Margaritaville Beachcomber Coming to Miami and Will Add New Ports
Margaritaville at Sea has released details of its newest upcoming ship, Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber. Starting in 2027, the ship will sail year-round from PortMiami, the busiest cruise port in the world. The move marks a major milestone for the young cruise line as it continues to grow beyond its short-cruise origins.
A Bigger Ship But Not Huge
The Beachcomber is a transformed Costa Fortuna, originally built for Costa Cruises and part of Carnival Corporation’s fleet.
For those familiar with Carnival ships, the Costa Fortuna is essentially a sister to the Carnival Sunrise and Carnival Radiance. It has a massive eight-story central atrium with glass elevators and a skylight at the top.
With space for 3,450 passengers at maximum capacity, it will be the largest ship in Margaritaville’s fleet by far, coming in nearly 20 percent larger than the Islander, which debuted earlier this year.
That said, it is not a large ship by modern standards. It is about 40 percent of the size of Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class vessels, currently the largest cruise ships in the world. That makes it a good fit for those who prefer something smaller than the newest megaships.
New Experiences and Returning Favorites
At the same time, Beachcomber will debut 15 brand-new experiences that are being kept under wraps for now. Margaritaville promises these additions will make the ship more immersive and playful than its predecessors, with a focus on enhancing both daytime and nighttime activities. Given the line’s track record, new music venues, dining options, and interactive experiences seem likely.
The ship will likely also bring back popular venues from its other vessels, including 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar, Cheeseburger in Paradise, and Hemisphere Dancer.
Based on the deck plans, we can see the ship will have a large, 3-story theater, water slide, and large 8-story central atrium with glass elevators.
Beachcomber Will Homeport in Miami
Currently, Margaritaville at Sea sails from Tampa and Palm Beach. With Beachcomber, the line will add Miami, the cruise capital of the world, as its newest homeport. It will sail from Terminal C at PortMiami.
Miami is one of the easiest ports to sail from, offering plentiful hotels, parking, and an airport just 20 minutes away. It’s also conveniently connected to Florida’s high-speed read, Brightline. it makes Beachcombers new sailings much more accessible to both those driving and flying in.
New Destinations for Margaritaville
Sailing from Miami allows Beachcomber to offer longer and more varied itineraries than Margaritaville’s traditional short cruises. The ship will run four- to eight-night sailings, with about 80 percent scheduled as seven-day cruises.
Ports of call include:
- Bimini, Bahamas
- Kralendijk, Bonaire
- Oranjestad, Aruba
- Philipsburg, St. Maarten
- Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- St. Thomas, USVI
- Willemstad, Curaçao
These itineraries put Margaritaville at Sea in direct competition with established players like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian, all of which operate similar routes from Miami.
Our Take: Margaritaville at Sea Growing Into A Strong Contender
Margaritaville at Sea launched in 2022 with the Paradise and added the Islander in 2024, sailing out of Tampa. The debut of Beachcomber in 2027 will make it the line’s most ambitious year yet.
What sets Margaritaville at Sea apart is that its ships are refurbished rather than newly built. While today’s new ships often mean massive vessels packed with theme park-style attractions, the older ships Margaritaville is repurposing offer a throwback to a different era of cruising. They are easier to navigate, focus more on atmosphere than spectacle, and have been extensively reimagined to embrace the Margaritaville lifestyle.
This approach may appeal to new cruisers looking for something approachable and fun, as well as to longtime Carnival fans who feel alienated by megaships and changes to loyalty programs.
Stay Up-To-Date on Margaritaville at Sea and Other Cruise News
Following us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, BlueSky, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
CruiseSpotlight is an Amazon Associate. We may earn a commission when you click links to retailers and purchase goods.
