Highlights
- Jimmy Buffett tragically died in 2023.
- Margaritaville At Sea, a cruise line inspired by Buffett's hit song, was temporarily shut down for renovations.
- Buffett made a substantial amount of money from the Margaritaville brand.
After an incredible music career, Jimmy Buffett tragically died on September 1st, 2023 after some terrible health problems. But even though Buffett was sick, he had a lot of money thanks to various income streams and business decisions that he made over several decades. Buffet profited from his hit song "Margaritaville" and the tune even became the inspiration for a cruise line.
Jimmy Buffett's fans were thrilled to get the chance to sail on a cruise ship that has all the good vibes of his famous songs. The journey wasn't always smooth, however. The cruise shut down for a little while in order for renovations to take place. Here's whether the singer still made a ton of money from Margaritaville At Sea.
Why Was Margaritaville At Sea Canceled?
According to Travel and Leisure, Margaritaville At Sea was announced in December 2021. The company hoped that guests could sign up for the first journey in April 2022.
Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville brand worked with Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line in order to create this new cruise line. It was an exciting way for his fans to connect with him even more. As Travel and Leisure reported, the bar was going to be called the "5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar," which was inspired by the song of the same name by Alan Jackson and Buffett.
According to The Palm Beach Post, the cruise ship called the Margaritaville Paradise was on the water in May 2022. It had 658 cabins and 10 passenger decks. Each had better carpet and a TV, which sounds nice.
Jimmy Buffett said when talking about the cruise, “the only thing better than being on a beach by the ocean is to be on the ocean. Now you can follow in our wake.”
In May 2023, however, Margaritaville At Sea was canceled for renovations. According to Cruiseradio.net, the ship was renovated for a period of 10 days taking place between May 2st and June 1st. The publication noted that while details weren't shared, the spring 2022 renovation included better bars and restaurants and different paint.
Jimmy Buffett fans can sign up for a cruise through the official website. The "3 Day Getaway" takes place over two nights and three days. The ship starts in Palm Beach and travels to Grand Bahama Island.
There are several restaurants to choose from, including the Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar and Frank & Lola's Pizzeria. There's also the Margaritaville Coffee Shop where guests can get food as well as caffeinated beverages. The "Fine Dining" restaurant has delicious menu items ranging from Florida Hush Puppies to Cajun Gumbo and Butter Poached Lobster Tails.
How Much Money Did Jimmy Buffett Make From Margaritaville At Sea?
Since Jimmy Buffett had a $1 billion net worth, fans can guess that he made a lot of money from Margaritaville At Sea. As it turns out, the entire Margaritaville brand was very lucrative for Buffett.
According to Florida Today, Forbes reported in 2017 that, when adding up the profits from touring, albums, and the various companies that the singer had, Buffett made $50.5 million. The Margaritaville Chief Executive Officer, John Cohlan, said in an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Margaritaville had yearly sales figures of $1.5 billion.
While exact figures are unknown, Jimmy Buffett definitely made money from Margaritaville At Sea. It seems that profits would have been shared between those in charge. According to the official website, Kevin Sheenan Jr. is the President of the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, the company that teamed up with Margaritaville to create this new cruise line. Those working for Margaritaville must make money from this venture as well.
In 2022, Jimmy Buffett talked about Margaritaville At Sea in an interview with USA Today. He praised the people who work for the cruise and said that they did a great job making sure everything was organized.
He said, "The teams at every level, from the performance to the transition team, were amazing and that’s what you want. I kind of run my band like a good ship; some days are good, some not and it could all go to hell in 15 minutes." He continued, "We are veterans of all of this, but you rely on the camaraderie of everyone in every aspect of running a show."
Buffett also talked about creating the cruise and explained, "I’m a sponge of ideas. My business partner (John Cohlan) said it’s the unexpected phone call that comes along and you say, that sounds interesting. That’s how this started (with the ship). It’s got to be the right time, the right feeling and there has to be a lot of luck in it, too. But the boat was it for me."
It makes sense that Margaritaville At Sea would start in Florida and head for the Bahamas as Florida always had an incredibly special place in Jimmy Buffett's heart.
According to CBS News, Buffett shared that after he was divorced from Jane Slavsgol at the beginning of the 1980s, he was no longer living in Nashville. He was trying to make his music career happen. He said that he started playing at The Flick, a cafe in Miami, and lived with Jerry Jeff Walker, whom he had interviewed once for Billboard magazine. This connection helped him find a home in Key West.
Buffett explained, "After the first album came out I went touring across the U.S. but until '72 I was basically staying alive by working gigs in South Florida."
Jimmy Buffett always seemed to be in a good mood, and it sounds like he got a lot of pleasure out of creating various businesses.
As for whether his fans responded positively to Margaritaville At Sea, there are some mixed reviews on Cruise Critic.
One customer wrote, "We had a blast! Food and drinks were great. If you’re looking for an ultra luxury ship with Vegas style shows and water slides, this is not that cruise. It’s a 2-night party. We met so many fun people." Another review called it "deteriorating" and said that the food was "mediocre." For the most part, though, the reviews are great, and people seem thrilled to get the chance to sail on such a fun boat.
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