Veterans Day cruise offers from Sea Cloud and Margaritaville

Sea Cloud Cruises' North American office is offering a 20% discount and $500 onboard credit to military, while Margaritaville at Sea is giving away a limited number of free cabins.

Sea Cloud Cruises

Sea Cloud Cruises is providing military savings for veterans and active-duty heroes. For bookings now through Nov. 30, they will receive 20% off any sailing plus a $500 onboard credit aboard Sea Cloud Spirit, Sea Cloud II and the original Sea Cloud.  

The line has a strong connection to the US armed forces because the original Sea Cloudserved in the US Coast Guard during World War II. A small plaque affixed to the face side of the wheelhouse has five brass angles, each indicating six months of active war service for the US, explained Mirell Reyes, Sea Cloud Cruises president, North America.

Proud connection

'We are proud of this connection and honored to recognize those men and women who have served with special savings and recognition,' Reyes said.

After the US entered World War II in 1941, the Navy began acquiring private yachts to reinforce the fleet, and Sea Cloudowners Marjorie Merriweather Post and Joe Davies committed the vessel to the Coast Guard for the symbolic charter of one dollar. With demounted masts and a gray coat of paint, the luxury yacht sailed between the Azores and Greenland as a floating weather station.

Travelers can voyage on the same vessel now, including the 2025 season before Sea Cloud's scheduled dry dock.

A cruise of special interest to veterans and historians in 2025, aboard the newer Sea Cloud II, features Rear Adm. Peter Cressy, director of executive leadership programs at the George Washington Leadership Institute. He will host the Feb. 19-25 Barbados to St. Maarten sailing.

Cressy, who served 28 years in the US Navy, including in the Caribbean during the Cold War, will lead discussions on history and leadership including George Washington’s only international travels, to the Lesser Antilles and Barbados.

Margaritaville at Sea Islander sails from Port Tampa Bay PHOTO: MARGARITAVILLE AT SEA

Margaritaville's free cruises for heroes

Margaritaville at Sea is offering a limited number of free cabins to qualifying heroes and a guest.

These are for select 2025 Bahamas cruises beginning in January, when booked between Nov. 11 and Dec. 3.

The offer applies to US military service members (active duty and veterans), police, firefighters, EMS personnel, nurses and educators.

Plus, 20% off all year long

Plus, heroes can save an extra 20% off all retail offers on any cabin, any day, all year long. This applies to Bahamas and Caribbean cruises aboard Margaritaville at Sea Paradise from the Port of Palm Beach or Margaritaville at Sea Islander from Port Tampa Bay, when booked between Nov. 11 and Dec. 3.

Margaritaville at Sea's 'Heroes Sail Free' program launched in 2022 and has provided tens of thousands of heroes with free cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico and Bahamas.

To be eligible for these offers, travelers must qualify through GovX.com or at margaritavilleatsea.com/offers/Heroessailfree/.