Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber Is Here: Costa Fortuna Renamed Ahead of Its 2027 Miami Debut
The former Costa Fortuna now sails as Beachcomber, heading to Belfast for a refit before PortMiami cruises start in January 2027
So, it's official on the water. The ship formerly known as Costa Fortuna is no longer a Costa ship. It has been renamed Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber, reflagged, and is on its way to Belfast for the refit that will turn it into the biggest ship Margaritaville at Sea has ever run.
If you've been eyeing a cheap, short, party-leaning cruise out of Miami next year, this is the ship to watch.
Key Facts
What: Costa Fortuna has been renamed Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber and reflagged to Portugal
When: The renaming happened in mid September 2026 during a technical stop in Brindisi, Italy
Next stop: Gibraltar (due 21 September 2026), then Harland & Wolff in Belfast for a major refurbishment
The ship: Built 2003, around 103,000 tons, 2,720 passengers
Maiden season: Starts January 2027 from PortMiami, 3 to 8 night sailings to Florida, the Bahamas and the Caribbean
Later: Moves to Galveston in late 2027 for Western and Southern Caribbean cruises
What happened to Costa Fortuna?
Well, it finished its last sailing for Costa Cruises earlier this month, and it didn't hang around. According to Cruise Industry News, AIS tracking data already shows the ship sailing under its new name.
The name change was done quietly. There was no big ceremony. The ship pulled into Brindisi, in the heel of Italy, for what's called a technical call, and left as Beachcomber. At the same time, it swapped flags and is now registered in Portugal.
That's the paperwork side. The physical side comes next.
After Gibraltar, Beachcomber heads north to Northern Ireland. The conversion work is being handled by Harland & Wolff in Belfast, which is the same yard name that built Titanic over a century ago. (A fact I'm sure the marketing team has noticed.)
So right now, the ship looks like Costa Fortuna, carries a Margaritaville name, and still needs the whole makeover. That's normal. Renaming first and refitting second is how most of these second-hand ship deals work.
What's changing on board?
The short answer: nearly everything you'll actually notice as a guest.
The refit covers a new hull livery and a reworked set of public spaces. Margaritaville at Sea has confirmed the ship will get its signature venues. The three that have been named so far are:
5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar, the brand's flagship bar concept
JWB Steakhouse, a steak restaurant carrying Jimmy Buffett's initials
Cheeseburger in Paradise, the burger bar named after the Buffett song
Now, here's what hasn't been confirmed. There's no published full deck plan of the finished ship yet, no final list of which Costa venues stay or go, and no confirmed completion date for the Belfast work beyond the January 2027 start. I'd take any "leaked" deck plans with a pinch of salt until the cruise line publishes them.
What we do know is the bones of the ship. Costa Fortuna is a Destiny-class ship. If you've sailed older Carnival ships in that family, you'll recognise the general layout: long interior promenades, a big central atrium, and a lot of public space for the ship's size. It's not an Icon of the Seas. It's not trying to be. It's a 23-year-old ship being given a second life with a very specific personality.
Where will Beachcomber sail?
This is the part that matters if you're booking.
From PortMiami (January 2027 onwards): Beachcomber's inaugural cruise is scheduled for January 2027. The first season is a mix of three to eight night itineraries. Confirmed ports include:
Freeport, Grand Bahama
George Town, Grand Cayman
That's a very classic Miami short-cruise menu. Three and four nighters to the Bahamas, longer runs down to Cozumel and Grand Cayman.
From Galveston (late 2027): Later in 2027 the ship repositions to Texas. That's Margaritaville at Sea's first time homeporting in Galveston. The Texas itineraries go further afield, with Aruba, Curaçao and Belize among the named ports.
There's also one itinerary that caught my eye. One sailing includes a call at Veracruz, which is one of the oldest cities in Mexico. You don't see Veracruz on many mainstream cruise schedules, so if you like ticking off less common ports, that one's worth hunting down when it goes on sale.
