Cruise Spotlight
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Margaritaville at Sea Islander vs Celebrity Silhouette
The Margaritaville at Sea Islander was built in 2000. It was renovated in 2024. The Islander formerly sailed as the Costa Atlantica before it was brought to the Margaritaville fleet. It's 11 years older than the Silhouette, which was built in 2011 and renovated in 2020. While the Celebrity Silhouette has a lawn club like most of it's sister ships, it's mostly exclusive to suite guests or those willing to pay extra.
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 Islander is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 960 feet long and 127 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 11-story building. Compared to the Celebrity Silhouette, the Islander is 30% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Margaritaville at Sea Islander holds 27% fewer passengers than the Silhouette 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 Islander has less space per person compared to the Silhouette.
| Margaritaville at Sea Islander | Celebrity Silhouette | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | MAS Spirit | Solstice |
| Gross Tonnage | 85,619 | 122,000 |
| Length | 960 | 1,033 |
| Beam/Width | 127 | 121 |
| Passenger Decks | 11 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,114 | 2,886 |
| Crew | 920 | 1,285 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 2.2 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 40 | 42 |
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 Islander has twelve different dining options like Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar, Far Side Sushi, and Fins Dining. Of those options, six are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other six options have an additional fee.
The Silhouette has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Le Petit Chef at Qsine, The Porch, and Murano. eight of these restaurants are complementary and the other nine have an additional fee.
The Margaritaville at Sea Islander has about the same number of dining options as the Celebrity Silhouette.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Islander might be a better choice then the Silhouette. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Margaritaville at Sea Islander | Celebrity Silhouette | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 12 | 12 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 6 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 6 | 9 |
| % of Included Options | 50% | 25% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Margaritaville at Sea Islander has 3 fewer bars than the Celebrity Silhouette. The Islander has 12 bars like Havana Daydreamin' Sports Bar and Lounge, JWB Prime Lounge and The Tiki Bar. On Islander, you can grab a drink at 15 different bars such as Il Secondo Bacio, Quasar and World Class Bar.
| Margaritaville at Sea Islander | Celebrity Silhouette |
|---|---|
| •5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar • Bubbles Up Lounge and Champagne Bar • Coral Reef Lounge • Flip Flop Atrium Bar • Havana Daydreamin' Sports Bar and Lounge • Hemisphere Dancer Craft Spirits • Hot, Hot, Hot Night Club • JWB Prime Lounge • LandShark Bar and Lookout • Love and Luck Casino Bar • The Far Side Lounge • The Tiki Bar | •Cafe al Bacio • Casino Bar • Craft Social • Ensemble Lounge • Entertainment Court Bar • Il Secondo Bacio • Martini Bar • Mast Bar • Passport Bar • Pool Bar • Quasar • Sky Lounge • Sunset Bar • The Retreat Lounge • World Class Bar |
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.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Silhouette 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 Margaritaville at Sea Islander has a total of 3 pools and 3 hot tubs.
The Celebrity Silhouette has the same number of pools as the Islander and more hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and one of the hot tubs are adults only on Islander.| Margaritaville at Sea Islander | Celebrity Silhouette | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | ||
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive |
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 Islander, 64% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Silhouette, only 56% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Margaritaville at Sea Islander | Celebrity Silhouette | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bingo | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Show | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dry kid's play area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Lawn Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pickleball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tattoo Studio | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Waterslide | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Margaritaville at Sea 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.
Celebrity, on the other hand, 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.
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.
| Margaritaville at Sea Islander | Celebrity Silhouette | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | $18.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $2.95 | $4.00 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.50 | $8.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | 64.99 | $55 - $99 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $17.99 per device per day | $19 to $30 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
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