5 reasons I love this affordable cruise line you might not have heard of

I cruised with one of the least expensive cruise lines in the industry, and — spoiler alert — I loved it.

Cruise fares are the highest they've ever been, and cruise lines are making conscious efforts to add more for-fee onboard options for passengers. Yet one line, Margaritaville at Sea, remains a fierce holdout. Its fares are some of the most reasonable in the industry, and even extras like Wi-Fi and drink packages cost less than they would with most other lines.

But what does that mean for you as a passenger? Here are five reasons why Margaritaville at Sea is worth considering for your next cruise.

1. The sailings are affordable

With its recent Black Friday and wave season promotions, Margaritaville at Sea allowed two adults to sail on its two-night voyages, with third and fourth passengers free, for just $99. That’s not $99 per person; it’s $99 total — for four people. That’s only $12.50 per person, per day.

You can’t even buy a decent lunch for that price, but this oceangoing arm of the popular Jimmy Buffett resort brand offers a vacation that includes a room, three meals a day (plus plenty of between-meal options), basic beverages (water, soda, juice), entertainment and port-to-port transportation for that amount.

To be clear, the $99-for-four-people fares aren’t always available. When they are, they’re limited in number, cover the most basic accommodations and don’t include taxes and fees, which are roughly $200 per person.

But even Margaritaville at Sea's most expensive accommodations are reasonably priced. At the time of publication, the largest suite on the line's Islander ship was going for just $1,499 per person ($375 per person, per night) for a four-night Mexico sailing from Tampa on Feb. 23, 2026. For comparison, the prices for four-night sailings to similar locations in suites of roughly the same size on Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas and NCL's Norwegian Star (which debuted in 2000 and 2001, respectively) were $1,929 per person ($482 per person, per night) and $1,793 per person ($448 per person, per night), with both voyages departing Feb. 26, 2026.

It isn't just cabins that are a bargain, either. Margaritaville at Sea's drink packages cost about 32% less per day than Royal Caribbean's and about $10 less per day than Carnival’s. Plus, its Wi-Fi is some of the most affordable (and reliable, thanks to Starlink) at sea.

2. The quality is high

Allow me to stop you before you assume that, for the price, the experience must somehow be subpar — because it’s not. What you’ll find on board is happily the opposite.

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You can expect cabins that have been updated with bright, modern fixtures, Margaritaville Resort soft furnishings and a beachy vibe; food that includes excellent main dining room fare, burgers and pizza for free, as well as upcharge sushi, steak and cafe items; and entertainment that’s fun and engaging without being cheesy or “too much.”

Plus, you’ll find a dose of vintage appeal, with both ships having retained many of the original touches added when they were first built.

But perhaps the best thing about a cruise with Margaritaville at Sea is that it offers its own special brand of escapism — a term made popular by Jimmy Buffett’s songs, which are filled with lyrics about leaving the day-to-day grind behind in favor of relaxation and time spent with good friends. Its casual ambience is replete with parties, live music and a vibe that’s “come as you are” (but not trashy).

It’s not a luxury line, to be sure, and the ships aren’t new. But if you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful vacation, a quick weekend getaway, a sailing to celebrate a special occasion or a way to bring your family or friend group together in a way that fits everyone’s schedule and budget, this is it.

3. It doesn't want the biggest ships or largest fleet

Because Margaritaville at Sea is small, executives personally read every suggestion and piece of feedback submitted by passengers — something I discovered during an exclusive dinner interview with Margaritaville at Sea's CEO, Christopher Ivy, on the line’s newest ship, Islander.

Upper management is involved in the line's day-to-day operations at all levels, and it shows in how quickly adjustments are made following cruiser feedback and how happy the crew seems to be. Everyone — from room stewards to the CEO — can (and does) respond quickly to cruiser feedback.

The line is also uninterested in keeping up with the Joneses when it comes to newer and bigger ships. It proudly operates two midsize vessels — Islander and Paradise — that were purchased, heavily used, from Carnival Corp. Both former Costa Cruises ships were extensively refurbished and continue to operate well into their second and third decades, respectively.

“Never say never, but we’re not planning to launch a 250,000-ton ship any time soon,” Ivy said. He also noted that the line isn't interested in ballooning its fleet to dozens of vessels.

As for whether or not Margaritaville at Sea is looking to add a third ship, Ivy said that, although there’s nothing currently in the works, it’s not off the table.

