Carnival Magic review with pictures!!!

[TheTravelista]

I'm so sad the review is over

Stacey it was great! You've helped me so much! I'm planning a trip to Italy next year (land based) and was kind of bummed about going all the way to Europe and not being able to see Paris again. The Air France layover program is perfect!! I'm also going to be purchasing the passes you used while you were there. So thank you for all the info you shared.

This is such a lovely picture:



You two are such a beautiful couple!

Oh and you do NOT look pregnant. I absolutely loved the understated fashion porn. You are officially Queen of the Sundress lol!

Amazing review, thanks for taking the time to write such detailed entries. You're gonna have to take another cruise soon just so you can come back and write another review

[stacycakes1]

Thank you!!! That is so very nice of you and I am so glad I was able to help you with your trip! And yes, you are correct, I always love a good sundress!!!

Originally Posted by TheTravelista

I'm so sad the review is over

Stacey it was great! You've helped me so much! I'm planning a trip to Italy next year (land based) and was kind of bummed about going all the way to Europe and not being able to see Paris again. The Air France layover program is perfect!! I'm also going to be purchasing the passes you used while you were there. So thank you for all the info you shared.

This is such a lovely picture:



You two are such a beautiful couple!

Oh and you do NOT look pregnant. I absolutely loved the understated fashion porn. You are officially Queen of the Sundress lol!

Amazing review, thanks for taking the time to write such detailed entries. You're gonna have to take another cruise soon just so you can come back and write another review

[bougiet]

Thank you so much for taking the time to give us all so many beautiful photos and sharing your experience. I am planning a European cruise for 2013 and this review made me soooooo excited. Congrats on your marriage and may you both live a happy and love filled life!!!!

[beebold]

I'm sad it's over. I've got this link saved so I can track down your great tips and pics whenever I start planning a trip for me and my hubby!

Thanks again for sharing!

[pbxtech]

Thanks so much for the Fantastic Review

[GRAMMYTAN]

Thank you so much for taking time to share with us Stacy. The pics were great as was your narrative. You are NOT fat, nor do you look pregnant. He was an ignorant A$$ who makes people in other countries call of us "Ugly Americans." Loved your sundresses too.

I hope that you and Paul have many wonderful, happy and fun-filled years together. We are about to celebrate our 45th anniversary with a third Med cruise in October. Hope you get to celebrate your 45th there.

[jennb]

Stacey,

So loved your review. We are doing a similar trip in August on the Breeze! I noticed your DH had on longer shorts in most pictures - was that ok with the Vatican or any of the other churches? My DH lives in shorts and I would love to think he could wear longer shorts and get by! Also, you wore great sundresses, too. Any problems with bare shoulders? Any hints would be appreciated. We have 2 RIL tours booked for Rome and Florence - so excited!!
Thanks,
Jennifer

[jakeHOU97]

Originally Posted by stacycakes1

Yes, actually I believe it was James Charlton. We actually had sailed with him prior to this cruise when he was Jen Baxter's assistant on the Legend. He was great, definitely no complaints from us, just wish it had been John because I think he is the man! I've never understood why people give him such a hard time....

Is James now upgraded from assistant to director? If so good for him!

I think so. He is really is awesome and I 'kind of' met him when he and his wife/girlfriend/fiancee sat next to me at a show one night.

[imatexan]

Originally Posted by stacycakes1

[color=black][font=Comic Sans MS]I truly enjoyed writing and sharing this with all of you. Please continue to post any questions you may have regarding a Mediterranean cruise on here or feel free to contact me. I researched this trip for over a year and looked into almost every possibility out there and ma here to help.

Continue to post here? After reading all of this and seeing your pictures, I wanna be your friend

Great job, Stacy! :clap:

[jakeHOU97]

Yeah, we had a couple of rude people on our cruise on the Magic, too. There was the these 2 guys (one a college kid, the other was a grown man) The college kid accused this guys daughter of making alot of ruckus.

[seafun]

I just spent a VERY enjoyable couple of hours reading your lovely review and enjoying the spectacular photos.

Ooops, gotta go -- I have a overwhelming craving for a pitcher or two of Sangria... and then some Limoncello!

[arph]

"Bravo" (that's me giving you a standing ovation.). I thoroughly enjoyed your review. Thank you for taking the time to share your wonderful honeymoon with us. You are a lovely couple. Many many years of happiness to you!!!

[GRAMMYTAN]

Originally Posted by arph

"Bravo" (that's me giving you a standing ovation.). I thoroughly enjoyed your review. Thank you for taking the time to share your wonderful honeymoon with us. You are a lovely couple. Many many years of happiness to you!!!

I totally agree with your post but had to laugh at the "bravo" - did you know that is what they call out when someone falls overboard from a cruise ship.

[arph]

Oops!!! I didn't know that!! Thanks for the info!

[GRAMMYTAN]

Originally Posted by arph

Oops!!! I didn't know that!! Thanks for the info!

[Jana60]

Originally Posted by twobucks

great pics and all but what a bout the ship, you dont even mention it

You've got to be kidding!! A cruise is not just about the ship. Its the whole thing, ship, ports, tours, sunsets.....everything!!! This is probably the best review I've ever read and it brings back such memories of our Trip to Rome in 2009. I'm amazed that they were able to see So much in only 1 day. We were there for 4 days before our Mediterranean cruise and so were able to sit in road side cafés and sip wine at a more leisurely pace but probably did not see much more than they. I'm impressed!

