First cruise ever or the worst cruise ever? For one YouTuber, it was supposed to be both. 

While the usually low prices on Margaritaville at Sea sailings are tempting, overwhelmingly negative reviews are raising serious questions if it is even worth the trip.

Guests have frequently reported issues with the drink packages, getting overcharged for various reasons, and just an all around lack of communication from the crew members.

After seeing a wide range of different comments online, content creator Tonio Guajardo decided to set the record straight by taking his first ever cruise on Margaritaville at Sea’s Paradise.

He booked the cheapest cruise he could find, which was a $49 per-person room for a 2-night round-trip cruise out of Florida’s Port of Palm Beach.

The 1,680-guest vessel currently offers 2, 3, and 4-night cruises to Key West and the Bahamas – and Guajardo did the 2-night Grand Bahama Getaway itinerary, which makes one stop in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

Once onboard, Guajardo rated his experience using the four common criteria used in cruise reviews: the room, activities, food, and excursions – and the 34-year-old ship was better than he was expecting.

Beginning with his interior cabin, Guajardo, who is on the tall side at 6’1″, boasted about how spacious it was – noting that the room had a large bed, a desk, and even an extra pull-down bunk bed.

Despite the lack of a window, he thought the room was a great deal for what he paid.

Moving onto the food, the creator tried out the ship’s complimentary buffet – with the lackluster options leaving something to be desired.

Guajardo quickly left the buffet and went to Frank & Lola’s Pizzeria for dinner. While it is an extra cost, he did seem to enjoy the food more than at the buffet. 

On his second night, he tried the ship’s JWB Steakhouse, which actually has good reviews compared to the ship’s complimentary dining options. In Guajardo words, “This dinner lived up to the hype.” 

The highlight of the trip was the excursion to a private island with the cute – but sometimes dangerous – Bahamian pigs.

“This place is officially one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to,” Guajardo said, adding, “I’ve been very impressed.” 

Ultimately, the 52,925-gross ton ship made a good impression – except when it came to the entertainment.

The YouTuber noted that it was not really his taste, but felt the entertainment on a 2-night cruise was not as important as things like the cabin and the excursions.

Watch Guajardo’s YouTube video, which has been viewed more than 1.7 million times since it was posted on January 18, 2025, below:

Does Margaritaville at Sea Deserve the Negativity?

Over time, the two ships that now make up the Margaritaville at Sea fleet have been passed around by various cruise lines.

Both were originally built for Costa Cruises but were sold multiple times before becoming part of Margaritaville at Sea.

Paradise came first in 2022, followed by Islander in 2024 – and it hasn’t always been smooth sailing.

Paradise, which launched in 1991, failed a surprise CDC health inspection in May of 2024, scoring an 83 – with 86 and above being a passing score.

The reasons for this score included overcrowding, poor sanitation practices, and food safety concerns. However the cruise live moved fast to make sure many of the aspects were corrected.

But good news if you are planning a trip aboard Paradise – it is set to be upgraded by March of 2025. The renovations are targeted at improving all dining areas, cocktail experiences, and entertainment.

Read Also: Influencer Investigates if “World’s Worst Cruise” is Really so Bad

Many of Guajardo’s subscribers appreciated the honesty of his video – seeing it as a nice contrast to other reviews online.

“No hate on cruise ship channels, but it’s a bit refreshing seeing someone who never been on a cruise ship to review this ship instead of the usual whose been on others. Kind of puts a nice different perspective, more for those on budgets and who are looking for a first cruise themselves,” one viewer shared.

“So refreshing to see a reviewer with an open mind and realistic expectations, too many people out there want the top tier experience but pay the minimum and then complain,” another viewer added.

For a reasonably priced escape, Margaritaville at Sea offers an easy route to the Bahamas for guests with the right mindset.

But do keep in mind that the extreme savings come with trade-offs – expect a simpler experience than a top-tier cruise line.

Winds have not yet subsided enough to permit the final journey of the SS United States to begin as planned on Tuesday, February 18, 2025. Instead, yet one more delay is keeping the famed – and rapidly becoming infamous – vessel docked in Philadelphia rather than getting underway for Mobile, Alabama.

The decision to delay yet again was announced by Florida’s Okaloosa County, which has purchased the vessel and now controls her fate. While the aged ocean liner will eventually be scuttled off the Florida panhandle coast near Destin-Fort Worth Beach, the timing has to be right for the delicate move.

“After careful consideration and out of an abundance of caution, Florida’s Okaloosa County has announced that the departure of the SS United States from Philadelphia has been rescheduled for Wednesday, February 19, 2025 due to continued high wind conditions,” the latest delay announcement read.

“We realize these repeated delays have been challenging, but we are committed to sharing these updates with you as we receive them.”

To be fair, the SS United States Conservancy and Okaloosa County do want to ensure the ship is moved smoothly and safely. To do that, weather conditions need to be right.

As of Monday evening, winds in Delaware Bay were reported at 16-20 knots (18-23 miles per hour). Moving just offshore into the Atlantic Ocean, wind speeds increased as high as 24 knots (28 mph).

This most recent delay is just one more day for the vessel to remain in the City of Brotherly Love, as she should now move on Wednesday – one day later than the first wind-related delay.

First, tugboats will maneuver the ship from Pier 80 – where she was moved on Valentine’s Day – out into the Delaware River channel approximately 2-3 hours before low tide. Once low tide is reached, the SS United States can be moved down the river and under various bridges before she will taste the ocean once more.

