Margaritaville at Sea Paradise

Margaritaville at Sea Paradise is a cruise ship owned and operated by Margaritaville at Sea. The vessel entered service in 1991 as Costa Classica, having been constructed at Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard in Italy for Costa Cruises. It was the first purpose-built new ship commissioned by Costa since Eugenio C in 1966 and was the lead vessel of the Classica class, with Costa Romantica as its sister ship. The ship was developed for Costa's Euroluxe concept and combined Italian design with a relatively compact resort-style cruise layout. Gregotti Associati designed the ship's interiors and exterior treatment, while commissioned works by artists including Arnaldo Pomodoro, Emilio Tadini, Sergio Benvenuti, Isaac Maimon and Augusto Vignali formed part of the onboard environment. Its original facilities included restaurants, bars, swimming pools and whirlpools. A proposed 2000 lengthening and interior renovation was cancelled when the vessel was due to arrive at the United Kingdom shipbuilder Cammell Laird. The shipyard had already fabricated a 45-metre midsection intended to extend the vessel to approximately 270 metres, but the section was never installed. The cancellation contributed to financial difficulties that later placed Cammell Laird into receivership. Costa Classica instead continued in its original form until a 2014 refit and renaming as Costa neoClassica, aligning it with Costa's neoCollection concept. Costa announced the vessel's sale in 2017, and Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line subsequently acquired it. Renamed Grand Classica, the ship began operating from the Port of Palm Beach in April 2018, initially offering two-day round trips to Freeport on Grand Bahama. Following Hurricane Dorian's devastation of Grand Bahama in 2019, it temporarily shifted its destination to Nassau. The ship was also affected by the global COVID-19 shutdown after entering a scheduled maintenance period in March 2020. It returned to Palm Beach preparations in June 2021 and later served as accommodation for Entergy workers involved in restoring power in Louisiana after Hurricane Ida. In December 2021, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line announced a partnership with Margaritaville Resorts & Hotels. The vessel underwent a substantial rebranding and refurbishment at Grand Bahama Shipyard in April 2022, emerging as Margaritaville at Sea Paradise. It returned to Palm Beach in May and made its inaugural Margaritaville-branded sailing on May 14, 2022. The repositioning transformed the ship from a conventional Bahamas short-cruise product into a themed, music- and leisure-oriented vacation experience associated with Margaritaville's relaxed coastal lifestyle. A further two-week drydock in May 2023 refreshed the vessel and added or upgraded guest-facing facilities, including new dining venues and menus, fitness-center improvements, a pickleball court and two theater productions. The ship continues to serve as a short-duration cruise platform, primarily linking South Florida with destinations in the Bahamas. Margaritaville at Sea has also discussed expanding its itinerary to include calls at Nassau.

The vessel now known as Margaritaville at Sea Paradise was ordered by Costa Cruises from Fincantieri in July 1987 under a contract reportedly valued at $287 million. Built as hull 5877 at Monfalcone, Italy, it was completed in 1991 as Costa Classica. The ship was conceived as the first of Costa's Classica class and as part of the company's Euroluxe approach, which combined Italian artistic presentation with contemporary cruise-ship amenities. Its design was developed by Gregotti Associati, and the ship incorporated commissioned works by a number of Italian and international artists. The original arrangement included two restaurants, nine bars, two pools and four whirlpools. Costa planned a major extension and renovation for late 2000 and early 2001. Cammell Laird constructed a 45-metre hull section that would have lengthened the ship to about 270 metres while its public rooms and cabins were refreshed. Costa cancelled the operation at the point when the ship was due to arrive, leaving the fabricated section unused. The cancellation became associated with Cammell Laird's subsequent financial collapse and receivership. The ship remained in service without the planned lengthening. In 2008, Costa Classica was involved in a minor collision with MSC Poesia in the Adriatic near Dubrovnik. There were no reported injuries and both ships continued sailing. In July 2009, a woman and her son disappeared during a cruise in East Asia, prompting notifications to authorities in multiple jurisdictions. In October 2010, the ship collided with the cargo vessel Lowlands Longevity near Shanghai. Several passengers were treated for minor injuries, while three were taken ashore for further examination. The ship was repaired in an emergency drydock in China and returned to service after a shortened itinerary. Costa refitted the ship in 2014 and renamed it Costa neoClassica for the neoCollection. Unlike the more extensive transformation of its sister ship into Costa neoRomantica, the work retained much of the vessel's original design. Costa announced in 2017 that the ship would leave its fleet. Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line acquired it and renamed it Grand Classica. It began two-night round trips from Palm Beach to Freeport in April 2018. Hurricane Dorian's impact on Grand Bahama led to a temporary shift to Nassau sailings in late 2019. A scheduled wet-dock period beginning in March 2020 was overtaken by the COVID-19 suspension of cruise operations, leaving the vessel laid up for an extended period. It returned to Palm Beach preparations in June 2021 and was briefly chartered as worker accommodation after Hurricane Ida. The next major transition followed the December 2021 partnership between Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line and Margaritaville Resorts & Hotels. During April 2022, the ship was refurbished and converted to the Margaritaville at Sea identity. It returned to Palm Beach in May, with its first branded sailing on May 14. The new concept emphasized casual tropical styling, themed food and beverage, live entertainment and recreational amenities rather than a traditional formal cruise experience. In May 2023, the ship underwent another drydock and returned to service in June. The work included new dining concepts and menus, fitness facilities, a pickleball court and two theater shows. The vessel remains a short-cruise ship operating primarily from Florida to the Bahamas, with Nassau identified as a potential or planned destination in the company's future itinerary development.

