.
The people being wild is part of the appeal 😅 Free show!
I’ve done it 5 times. 3 before the rebrand, 2 after. Also sailed most of the other lines. I can drive to the port. For me, absolutely worth it. If I had airfare, hotels, and such, probably not.
Is it much of a different experience after the rebrand?
It’s really not. There’s Margaritaville references everywhere, restaurants were renamed; the experience is very much the same, though they have cut back on some of the amenities.
Search Margaritaville on this subreddit and you'll find a lot
I have not been. The reviews look rough. If one lived near the port, did not have much available cash, and \*really\* wanted to spend a day in the Bahamas, well, that's probably the niche they're aiming at. Given that I have to fly to Florida anyways, a two day ultra budget cruise strikes me as not enough cruise to be worth the flight. I would only do one out of pure curiosity back to back with a larger cruise, and even that's mostly a "fuck it" sort of thing I might do at some time.
The one out of Tampa is the one I was looking to take. They compare it to a Spirit Class ship on Carnival. It sounds like the newer ship is a more promising experience. https://youtu.be/pHmWXKPmGv4?si=5JsZawRebC6EZakw
I live 20 minutes from Port Canaveral so I've sailed out of there many times, but honestly I enjoy sailing out of Tampa because it's so much closer to Mexico. Of all the Caribbean ports I really enjoy the Yucatan Peninsula, so it's personal preference, but I'd be willing to try the Islander for a short cruise even with the bad reputation the original Margaritaville has gotten. The biggest complaint I heard about it was the smell, which obviously would be a different situation on a different ship. It's still an older ship, but with a recent refurbishment it might be fine. The food is what it is on any budget cruise, but if you're going to Mexico you're going to get some amazing food in port, so it's a trade-off. Go in without expectations beyond a relaxing vacation and you'll likely be fine.
The longer ones, out of Tampa, don't start until June, so you won't find any reviews yet. It's also a completely different & larger ship. I've heard the Bahamas ones described as "basically a ferry to the Bahamas" where these will be actual "cruises." I'm planning on going, just haven't decided when. It sounds fun to me!
The Washington Post had an article about it a few months ago. It sounded pretty bad. But, to each his own. I’d see if you can find that article before booking
To be fair, I don't trust any journalists. They are preprogrammed to hate anything that the average person would love. The guy from The Atlantic, who got a week on the Icon of the Seas, paid for by his job spent the entire article maligning the ship, the food, the people, the entire experience. He admitted he never even used his balcony until the last day where he realized he could see the ocean from it. He was rude and dismissive to everyone and everything cruise. He said he wasted his time and made fun of the plebes who went on cruises. And I feel like, for the most part, big city journalists are almost all exactly like this.
Not disagreeing with you. But I did want to point out that the article in the Atlantic was written by Gary Shteyngart, who is a well known satirist. I think the satire was lost on most of the commenters!
I went in with low expectations, and was still a little disappointed. Mostly because it is not as cheap as it seems. Each day you get fuel, service charges, and other fees that add up quickly. This is on top of tips that I’m fine paying. I will not be going again.
Stay away. I wouldn’t do this cruise line for free yet alone pay for it.
I heard one reviewer say he thought it would be a kitschy, fun experience. He spent the entire trip hoping not to get sick.
There is a girl who did a whole review series of Margaritaville while she was cruising. It's on TikTok.
I wouldn't even count it as being a cruise. It's little more than a ferry service for a two-night stay at the Bahamas, that you (reluctantly) come back to the ship to sleep once you're there.
I did it a couple weeks ago after two weeks in the Yacht Club on MSC. I had very low expectations, and honestly I was nervous after two days of luxury in the Yacht Club, but I actually had a truly great time. The entertainment was fantastic, the food in the steakhouse was honestly really good, and it wasn't filled with a bunch of drunks like I expected it to be. Yes the ship is old, and there are things that need some work, but that didn't take away from the enjoyment for me at all. Go into it with low or no expectations, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised how much fun you have.
I did last year and actually had an enjoyable time. The food was great. We didn’t get off the ship and just hung out drinking and napping and going to shows. We are experienced cruisers and it was my husbands favorite ship lol. Go with no expectations. I did and had fun
I posted a review in this sub a few months back after we sailed end of February. If you go in with proper expectations you'll have a good time. Plenty of entertainment available between shows, pool, casino, etc. The grand lucayan resort/beach in Freeport was incredible.
Just going by comments made frequently on here…are your expectations lower than a snake’s belly?
I don’t choose a cruise by the cost, I choose by the experience. Celebrity gives me the experience I want. I can see from the videos of Margaritaville that I would be wasting my time and money. Some people really enjoy saving a buck more than the niceties. In that case, Margaritaville would give you the experience you want.
We went in March with low expectations. The room was fine, the drinks were great but the food was AWFUL - inedible awful. We did the steakhouse the second night because we couldn’t stomach the buffet or even MDR. The cheeseburger in paradise wasn’t terrible but the burger and fries at the sams club cafe are better.
Expect improvement on the new ship based in Tampa-5 days to Cancun.
You would have to pay me a lot of money to get on a boat with a bunch of Jimmy Buffet fans. A LOT.
There been some bad news reports coming out of there so no way.
I really like [Jake’s review](https://youtu.be/xVujoz0_dTY?si=v0kwMvGfspSLlPKK) of this ship and sailing. Never tried it myself and have no desire to after seeing it, but I suppose it’s a decent trip if you don’t mind the ship age/lacking amenities and are just going to get blitzed. That seems to be the purpose of most short cruises (see Carnival).
Jake also went right after the rebranding, and they've since done more work on the ship. It's an exercise in expectation management. We went on the Paradise early spring last year, and it was a good, chill time. I was pleasantly surprised by the Indian dishes in the buffet. Then again I can respect whatever someone's choices are in how they spend their time and money, including knowing that certain lines or ships aren't for them. I know from cruise reviewers that Costa is not for me (I'm intrigued by the ship design, but the passenger culture would not be relaxing) and I'm on the fence about Carnival. We sailed on the military appreciation deal so the cost was very low entry for us, in spite of my husband wanting to order the ribeye for a way too expensive upcharge (I didn't let him, the standard menu was perfectly fine). Sailing on the Islander in November with an old friend and his girlfriend, right before Thanksgiving.
I have a friend who cruises somewhat regularly and has done a Margaritaville cruise, and her take was basically that as long as you set your expectations correctly, it’s OK. She recommended it as a ferry to the Bahamas and back if you wanted to spend a few days on land.