Jimmy Buffett-themed cruise line adds second ship, but it's too big for Port of Palm Beach

Mike Diamond, Palm Beach Post
Updated ·2 min read

The Jimmy Buffett-themed cruise line has bought a second ship from Carnival Cruise Line but don't expect it to operate out of the Port of Palm Beach; it is too big.

There has been speculation for some time that Classica Cruise Operator LTD, the entity that owns Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, was looking to add a second ship.

The Paradise, Classica Cruise's only ship, offers three-day, two-night sailings to Grand Bahama from the Port of Palm Beach. Executives of Classica Cruise have declined to comment about the purchase or its plans for Costa Atlantica, a 23-year-old vessel. It is 959 feet long, about 200 feet longer than Margaritaville at Sea Paradise. The length limit for a vessel at Port of Palm Beach is about 800 feet.

The Costa Atlantica, already renamed "Margaritaville at Sea Islander," can accommodate 2,680 passengers, nearly double that of the Paradise ship. The Costa Atlantica operated a range of itineraries for the Costa Cruises line, a subsidiary of Carnival Cruise lines. It had been closely associated with the Chinese market and was part of a joint partnership between Carnival and China State Shipbuilding Corporation.

According to VesselsValue, a company that provides data on ships, Costa Atlantica was constructed by STX Finland. It has an estimated value of $65 million. Port of Palm Beach spokeswoman Yaremi Farinas said the port does not know what the plans are for the new vessel but confirmed its length prevents it from operating out of the Port of Palm Beach.

More on the new cruise ship: The Margaritaville at Sea Islander

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In a statement emailed to The Palm Beach Post, Executive Director Michael Meekins said the cruise line notified the Port that new investors are acquiring ownership and control of the company, adding that the management is comfortable with the ownership change and looks forward to more years of shared success.

Costa Cruises 86,000 gross ton, 2210-guest MV Costa Atlantica was built in 2000. The 958-by-105-foot vessel boasts 12 passenger decks, a crew of 902 and has a cruising speed of 22 knots. It was recently purchased by the entity that currently operates Margaritaville By the Sea, the Jimmy Buffet rebranded ship. It offers three-day cruises to Grand Bahama from the Port of Palm Beach. The new ship is too large to operate out of Palm Beach.

The Post reported in June that the Margaritaville Paradise ship was generating strong revenue. In June 2022, its first full month of operation, the passenger count was 13,688 and the following month, it doubled to nearly 27,000. Nearly 43,000 passengers boarded the vessel in July 2023, 59% more than the same month of a year ago.

Graphic shows increase in passenger traffic aboard Margaritaville By Sea, a Jimmy Buffet-themed cruise ship that operates out of Port Palm Beach. A second ship has been bought but it is too big to operate from Palm Beach.
Graphic shows increase in passenger traffic aboard Margaritaville By Sea, a Jimmy Buffet-themed cruise ship that operates out of Port Palm Beach. A second ship has been bought but it is too big to operate from Palm Beach.

The Costa Atlantica remains registered in the Bahamas. It is still at dock with Carnival Corp., according to a Maritime Executive, and has not been used since the pandemic.

So what port will be the home base for Margaritaville at Sea Islander? Possible sites include PortMiami and Port Everglades.

The Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach, Florida on March 1, 2023.
The Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach, Florida on March 1, 2023.

Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government and transportation. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Carnival sells a cruise ship to Jimmy Buffett-themed cruise line