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Margaritaville at Sea will deploy its upcoming third ship in Galveston, with Beachcomber sailing from there starting in October 2027 for at least 13 months.
This Galveston deployment follows Beachcomber's upcoming inaugural season from PortMiami beginning in early 2027.
Margaritaville at Sea has a long-term deal at Miami, through April 2031 plus two five-year options. However, there's a carve-out in 2028 when no annual guarantee payment is required.
At Galveston, the line has committed only to Oct. 1, 2027, through Oct. 31, 2028. Two five-year renewal options are at Margaritaville's election.
So it would seem Margaritaville has the flexibility to try out Galveston for a year, continue there, or return Beachcomber to PortMiami. Or could the line be contemplating another ship acquisition?
Neither Islander, which sails from Port Tampa Bay, nor Paradise, from the Port of Palm Beach, is large enough to fulfill the annual guarantees required at Miami.
Seatrade Cruise News reached out to PortMiami and Margaritaville at Sea for information and will update this story when more is clarified.
At Galveston, Beachcomber will operate four- to seven-night cruises and introduce a new port, Veracruz, Mexico. Other destinations include Aruba, Key West, Curaçao, Grand Cayman, Montego Bay, Belize, Progreso, Roatán, Cozumel, Grand Bahama Island and Bimini.
Recently Galveston Wharves approved a license for Margaritaville at Sea to use, primarily, Cruise Terminal 28 (also home to Disney Cruise Line) but sometimes CT25 (where Carnival Cruise Line has priority).
The port was also talking with Disney, and an official told the Wharves board before their vote greenlighting Margaritaville that other options would be open to Disney should the company decide to expand in Galveston.
Galveston makes Margaritaville at Sea more accessible to millions of travelers across Texas and the Central United States, giving first-time and repeat cruisers a new option.
"Texas knows how to have a good time, so bringing Margaritaville at Sea to Galveston feels like a natural fit," said Christopher Ivy, CEO of Margaritaville at Sea. Before the Galveston Wharves board in late August, Ivy noted he's a native Texan and his family lives within driving distance of the port. He also called Texas a priority for the resort side of the Margaritaville business; work has begun on the 95-acre Margaritaville Beach Cottage Resort Galveston.
"With Beachcomber, we're giving guests an incredible ship and more choices for where their vacation can take them, including places they simply can't reach on other cruises from Galveston," Ivy said Wednesday. "It's a chance to see more, go farther and make every getaway a little different, all while experiencing the Margaritaville lifestyle at sea."
Beachcomber will expand the cruise line's offering with 15 new experiences created exclusively for the ship alongside guest favorites including 5 o'Clock Somewhere, Hemisphere Dancer, Cheeseburger in Paradise, License to Chill and more.
The brand is also playing on country music's popularity in Texas since Beachcomber will have a live music venue created in collaboration with three-time Grammy Award winner Zac Brown.
The 102,500gt ship with capacity for 3,450 passengers is on its final cruise as Costa Fortuna for Costa Cruises. Following handover to Margaritaville at Sea later this month, it will undergo a 12-week dry dock transformation at Navantia-owned Harland & Wolff in Belfast to gain Margaritaville branding, public spaces and accommodations.
Harland & Wolff also handled Margaritaville at Sea Islander's 2024 refurbishment. MJM Marine, Mivan and Madden Marine are supporting the conversion.
Beachcomber's docking is expected to generate approximately £40m for the Belfast region.
"This project is another major vote of confidence in our Belfast yard's growing reputation as a destination for world-class cruise ship repair, refurbishment and revitalization," said Graham Couser, director of ship repair, Navantia UK.
"Being selected for a second major vessel from the Margaritaville at Sea fleet demonstrates the trust that international cruise operators have in our facilities, our people and our ability to deliver complex projects to demanding schedules."
Couser continued: "Belfast has all the ingredients to become one of Europe's leading cruise refit hubs, buoyed by Navantia UK's acquisition last year. Our unique dry dock capacity, deep-water access and heavy engineering capability, combined with Navantia's extensive global experience in cruise ship repair, provide operators with a compelling option in Western Europe. We are investing heavily in our facilities and transferring proven expertise from across the wider Navantia Group to build a long-term center of excellence for ship repair in the UK."
"Their work on Islander demonstrated the quality, craftsmanship and expertise required for a project of this scale," said Minas Miliaras, chief maritime officer, Margaritaville at Sea, "giving us the confidence to return as we prepare Beachcomber for its global debut in 2027. As we continue expanding our fleet, having trusted partners who understand our commitment to delivering an exceptional guest experience is invaluable."