Passengers booked on the Margaritaville at Sea Islander's September 5 departure from Tampa will find their Caribbean itinerary reordered, with Aruba and Curacao swapping days. The 10-night cruise still visits all four planned ports, but the timing changes may disrupt shore excursion plans more than the adjusted schedule suggests.
Originally, the ship was set to dock in Curacao on Wednesday with Aruba on Thursday. The new schedule reverses those days, placing Aruba on Wednesday and Curacao on Thursday. Beyond the day swap, arrival and departure times shift significantly. Aruba moves from an 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. call to a 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. docking, while Curacao shifts from noon to 11 p.m. down to 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each port loses roughly one hour of total visit time. The ship's departures from and returns to Port Tampa Bay remain unchanged, as do visits to Grand Cayman and Jamaica.
The timing adjustments create practical headaches for travelers with planned activities. Guests hoping for early-morning beach time or cooler-weather hiking in Aruba now face a late-afternoon arrival. Those anticipating Curacao's nightlife or dinner options must depart much earlier in the evening. Cruise line-booked shore excursions typically shift automatically or receive refunds, but independent tour operators may not accommodate the changes without direct passenger contact. Travelers should reach out to their operators immediately to confirm rebooking options.
The Margaritaville at Sea Islander, formerly the Costa Atlantica, operates year-round from Tampa with itineraries ranging from 4 to 10 nights across various Caribbean ports. Passengers affected by these schedule changes should receive notification by email from the cruise line, providing an opportunity to adjust personal plans accordingly.
Originally reported by Cruise Hive, Melissa Mayntz (August 15, 2026).
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