Margaritaville at Sea Paradise - Bahamas from Palm Beach
The most affordable cruise to the Bahamas, Margaritaville at Sea Paradise offers a 2-night getaway from the Port of Palm Beach to Freeport on Grand Bahama Island. With a full day to explore the island's beaches and nature, plus onboard entertainment, casino, spa, and Jimmy Buffett-themed bars, this is the perfect quick tropical escape.
Price Range
$
Budget
*Prices vary by cabin type, sailing date, and availability. Confirm rates with Margaritaville at Sea before booking.
Ship Details — Margaritaville at Sea Paradise
View full Margaritaville at Sea Paradise details
Year Built
1991
Tonnage
52,926 GT
Passengers
1,680
Crew
590
Decks
10
Class
Classic
Itinerary & Route Map
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Where this cruise calls, day by day
3 ports over 2 Nights.
- Day 1
Port of Palm Beach, FL
United StatesDepartNot Palm Beach - the port is in Riviera Beach, a working cargo harbour with one small cruise terminal that handles short Bahamas runs rather than week-long ships. Embarkation is quick and low-key compared with Miami. Palm Beach International is about 20 minutes away, which is most of the port's appeal.
- Worth Avenue in Palm Beach for the window-shopping and the vias off it
- The Flagler Museum, Henry Flagler's 1902 Whitehall mansion
- Rosemary Square in West Palm Beach for dinner near the port
- Peanut Island, a short boat ride from the port, for snorkelling and the Kennedy bunker
- Getting ashore
- A single small cruise terminal at the Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach; Palm Beach International is about 20 minutes south and Fort Lauderdale roughly an hour.
- Best months
- Nov-Apr
- Day 2
Freeport, Grand Bahama Island
BahamasPortFreeport's cruise berth is Lucayan Harbour, an industrial container port with nothing around it - Port Lucaya Marketplace, where the shops and bars are, is a 15-minute taxi away. Grand Bahama never fully recovered from Hurricane Dorian in 2019, and the big resort at Lucaya has stood largely shut since. Carnival's Celebration Key, further along the same island, has absorbed much of the traffic.
- Port Lucaya Marketplace and Count Basie Square
- Lucayan National Park's caves and Gold Rock Beach
- Taino Beach
- Snorkelling Deadman's Reef at Paradise Cove
- Getting ashore
- Ships dock at Lucayan Harbour; nothing is walkable and a taxi to Port Lucaya takes about 15 minutes.
- Best months
- Dec-Apr is dry and cooler; Aug-Oct is hurricane season and this island sits in a frequent storm track
- Day 3
Port of Palm Beach, FL
United StatesArriveNot Palm Beach - the port is in Riviera Beach, a working cargo harbour with one small cruise terminal that handles short Bahamas runs rather than week-long ships. Embarkation is quick and low-key compared with Miami. Palm Beach International is about 20 minutes away, which is most of the port's appeal.
- Worth Avenue in Palm Beach for the window-shopping and the vias off it
- The Flagler Museum, Henry Flagler's 1902 Whitehall mansion
- Rosemary Square in West Palm Beach for dinner near the port
- Peanut Island, a short boat ride from the port, for snorkelling and the Kennedy bunker
- Getting ashore
- A single small cruise terminal at the Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach; Palm Beach International is about 20 minutes south and Fort Lauderdale roughly an hour.
- Best months
- Nov-Apr
Onboard Amenities
Cruise Highlights
About the Ship
What Travelers Say About Margaritaville at Sea Paradise
Reviews of the ship itself — the same for every Margaritaville at Sea Paradise sailing. Based on 950 discussions.
Margaritaville at Sea Paradise is the budget end of cruising done with a Jimmy Buffett wink. The ~1,680-passenger ship runs short 2-night round-trips from the Port of Palm Beach to Grand Bahama/Freeport, and its whole appeal is selling a cheap, no-pressure island getaway wrapped in tropical theming, live music, and frozen drinks. It's an older vessel - built in 1991 as the Costa Classica - so the vibe is small, casual, and party-friendly rather than sleek or modern, and it draws a mix of first-time cruisers, partiers, and South Floridians wanting a quick escape.
What People Love
- Genuinely one of the cheapest ways to cruise from Florida, with 2-night fares sometimes around $150 per person before extras
- Warm, attentive crew is the standout - repeat guests cite friendly bartenders and dining staff who remember them
- Short, low-commitment 2-night Palm Beach-to-Bahamas itinerary is ideal for first-timers testing whether they like cruising
Common Complaints
- The ship is a 1990s-built vessel (former Costa Classica) and frequently reads as worn or dated - chipped paint, tired finishes
- Heavily polarized reviews: experienced cruisers who've sailed major lines often rank it at or near the bottom
- Low base fares are offset by stacking extras - port fees, fuel charges, Wi-Fi, mandatory valet parking, and no included soft drinks or alcohol