Magical time on the Carnival Magic (5/27-6/3/17)

[redpage75]

We were on the Magic from May 27 to June 3 (of 2017) with an eight year old girl, my husband and I (40s) and my in-laws (late 70s) and everyone had a good time.

 

Were there flaws? Sure, but there's no such thing as a perfect hotel/cruise boat/vacation. Would I book a trip on the Carnival magic again? Heck, yeah.

 

Let's start at the beginning.

 

(P.S. I haven't gone through my photos yet, but I'll add them after I do).

 

Before the cruise

 

We flew in the night before and stayed at the Radisson at the Port. The room was perfectly nice, a shuttle from the airport and to the terminal was included, and best of all—it had an amazeballs pool, complete with waterfalls.

 

My daughter and I swam for a good hour, and then we all had dinner at the pool bar (in my case accompanied by a pina colada). It was the perfect beginning to our vacation.

 

Embarkation

 

We showed up at the cruise terminal at about 10:30 a.m. and were on the Magic by 11:45. Most of that time was waiting for our "zone" to be called—getting through security and all that was crazy easy.

 

The ship's lobby was a mad house, of course. As was the Lido. Most people were eating, but my daughter and I (this will continue to be a theme throughout the cruise) got in the pool instead.

 

 

It's a nice enough pool, about 4.5 feet deep. Plenty deep for my shrimpy kid. It has these little hut things on either side where you can sit in the shade, which is nice.

 

Now for a short rant...

I wish cruise lines would start making their pools bigger. During prime time and on sea days, both pools were almost unusable, unless you enjoy standing elbow to elbow with other overheated humans while kids kick you in the face and splash water at you.

 

That's my biggest complaint.

/end rant

 

However, if you go swimming when it is dinnertime, or cloudy, a slight bit chilly, or raining, you'll get the pool to yourself. We headed out one day when it was sprinkling, and were already wet by the time the rain got serious, so we swam through a downpour. It was really fun.

 

Anyway.

 

The cabin

 

We had a cove balcony - 2248 - and our in-laws had 2315. Both were fabulous. Shaded from the sun, much more private, and close enough to the water that you could sometimes (but not often) feel the spray. I adored it and spent a good bit of time out there—I highly recommend cove balconies to the people-abhorring introverts out there.

 

I didn't notice a smell at all. That was one of my major worries before the trip, and it turned out to be a non-issue.

 

Dining

 

Main Dining Room

 

We were assigned to the late seating in the Northern Lights dining room. Our head waiter was Patu, and he was a riot. He even took care of us when he saw us in the lido at breakfast!

 

The food was really good. I am a pseudo vegetarian (I do enjoy the occasional hamburger or steak), so I mostly ate their seafood dishes—there was at least one every day—or the vegetarian entree. They have a selection of vegetarian Indian foods at every meal (the dish seemed to be the same every time, though) which was so good, I ordered it two nights in a row.

 

For those of you who have kids...

They were also good about getting my daughter her food quickly. They served her main course while we were eating the appetizer, and she had dessert while we ate our main course. She hates kid menus as a general rule, and they were fine with her eating off the adult menu.

 

However, if you have children, I would suggest you do your best to get the early seating. A 1.5 hour dinner that starts at 8:15 is just too late for kiddos. I mean, it's hard to get kids to sit that long at the best of times. Never mind when they're tired and ready for bed. The late seating also meant that mom (me) never got to see any of the shows because I had to put the kiddo to bed. Yes my husband would have done it, but she was already off her routine and she's used to me doing it, ya da ya da ya da.

 

As an alternative, you can have your kids eat dinner in the Kid's Club at the Lido. They have a set menu, though, so if your kids don't want what they're offering, well, that won't work.

 

The Lido

 

Food was plentiful and generally tasty, although not always hot. At lunch time, the salad bar was a veggie lover's dream come true (and the only place to get much vegetation on the ship).

 

You might find breakfast a challenge if you are as impaired before coffee as I am. We found it best for me to grab a mug and hold a table while the rest of the fam gathered up foodstuffs. By the time they got through the line, I had ingested my first cup and was better able to handle the mass of humanity.

 

Other food options

 

The pizza place was great, and always open. They'll put exactly what you want on your pizza.

 

The steakhouse was worth the extra money—and portions were ginormous.

 

The burgers from Guy's burgers were also ginormous, and completely delicious.

 

The BBQ place was fine. Nothing special.

 

We didn't try the other ones.

 

Entertainment and activities

 

There was a ton to do. A ton. We hardly scratched the surface. I didn't personally see any of the staged shows, but the rest of my family said they were just okay.

 

There seemed to always be music in the lobby though, and in the bars, and in the Ocean Plaza. Quality varied—my faves were the string quartet rocking out to Guns n Roses and Nirvana and the group that did 80s music (I'm an 80s baby, what can I say).

 

Entertainment on the lido deck was plentiful, but often loud. My daughter is really sensitive to noise, so we had to stay away from the deck parties and the like. It was just too much for her.

 

The water slides were big. And fast. And super fun. Your kids (and probably you) will adore them.

 

Oh—and if you're looking for a quiet place to sit and keep an eye on everyone while on the pool deck, there are a bunch of brown plastic chairs on this little deck in between the serenity area and deck 11, next to the waterpark. They were almost always empty and the view is great from up there.

 

The Ports

 

Loved every place we went. I only wish we had more time to explore.

