Country music and cruise ships don't typically go together.
But one major collaboration is changing that reality forever.
And Zac Brown Band just made one stunning announcement about a partnership that will have country fans racing to the ocean.
Zac Brown made his bones carrying the torch Jimmy Buffett lit decades ago — building a country music empire around that same laid-back, beach-loving, escapist mentality that made Buffett a cultural icon.¹
Now Brown's taking that connection to the next level.
Margaritaville at Sea announced that Brown is creating Same Boat, the first-ever artist-designed live music venue at sea.²
The venue will debut on the cruise line's newest and largest ship, Beachcomber, when it sets sail in January 2027 from Miami.³
Zac Brown takes creative control of every detail
Brown isn't just lending his name to some corporate marketing scheme.
He's curating "every detail" of the new space — from the artwork on the walls to the design aesthetic to the music programming.⁴
"Designing Same Boat has been about bringing that easygoing energy that's always guided my music to life," Brown said. "Every detail reflects pieces of my own journey — from the stage to the sea."⁵
The venue name pays direct tribute to the 2021 Zac Brown Band song featuring Jimmy Buffett that became the group's first number-one hit on the Country Airplay chart since 2016.⁶
That track represented more than just a commercial success.
It symbolized the passing of the torch from Buffett — who died in September 2023 after a four-year battle with Merkel cell skin cancer — to Brown as the heir apparent to that Gulf and Western crown.⁷
Brown and Buffett's relationship ran deep, dating back to 2009 when the two randomly met at a gentleman's club in California's redwoods and traded songs for two hours over pie.⁸
That chance meeting led to multiple collaborations, including the 2011 smash hit "Knee Deep" and a memorable CMT Crossroads performance.⁹
A perfect marriage of brands and philosophy
Margaritaville at Sea launched in 2022 when Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line rebranded following a partnership with Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville brand.¹⁰
The cruise line operates two ships currently — Paradise from West Palm Beach and Islander from Tampa — with Beachcomber representing a massive expansion of their fleet.¹¹
Same Boat will be the largest live music venue on the 102,669-gross-ton ship that can accommodate about 3,450 passengers.¹²
The venue promises to be a hub where cruisers can enjoy live music, cocktails, and "front-row access to world-class performances" while experiencing Brown's signature style.¹³
"We're creating a place where people can connect, share a drink, listen to great music, and feel that incredible sense of freedom you only find at a show or out on the open water," Brown explained. "That's my kind of medicine."¹⁴
To celebrate the partnership, Margaritaville at Sea is launching the Fly & Float Ultimate Giveaway with Brown.¹⁵
Two fans will win tickets to see Zac Brown Band perform at their Las Vegas Sphere residency in January 2026, plus a spot on Beachcomber's maiden voyage in January 2027.¹⁶
The timing couldn't be better for Brown, who's currently in the middle of promoting the band's latest album, Love and Fear, dropping December 5, 2025.¹⁷
The record features collaborations with music legends including Snoop Dogg and Dolly Parton.¹⁸
Brown's Sphere residency runs December 5, 6, 12, and 13, 2025, with additional shows added for January 9, 10, 16, and 17, 2026, due to overwhelming demand.¹⁹
Margaritaville expanding rapidly with new ships
Beachcomber represents Margaritaville at Sea's third ship and marks a significant departure from their current two-night Bahamas cruises.²⁰
The ship will offer 4- to 8-night Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries visiting destinations including St. Maarten, St. Thomas, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao.²¹
"In just a few short years, we've gone from one ship and one itinerary to three homeports, three distinct ships, and over 25 amazing Ports of Indecision throughout the Caribbean," said Christopher Ivy, Margaritaville at Sea's CEO.²²
The cruise line acquired the 22-year-old Costa Fortuna from Carnival Corporation for this expansion.²³
The ship will undergo extensive refurbishment throughout 2026 before entering service for Margaritaville.²⁴
PortMiami — the world's busiest cruise port with over 8.2 million passengers in 2024 — gives Beachcomber strategic access to major U.S. and international airports.²⁵
Brown's partnership with Margaritaville at Sea represents something bigger than just another celebrity endorsement deal.
It's the continuation of a musical legacy that Jimmy Buffett built and entrusted to the next generation.
And for country music fans who want to combine their love of live music with that permanent vacation state of mind, Same Boat will deliver an experience unlike anything else at sea.
¹ Rolling Stone, "Zac Brown Band Honors Jimmy Buffett With 'Margaritaville' at New Hampshire Concert," September 3, 2023.
² People, "Zac Brown Teams Up with Margaritaville at Sea on Cruise Ship Music Venue that Pays Homage to Jimmy Buffet," November 5, 2025.
³ Ibid.
⁴ Ibid.
⁵ Ibid.
⁶ Wikipedia, "Zac Brown Band," March 29, 2025.
⁷ Rolling Stone, "Zac Brown Band Pays Jimmy Buffett Tribute With 'Pirates and Parrots,'" April 19, 2024.
⁸ Rolling Stone, "Zac Brown Band Honors Jimmy Buffett With 'Margaritaville' at New Hampshire Concert," September 3, 2023.
⁹ Ibid.
¹⁰ Wikipedia, "Margaritaville at Sea," November 2025.
¹¹ Cruise.Blog, "Margaritaville at Sea's biggest ship to debut in the world's busiest cruise port," September 23, 2025.
¹² Eat Sleep Cruise, "A Guide to the Margaritaville at Sea Cruise Ships (2025)," July 8, 2025.
¹³ People, "Zac Brown Teams Up with Margaritaville at Sea on Cruise Ship Music Venue that Pays Homage to Jimmy Buffet," November 5, 2025.
¹⁴ Ibid.
¹⁵ Ibid.
¹⁶ Ibid.
¹⁷ Ibid.
¹⁸ Ibid.
¹⁹ Carroll Broadcasting Company, "Zac Brown Band adds two more dates to Las Vegas' Sphere residency," October 21, 2025.
²⁰ Cruise.Blog, "Margaritaville at Sea's biggest ship to debut in the world's busiest cruise port," September 23, 2025.
²¹ Ibid.
²² Ibid.
²³ CruiseMapper, "Margaritaville at Sea – Ships and Itineraries 2025, 2026, 2027," November 2025.
²⁴ Ibid.
²⁵ Cruise.Blog, "Margaritaville at Sea's biggest ship to debut in the world's busiest cruise port," September 23, 2025.