After several months laid up in Italy, the Margaritaville at Sea Islander arrived in Northern Europe this week.

Acquired by Margaritaville at Sea last year, the 2000-built ship left the port of Cagliari, in Sardinia, in late December on its way to Belfast. After 13 days at sea, the Islander arrived at the port of Belfast on Jan. 10, 2024.

Set to enter service for its new operator in mid-June, the vessel is expected to enter drydock for a major refurbishment soon.

While the shipyard where the work will be carried out was not confirmed by Margaritaville at Sea, the company plans to significantly update the vessel.

New spaces and features will also be created onboard, including the three-story poolside LandShark Bar at Sea, and a Margaritaville-inspired cornhole and mini-golf course.

A set of family-friendly venues, including the Caribbean Amphibian Splash and Slide, will also make their debut on the ship, while signature favorites, such as JWB Prime Steakhouse and Rita’s Taco House are set to return.

The ship’s 1,100 staterooms will also be fully redesigned with custom styling reminiscent of the sand, sea and sky and all new furnishings including Margaritaville’s signature bedding, pillows and linens.

Once the work is done, the Margaritaville at Sea Islander is scheduled to offer a series of four- and five-night cruises to Mexico and Florida.

Departing from Tampa on a year-round basis, the ship’s itineraries feature visits to Key West, Cozumel and Puerto Progreso.

Originally built for Costa Cruises, the Islander previously sailed as the Costa Atlantica. With a design similar to Carnival Cruise Line’s Spirit class of ships, the 2,100-guest vessel remains has been out of service since early 2020.