Amid the energetic vibe of a Jimmy Buffet-themed cruise, what delighted me most was the Great Towel Animal Parade of soft sculptures made from bath towels and face cloths.

On the first night of my cruise on the Margaritaville at Sea Islander, I retreated to my Breezy Balcony stateroom to find a cute little penguin, or maybe it was a puffin, fashioned from terry towels and propped on my bed. A darling welcome to the ship.

The second night, more towel craft appeared, this time in the form of an acrobatic monkey. Seemingly in jungle flight, it dangled from the bathroom ceiling. I was taken aback at the unexpected sight of the stray simian, but it was sort of cute.

The third night, two rolled terry “legs” stretched from beneath the closed toilet lid, as though someone were trapped inside. On its “feet” were MY pink Dearfoam bedroom slippers. Meanwhile, the monkey had swung over to a spot above my bed. A bit strange, but o-KAY?

The fourth night was the freakiest. Lying IN my bed was a “man” wearing an orange life jacket and reading travel brochures!

If you’re sensing a pattern here, you are correct. The whimsical origami-like creations are the work of the cabin stewards, who compete in an event called the Great Towel Animal Parade at the end of the cruise. The winners are awarded a few extra hours of leisure time. For the passengers, the critters were a sure source of amusement. Each morning at breakfast, conversations began with, “What did you get last night?”

ON THE ISLANDER

I was on a 5-night cruise aboard the Margaritaville at Sea Islander, making the round trip to and from Tampa, Florida, with stops in Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico. The entire ship was decked out as a kitschy parrothead paradise, with faux palm trees, tributes to the Mayor of Margaritaville, and ubiquitous island-y bric-a-brac. The public areas, adorned with marine art and polished brass accents, are more tranquil to the senses. But this was December, so the holiday trimmings added extra layers of glitz.

Built in 2000 for Costa Cruises, the ship underwent a massive renovation and re-emerged in 2024 as the Margaritaville at Sea Islander. Twelve decks and 1,100 cabins of varying dimensions place the ship in the mid-size category. For a budget-friendly price, the Islander experience is a dizzying itinerary of dining, imbibing, activity, and almost nonstop entertainment and recreation. In other words, Fins Up!.

The main gathering spot is the soaring Flip Flop Atrium, named for the 14-foot Instagrammable flip-flop sandal sculpture that anchors the space. Glass elevator cabs scale one wall to the cabin floors, passing colorful aquatic and avian sculptures and a life-size biplane. Check out the chandeliers on your way up or down–the globes are upside-down margarita glasses.

A dozen or more dining choices–and that many bars–include two dining rooms with daily menus, Port of Indecision Buffet, upscale JWB Prime Steakhouse, Mexican Cutie Cantina, pizzaria and sushi bar. The Cheeseburger in Paradise burger stand gets rave reviews–the seasoned fries are fabulous, and the soft-serve ice cream station is just a few feet away.

You can be as active or as leisurely as you want to be. The Islander is designed with multiple swimming pools, water slide, pickleball court, spa, casino, retail shops and more. Off-ship excursions are available at port stops. Nightly variety-show entertainment is presented in the Far Side of the World theater and musicians perform all day on assorted stages scattered throughout the decks. A daily newsletter and QR code keep you informed of the many goings-on. On any given day, you’ll find 50 or so meetups, competitions, games, dance lessons and lectures. Or you can simply lounge by the pool and order signature margaritas.

A few words about my cabin: Number 6142 is compact but pleasantly refreshed with a king bed, small sofa and a bath with shower. My cruise-expert friends praised its generous size, but I’m not sure I could have shared it with anyone. I’m a newbie at open-water cruising, so I didn’t know what to expect. I had to persist for two days to get the frigid air conditioning turned down or even turned off. Other passengers complained theirs didn’t work at all, and they were too hot.

GET ON WITH THE PARADE

The Great Animal Towel Parade, held in the Flip Flop Atrium, was the highlight of my cruise. The best spot to watch is along the balcony railing above the main floor. About 100 cabin stewards and their animals assemble at the top of the grand staircase, grouped by the floors they serve, and wait until their numbers are called. Then they descend the stairs and pose in front of the flip-flop. The winning floor is determined by the highest decibels of the passengers’ cheers and hollers.

Honestly, I have no recollection of who won. I was too intrigued by the diversity of the managerie and the pride the makers showed in presenting their creativity. The animals, most nearly life-size, ranged from mice (two face cloths in my estimation) to a shark (six or more bath towels, maybe) that had to be carried by three stewards. There were frogs, turtles, turkeys, elephants, a furled snake and a few others I can’t identify and that probably were products of someone’s imagination. An antelope-ish mammal with short legs and two curved horns was ornamented with a strong of small white lights. Someone placed a mouse inside the jaws of an alligator.

On the last night of my cruise, on my bed, were two kissing swans, their necks twistd into a heart shape. I’d like to think they were inviting me to come back and join them on another voyage on the Margaritaville at Sea Islander.

P.S. The sunsets in the Gulf of Mexico were mesmerizing!