David KrisoFebruary 11th was my very first cruise aboard Margaritaville At Sea. It was a six-day Western Caribbean voyage aboard the Margaritaville At Sea Islander, from Tampa, Florida. Arrival at the cruise terminal was easy. The shore staff was friendly and extremely helpful. The check-in process started early, and I was on board before 11 am. The boarding process was quick and efficient. My level of anticipation was at its highest level, especially when sailing on any cruise line for the first time. Once I stepped aboard, the show was on! The party was on! The Tiki Bar was open!
What’s any sailing day without lunch at the buffet upstairs? The Port of Indecision Buffet was absolutely awesome. The dining staff and culinary staff were extremely attentive. Not only were they attentive, but they were knowledgeable, too. The dining staff did a tremendous job. Often, the servers asked if there was anything else they could do to make the dining experience even more enjoyable. That’s what I call going the extra ‘nautical mile’. If I had a question where I could find a specific food item, they knew what direction to point me. The wide variety of food choices made sailing day an occasion worth remembering. Once dessert went down the hatch, I was asked by a member of the dining staff if I wanted anything else. She was willing to go get it for me. I appreciated her offer. The server was wonderful. Each and every day of the cruise, she didn’t skip a beat. The buffet, dining staff, and culinary staff’s grade is a glowing A+.
At 4 pm, it was time to cast off. The cruise started off without a hitch. The sail away party was one to remember. The departure route, as lengthy as it was, all the way to passing under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, was unforgettable. The anticipation grew amongst the guests, and the bar staff added to the energy with their unwavering service. No matter what drink on the menu I inquired about, they were very enthusiastic in their descriptions. No matter what drink I ordered, the bar staff was sure to ask me how I was enjoying it. Further, the bar staff asked if I wanted a seconds. Their energy was tremendous. The bar staff and the sail away party all together deserve an A. The bar staff were absolute rock stars. They made my day, every day.
What’s any cruise without the onboard entertainment? It all starts with the featured comedians. The entertainment throughout the ship was incredible. From performers at the Flip Flop Bar, to the Latino lounge, to the pianist at the Bubbles Up Lounge, the entertainment was great. Both comedians, including a magician, were good. They weren’t amazing, just good. The singing and dancing shows, including the show “Hot Caribbean” and “Conky Tonkin'” were wonderful. The singers and dancers did their renditions of popular country songs. The shows were above all, mesmerizing! Their grade, a B+.
What’s a cruise without its fine breakfast buffet? The breakfast buffet at the Port of Indecision Buffet was out-of-the-park incredible. Margaritaville At Sea earned brownie points when I saw something I’ve never seen on any breakfast buffet; kielbasa. Being part Polish and part Czech, they stole my heart by having kielbasa on the breakfast buffet, in addition to the sausage, bacon, pancakes, and French Toast. The kielbasa made breakfast every morning on board extra special. It undoubtedly made my day. What’s the breakfast buffet grade? A well-deserved A+ indeed!
Midway through each day on board, one must sink his/her teeth into some lunch. The lunch selection at the Port of Indecision Buffet was fantastic. Being an avid fruit and vegetable eater, I didn’t have much trouble finding what I was looking for. Finding cube-cut fruit was a challenge. The long-cut melon was the easiest to find. The dessert choices on the lunch buffet were incredible; something different every day, or something with a twist. What’s lunch without dessert? Speaking of a twist, who’s up for a slice of chocolate cake with a chocolate dorsal fin on top? Lunch is what makes every afternoon on board relaxing and refreshing. The lunch buffet throughout the entire cruise was a straight A.
The dining room and the JWB Steakhouse added an extra special layer of ‘WOW’ to the cruise experience. The dining room was amazing with the palm tree columns in the center. The dining room staff and the head waiter were super attentive and utmost friendly. The menu selection was a fond reflection of Jimmy Buffett’s personality. The menu selection also gave me great memories of Jimmy Buffet himself. I saw Jimmy Buffet in concert in December 2009. The menu reminded me of that night. The menu selection reminded me of his music, too. The dining room staff’s grade, a well deserved A+.
The JWB Steakhouse was phenomenal. The sirloin steak I ordered was marvelous. It was prepared and cooked beautifully. The appetizer, the Caesar salad, and the dessert were too through the roof fabulous. There were no stones left unturned. The JWB Steakhouse staff deserve a A+ for their tremendous service, food, flavors, and presentation. The JWB Steakhouse knocked it out of the park. I’ve been to steakhouses on other cruise lines. The JWB Steakhouse on board the Margaritaville At Sea Islander was over-the-top fantastic. Dinner in any cruise ship’s steakhouse is expected to be incredible. The servers at JWB Steakhouse were tremendous. The JWB Steakhouse culinary staff and servers combined, deserve an A+ for the presentation and unwavering level of service.
Adding to the excitement was the ports-of-call. The Margaritaville At Sea Islander sailed to three ports-of-call; Key West, FL, Progreso, and Cozumel, Mexico. My first time visit to Key West was wonderful. I had fried shrimp at CJ’s Crab Shack. The fried shrimp was amazing. I got the opportunity to see the house where the legendary airline, PAN AM, was first founded. Before heading back to the ship, I had Key Lime Pie at Kermit’s. The overall flavor of Key West was astonishing, despite having only six hours of time there. Anyone who visits Key West, needs at least two full days to see all of its highlights. Progreso, Mexico was truly different. We visited the Yucatan State government house. The governor of the Yucatan state stopped to say hello everyone in the tour group. Who does that?! Cozumel was, well, Cozumel. There wasn’t anything special, except for the Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville at the pier entrance. I was expecting that Margaritaville At Sea would do a special occasion at nearby Passion Island. Cozumel is the same as I remember it the past two cruises on Cunard and Royal Caribbean. Of all ports-of-call, Cozumel lacks an ‘x factor’ that would want me or any cruiser to want to visit. Ports-of-call are supposed to add an extra hint of ‘wow’ to a cruise experience. Cozumel, unfortunately, came up short. The grade for the ports-of-call; an average B.
Disembarkation was easy and as painless as a junior high Spelling test. For the Margaritaville At Sea Islander, a ship holding 2,500 guests, disembarkation was a breeze. We were off the ship well before 10 am, and through customs in minutes. Before we knew it, we were in our Uber vehicle headed for the airport. Sailing on Margaritaville At Sea, and sailing on the Margaritaville At Sea Islander in particular, was an experience like no other. Sailing day was amazing. The lunch buffet was amazing. Dinner in the main dining room was remarkable. The entertainment was good, not fantastic, but good. The food at the Port of Indecision Buffet was incredible. For the reasonable amount of money paid for the voyage, Margaritaville At Sea exceeded expectations. The ports-of-call were fun for the most part. Cozumel needs an upgrade from all cruise lines to make it well worth the visit. That’s why ports-of-call get a B. Above all, Margaritaville At Sea is a cruising experience well worth the money, worth the anticipation, and worth every minute of every parrot head’s vacation time. On a grand scale, Margaritaville At Sea earns an 8.5 out of 10, for being happily frozen in the 5 O’ Clock state-of-mind.
