Second ship soon?

[toad455]

Pre-COVID, the Bahamas Cruise Line had two ships running, mostly full all of the time. With Costa Cruise Lines giving away their ships now(3 to Carnival, 2 to Carnival China and 2 to SeaJets), I wonder if Margaritaville might look for a second ship soon(Costa Serena?). With a Margaritaville resort in Nassau, I do wonder if they might look to do 3/4 day sailings to Nassau in the future with a second ship?

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I don't see a second ship happening anytime soon. If the Margaritaville joint venture is successful, I could see them obtaining a larger/newer ship (that fits into the Port of Palm Beach) to replace the existing ship but I can't see two ships operating at the same time again. Not sure about your comment that they used to keep two ships running mostly full all the time; where did you get that? I think having a daily departure overwhelmed their ability to put bodies in that many cabins. 

 

Also, I can't see them offering 3/4 night cruises to Nassau as that would put them into direct competition against Carnival, Royal Caribbean and to some extent, NCL. Margaritaville at Sea's price point with the 2-nt cruises is their niche and they can't outprice the big boys on longer cruises on ships with far more bells and whistles.

 

I think Margaritiaville at Sea knows their lane and will stay there.

[Rothko1]

I suppose if they did get a second ship they could base it out of Port Everglades and run up to Grand Bahama from there, the way the old Sea Escapes used to do.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

7 hours ago, Rothko1 said:

I suppose if they did get a second ship they could base it out of Port Everglades and run up to Grand Bahama from there, the way the old Sea Escapes used to do.

Much of their current passenger base is from Broward and Miami-Dade so they would just be competing with themselves if they based a ship there. In addition, there's already a ferry that sails from Port Everglades to Grand Bahama several times per week, so more competition.

 

I fondly remember the SeaEscape day cruise. Was fun!

[rikitikitavii]

On 2/18/2023 at 10:05 PM, toad455 said:

Pre-COVID, the Bahamas Cruise Line had two ships running, mostly full all of the time. With Costa Cruise Lines giving away their ships now(3 to Carnival, 2 to Carnival China and 2 to SeaJets), I wonder if Margaritaville might look for a second ship soon(Costa Serena?). With a Margaritaville resort in Nassau, I do wonder if they might look to do 3/4 day sailings to Nassau in the future with a second ship?

We were on Margaritaville in December, one of the bartenders that I have gotten to know over the years (as Grand Classica), told me there could be another ship. He mentioned Port Canaveral as a possibility.

I’m pretty sure that a larger ship could not be ported at Palm Beach, limited by size of the port, and the residents of Palm Beach Island.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

On 3/3/2023 at 6:19 PM, rikitikitavii said:

We were on Margaritaville in December, one of the bartenders that I have gotten to know over the years (as Grand Classica), told me there could be another ship. He mentioned Port Canaveral as a possibility.

I’m pretty sure that a larger ship could not be ported at Palm Beach, limited by size of the port, and the residents of Palm Beach Island.

I'd love it if they acquired a second ship; love it even more if it was homeported in close-by (for me) Port Canaveral. But if such a ship operated every other day, I don't know how it could be done because some days at Port Canaveral are fully booked with other ships so I don't know how they could dock.

 

Back in the day when SeaEscape operated from Port Canaveral, the government allowed "cruises to nowhere" which allowed them to do day cruises. But the government now enforces laws that prevent foreign-flagged ships from doing daytrips because a stop at a foreign port is a requirement. Whether ships can make it to Freeport overnight and then back the second night is more challenging than sailing out of Palm Beach.

Edited March 8, 2023 by KINGBOBOFTHENORTH

[rikitikitavii]

19 hours ago, KINGBOBOFTHENORTH said:

I'd love it if they acquired a second ship; love it even more if it was homeported in close-by (for me) Port Canaveral. But if such a ship operated every other day, I don't know how it could be done because some days at Port Canaveral are fully booked with other ships so I don't know how they could dock.

 

Back in the day when SeaEscape operated from Port Canaveral, the government allowed "cruises to nowhere" which allowed them to do day cruises. But the government now enforces laws that prevent foreign-flagged ships from doing daytrips because a stop at a foreign port is a requirement. Whether ships can make it to Freeport overnight and then back the second night is more challenging than sailing out of Palm Beach.

I would think that they would have 3 and 4 night cruises, as that makes more sense to me than a 2 night cruise. It amazes me at the distance some people travel for a 2 nighter.  We live in West Palm and can be at the port in 30 minutes.

We did a 2 night MSC from Cape Canaveral in January, that went to their private island just south of Bimini.

[chengkp75]

19 hours ago, KINGBOBOFTHENORTH said:

But the government now enforces laws that prevent foreign-flagged ships from doing daytrips because a stop at a foreign port is a requirement.

Not quite correct.  The PVSA still specifically allows cruises to nowhere.  What has stopped cruise lines from offering them is the requirement to have US work visas, not crew visas, for all foreign crew working a cruise to nowhere.  It becomes a wage and cost issue, not one of a lack of foreign port call.

[Rothko1]

I suppose the question is:  does Margaritaville want to duplicate its current format of a 2 night cruise, or does it want to branch up into a 3 night or 4 night cruise for a second ship?  

 

Right now, the 2 night format works fine because there are no other cruise ships operating out of the Port of Palm Beach, so the ship can come in every two days (I see it almost every time it comes or goes) and it doesn't have to fight for dock space.  Plus, Freeport is such a close sail from West Palm Beach, it's an easy 2 night cruise.

