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Margaritaville at Sea Islander vs Princess Cruises Sky Princess
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 19 years older than the Sky Princess, which was built in 2019. This ship is the second ship to sail under the Sky Princess name.
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 Princess Cruises Sky Princess, the Islander is 39% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Margaritaville at Sea Islander holds 42% fewer passengers than the Sky Princess based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Islander has more space per person compared to the Sky Princess. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| Margaritaville at Sea Islander | Princess Cruises Sky Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | MAS Spirit | Royal |
| Gross Tonnage | 85,619 | 141,000 |
| Length | 960 | 1,083 |
| Beam/Width | 127 | 126 |
| Passenger Decks | 11 | 19 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,114 | 3,660 |
| Crew | 920 | 1,346 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 2.7 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 40 | 39 |
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 Mexican Cutie Cantina, Islander Dining Room, and Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar. Of those options, six are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other six options have an additional fee.
The Sky Princess has two more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are The Catch by Rudi, Main Dining Room, and The Salty Dog Grill. ten of these restaurants are complementary and the other nine have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Sky Princess might be a better choice. It has 17% more dining options than the Islander.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Islander might be a better choice then the Sky Princess. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Margaritaville at Sea Islander | Princess Cruises Sky Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 12 | 14 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 6 | 10 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 6 | 9 |
| % of Included Options | 50% | 36% |
| 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 Sky Princess 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.
Princess Cruises Sky Princess has more pools than the Islander and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Sky Princess. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
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 | Princess Cruises Sky Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 4 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 3 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | ||
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 10 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 9 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 1 |
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 69% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Sky Princess, 77% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Margaritaville at Sea Islander | Princess Cruises Sky Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adults-only area (additional fee) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Adults-only area (no extra fee) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Afternoon Tea | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Art Auctions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Show | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dry kid's play area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pickleball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sports Court | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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.
Princess Cruises, 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 | Princess Cruises Sky Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $2.95 | $2.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.50 See drink menus | $6.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | 64.99 | $77 -$100 |
| Internet Plan | $17.99 per device per day | $24.99 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Princess Cruises offers two packages to bundle onboard expenses. The Princess Plus package includes daily gratuities, the basic beverage package, 2 fitness classes, 2 casual dining meals, and internet for $60 per day per guest. The Princess Premier package upgrades to the premiere beverage package, wifi for up to 4 devices per guest, two specialty dining meals, unlimited casual dining meals, unlimited fitness classes, and a photo package for $80 per guest per day.
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