• 2023

  Drydock refresh completed

  [1]Margaritaville at Sea Paradiseen.wikipedia.org

  The ship received dining, fitness, recreation and entertainment updates before returning to service.

• 2022

  Margaritaville at Sea rebrand launched

  [1]Margaritaville at Sea Paradiseen.wikipedia.org

  Following refurbishment, the vessel began operating under the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise name.

• 2018

  Entered Bahamas Paradise service as Grand Classica

  [1]Margaritaville at Sea Paradiseen.wikipedia.org

  The ship left Costa's fleet, was renamed Grand Classica and began short cruises from Palm Beach.

• 2014

  Renamed Costa neoClassica

  [1]Margaritaville at Sea Paradiseen.wikipedia.org

  A refit placed the vessel in Costa's neoCollection under the Costa neoClassica name.

• 2000

  Planned lengthening cancelled

  [1]Margaritaville at Sea Paradiseen.wikipedia.org

  A planned 45-metre hull extension and interior refit was cancelled before installation.

• 1991

  Completed as Costa Classica

  [1]Margaritaville at Sea Paradiseen.wikipedia.org

  The ship was completed at Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard and entered Costa Cruises' fleet.

• 1987

  Construction contract signed

  [1]Margaritaville at Sea Paradiseen.wikipedia.org

  Costa Cruises signed a contract with Fincantieri for a new Classica-class cruise ship.

A casual, music- and lifestyle-led short-cruise experience that translates Margaritaville's tropical, vacation-oriented identity into a compact Bahamas cruise product.

• Cruise vacation · 2022

  Margaritaville at Sea Paradise cruise experience

  The ship's core offering is a short, resort-oriented cruise departing from South Florida and visiting Bahamian destinations. The experience combines accommodation, onboard dining, bars, entertainment, swimming and recreational facilities with Margaritaville's informal tropical lifestyle branding. It is designed primarily for guests seeking a brief Bahamas getaway rather than a long multi-region voyage.

• Hospitality and entertainment · 2022

  Onboard dining and entertainment

  The Margaritaville conversion added themed dining venues, refreshed menus and stage entertainment intended to reinforce the brand's music-centered vacation identity. The 2023 refresh introduced additional dining concepts and two theater shows, alongside existing bars, restaurants and leisure spaces.

• 2023

  Onboard facilities refreshProduct launch

  Background

  Margaritaville at Sea used a scheduled drydock to update the ship after its first year under the new brand.

  Action taken

  The company added dining venues and menus, improved the fitness center, introduced a pickleball court and launched two theater shows.

  Aftermath

  The refreshed vessel returned to service in June 2023.

  Source

• 2021

  Margaritaville partnership and brand conversionStrategy

  Background

  Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line sought to operate a branded vacation product through a partnership with Margaritaville Resorts & Hotels.

  Action taken

  The parties announced the partnership, and Grand Classica was refurbished and renamed Margaritaville at Sea Paradise.

  Aftermath

  The rebranded ship entered service in May 2022 with a themed hospitality and entertainment proposition.

  Source

• 2017

  Sale from Costa CruisesM&A

  Background

  Costa Cruises announced that the vessel would leave its fleet in 2018.

  Action taken

  The ship was sold to Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line and renamed Grand Classica.

  Aftermath

  It became a short-cruise ship based at the Port of Palm Beach.

  Source

• 2014

  Refit and conversion to Costa neoClassicaGeneration change

  Background

  Costa Cruises developed the neoCollection as a differentiated cruise concept for selected vessels.

  Action taken

  Costa Classica was refitted while retaining its core design and renamed Costa neoClassica.

  Aftermath

  The vessel continued in Costa service until its sale and transfer to Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line.

  Source

1. 1Margaritaville at Sea Paradiseen.wikipedia.org