 

In Port Canaveral, they would have to fight for the dock space (maybe the same with Port Everglades), so perhaps switching to a 3 or 4 night format for that ship would allow it to operate from those ports.  Plus, it is a much longer sail from up there down to Freeport and back.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

1 hour ago, Rothko1 said:

In Port Canaveral, they would have to fight for the dock space (maybe the same with Port Everglades), so perhaps switching to a 3 or 4 night format for that ship would allow it to operate from those ports.  Plus, it is a much longer sail from up there down to Freeport and back.

Yeah, and doing 3/4 night cruises from Port Canaveral puts them in direct competition with Royal Caribbean and Carnival on their megaships that have many more bells and whistles.

[Rothko1]

16 hours ago, KINGBOBOFTHENORTH said:

Yeah, and doing 3/4 night cruises from Port Canaveral puts them in direct competition with Royal Caribbean and Carnival on their megaships that have many more bells and whistles.

 

You are absolutely correct.   I think Margaritaville has a nice little niche right now, operating out of a port no one else is based from, goes to the Bahamas and back in 2 nights.  Expanding to compete against the "big boys" wouldn't be very wise.

[NYcruzzer]

On 3/8/2023 at 6:53 PM, KINGBOBOFTHENORTH said:

Yeah, and doing 3/4 night cruises from Port Canaveral puts them in direct competition with Royal Caribbean and Carnival on their megaships that have many more bells and whistles.

Why not place a 2nd ship out of Jacksonville ?

[Rothko1]

14 hours ago, NYcruzzer said:

Why not place a 2nd ship out of Jacksonville ?

To go where?

[toad455]

3 hours ago, Rothko1 said:

To go where?

 

Nassau? The three-day cruise would be "at sea", Nassau, "at sea". The four-day could do an overnight in Nassau. Package the cruise with a day pass to the Margaritaville in Nassau.

[Rothko1]

Maybe.  I think Freeport would be better.  They already have the logistics for Grand Bahama, and could offer a "different" destination than the ships that go out of Port Canaveral.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

On 3/9/2023 at 11:14 AM, Rothko1 said:

 

I think Margaritaville has a nice little niche right now, operating out of a port no one else is based from, goes to the Bahamas and back in 2 nights.  Expanding to compete against the "big boys" wouldn't be very wise.

Exactly!

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I receive a publication called "Travel Weekly" and an article entitled "Margaritaville at Sea working to build advisor appeal" was in the latest issue.

 

In the article they mention adding additional ships in the future but nothing is imminent but currently the emphasis is increasing those doing cruise & stay packages including Nassau. "Margaritaville has a resort in Nassau, which he called "a very logical extension for us in the future."

You can read the entire article here:

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Margaritaville-at-Sea-working-attract-travel-advisors

 

[CarnivalShips480]

Any updates?

[notscb]

On 2/18/2023 at 10:05 PM, toad455 said:

Costa Cruise Lines giving away their ships now

 

Costa is a subsidiary of Carnival Corp, as is Carnival Cruise Lines, so in many ways it's not "giving away" the ship it's really just transferring assets/liabilities around on the corporate balance sheet(s).

[rikitikitavii]

On 3/18/2023 at 5:40 PM, KINGBOBOFTHENORTH said:

I receive a publication called "Travel Weekly" and an article entitled "Margaritaville at Sea working to build advisor appeal" was in the latest issue.

 

In the article they mention adding additional ships in the future but nothing is imminent but currently the emphasis is increasing those doing cruise & stay packages including Nassau. "Margaritaville has a resort in Nassau, which he called "a very logical extension for us in the future."

You can read the entire article here:

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Margaritaville-at-Sea-working-attract-travel-advisors

 

We were on MAS last weekend, 1100 passengers, in order to gather n repeat passengers, they will need a ship that offers more than one or two bars open during the day, more the a few extra dining venues, and venues for kids. There were more children ( teens and younger) on the cruise than I had seen before. Palm beach can only handle small ships, so either Port canaveral or Ft. Lauderdale, competing with larger cruise lines.

[pinkie60]

On 3/11/2023 at 9:34 AM, toad455 said:

 

Nassau? The three-day cruise would be "at sea", Nassau, "at sea". The four-day could do an overnight in Nassau. Package the cruise with a day pass to the Margaritaville in Nassau.

Bimini would make more sense than Nassau. Most people I know won’t get off of the ship in Nassau

[Barefootboatgirl]

Hearing possibly going out of Tampa.. but no definite timeframe or what ship they may be using for second ship.. 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

50 minutes ago, Barefootboatgirl said:

Hearing possibly going out of Tampa.. but no definite timeframe or what ship they may be using for second ship.. 

Interesting. Would have to be a completely different product because the minimum length of a cruise from Tampa would have to be 4 nights since the closest foreign port is Cozumel or Merida. Even Nassau would seem to require 4 nights. Keep us updated if you hear more!

[Rothko1]

I suppose the ship wouldn't have to go international.  Maybe a Tampa to New Orleans, or a Tampa to Key West itinerary?

 

It's not the same as the Bahamas, but it is closer than Mexico.  

 

Of course, if Cuba ever opens up, Havana's not too far.

[Host Jazzbeau]

10 minutes ago, Rothko1 said:

I suppose the ship wouldn't have to go international.  Maybe a Tampa to New Orleans, or a Tampa to Key West itinerary?

 

It's not the same as the Bahamas, but it is closer than Mexico.  

 

Of course, if Cuba ever opens up, Havana's not too far.

Only if they convince NCLH to sell them the Pride of America.  There is no other suitable ship that I know of that has a PVSA exemption.  Then they would have to staff it with US citizens.  Otherwise, a foreign port is required.