Beachcomber Cruise Ship to Launch Galveston Service in October 2027

(12:36 p.m. EDT) — Margaritaville at Sea's upcoming ship, Beachcomber, will sail from Galveston beginning in October 2027.

The ship will operate four- to seven-night itineraries, with destinations including Aruba, Key West, Curaçao, Grand Cayman, Montego Bay, Belize, Progreso, Roatán, Cozumel, Grand Bahama Island and Bimini, along with Veracruz, Mexico, a new port addition to the Galveston cruise market. Itineraries are now available for booking.

"Texas knows how to have a good time, so bringing Margaritaville at Sea to Galveston feels like a natural fit," said Christopher Ivy, chief executive officer of Margaritaville at Sea.

"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. It's a chance to see more, go farther and make every getaway a little different, all while experiencing the Margaritaville lifestyle at sea."

Scheduled to enter service in 2027, the Beachcomber will become the largest cruise ship in Margaritavile at Sea fleet.

The company acquired the 3,450-passenger Costa Fortuna from Italian cruise line Costa Cruises, owned by Carnival Corporation.

The vessel is sailing for Costa through late 2026, when it will be transferred to Margaritaville at Sea and undergo refurbishment before relaunching as Beachcomber.

The reimagined vessel will introduce 15 new experiences created exclusively for the ship, along with a broader range of dining venues and entertainment offerings compared to its sister ships, Paradise and Islander.

The Beachcomber will make its debut sailing from PortMiami, operating four- to eight-night sailings to destinations across the Eastern and Southern Caribbean. Destinations include St. Maarten, St. Thomas, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao and Bimini in the Bahamas.

(11:05 a.m. EDT) — Margaritaville at Sea is expanding Casino Players Club benefits, effective October 1, 2026.

According to the information published on Margaritaville at Sea's website, the refreshed list of benefits includes complimentary cruises, premium drinks and various exclusive onboard offers.

The biggest addition is the "Sail with Friends" perk, which allows Platinum members to secure an additional oceanview cabin for two at no extra cost.

Platinum members will also get a complimentary Ultimate Beverage Chill Package, premium Wi-Fi, free laundry and room service, a personal VIP host and access to an exclusive annual event.

Gold members will also be eligible for the Ultimate Beverage Chill Package, in addition to complimentary Wi-Fi and a personalized welcome gift, while the Silver status grants a complimentary soda package.

Margaritaville's Casino Players Club features four levels, with all guests starting at Bronze. Silver requires 1,000 cumulative tier points and Gold requires 7,500, while Platinum starts at 15,000.

Members earn reward points through qualifying casino play and through other eligible activities.

The company also offers a tier-match program called "Casino Offer Match" for new Margaritaville guests.

In the Cruise Critic community, guests discussed the expanded lineup of perks, sharing mixed reactions.

Some cruisers are thrilled with the changes, with some saying the new program beats all the other offers they have received so far, particularly the tier-match program.

"They are offering a Casino Match program which gives instant (Casino) tier/offer matching. This program is better than I've seen on land or sea since the 1990's," wrote gkbiiii.

Others find the new benefits comparable to Carnival Cruise Line's offers, with one passenger, weezal, noting: "benefits similar to carnival elite sailings."

On the other hand, a number of cruisers didn't see the appeal in the expanded offer. "Not even close to the casino offers I get," said Elaine5715.

Another guest argued that casino benefits are what make Margaritaville at Sea worthwhile.

"These are Costa ships mainly marketed for Casino players. Otherwise they are more expensive than Carnie, unless your a gambler," said gkbiiii, adding: "The new Beachcomber is outstanding and they are bringing in a new ship to the Galveston market."

(1:14 p.m. EDT) — Margaritaville at Sea will begin sailing from Galveston starting in October 2027, offering weekly departures from Cruise Terminal 28.

The addition will make Margaritaville at Sea the seventh cruise line to operate from the port.

According to a press release, the Galveston Wharves Board of Trustees voted unanimously on August 25 to approve an agreement with the company. The initial agreement is for one year, with options to renew for two additional five-year terms.

The ship that will be based in Galveston, along with its itineraries, will be revealed during a special event at the port in September.

"We're incredibly excited to bring Margaritaville at Sea to Galveston for the first time and introduce our signature blend of fun, escapism and laid-back hospitality to even more guests across Texas and the Central U.S.," said Christopher Ivy, chief executive officer of Margaritaville at Sea.

"Galveston is an important and growing cruise gateway, and this agreement represents another significant step in the continued expansion of our brand. We look forward to working with the Port of Galveston to bring the Margaritaville at Sea experience to this market in a whole new way, with itineraries that will feature both new ports of call and longtime favorites."

Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and CEO, said: "We're very pleased to welcome Margaritaville at Sea to Galveston. This new service rounds out our cruise schedule with Friday sailings and gives our guests even more choices for when and where they want to cruise. Margaritaville at Sea will bring a distinctive experience to Galveston while expanding access to both new and familiar destinations in the Caribbean and Central America."