Jimmy Buffett Is Bringing Margaritaville To The High Seas

Jimmy Buffett’s lost shaker of salt may be on a cruise ship. Yesterday the singer-songwriter announced that he was expanding his escape-driven Margarita lifestyle brand to include thrice-weekly cruises to the Bahamas aboard a 10-deck ship called Margaritaville Paradise.

The sunbaked crooner, who turns 75 on Christmas day, has been singing about wasting away in Margaritaville since 1977. But make no mistake, Buffett is no beach bum. His true genius is a knack for business that he has used to parlay his best known number one single into a multi-billion-dollar hospitality empire that spans more than 25 hotels and resorts, real estate communities, vacation clubs, two gaming properties, RV resorts, airport lounges and over 60 food and beverage venues.

Now he’s inviting his fans to find that sultry, laid-back mindset on a floating Margaritaville at Sea. “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 in a press release.

The 658-cabin, 1,680-passenger Margaritaville Paradise — formerly Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line’s flagship vessel, Grand Classica — will leave Florida’s Port of Palm Beach on April 30, 2022 for its first two-night sailing to Grand Bahama Island. From then on, the ship will sail out of Palm Beach every other day on a rinse-repeat cycle.

The 30-year-old ship is reportedly getting a multi-million-dollar makeover and rebranding to feature “Margaritaville’s signature casual-luxe design with subtle nautical details and colors influenced by the surrounding sea, sand, and sky.” Based on renderings of the ship, cruisers should expect lots of blues, turquoises and greens in the decor.

Nibblin’ on sponge cake, watchin’ the sun bake may indeed be on the cards aboard Margaritaville Paradise, whose five dining venues include JWB Prime Steak & Seafood, Frank and Lola’s Pizzeria, Port of Indecision Buffet, LandShark Sports Bar and Margaritaville Coffee & Pastry Shop, in addition to three watering holes — the Euphoria Lounge, Sunset Bar, and 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar — and the punnily named Par-A-Dice Casino. Other amenities include swimming pools, entertainment, retail stores, a spa and fitness center.

“We’re excited about this new partnership,” said Oneil Khosa, CEO of Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, who will also serve as CEO of Margaritaville at Sea. “The collaborative concept will add a different dimension to the cruising industry, appealing to a new audience of travelers.” The terms of the agreement between the two privately held companies were not disclosed.

Since September, the Bahamas has required that all arriving cruise ship passengers be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.