Margaritaville at Sea Islander sails from Port Tampa Bay Cruise Terminal 6, where the line offers pre-paid self-parking, pre-paid valet or pay-on-arrival self-parking, with limited spaces near the terminal. Portside is expanding to Tampa, so join the waitlist for a reserved spot.
Margaritaville at Sea Islander is Margaritaville at Sea's Tampa ship, sailing year-round from Cruise Terminal 6 on 4- to 10-night cruises to The Bahamas, Key West, Mexico and the Caribbean. Portside is not at Port Tampa Bay yet, so join the waitlist for a reserved spot near the terminal.
Margaritaville at Sea Islander is a year-round Margaritaville at Sea ship at Port Tampa Bay. Margaritaville at Sea sails year-round from Tampa aboard Margaritaville at Sea Islander on 4-, 5- and 7-night cruises to Mexico, Key West, The Bahamas and the Western Caribbean. Most Margaritaville at Sea Islander guests reach Tampa by car, driving in from Brandon, Riverview, St. Petersburg and Clearwater and across the region, which is exactly why reserved parking with a shuttle is in demand here.
Margaritaville at Sea Islander typically departs from Cruise Terminal 6 at Port Tampa Bay, Port Tampa Bay cruise terminals on Channelside Drive, just southeast of downtown Tampa. Assignments shift by season and sailing, so confirm the terminal on your boarding pass. Knowing it ahead of time lets you plan the drive and the drop-off before you leave home.
Yes. Margaritaville at Sea Islander is the line's Tampa ship, and the cruise line says it sails from Port Tampa Bay on 4- to 10-night cruises to The Bahamas, Key West, Mexico and the Caribbean (Margaritaville at Sea). It boards at Cruise Terminal 6 on McKay Street. The line's newest ship, Beachcomber, starts sailing in January 2027 from Miami and Galveston, not Tampa (Margaritaville at Sea), so a Margaritaville cruise from Tampa means Islander. Our Margaritaville at Sea Tampa parking guide covers the terminal, check-in rules and parking for the whole line.
| Length | Itinerary | Ports of call |
|---|---|---|
| 4 nights | Cozumel Express | Cozumel |
| 5 nights | Mexico Duo | Cozumel and Progreso |
| 5 nights | Key West and Cozumel | Key West, Cozumel |
| 5 nights | Key West and Progreso | Key West, Progreso |
| 6 nights | Mexico and Western Caribbean | Roatan, Belize, Cozumel |
| 7 nights | Jamaica and Western Caribbean | Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Cozumel |
| 7 nights | Key West, Belize and Mexico | Key West, Belize, Mexico |
Itineraries listed on the Islander ship page, checked November 3, 2026, which also lists a 5-night Bahamas sailing tied to a fleet meet-up in Nassau. Dates and routes change, so confirm your sailing with the cruise line.
Margaritaville at Sea lists three parking options at Port Tampa Bay: pre-paid self-parking, pre-paid valet, or self-parking paid on arrival. It says the self-parking spaces closest to Terminal 6 are limited and that the port encourages guests to pre-pay (Margaritaville at Sea, Port Tampa Bay). Port Tampa Bay lists the valet upgrade at $20 on top of the parking rate (Port Tampa Bay). Terminal 6 opens at 9:30 am on embarkation day, and since July 1, 2025 the doors close at 2:30 pm, so leave enough time to park before then.
On-site parking at Port Tampa Bay runs about $18 a day to self-park in the Channelside garage (3,000+ spaces, two-thirds covered) plus tax, with valet at $18 plus a one-time $20 upgrade, while private off-site lots advertise rates from about $5 to $15 a day before taxes, fees and shuttle. You pay for each day your car is parked, so a 7-night cruise runs around $137 with tax in the port garage, so a 7-night sailing is billed as 8 parking days. On a full Margaritaville at Sea Islander embarkation day the closest spaces go first, so a guaranteed reserved spot is worth locking in.
Portside is not at Port Tampa Bay yet. Joining is free, and it is how we decide where to open next. If your cruise is 90 or more days out, that gives us the runway to secure a lot near the terminal and hold a spot for you before you sail.
Portside is live at Port Canaveral now: $14.95 a day, free shuttle, guaranteed reservation.
Reserve Port Canaveral parkingYes. Margaritaville at Sea Islander sails from Port Tampa Bay year-round on 4- to 10-night cruises to The Bahamas, Key West, Mexico and the Caribbean, boarding at Cruise Terminal 6 on McKay Street, according to the cruise line. The line's newest ship, Beachcomber, begins sailing in January 2027 from Miami and Galveston rather than Tampa, so Islander is the Margaritaville ship you board in Tampa.
Plan to arrive well before 2:30 pm. Margaritaville at Sea says Terminal 6 opens at 9:30 am on embarkation days and that, since July 1, 2025, the doors close promptly at 2:30 pm. Guests who arrive after that are not allowed to board. Build in time to park and walk to the terminal, especially if you have not pre-paid, because the closest self-parking spaces are limited.
At Port Tampa Bay, by Cruise Terminal 6. The cruise line lists pre-paid self-parking, pre-paid valet, and self-parking paid on arrival, and Port Tampa Bay charges a $20 valet upgrade fee on top of the parking rate. The port encourages pre-paying because spaces nearest Terminal 6 are limited. Portside has no Tampa lot yet, so join the waitlist to hear when a reserved option opens.
Not on current plans. Margaritaville at Sea says Beachcomber, its newest and largest ship, begins sailing in January 2027 from Miami, Florida and Galveston, Texas. Tampa stays with Margaritaville at Sea Islander. If your booking shows Beachcomber, you will drive to PortMiami or the Port of Galveston instead, so check the departure port on your confirmation before you plan parking.
From $14.95 a day, free shuttle straight to your terminal, no hidden fees.
Rates start at $14.95/day. Weekend and peak sail dates, and last-minute bookings, can be higher based on demand and the day of the week. Your exact daily rate is always shown before you pay.