Cruise Spotlight
Helping you find cruise ships you'll love
Margaritaville at Sea Islander vs Disney Fantasy
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 12 years older than the Fantasy, which was built in 2012 and renovated in 2025. Disney Fantasy's exterior has a old-school steam boat feel while the interior leans into the Art Nouveau styling. Outside the ship, you'll see Dumbo painting the name on the stern.
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 Disney Fantasy, the Islander is 34% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Margaritaville at Sea Islander holds 15% fewer passengers than the Fantasy 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 Fantasy.
| Margaritaville at Sea Islander | Disney Fantasy | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | MAS Spirit | Dream |
| Gross Tonnage | 85,619 | 130,000 |
| Length | 960 | 1,115 |
| Beam/Width | 127 | 121 |
| Passenger Decks | 11 | 14 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,114 | 2,500 |
| Crew | 920 | 1,458 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 1.7 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 40 | 52 |
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 Fins Dining, Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar, and Mexican Cutie Cantina. Of those options, six are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other six options have an additional fee.
The Fantasy has two fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Palo, Enchanted Garden, and Remy. Six of these restaurants are complementary and the other four have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Islander might be a better choice. It has 20% more dining options than the Fantasy.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Fantasy might be a better choice then the Islander. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Margaritaville at Sea Islander | Disney Fantasy | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 12 | 10 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 6 | 6 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 6 | 4 |
| % of Included Options | 50% | 60% |
| 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 Islander and the Fantasy 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 Disney Fantasy has the same number of pools as the Islander and the same number of 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 | Disney Fantasy | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | ||
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| 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. You might up paying more while on board the Islander. Only 71% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Fantasy, 77% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Margaritaville at Sea Islander | Disney Fantasy | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✗ |
| Character experiences | ✗ | ✓ |
| Comedy Show | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dry kid's play area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✓ |
| Movie Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pickleball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Salon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tattoo Studio | ✓ | ✗ |
| Virtual Sports Simulator | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water Coaster | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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.
Disney, 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 | Disney Fantasy | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $22.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $2.95 | Included |
| Domestic Beer Price | $9.00 See drink menus | $7.75 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | 64.99 | No drink package available |
| Internet Plan | $17.99 per device per day | $30 - $49 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.
Want to Stay Up-To-Date on All Things Cruising?
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
Articles Related the These Ships
About Cruise Spotlight
Founded in 2020, Cruise Spotlight's goal is to help people understand every aspect of cruising. Plenty of sites focus on the perfect Instagram pictures and marketing fluff. We focus on what really matters: onboard expenses, tips for cruise ships, detailed cruise reviews, and more. Our goal is to provide helpful, unbiased information to new and established cruisers. Over the years, we've helped millions of people get the most from their cruise vacation.
Learn more about Cruise Spotlight.