Margaritaville at Sea Islander — Deck Plans, Live Tracker, Dining & Bars
Margaritaville at Sea Islander is a mid-size cruise ship operated by Margaritaville at Sea. She was built in 2000 as Costa Atlantica, measures 85,619 gross tons, and carries 2,114 guests at double occupancy (2,680 at full occupancy) with a crew of 897. She entered Margaritaville service on June 14, 2024 and sails from Port Tampa Bay.
Key Facts
- Cruise Line: Margaritaville at Sea
- Former name: Costa Atlantica (Costa Cruises, 2000 to 2023)
- Built: 2000, Kvaerner Masa-Yards, Helsinki New Shipyard, Finland (yard number 498)
- Relaunched: June 14, 2024, after a January to May 2024 refit at Harland & Wolff, Belfast
- Tonnage: 85,619 GT
- Length: 292.56 m (960 ft) · Beam: 32.2 m
- Guests: 2,114 at double occupancy (2,680 maximum)
- Crew: 897
- Passenger decks: 12
- Homeport: Port Tampa Bay, Florida · Flag: Bahamas
- IMO: 9187796
Quick Answer: Margaritaville at Sea Islander (85,619 GT, 2,114 guests, built 2000, relaunched 2024) is the line's second and larger ship: the former Costa Atlantica, refitted in Belfast and sailing 4- to 10-night cruises from Tampa. Casual by design, no formal nights, three pools including an adults-only Tiki Pool, sixteen bars, and a three-story theater. This page covers dining, bars, deck plans, live tracking, and planning notes.
Best For: Cruisers who want a short, easy, warm-weather week from Tampa on a walkable mid-size ship, who would rather have a poolside bar than a formal night, and who do not need the newest hardware at sea.
The Islander is a well-traveled hull with a second life. Costa sailed her for more than two decades before Margaritaville at Sea bought her on October 16, 2023 and sent her to Harland & Wolff in Belfast for the conversion that gave her the light-blue hull, the palm-tree funnel, and the themed venues. She was christened on June 10, 2024, with Savannah Buffett, daughter of Margaritaville founder Jimmy Buffett, as godmother. What that history means for you: this is not a new megaship and is not trying to be one. At just over two thousand guests she is a size you learn in a day, and the theme is consistent from the atrium to the wake. If you are sailing her on the January 2027 hosted solo group, the Islander Voyage Pack works through the week port by port.
A First Look at Margaritaville at Sea Islander
The Islander keeps Costa Atlantica's bones, including the fourteen-story atrium, and wraps them in the Margaritaville theme: three pools, each with its own bar, a three-story LandShark Bar on the pool deck, and a three-story Stars on the Water Theater for the evening shows.
Explore the deck plans below to learn the layout, or read the dining and bars sections to see what is included in the fare and what is a la carte.
Margaritaville at Sea • Former Costa Atlantica
Dining on Margaritaville at Sea Islander → Browse All
Dining is mostly included and casual. The list below follows the line's own restaurants-and-dining page; a la carte venues carry a charge the line does not publish on that page, so check the app or the menu at the door.
Included in the fare
- Fins Dining — the main dining room; island-inspired dishes such as Avocado Lime Mahi Mahi and a Deconstructed Cuban alongside the classics
- Port of Indecision Buffet — breakfast, lunch, and dinner; chef-attended stations and salads
- Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar — build-your-own burgers by the pool
- Mexican Cutie Cantina — street-style tacos, and a breakfast burrito in the morning
- Frank & Lola's Pizzeria — hand-tossed pizza, open late
- In-room dining — breakfast and bites delivered to the stateroom
A la carte
- JWB Prime Steakhouse — the ship's upscale room, and the one night to dress up a little if you want one
- Far Side Sushi — Asian-fusion sushi bar and lounge; Sea-Cuterie boards and Crunchy Volcano Rolls
- Island Eats — adults-only seafood shack; peel-and-eat shrimp, tuna nachos, crab salad
- Tiki Grill — adults-only; Crispy Smothered Wings, Fire-Grilled Filet Skewers, Pina Colada Creme Brulee
- Margaritaville Coffee Shop — espresso drinks and grab-and-go pastries
Bars and Lounges
The line counts sixteen bars and lounges aboard. The twelve it names on its bars-and-lounges page:
- LandShark Bar and Lookout — the three-story poolside bar, with a 360-degree lookout on top
- 5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar — the signature poolside lounge with the island-music stage
- The Tiki Bar — adults-only, under a covered pavilion looking over the wake
- Flip Flop Atrium Bar — in the fourteen-story atrium
- Hemisphere Dancer Craft Spirits — the quiet, conversational craft-cocktail room
- Havana Daydreamin' Sports Bar and Lounge — craft beer, rum, and live Latin music
- Bubbles Up Lounge and Champagne Bar — wines and champagne under a canopy of stars
- The Far Side Lounge — boba tea by day, sake cocktails by night
- Coral Reef Lounge — aquarium-themed, family-friendly, with entertainment
- Hot, Hot, Hot Night Club — the two-story nightclub with a DJ
- JWB Prime Lounge — cocktails, bourbon, and wine beside the steakhouse
The line's page names one more bar we do not list here, by house policy; the count of sixteen is the line's.
