Margaritaville at Sea Paradise Cabins
Margaritaville at Sea Paradise has 658 cabins that are cheerful and comfy, if a bit outdated. The ship has a choice of interior cabins, cabins with an oceanview porthole, junior suites that still have portholes; and 10 Grand Terrace suites that do have (large-ish) outdoor balconies. All room categories except standard oceanview cabins can accommodate 4 people.
What to Expect in the Rooms on Margaritaville at Sea Paradise
All rooms on Margaritaville at Sea Paradise come with two single beds that can be combined into a queen; a desk, table and chair; a nightstand; a mini-fridge; a safe; a hair dryer; a TV and storage space. Interiors and oceanview cabins both start at 176 square feet, which can feel cozy, especially without the balcony.
The décor in the cabins is Caribbean cute, with plenty of nautical touches. You'll still see a lot of blonde wood, a nod to the ship's '90s roots, but the refresh makes the spaces seem bigger than they are.
Our biggest complaint in the rooms was the lack of American outlets and USB ports. Since most people don't drag an international charger to South Florida, your best bet is to bring an extension cord and plug strip.
Suites on Margaritaville at Sea Paradise
The Junior Suites on Margaritaville at Sea Paradise might not have a balcony. But they do have twice the square footage of the interior and oceanview rooms, with 406 square feet. These cabins are also true suites, with a divider that separates the queen bed from the living room with its pull-out sofa. You'll also have much more closet space than you'd ever need for a two-night cruise.
We stayed in one of the ship's 10 Grand Terrace Suites during our sailing, and we found it a nice upgrade for the relatively low price. These staterooms are 576 square feet, and there is a lot of room to spread out, with a true separate bedroom from the living room. Friend groups note: the queen bed in the suites cannot be pulled apart, unlike the beds in the other room categories. Our cabin steward made up our pull-out sofa each night, however, without prompting. You'll also be swimming in closet space if you choose this cabin. That being said, we weren't in our suite long enough to really enjoy the spacious balcony or extra room.
Cabin Bathrooms on Margaritaville at Sea Paradise
Sadly, the bathrooms on the ship leave a bit to be desired. They were not touched during the renovation and it's obvious; they don't fit the rest of the room, in terms of design and modern vibe.
While there are some high points -- the ship does provide you with shampoo and conditioner, as opposed to the combo that you see on some mainstream cruise lines --you can see the ship's age here, in the clingy shower curtains. From the interiors all the way to the suites, the showers also had some drainage issues; almost everyone we've talked to experienced water on the floor.
The bathroom in the Grand Suites is spacious, with a double vanity and separate jetted tub (which we didn't get to use, because who has time for a bath on a two-day cruise?). But it still appeared old, with brown marble and cracked flooring.
Cabins to Avoid on the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise Cruise Ship
Even in our fancy Grand Terrace suite on Deck 10, we still heard quite a bit of noise from the pool deck above, with crew pulling out deck chairs every morning. Not exactly a high roller experience. As with any cruise, if you're prone to seasickness, you'll want to pick a room in the middle of the ship, on a lower deck.
Cruise Critic Cabin Picks
Budget: If you're really looking to save on a quick trip, why not squeeze yourself and the kids into an interior? You are barely in the room anyway.
Family: If you need room to spread out with your kids, get a junior suite so you can take advantage of more square footage and that sofabed in a separate room.
Splurge: If you're looking to feel like a VIP, even for two nights, the Grand Terrace suites get you a lot of room to spread out, for not a lot of money.