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Disney Destiny vs Margaritaville at Sea Paradise
The Disney Destiny is still being built and will debut in 2025. The Disney Destiny is inspired by stories of heroes and villains. You'll enter the ship through the Grand Hall which is themed after Marvel's Black Panther. Outside the ship, you'll see Spider-man painting the name on the stern. The Destiny is still under construction and Disney hasn't released all the details yet. It's 34 years newer than the Paradise, which was built in 1991 and renovated in 2018. The Paradise previously sailed under two different names, the Costa Classica and Grand Classica, before being purchased by Margaritaville to launch their new cruise line.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Destiny is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,119 feet long and 128 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.1 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. Compared to the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, the Destiny is 172% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
The Disney Destiny holds more than double the amount of people as the Paradise based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Destiny has less space per person compared to the Paradise.
| Disney Destiny | Margaritaville at Sea Paradise | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Wish | Classica |
| Gross Tonnage | 144,000 | 52,926 |
| Length | 1,119 | 722 |
| Beam/Width | 128 | 102 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 14 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 4,000 | 1,308 |
| Crew | 1,555 | 620 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.6 | 2.1 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 36 | 40 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Destiny has ten different dining options like Worlds of Marvel, Pride Lands, and Marceline Market. Of those options, five are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other five options have an additional fee.
The Paradise has three fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are JWB Prime Steakhouse, Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar, and Fins Dining. five of these restaurants are complementary and the other two have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Destiny might be a better choice. It has 43% more dining options than the Paradise.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Paradise might be a better choice then the Destiny. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Disney Destiny | Margaritaville at Sea Paradise | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 10 | 7 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 5 | 5 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 5 | 2 |
| % of Included Options | 50% | 71% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Paradise below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Disney Destiny has a total of 8 pools and 3 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
Margaritaville at Sea Paradise has fewer pools than the Destiny and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Paradise. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and one of the hot tubs are adults only on Destiny.| Disney Destiny | Margaritaville at Sea Paradise | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 8 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 6 | 1 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | ||
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 2 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Destiny, 83% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Paradise, only 56% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Disney Destiny | Margaritaville at Sea Paradise | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✗ | ✓ |
| Character experiences | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Show | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Kid's Play Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✗ | ✓ |
| Movie Theater | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pickleball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Salon | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water Coaster | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Disney is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Margaritaville at Sea, on the other hand, is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Disney Destiny | Margaritaville at Sea Paradise | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $18.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | Included | $2.95 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $6.50 | $8.50 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | No drink package available | 64.99 |
| Internet Plan | $12 - $36 per device per day | $17.99 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
With Disney Cruises, soda is included for meals, but will have an extra cost at bars and throughout the day. While no drink packages are available, you can preorder bottles of wine or beer at a discount.
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