Beverage packages are sold separately rather than bundled with the fare. Put your real drinking pattern into the drink calculator before buying one on embarkation afternoon.
Pools, Shows, and Things to Do
- Three pools: the LandShark Pool (main), the 5 o'Clock Somewhere Pool, and the adults-only Tiki Pool aft, plus the Caribbean Amphibian Splash and Slide.
- Stars on the Water Theater: three stories, with two original productions, Conky Tonkin' at Sea and Caribbean Heat Remix, and Radio Margaritaville: Live at Sea.
- Theme nights and the sea-day circuit: the sailaway party, White Hot Neon Nights, live Caribbean bands and steel drums on the sun deck, mixology and flair classes, game shows and trivia, karaoke, and wine tastings.
- Spa and fitness center, and a kids club, which the line lists without detail; ask at booking if the club matters to your party.
- Staterooms: eleven categories, from interiors and partial or full ocean views through several balcony tiers (including wake-view balconies) to junior, grand terrace, corner, and signature grand suites. The line does not publish a no-single-supplement solo cabin; solo pricing is whatever your fare or group block negotiates.
- Dress: casual throughout, with no formal nights.
The Logbook: Margaritaville at Sea Islander
No first-hand entries yet. The January 2027 hosted solo group pack is the planning read for this ship; the logbook fills in after someone in the household has sailed her.
Watch: Margaritaville at Sea Islander Highlights
Swipe through ship walkthroughs, top-10s, and stateroom tours.
Key Facts About Margaritaville at Sea Islander
Margaritaville at Sea Islander Deck Plans
View the official deck plans to explore the Islander's twelve passenger decks.
Where Is Margaritaville at Sea Islander?
Where Does Margaritaville at Sea Islander Sail?
From Port Tampa Bay, Florida, on 4- to 10-night cruises to the Bahamas, Key West, Mexico, and the Caribbean: the line's published shapes include a 4-night Cozumel express, 5-night Bahamas, Mexico, and Key West pairings, a 6-night Mexico and Western Caribbean loop, and 7-night Western Caribbean and Jamaica routes. Visit margaritavilleatsea.com for current schedules and ports of call. Port pages here for the usual calls: Tampa, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios.
Frequently Asked Questions About Margaritaville at Sea Islander
What dining is included on Margaritaville at Sea Islander?
Fins Dining (the main dining room), the Port of Indecision Buffet, Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar, Mexican Cutie Cantina, and Frank & Lola's Pizzeria are included in the fare. JWB Prime Steakhouse, Far Side Sushi, Island Eats, Tiki Grill, and the Margaritaville Coffee Shop are a la carte. See the dining section above.
What was Margaritaville at Sea Islander before?
She was built in 2000 at the Helsinki New Shipyard in Finland as Costa Atlantica for Costa Cruises, christened on July 17, 2000 with the actress Claudia Cardinale as godmother. Margaritaville at Sea acquired her on October 16, 2023, refitted her at Harland & Wolff in Belfast from January to May 2024, christened her on June 10, 2024, and sailed her first voyage under the new name on June 14, 2024.
Where does Margaritaville at Sea Islander sail?
From Port Tampa Bay on 4- to 10-night cruises to the Bahamas, Key West, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Check the Margaritaville at Sea website for current itineraries.
How much is the daily gratuity?
$22 per person per night in staterooms and $25 per person per night in suites, effective February 1, 2026, per the line's FAQ; it is automatic and cannot be adjusted or removed. Rates change once or twice a year, so reconfirm at booking. The tipping calculator does the week's math.
Is there a formal night?
No. Dress is casual throughout. JWB Prime Steakhouse is the room where people dress up a little, by choice.
How can I track Margaritaville at Sea Islander's current location?
Use the live ship tracker section on this page to see her current position, speed, heading, and next port via AIS. The tracker updates automatically as the ship moves.
Is this information official?
This page provides planning resources and community insights. Always confirm details with Margaritaville at Sea or your travel advisor before booking.
Sources & Attribution
Ship specifications, name history, builder, and dates from the Wikipedia article on Margaritaville at Sea Islander, cross-checked against the line's published materials. Dining, bars, pools, shows, staterooms, and itinerary shapes from margaritavilleatsea.com (the Islander, restaurants-and-dining, bars-and-lounges, and things-to-do pages, read 2026-09-06). Gratuity rate from the line's FAQ. Photo: Margaritaville at Sea Islander in November 2024 by Bassfish22, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Last reviewed 2026-09-06.
Plan Your Cruise
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