Just Back from Carnival Magic - Quick Review

[whciv]

We just finished a 7 day cruise on the Carnival Magic out of Galveston. This is our second trip on the Magic. We took our first last summer. We are also seasoned cruisers with 27 cruises under our belts. Here is a very quick review and some differences we saw from last year.

 

THE SHIP

 

First, let me say that the Magic is one of our favorite ships. We've been on smaller ships and we've been on bigger ships... but this one is just right for us. At 128,000 tons it has enough activities to keep folks busy, but not so big that you get lost in the crowd. Unlike some past Carnival ships, the Magic is more elegant and less Las Vegas. Its laid out very well with easy access to facilities from almost all decks. The sports deck and pool areas get a bit crowded, but we never felt it was ever overcrowded. We did notice that the buffet lines were a bit longer on this trip from last year. We cruised the exact same week, but the lines were definitely longer... especially at breakfast. I tried to get an omelette but the wait was just too long.

 

The cabins are nice and roomy, but nothing over the top... at least for the inside and oceanview cabins. We did have a second bathroom in our cabin this trip. Although it was nice, I would have preferred the extra room in the cabin. If you are traveling with 4 or more than the extra bath would be very nice.

 

We really enjoyed the outside movies on the pool deck. My son also enjoyed the entire outside sports area. This ship has a great basketball / soccer deck for organized sports during the day and late night. Our 18 year old spent much of his time on this deck.

 

THE FOOD

 

Both years we found Carnival's food to be good, but not great. Celebrity and RCCL have better menu options, but Carnival has improved over the years. They may not win any awards for the food, but the service is top notch. Our table staff on both cruises were excellent. Because of this alone, I would give their food and service a 4+ rating. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with Carnival's food, we just find some dishes don't have the same level of flavor as other cruises. Steaks were mostly overcooked, soups were not as tasty and the salads had some limp lettuce.

 

The breakfast buffet was also good but not as good as the dining room. The eggs seemed powered, but I wasn't sure. The pancakes and waffles are good, the bacon is as expected (but you have to sweet talk the "bacon manager" to get very much). The top deck hamburgers were okay, but there were some terrific hamburger sliders on deck 5. The all day pizza is very good and so is the ice cream.

 

GETTING ON and GETTING OFF

 

Embarkation this trip was an absolute breeze. We basically walked right on the ship and put our stuff in the room. We arrived around 11am and there wasn't was no line whatsoever. Last year we had to wait about 45 minutes in the lounge before getting on the ship.

 

Disembarking was much less organized this trip. Last trip we walked off no problems. This time it felt like the cruise staff were not organized. They started calling to many decks and before we knew it there were tons of people on the stairs waiting to get off. It took us 45 mins to an hour just to get into the terminal. Customs was a little slower, but if you get a porter you can take the "smaller line". Keep this in mind.

 

PORTS

 

Our ports of call were Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Cayman was our favorite with Cozumel second. Jamaica is nice... but not great. We spent the day in an all-inclusive resort that was not really worth the money. In Cayman you have to go to Stingray City and also do some snorkeling at the Coral Reef. This was a 5+++ (scale 1 to 5). Cozumel is actually gotten much better over the years. I would love to go back and stay on the island. I would not have said this 10 years ago.

 

SUMMARY

 

That's about it. In summary, I would take this trip on Magic again in a New York second. It is a great balance between cost, elegance, fun and excellent service. Keep in mind, Carnival caters to families and kids. If you are 60+ traveling without kids, you might want to pick another cruise line and definitely don't go in the summer. I always hate to see people rate Carnival with other cruises that are twice as expensive. You cannot compare a Four Seasons Resort to a Marriott Suites. They each cater to different expectations. :)

Edited June 23, 2014 by whciv

[jdragr]

Which AI did you do in Jamaica? We sail in a week and I still haven't booked anything.

 

 

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[erewhon]

Thank you for your review.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the report!

[Keith1010]

Nice review.

 

Keith

[karessamom]

We'll be sailing on her next Aug 2015! I'm so excited! it will be our 2nd cruise --we'll actually 3rd if you want to count the short 4 day cruise we took on RCCL monarch ha! but 2nd on Carnival!

[whciv]

Which AI did you do in Jamaica? We sail in a week and I still haven't booked anything.

 

 

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We did the Sunset Beach All-Inclusive resort for the day. Its about $100 per person and comes with lunch and all you can drink. I guess if you drink a lot then its worth the money. The staff at the resort were very nice, but we expected more activities for the price we paid.

[jdragr]

We did the Sunset Beach All-Inclusive resort for the day. Its about $100 per person and comes with lunch and all you can drink. I guess if you drink a lot then its worth the money. The staff at the resort were very nice, but we expected more activities for the price we paid.

 

We were thinking or Hilton rose hall. Hopefully it will be a bigger experience.

[whciv]

We were thinking or Hilton rose hall. Hopefully it will be a bigger experience.

 

We also heard some of the inland tours were pretty good. Some were sold out before the cruise started. Good luck on your tour.

[LambKnuckles]

We're cruising Sept 7th... Belize, Honduras, Cozumel... and can't wait to board. Two of us are over 60 and wait for summer to end before we cruise -- for exactly that reason!!!

 

Thank you for your review. We hope to do the slides, the ropes, and the pools. Just relax and enjoy!!! Love the MAGIC and love that it's close to us, in Galveston!!

[picomullet]

We did the Sunset Beach Resort in April and had a fantastic day. Pools, lazy river, beach, food, drinks.. It was perfect. Happy we found this!!

 

I have heard of Hilton Rose Hall and seen tons of pictures. It cost much more and is further way. Maybe someday we will try it.

[AmandaBlue]

Great review! We were on the Magic in May and had the same route. I loved the ship. Loved Cayman the best, followed by Cozumel. Jamaica was just okay. Stingray City and the Coral Garden in Cayman were awesome!