What does this mean for cruisers?
So, here's the honest take.
It's a big step up for Margaritaville at Sea. At around 103,000 tons and 2,720 passengers, Beachcomber is a much bigger ship than anything the brand has sailed before. Up to now, Margaritaville at Sea has been a small operation running older ships on short Florida sailings. A Miami base and then a Galveston base puts it head to head with Carnival, Royal Caribbean and MSC in two of the busiest cruise ports in the world.
Expect a price-led product. I haven't seen confirmed fares for Beachcomber, so I won't guess a number. But a 2003 ship competing out of Miami and Galveston is almost certainly going to compete on price and on vibe, not on waterslides and robot bartenders. If your cruise is about the pool deck, a cheap drink and a beach day in Cozumel, that could suit you very well.
Older ship, new paint. This is the trade-off. A refit can transform the bars, restaurants and décor. It can't change the cabin sizes, the ceiling heights, or the age of the plumbing. Some cruisers love an older ship because it tends to be less crowded and has more character. Others will notice the difference straight away if they're used to newer tonnage. Go in with the right expectations.
Galveston gets more choice. Texas cruisers already have Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC to pick from. Another brand, and another themed product, gives more options on price, especially for anyone who fancies something that isn't another big-brand megaship.
Timings could slip. Refits don't always finish on schedule. Beachcomber has a lot of work to fit into the space between late September 2026 and a January 2027 inaugural. That's not a warning sign on its own. But if you're booking the very first sailings, I'd keep flights flexible and read the cancellation terms carefully.
Should you book Beachcomber?
If you like short, relaxed, themed cruises and you don't need the newest ship in the fleet, it's worth a look, especially from Miami in early 2027 when you can compare the price directly against Carnival and Royal Caribbean on similar itineraries.
If you're a "first sailing" collector, the inaugural in January 2027 will have a bit of novelty value too.
If you want the flashiest onboard attractions, this isn't that ship, and it doesn't pretend to be.
FAQ
What is the Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber?
Beachcomber is the new name for the former Costa Fortuna, a 2003-built Destiny-class ship of about 103,000 tons carrying 2,720 passengers. Margaritaville at Sea bought the ship from Costa and renamed it in September 2026. It is being refitted with Margaritaville-themed venues before entering service in 2027.
When does Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber start sailing?
The inaugural cruise is scheduled for January 2027 from PortMiami. Before that, the ship is heading to Harland & Wolff in Belfast for a major refurbishment. The exact date of the first sailing and the full itinerary list are best checked directly with Margaritaville at Sea.
Where does Beachcomber sail from?
Beachcomber starts out of PortMiami in early 2027, sailing three to eight night cruises to places like Cozumel, Freeport and George Town. In late 2027 it moves to Galveston, Texas, where it will sail to the Western and Southern Caribbean, including Aruba, Curaçao and Belize.
What restaurants and bars will be on Beachcomber?
Margaritaville at Sea has confirmed the 5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar, JWB Steakhouse and Cheeseburger in Paradise burger bar. A full list of venues and a deck plan for the refitted ship hadn't been published at the time of writing.
Is Costa Fortuna still sailing for Costa Cruises?
No. Costa Fortuna completed its final Costa sailing in early September 2026. The ship now sails as Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber under the Portuguese flag, and any future sailings on it will be booked through Margaritaville at Sea, not Costa.
Final thoughts
Well, that's the end of Costa Fortuna's Costa career, and the start of something quite different. Beachcomber won't be the newest or the biggest ship out of Miami in 2027, but it'll be one of the most distinctive, and it gives Margaritaville at Sea a proper shot at the mainstream short-cruise market.
I'll be keeping an eye on the Belfast refit and the first real photos of the finished ship. Would you give Beachcomber a go, or do you stick with the newer ships? Tell me in the comments, and subscribe to The Walking Cruiser on YouTube for ship tours and honest reviews from on board.
