Margaritaville at Sea buys 3rd cruise ship in bold expansion move
Jimmy Buffett’s cruise line just bought its third ship in three years.
Up-and-coming cruise line Margaritaville at Sea is making major moves to introduce more cruisers to its unique style of laid-back getaways inspired by the spirit and music of Jimmy Buffett.
Launched in 2022 from the Port of Palm Beach, Florida, the growing cruise brand introduced a popular second ship from Port Tampa Bay in summer 2024.
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Now, just three years since the maiden voyage of its first ship and less than one year since the launch of its second, Margaritaville at Sea is set to add a third ship.
In the next phase of its fleet expansion plan, Margaritaville at Sea has purchased Costa Fortuna, currently operated by Costa Cruises, which is owned by Carnival Corp.
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Margaritaville at Sea's third ship is its largest yet
Accommodating about 3,450 passengers, the 102,500 gross-ton ship will become the largest vessel in the Margaritaville at Sea fleet. It will accommodate about 800 more passengers than the Margaritaville at Sea Islander, the cruise line’s second ship, which was also purchased from Costa and refurbished.
Like Costa Atlantica was for Margaritaville at Sea Islander, Costa Fortuna and its 1,340 staterooms and 13 passenger decks will be reimagined by Margaritaville at Sea in its signature island-inspired style after transitioning out of the Costa fleet in 2026. Costa Cruises previously announced that the transfer will happen in mid-September 2026.
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Margaritaville at Sea has not yet revealed the home port selected for the newly acquired ship, but it appears that the cruise line will add a third home port in late 2026 with the addition of this third ship.
“The launch of the Margaritaville at Sea Islander was a significant moment for our company, and the acquisition of the Costa Fortuna, our largest ship to date, gives us another exciting opportunity to bring even more fun and escapism to guests from a new homeport in 2026,” Margaritaville at Sea CEO Christopher Ivy noted.
Will Margaritaville at Sea add cruises from a port outside of Florida?
It’s possible that this new home port could take the Margaritaville at Sea brand to a market outside of Florida for the first time.
Perhaps the cruise line’s third ship will sail from Mobile, Alabama, a Gulf Coast city with strong ties to Jimmy Buffett that’s eager to add another cruise ship to its port. Last year, Mobile city officials held talks with Margaritaville at Sea about the possibility of bringing a ship there.
Carnival Cruise Line is currently the only cruise line that sails from Mobile and is set to expand its cruise schedule from the port in spring 2027.
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Sailing from the Florida Gulf Coast, the Margaritaville at Sea Islander, which was voted “Best Cruise Ship for Families” by Newsweek readers in 2025, offers four- to 10-night voyages from Tampa to popular destinations including Key West, Aruba, Curaçao, Jamaica, and Mexico.
Additionally, Margaritaville at Sea offers short cruises from Palm Beach to The Bahamas and Key West aboard its maiden vessel, the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise. The Paradise was recently refreshed to boost the onboard experience with new entertainment, stateroom enhancements, and revamped dining and beverage experiences, including the addition of fan-favorite venues featured on the Islander.
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