Margaritaville at Sea Paradise Expert Review

Table Of Content

• I thought the onboard cruise entertainment was corny and boring
• Arriving at the Port of Palm Beach: Embarkation Process
• Margaritaville at Sea Inaugural Cruise Review – Day 1
• What it's like to sail on a very short & cheap 2-night Margaritaville at Sea cruise
• What's it like to sail aboard the Margaritaville Paradise?

Typically, we would unpack at this point, but given this was a very short cruise, we just lived out of our suitcases for the two days. Since we were hosted by the cruise line on this Margaritaville at Sea inaugural cruise, we were told that there was no booking number. As cruisers with 50+ sailings under our belts, that did not seem right to us. We never received an announcement, so we sat in our room waiting until we went to check on the queue ourselves. To be fair, the process may have gotten a bit smoother since our early sailing, but I found the entire disembarking process I experienced to be highly disorganized. On the third day of the cruise, we arrived back at the Port of Palm Beach around 8 a.m.

I thought the onboard cruise entertainment was corny and boring

The itinerary was very helpful for informing us on where to go for activities and restaurants and was a great touch by the cruise line. Fin’s Dining is the only other dining option that is included in the cruise fare and is the cruise line’s main dining room. The vibe in Fin’s is more upscale, and you’ll want to have a nice dinner outfit to match the ambiance. You will have the option to book an excursion, a spa service, take a picture, and set your dinner reservations for the night. The representatives at each booth are extremely helpful and will ensure that you understand the details involved in each service. I hopped on the Margaritaville At Sea cruise in June for a firsthand experience of what the 3-day, 2-night cruise ship offers.

Arriving at the Port of Palm Beach: Embarkation Process

When I stepped onboard, the ship had only been operated by Margaritaville at Sea for three months. I was prepared for the unexpected and boarded the ship with an open mind to see what the brand brought to the high seas. In the weeks leading up to my first voyage aboard the Margaritaville at Sea cruise line, I was lost in research. Unlike its competitors, sailing on the Margaritaville Paradise seems downright cheap. Many sailings on the line's booking calendar start at around $100 per guest, leaving this frequent cruiser questioning what I was getting myself into.

Margaritaville at Sea Inaugural Cruise Review – Day 1

The cruise line indicated it does have plans to expand the offerings to include salads, sandwiches, and more at this venue. Since this was the inaugural cruise, service was predictably slow. Back from the inaugural cruise, we have our honest Margaritaville at Sea Paradise scorecard review for this new cruise line's first ship. Upon arrival at Crystal Beach, everyone was given wristbands, and we had about an hour of laying around, taking pictures, securing our beach chairs, etc., before the excursion began.

Reviews of Margaritaville at Sea Paradise cruise at Port of Palm beach - Palm Beach Post

Reviews of Margaritaville at Sea Paradise cruise at Port of Palm beach.

Posted: Fri, 18 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

What it's like to sail on a very short & cheap 2-night Margaritaville at Sea cruise

While onboard Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, I noticed that there was more live music playing compared to my first time onboard. While the stateroom's bathroom was relatively standard, it did feature a large amount of counter space. The showers seemed to have received updated shower curtains as well since my last sailing. The ship is not without its cons — it's an older ship, which shows in things like slow elevators and deck layout.

I recommend bringing a book or something to keep you preoccupied. The only way to leave the beach after the excursion is via taxi, which can be expensive, so you are stuck there for about 5-6 hours. The JWB Prime Steakhouse is an upscale restaurant serving fine steak and exquisite menu options on the ship. Passengers dining at this restaurant usually dress up in their finest dinner attire and enjoy all it has to offer.

What's it like to sail aboard the Margaritaville Paradise?

Went on Margaritaville at Sea Cruise for $300, Not Worth It - Business Insider

Went on Margaritaville at Sea Cruise for $300, Not Worth It.

Posted: Wed, 31 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

I would've rather used the money toward a major cruise line and a more elaborate sailing experience. But due to an influx of passengers trying to leave the ship immediately upon docking at the port, staff members blocked the pathway to the doors, so we were not allowed to join the check-out queue. Margaritaville at Sea has been trending on TikTok in the last few months as users share videos of their underwhelming travel experiences. After sailing onboard the Paradise the first time, I was intrigued to see how Margaritaville At Sea had improved since 2022. It was our honor to be hosted onboard by Margaritaville at Sea, and while we were invited onboard, all of these opinions are genuinely my own.

This month, I had the opportunity to sail onboard Margaritaville at Sea’s Paradise once more. I was excited to see what new amenities and experiences had been improved upon since my last voyage. In August 2022, I cruised on Margaritaville at Sea’s Paradise ship for the very first time.

For a new cruise line and a maiden voyage, we always expect a few hiccups. The staff were hardworking and accommodating; although, many of them had only been on the ship for a short time. This bar is conveniently located near the adults only pool area. The Oasis Lounge on deck 9 aft is another venue with live music.

In our opinion, it’s rather unfortunate that all the signature Margaritaville dining options are up-charges. They also come at a higher price than you might expect for a cruise line. For breakfast, you could enjoy eggs, bacon and sausage, pancakes, waffles, continental items, and even a custom omelet bar. For lunch and dinner, there was a salad bar, a pasta bar, and a decent selection of warm entrees that varied each day. On Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, there are two pools, including the adults only 12-Volt Bar and Pool aft on Deck 11. The main pool, located in the center of this deck, is a rather small sunken pool.

In addition to the Tiki Bar, other new bars and lounges include the central lounge in the Flip Flop Atrium serving signature cocktails. Ocean-inspired cocktails will be on the menu in the aquarium-themed Coral Reef Lounge and hand-crafted drinks will be served in the intimate Hemisphere Dancer Craft Spirits Bar. One thing we found extremely appealing, especially for new cruisers, is that Margaritaville at Sea Paradise has no real dress code. There's no formal night, and you can wear shorts anywhere on the ship. It's fun to watch people feeling their own 'fits -- some people dressed to impress for the club, while others kept it chill.

Powered by Echelon Fitness, the new fitness center features some of the most advanced fitness experiences, including a Reflect Touch Fitness Mirror for yoga. Those staying in suites will be able to enjoy connected mirrors from the comfort of their stateroom. One of my favorite features of the Oceanview Stateroom was the awesome porthole window, which was a lovely place to watch the sunrise from my cabin. I enjoyed the seating area near the window, too, as it made the stateroom feel quite spacious. In 2023, Paradise went to drydock and received a multi-million dollar renovation.

Mr. Lee was happy to be performing for the audience, and his passion for what he does came across in his show. Upon entering my stateroom for the first time, I noticed that the room was rather sizable. There was a lot of space for just one person, or a couple traveling together. There was plenty of storage space, and room for guests to spread out.

Instead of just one day on the island, you will have 4-6 nights to enjoy an all-inclusive resort. The two resorts to choose from are the Grand Lucayan Resort and Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach. You don’t only get an excursion but get to enjoy the luxuries of the resorts for a few days. WiFi is available on the Margaritaville At Sea Cruise, but it is at an additional rate of $25 per device for the duration of the cruise. We did purchase WiFi for a few devices and found that it did not work in our stateroom but instead in the hallway directly outside of our room door and around the cruise ship. For this reason, I don’t really recommend purchasing WiFi because it can be a hit or miss.