This Margaritaville resort day pass could cost you more than a cruise to get there

16.10.2024 - 15:01 / thepointsguy.com / Cruise Line / Jimmy Buffett / Christopher Ivy

Jimmy Buffett-inspired cruise line Margaritaville at Sea has partnered with the land-based version of the brand, offering passengers a chance to visit a Margaritaville resort in Nassau, Bahamas — for twice the price of the cheapest cruise that will take them there.

The line's flagship, Paradise, will offer two-, three- and four-night sailings to Nassau for the first time, beginning in January 2025. With the related "Sail & Splash" packages, passengers who book a sailing can tack on a visit to Margaritaville Beach Resort Nassau from $110 per adult ($55 per child). It seems like a good deal until you realize that Margaritaville at Sea's least expensive base fares, not including taxes, start at $49 per person (less than $25 per person, per night) for a two-night voyage that includes food, entertainment and a place to sleep.

Meanwhile, the $110 pass in Nassau will only allow you day-use access to the resort for four hours — and it doesn't include food or a room for use while you're there.

What you will receive is express access to the property's Fins Up Water Park, which features a lazy river, a zero-entry pool, a FlowRider surf simulator (boogie boarding only) and complimentary Wi-Fi, lounge chairs, umbrellas and towels. You'll also have access to the resort's beach area.

"In addition to this great new port of call, we're offering guests a unique ship-to-resort experience, making it the ultimate quick getaway to paradise," said Christopher Ivy, CEO of Margaritaville at Sea, in a press release. "Margaritaville Beach Resort Nassau has exceptional amenities, including private access to a spectacular beach on turquoise waters ... lazy river, multiple pools, and a variety of restaurant and bar options."

For years before Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line partnered with the Margaritaville brand in 2022 to offer cruises with an island theme, its ships sailed two-night voyages back and forth between the Port of Palm Beach in Florida and Freeport on Grand Bahama Island. As part of a now-defunct cruise-and-stay program, passengers on those itineraries had an option to book additional land-based stays at a resort in Freeport, where they were able to vacation on land for a few days before returning back to the Port of Palm Beach on the ship — a concept that would have made the new Nassau resort offering a better deal.

To be fair, the resort passes are less pricey than cruise fares when you add in the taxes and fees you'll pay to sail. Plus, the cost is comparable to what you might pay for other shore excursions in the area when spending just a few hours ashore.

Prices for two-night sailings to either Freeport or Nassau in early 2025 start at $49 per person (less than $25 per person, per night). If you want to visit both