Margaritaville at Sea, part of the Margaritaville brand created by singer Jimmy Buffett, has a new, special way of saying “thank you” to U.S. military service members. It includes both active duty service members and veterans, police, fire, EMS personnel, and educators who are federal, state, or local government employees.
The Heroes Sail Free cruise program “invites these frontline heroes to enjoy a much-deserved microvacation to the Bahamas,” Margaritaville at Sea explains.
“Welcome aboard heroes, with a big ‘Fins Up’ thank you for your service,” Buffett said in a statement. “Now we feel honored to serve you — at sea.”
Specifically, Heroes Sail Free invites those personnel to sail free on a 3-day, two-night cruise from the Port of Palm Beach in Florida to Freeport on Grand Bahama Island. The program is coordinated through a partnership with GovX.com, an online marketplace offering discounts on products, programs, and experiences exclusively for U.S. military service members, first responders, emergency medical professionals, and other state/federal employees.
“To show our sincere gratitude for their ongoing service, we wanted to offer these frontline heroes a chance to kick off their boots and work shoes and flip flop into a relaxing getaway,” said Kevin Sheehan, Jr., president and CEO of Margaritaville at Sea. “We hope a little downtime to recover from the demands of their day-to-day responsibilities is just what they need.”
Aboard The Margaritaville Paradise
Margaritaville at Sea is a partnership between the owners of the former Bahamas Cruise Paradise Line and Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. The ship, Margaritaville Paradise, which debuted last spring with Jimmy Buffett-themed offerings, is a makeover of what had formerly been Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line’s Grand Classica, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
The 1,680-passenger Margaritaville Paradise “features gourmet food and beverage options, including JWB Prime Steakhouse and the 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill, along with pools, retail stores, a St. Somewhere Spa, Fins Up! Fitness Center, and other services and amenities,” Margaritaville at Sea explains. “The ship also offers on-board leisure activities and entertainment, including the Casino Margaritaville and Stars on the Water Theater, home to the Tales from Margaritaville: Jimmy’s Ship Show, written and produced by Jimmy Buffett and acclaimed producer Frank Marshall.”
How To Book The Cruise
If you’d like to book passage on the cruise, there are two important criteria.
First, of course, the offer only applies for U.S. military service members (active duty and veterans), police, fire, EMS personnel, and educators who are federal, state, or local government employees. Secondly, anyone planning to book also needs to have a GovX-issued ID, which is used to securely verify their military or first responder status.
You can learn more about GovX and even create an account, if you are eligible, here.
To book the free cruise, those who are eligible must visit Margaritaville at Sea’s Heroes Sail Free webpage and claim the Heroes Sail Free offer. You can also find all of the terms and exclusions on that page.
Finally, it’s also important to note that the Heroes Sail Free offer applies only to those in a party with a GovX ID.
You may need to be patient, however.
“We are currently experiencing significant call volume into our reservations center due to a high level of excitement for this program,” Margaritaville at Sea explains. “We thank you for your service and ask for your patience as we work through all booking inquiries.”
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