We Got Banned from a Cruise Line
Jonathan & Laura — Travel Spree
How It Started
While in Bermuda over Easter, Jonathan was browsing budget cruise options and decided to look into booking a Margaritaville at Sea cruise — both to save money and because their audience had been asking about the newer ships, the Islander and the upcoming Beachcomber.
When he went to the website and entered their full legal names, a message appeared saying the booking could not be completed and to contact customer support. He tried a different date and a different ship — same result. Laura tried from her end with the same outcome.
To test the theory, Jonathan entered a random fake name with random details. It went through instantly.
Working hypothesis: they had been blocked by Margaritaville at Sea.
The Background — What Led to This
In 2023, Jonathan and Laura made several videos reviewing the original Margaritaville at Sea ship. The videos performed well on YouTube, gaining 5,000+ subscribers and hundreds of thousands of views. One TikTok about the experience went massively viral — their most viral video ever — spreading across TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Business Insider reached out and interviewed them about it.
Shortly after the viral moment, the ship went into dry dock for renovations. The timing, they noted, felt like more than a coincidence.
When the Islander launched and Margaritaville at Sea began inviting influencers and creators onboard, Jonathan and Laura reached out directly to request access — wanting to give the new ship a fair review for their audience. They received no response.
The Phone Call
Unable to book online, Jonathan called Margaritaville at Sea's customer support line, identifying himself by his full name and disclosing he was recording the call.
He explained he was trying to book a five-night sailing on the Islander out of Tampa to Key West and Cozumel but kept hitting an error. The representative asked for his name, Laura's name, and basic health information, then put him on hold for several minutes to investigate.
The representative's finding:
"The system showed me this is a guest blocked. It says you're not allowed to board a cruise... it mentioned something about a bad review."
Confirmed. Jonathan and Laura had been officially banned from Margaritaville at Sea cruises due to their viral negative review.
Their Reaction & Take
Jonathan and Laura were clear: they are not playing victims and are not angry.
Their position:
- They stand by the review — it was an honest account of their real experience
- They understand the cause and effect — they made a video, it went viral, it had consequences
- They take accountability for the impact the review had
- There are no hard feelings toward Margaritaville at Sea
What surprises them:
- That an honest review could result in a permanent ban
- That rather than reaching out to give them a chance to review the improved ships, the company chose to block them entirely
- The contrast with how other cruise lines have handled criticism — typically by inviting creators back to showcase improvements
Their broader point for creators:
- What you say online carries real weight
- Being a content creator means your honest opinions have consequences — positive and negative
- Many influencers face criticism for softening reviews when hosted by brands; this situation illustrates exactly why that pressure exists
- They never received a free hosted trip from any cruise line, which they believe may be part of why their reviews were unfiltered
Where They Stand Now
- No hard feelings toward Margaritaville at Sea
- Still genuinely curious about the Beachcomber — the new ship looks appealing
- Open to an olive branch from the cruise line if they ever want to collaborate and showcase the upgrades
- Committed to continuing honest reviews regardless of the professional risk
"If we had to take a hit to better other people's experiences in the long run, I don't mind it at all."