From the 14-foot-tall flip-flop in the atrium and the orange and blue plumage of the parrot artwork adorning cabin walls, to a playlist of party-on ditties lilting across the decks and song lyrics scripted on surfaces all over the ship (“Booze in the blender,” at the 5 O’ Clock Somewhere pool, “Can’t you feel them circling, honey?” in the Landshark pool), there is never a moment passengers don’t know they are aboard a Jimmy Buffett-themed cruise.

But they are among (Parrothead) friends, and they’re all wastin’ away, but in a good way—because it is nearly impossible to resist getting caught up in the easy-breezy, beachy-keen vibe on the Margaritaville at Sea Islander.

Channeling that Margaritaville mindset is what this ship does best. Sailing from Port Tampa Bay, the Islander escapes to Key West, Mexico and the Caribbean on four- to 10-night adventures where the ship is the destination, and everyone is happy to slip into the laid-back lifestyle of a son of a son of a sailor. From the Sail Away Party to that final sunset, the Islander—with the help of the Fins Up Crew—keeps things jaunty, jovial and oh-so Jimmy.

I was recently aboard this island resort at sea for a four-night voyage with a stop in Cozumel and quickly saw that everyone aboard was all about living their best island life, many with a frozen concoction in hand and never a need to search for that lost shaker of salt.

Days are whiled away chilling at the three-story poolside LandShark Bar, stretching out (sans the kids) at the adults-only Tiki Bar outdoor lounge and pool and relaxing in one of the hot tubs. You can take things up a notch at the Caribbean Amphibian Splash and Slide or join in the fun of a scavenger hunt or one of many family-friendly trivia games. Or downshift to mellow with a frothy beverage in the soaring 14-story tropical-themed atrium at the Flip Flop Bar, one of 13 bars onboard and each with its own vibe and varying degrees of vivaciousness.

The ship is family friendly with four kids’ clubs offering programming for ages 3 to 17, plus open play cornhole, mini golf and pickleball in the Dis ‘n Dat Activity Zone on Deck 11, family karaoke, big screen movies at the LandShark pool, ship tours, an arcade and a Family Circus Workshop as well as the swimming pools and water slides. Expect the Islander mascot, Parrot Pete, to pop up for photo ops throughout the cruise, as he did on ours.

The Great Towel Animal Parade brought out kids and adults alike to see the dinosaurs, puppies, parrots and other creations made by the staff. Themed trivia games offered through the day were always a hit. And if you see “Disney Name That Tune” on the daily Checklist to Chill itinerary, arrive early. This standing-room-only activity brings out the crowd—and a very competitive spirit among passengers. In fact, all the Name That Tune games are very well-attended.

Live music happens day and night all over the ship and in a variety of genres: island, contemporary, classic, Latin. The Conky Tonkin’ at Sea production show, combining live country music, acrobatics and high-energy dance, was a hit, as was the magic show. As you might expect on a cruise celebrating all things Buffett, there were screenings of the singer’s past live concerts. More fun: charades, fruit carving demo, dance classes, pool games, crafting classes like flower making and origami and more—all presented by an energetic Fins Up Crew.

The Islander has lots of food choices, with Cheeseburger in Paradise topping the list for many, as the line winding around the pool every day at noon proved. The cheeseburgers live up to the hype: They are grilled to perfection (and worth the wait). Also very tasty were the chicken wings at Tiki Grill and the lobster rolls at Island Eats. As someone who can never resist pizza, I was happy to find Frank & Lola’s Pizzeria on Deck 9—and delicious hot and cheesy pies. Every meal we had in Fins Dining Room was excellent and dinner at JWB Prime Steakhouse was exceptional and well worth the upcharge.

When you do leave the ship, as we did for a visit to the Mayan ruins in Cozumel, just keep Islander’s mantra in mind: “License to chill, and I believe I will.” (And if you forget the words, look to your stateroom where they are emblazoned across the wall in tropical blue.) It is excellent advice both onboard and ashore.

We had an excellent time visiting the Mayan ruins at Sitio Arqueologico San Gervais. Our guide, Jesus, who shared he is a Mayan descendant, wove a lot of fun facts into his storytelling (including a Mayan tradition of treating girls born with crossed eyes like goddesses). We roamed about the ancient temples, sculptures and ruins (originally built with the only available tools of the times: the builders’ bare hands and an obsidian blade), impressed with both site and scenery.

We also stopped at the Mayan Cocoa Company to hear about the history of chocolate and learn how the Maya people discovered how to turn cacao seeds into this coveted commodity. The interactive presentation included video and a demonstration of the seeds ground into chocolate as well as a tasting and a chance to buy chocolate bars from the gift shop.

Following the chocolate demo, we made a quick stop at the Mayan Bee Sanctuary and then returned to the ship. I found this family-friendly excursion, which lasted about three and a half hours, not only full of humor thanks to our guide, but affordable and entertaining as well.

Once back onboard, it was easy to slip right into our island frame of mind, especially having arrived just in time for High Tides and Happy Tunes with the violinist in the Flip Flop Atrium. As Jimmy Buffett crooned, “The weather is here, wish you were beautiful.” Reverse that. You get the idea of the chill vibe and island-time outlook aboard the Margaritaville at Sea Islander.

Play your travels

The Margaritaville at Sea Islander offers an array of comfy accommodations, from cozy stateroom to signature suites that feel like beach house digs, all in a fresh Caribbean color palette. The ship offers an Ultimate Dining Chill package for purchase that includes dinner at JWB Steakhouse, the Sparkling Wine Brunch in the Islander Dining Room, plus $25 dining credits each for a la carte purchases at Tiki Grill, Island Eats and Far Side Sushi. The package also includes a 20% service gratuity. An Ultimate Chill beverage package, soda package and Wi-Fi are also offered at an additional cost. For more information, visit www.margaritavilleatsea.com.