“There’s nothing out there officially, but we are looking to grow the business.”

In terms of what's possible when a cruise line and its ships stay small, Ivy noted that there’s a special bond that often forms between members of the crew and the passengers they serve — one that isn’t always possible on larger vessels, particularly if you’re only cruising for three or four days.

“You might not even see the same crew member twice,” he said. “That’s the stuff that makes the bigger difference.”

And a small company size is just as important as a small fleet. Teams lose something when they grow so large that leaders can no longer regularly spend one-on-one time with employees and customers — something Ivy, who likes to get his hands dirty, indicated he doesn’t want to happen.

“Things in surveys take a long time to come through,” Ivy said, adding that he and his team — including the chief financial officer, the chief marketing officer and hotel operations manager — all spend a significant amount of time on board. “If I spend two hours in the dining room, walking around, talking to people ... the feedback loop just tightens.”

4. Problems are addressed quickly

Unfortunately, when Margaritaville at Sea debuted its first ship, it wasn’t ready for prime time, and it caused some hiccups for the brand.

The unveiling of the line’s second ship, Islander, went significantly more smoothly following a multimillion-dollar refurbishment. But it wasn’t without its own set of hurdles, including clogged toilets, leaks during inclement weather and malfunctioning air conditioning. However, reports from passengers in the ship’s Facebook group indicated that the issues were largely resolved by the third and fourth voyages. (And TPG can confirm things on Islander are currently ship-shape.)

Now, thanks to nimble responses from upper management, the crew seems to have found its stride, shows have been fine-tuned and food in many of the onboard restaurants rivals the best you’ll find on any mainstream ship, especially in terms of value.

Following first-sailing complaints, the plumbing now works as it should, leaks have been patched, cabin numbers no longer appear on keycards (something that was a security concern) and dishes are cleared and tables wiped promptly in public areas. (This was a problem initially, particularly in the buffet.)

As another testament to how closely the line's executives monitor what's working and what's not, just six months after the debut of Islander, Margaritaville at Sea announced it would be adding several of Islander's standout bars and dining options — including the Hemisphere Dancer bar and Far Side Sushi — to older sister Paradise. It will also be updating the menu at JWB Prime Steakhouse.

Speaking of Paradise, following the success of its two-night sailings between Palm Beach, Florida, and Freeport, Bahamas, the line has expanded the ship’s itineraries to include three- and four-night cruises that have added the Bahamian city of Nassau to the mix.

“At the start of 2024, we were running one ship from one port to one port ...” Ivy said. “That was it. With the launch of Islander, we’ve moved to a new home port. We launched with just four- and five-night sailings to Cozumel, Progreso and Key West. What we heard very early on was ‘Hey, those [ports] are great, but what else you got? Where else can we go?’”

In response to those questions, Islander now visits ports across the Bahamas and the Caribbean, too, with itineraries ranging from four to seven nights.

5. The line gives back

In addition to being one of the most affordable cruise options afloat, Margaritaville at Sea has found ways to give back to the community. If you’re a fan of Jimmy Buffett or simply love exclusive experiences, ask at the shore excursions desk about the hush-hush speakeasy known as QMN. It stands for Quietly Making Noise, and part of the proceeds benefit Singing for Change, one of Jimmy Buffett’s charities.

Further, the cruise line has developed the Heroes Program, which provides free cruises for two people (not including taxes and fees) to members of the military and first responders as a way to thank them for their service and help them unwind. Although many other cruise lines offer military discounts, only Margaritaville offers cruise fares for free.

Bottom line

Margaritaville at Sea certainly lives up to the Margaritaville brand’s reputation. It offers unpretentious fun at a great price and in a casual atmosphere with terrific accommodations, food and entertainment. Plus, it iterates quickly on what passengers say they want.

But the line’s offerings go beyond affordable fun. They foster community by giving back and allowing passengers to escape to a place that’s all about good vibes — something modeled daily by the people who run the company.

As Ivy parted ways with TPG following the interview, he lingered behind, making his rounds through the dining room to greet passengers and chat with crew — many of whom he knew by name. With a CEO that engaged — a rarity in the cruise industry — the company is bound to provide something special.

Want to learn more about cruising or how to find deals? Check out these stories:

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• Best all-inclusive cruise lines
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• Money-saving tips from a cruise expert
• How to get the most value from your cruise
• Do this one thing to save on your next cruise