It is mandatory that the ship be moved at low tide due to clearances with those bridges, particularly the Walt Whitman Bridge – the first span she will encounter, less than a mile from where she has been docked all these years.

Just a few feet will separate the top of the ship’s smokestacks from the bridge’s span as she is moved, and no one wants to risk any dangerous incident that could damage the bridge or the ship.

While still subject to further delays or changes as weather or operational concerns warrant, the SS United States should begin her move down the Delaware River at approximately 12:51 p.m. on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

The full journey to Mobile is expected to take approximately two weeks, though unforeseen circumstances along the way could cause further changes in the schedule. The ship’s course will be adjusted every six hours with real-time route planning, and she will be tracked online for fans to keep updated on her progress.

Hazards of a Delicate Move

The SS United States is admittedly not in her peak condition after being docked in Philadelphia for the past 343 months, and having been out of service even longer – since November 14, 1969.

Numerous inspections and evaluations have been carried out in recent weeks to ensure the ship is safe to move, though wear and decay on the vessel means she must be moved very carefully under tug assistance.

Optimal weather conditions are essential to avoid any rough conditions or mishaps on her 2,000-mile journey to the ship yard in Mobile, where work will be done to make her suitable to become the world’s largest artificial coral reef. That work will take approximately a year to complete.

Read Also: Ocean Liner vs. Cruise Ship – What Are the Differences?

The first 100 miles of the ship’s journey, from Pier 80 down the Delaware River to the Atlantic Ocean, will likely be the most challenging. Along the way, the ship must be carefully maneuvered along the twists and turns of the navigation channel, under numerous bridges, and around other marine traffic.

Once she has reached the open ocean, the SS United States will have more maneuverability in case of difficulties, but will also be more vulnerable to winds and rough weather.

Hopefully, once the weather clears a bit the ship will be able to make her way toward her new destiny and continuing legacy. While it may not be the end for the ship that fans would have wanted, all steps and precautions are being taken to be sure she can reach that end safely.

While the SS United States finally made her initial move from Pier 82 to Pier 80 in Philadelphia on Valentine’s Day after multiple delays, the ship will not be making her way down the Delaware River as planned on Monday, February 17, 2025.

A high wind warning has forced yet another delay for the ocean liner’s departure from Philadelphia following a protracted legal battle, eventual pier eviction, and search for a new home.

“After completing additional due diligence involving further testing and safety protocols for the U.S. Coast Guard and safely moving the SS United States from her decades-long berth at Pier 82 to Pier 80, Okaloosa County has announced that a high wind warning issued for Monday, February 17, has delayed the anticipated departure of the SS United States from Philadelphia by a day,” the SS United States Conservancy reported.

While this latest delay is sure to be frustrating for those eager to see the ship once more set sail, it is only a one-day change from the most recent plan for the ship’s departure.

“The SS United States is now expected to begin her tow down the Delaware River at approximately 12:00 PM ET on Tuesday, February 18,” the Conservancy confirmed.

Low tide on Tuesday is at 12:29 p.m., which is when the ship will begin to get underway. This is critical timing to ensure the vessel – which measures 153 feet from keel to funnel – can safely pass beneath various bridges on her way to the Atlantic Ocean.

The SS United States must past beneath the Walt Whitman Bridge (150-foot clearance), the Commodore Barry Bridge (192-foot clearance), and the Delaware Memorial Bridge (174-foot clearance) before reaching the eastern seaboard.

While it may seem that the elderly ocean liner will be unable to pass below the Walt Whitman Bridge, bridge clearance is measured from the surface of the water to the underside of the span. The SS United States has a 31-foot draft – the distance from the waterline to the bottom of the hull beneath the surface.

This means that the height of the ship from the waterline to her tallest point above water is roughly 144 feet. This leaves just a 6-foot clearance to pass below the Walt Whitman Bridge.

This small space requires very precise timing for the liner to move down the Delaware River and safely pass beneath the bridge. This is most particularly on many people’s minds less than a year after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, after it was struck by the container ship Dali.

A Very Controversial Move

The ship’s continual delays have stirred both jokes and controversy over the plans for her disposition.

The initial plan was for the SS United States to begin her final voyage in mid-November 2024, but that was not possible due to the development of late-season tropical storms.

She was then scheduled to begin her trip on February 6, 2025, but that was delayed at the last minute for even more due diligence.

Now, this third delay for a high wind warning really demonstrates just how precarious the ship’s repositioning can be.

Some fans of the ship have commented that perhaps she doesn’t want to move after all, and fate might be intervening to provide more time for a plan to surface for her salvation.

Unfortunately, that will not be the case, as the deal with Okaloosa County, Florida to convert the hull into the world’s largest coral reef is moving forward, just not on the initially anticipated schedule.

The ship did take her first cautious steps on February 14, with tugboats slowly easing the vessel from Pier 82 to Pier 80. The small lateral move was nevertheless significant for a ship that has remained firmly docked since 1996.

Many supporters of the vessel are dismayed at the plans to scuttle the ship, though this will help preserve her legacy – albeit below the waves rather than above them. A land-based museum near her sinking location will also contain artifacts, memorabilia, and other material to share her legacy with future generations.

Read Also: What Does SS Stand for on Ships?

Once she moves down the river, it will take approximately two weeks for the ship to complete her tug-driven voyage to Mobile, Alabama. The ship’s course will be closely monitored en route, with adjustments every six hours as needed for weather, currents, and other factors.