[luisrp]

Awesome review! I don't look much at reviews but this one caught my eye. I was on Carnival Magic with my girlfriend just one month after your cruise (ours was the tenth Magic voyage) but was 12 days and visited Venice and Dubrovnik in addition to the very same ports you visited. Your pictures bring back sooooo many good memories. And many here are right. A Mediterranean cruise is all about the ports, not so much the ship.

We had a mix of cruise excursions and some sightseeing on our own. We did Monaco on our own for the same reason as you - small place. In Rome we took a bus (from the ship also) that just took us to Piazza del Popolo and then picked us up in the afternoon. We did this in Rome because we had visited in a previous trip so we decided to just go to a few specific places we missed the other time around but we visited the Fontana di Trevi again. Be careful with those darn coins people throw in the fountain. Don't do it unless you do intend to return some day. My girlfriend did the first time just because she saw other people doing it. Darn, it worked. In Livorno we took the ship tour that takes you to Pisa and Florence. We visited Florence the prior time also, so I didn't feel like we missed much this time. The first time it was winter and when we went to Ponte Vecchio (the jewelers bridge) it was early evening and there was live music. The mood was very romantic and we have fond memories from that day. This time however, the place was crowded with tourists and the feeling was not the same.

The Stromboli sailing was right before sunset and the sky was hazy and gave the ever growing sihllouete of the mountain a very eerie and ghostly look coupled with the steam vents on top and the very calm seas. Once the ship came closer and sailed around the view became very clear once the sun was no longer behind the mountain. We weren't lucky enough to see a lava eruption.

We were on a family group of nine and also had stays in Barcelona before and after the cruise. My brother got an expensive lens stolen from his camera bag though. We are not sure if it was in the metro or in Las Ramblas.

[ShotoJuku]

Congrats on your Nuptials!

As you and your DH started your life together by touring Italy et al on the Carnival Magic my DW and I will be celebrating our 30th Anniversary next May on the Carnival Legend taking a very similar 12-day Mediterranean itinerary. Although I have two other Caribbean cruises to sail before then, your review and incredible photos have me wanting to speed up time a bit just to set sail from Venice next year.

Your helpful hints and information are very much appreciated particularly the info on the RIL tours. I’m just curious as to what options you selected in each city and were they really affordable per se.

Thanks again for wetting our Mediterranean appetites by touring with Carnival!

[stacycakes1]

Originally Posted by jennb

Stacey,

So loved your review. We are doing a similar trip in August on the Breeze! I noticed your DH had on longer shorts in most pictures - was that ok with the Vatican or any of the other churches? My DH lives in shorts and I would love to think he could wear longer shorts and get by! Also, you wore great sundresses, too. Any problems with bare shoulders? Any hints would be appreciated. We have 2 RIL tours booked for Rome and Florence - so excited!!
Thanks,
Jennifer

Jennifer,

Paul didn't have any problems in shorts the entire time. I think they are more concerned with women. I personally had a shrug/scarf that folded up the size of my hand that fit into my little purse so I could wrap my shoulders when neccasary. I also wore a longer dress on the day we went to the vatican just in case. I had no problem with those precautions taken. I did see a lot of girls wearing the $40 ROMA scarf they sell at the Vatican before we got to the Sistine Chapel and I think they were the unprepared people

So excited for you two! You are going to have a fanulous time! and if you didn't book the tour guide for the Vatican with RIL I suggest you do, we wouldn't have gotten through it in time without one!

Congrats on the trip!

[stacycakes1]

Originally Posted by ShotoJuku

Congrats on your Nuptials!

As you and your DH started your life together by touring Italy et al on the Carnival Magic my DW and I will be celebrating our 30th Anniversary next May on the Carnival Legend taking a very similar 12-day Mediterranean itinerary. Although I have two other Caribbean cruises to sail before then, your review and incredible photos have me wanting to speed up time a bit just to set sail from Venice next year.

Your helpful hints and information are very much appreciated particularly the info on the RIL tours. I’m just curious as to what options you selected in each city and were they really affordable per se.

Thanks again for wetting our Mediterranean appetites by touring with Carnival!

For the RIL tour we did a group of 8 and we did three tours with them. Doing more then one tour with them nocks down the price a bit.

In Civitavecchia we chose the Rome Highlights tour and included the Vatican Tour Guide with it. We went on a Wednesday so our Vatican tour was in the afternoon.

In Naples we did the Amalfi Coast Ravella and Positano tour but our driver catered to our needs a bit more that day and changed things around for us and added Sorrento instead of Ravella. They will do that if you want they are VERY flexable.

In Livorno we did the Pisa and Florence tour. Our dirver here also added on the wine tasting in Tuscany on the way back, like I said they are very felxable.

If there are some things you want to change about a particular tour just ask. As lobng as they can stay in the time limit they don't mind changing things around for you.

Our cruise buddies also did the Sienna Chianti tour and LOVED it in Livorno. Next time we are out that way we realized we would prefer to stick to those areas personally.

Also the average price with tip per person per tour was 75 euro (so 150 euro for both Paul and I for each one). You also are responsible for your own meals and any museum tickets. We would have easily spent this on a Carnival excursion in each port. We could have used local transpotation and saved money but they can be unrealiable and in this type of area you want reliability. We knew if anything happened on a RIL tour another car could be there in seceonds flat to get us where we need to be (there a well oiled machine). Hope that helps!