Margaritaville at Sea: Beachcomber Arrives in Belfast for £40 Million Refit Ahead of January 2027 Miami Debut

October 15, 2026 — Margaritaville at Sea’s third ship, Beachcomber, has arrived at Harland & Wolff in Belfast, Northern Ireland, for a major refit before it starts sailing from Miami in January 2027. The line has also opened an early Black Friday sale running through November 3.

Beachcomber refit

Ship: Beachcomber, built in 2003 for Costa Cruises, carrying 2,720 passengers; Margaritaville at Sea bought it earlier in 2026.
Work: new venues, updated staterooms and refreshed public areas. The yard expects about £40 million to flow into the local economy. Refit start and finish dates: TBA.
First guests: January 2027, after an Atlantic crossing.
Homeport: PortMiami for the first season (Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida cruises), then Galveston, Texas. Cruise Industry News says the Galveston move is mid-2027; TravelPulse says October 2027. Exact date: TBA.

Early Black Friday sale

Runs through November 3, 2026: up to 65% off cruise fares, with select sailings from $49 per person, per night; free fares for third and fourth guests on select sailings.
Up to 55% off extras such as drink packages, shore excursions and spa.
The 2027 Annual Cruise Membership drops $200 to $2,499 for two adults (from $2,699), covering eligible sailings on Paradise, Islander and Beachcomber through 2027, in up to a balcony stateroom.
The line currently sails from Tampa and Palm Beach, Florida.

What it means for airline travelers

PortMiami is served by Miami International (MIA), with Fort Lauderdale (FLL) as an alternative. Galveston has no major airport of its own; most cruisers fly into Houston Hobby (HOU) or Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and drive about an hour or more, so build in a full day if you are flying standby.
The annual membership allows only one active booking at a time and bookings up to 30 days ahead (per Travel Weekly), which suits flexible travelers who can pick sailings when flights look open.
No travel-industry or interline rates were mentioned.