Margaritaville at Sea Acquires Second Ship

Margaritaville at Sea, which last year replaced the branding of Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, has acquired a second ship, according to a report by The Palm Beach Post.

Though the purchase of the ship is reported to be complete, the cruise line has not yet taken delivery of the ship, a former Costa Cruises vessel. Costa Atlantica, which Margaritaville at Sea is already calling Margaritaville at Sea Islander, is still docked with Carnival Corp. and has not been used since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is not the first time that the cruise line (under the previous branding) has purchased an ex-Costa Cruises vessel. Margaritaville at Seas Paradise, the line’s current ship, was originally the Costa Classica.

The new ship can hold some 2,680 passengers, nearly double that of Margaritaville at Sea Paradise. As Costa Atlantica it primarily served the Chinese market.

It is still unknown what the cruise line’s plans for the ship are, but one thing is certain. It won’t be operating out of Palm Beach, which has always been the one and only homeport for Margaritaville at Sea (and Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line before that). The ship is too large – by about 159 feet – to be able to operate from the port.  

Additionally, most ships that formerly served the Chinese market have needed extensive refurbishments before being deployed to the North American market.