 

Amber Cove

 

We stayed in the port complex. It's gorgeous. The pool and water slides were enough to entertain my daughter—and we were in the mood to just relax. Word of warning for the conservative among you: the pool bar gets quite rowdy by the end of the day. The drinking age there is 18, so there were a bunch of teenagers gulping down drinks (and carrying around whole bottles of liquor) and carrying on as drunk teenagers will. That said, it was easy enough to avoid them. The pool complex is huge.

 

You can also rent paddle boards and kayaks and that kind of thing. They also have these divine hammocks that are set away from everything else. They're a great place for bookworms to go and get some quality book time.

 

St. Thomas

 

It was a grayish day, so we made a last minute decision to go on a snorkeling excursion. We had planned to do it from a beach, but figured a boat trip would be more fun. And it was. We were on the Fast Cat Turtle Cove and Honeymoon Beach excursion.

 

The trip out to the snorkeling site is a thrill in itself—they get going fast and you get some air going over waves. When you get there, they give you the rundown on what to do and how to stay safe, and out you go.

 

They offer two guided tours (they split you up), but my daughter was having trouble with her mask and had to go back to the boat for help, so we missed out on that. Even so, we saw sea turtles, octopi, swordfish, and "a bunch of Dorys."

 

Also—they were great with her when she was having trouble. I was at my wit's end, but they got her settled down and back in the water within minutes.

 

Then it was off to the beach, with unlimited rum punch (and coke for the kids) available. And man was it available. They kept coming around with big pitchers of it. It was delicious.

 

The beach was quite nice, although the water wasn't the pretty turquoise I'd been hoping for. We were all starving, so we put in an order at the grill shack there and played on the beach while it cooked. We got a hot dog, a super hot dog, and a bacon cheeseburger for $22.

 

It was quite a wait, though. About 20 minutes. By the time they called our names, they were starting to call us back to the boat, so we had to scarf our meals down. But, you know. It was just a minor inconvenience.

 

There was more punch on the way back, and good music, too. Fun was had by all—even the 8-year-old.

 

San Juan

 

We didn't do an excursion here. Just got off the boat and started walking around. We spent a lot of time at the fort that's closest to the port. It's pretty cool and has some amazing views.

 

For lunch we ate $2.50 empanadas that were delicious! It seems like a cool city. If we'd been more organized, we probably would have gotten more out of it. By 2:30, it was starting to rain, so we headed back to the ship early.

 

Grand Turk

 

Oh, Grand Turk. I could have spent the rest of my life there. There's no need to spend money on an excursion there. There is a nice beach with hundreds of lounge chairs right off the boat.

 

Bring your snorkeling gear, because there's plenty to see! The water there is the crystal clear turquoise you think of when you hear the word "Caribbean."

 

If you head down the beach a little ways, you lose the loungers, but come upon much less crowded space and even prettier water. We had lunch at Jack's Shack, which was good, and watched the dogs play in the sand. You should check it out.

Debarkation

 

We carried our own bags off and it was a breeze. We headed out at 8:30 and were through customs by 9. The longest wait was for the shuttle. We were going to an Orlando hotel, not the airport, so we had to wait for a shuttle to fill up headed in that direction before we could head out.

 

My in-laws had Carnival take their luggage, and were unable to get clear until 10:30 a.m.

 

Miscellaneous Tips

 

Laundry

 

There are laundry facilities on the ship, so really, don't overpack. I totally did—and ended up not wearing half of what I brought. However, there's only 3 on each deck, so you might have to get creative with your timing to use them. My husband's a night owl, so he did a load after midnight.

 

Dr. Seuss Breakfast

 

If you want to go to the breakfast (and it's totally worth it), you are supposed to reserve a spot. However, it's not mentioned in the daily Fun Times. The number is in the weeklong Kid's Club activity list you get when you visit them on the first day.

 

It's on the last sea day, and they have two sittings. One at 8 something and one at 9:45. We totally forgot about it and woke up late—much to my daughter's dismay.

 

However, they were still able to find a spot for us when we showed up at 10:05. So there is hope for the disorganized.

 

Build a Bear Workshop

 

Did you know your kids can make a Build a Bear on the ship? Well, if they attend the kid's club, you will know—and they'll remind you.

 

It's a special activity they do two or three times on the cruise. You have to line up and give your name and then one family at a time is allowed to go through and pick one out.

 

They don't have the full line of Build a Bears available (I have an aficionado in my house), but there are quite a few—cute ones, too. They also have outfits available for purchase after you get done stuffing yours.

 

Here's something they didn't tell us though: they had a couple of choices for FREE outfits up by where you check out.

 

You also get a cute little backpack thing to carry it around in.

 

We spent $38. Cheap? No. But probably better than a T-shirt she'll outgrow?

 

Formal Night

 

There are two, but they don't seem to be mandatory. I for one enjoy dressing up, so we did both nights. But I wore the same dress both times. Nice dresses/cocktail dresses seem to be the norm for ladies, with suits or sports coats for the guys. But almost anything that's not shorts and a tank top will do.

 

In conclusion...

 

So. That's what I have to say. If you're thinking about booking a cruise on the Carnival Magic, go ahead and do it. You won't be sorry.

 

 

Questions? I'll do my best to answer them!

[bUU]

From what you wrote it sounds like you didn't eat at Tandoor. Is that right?

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

[Mleonardelli5]

Thanks for your review, I enjoyed reading it and look forward to your pictures. Have you cruised with ccl before or with different lines, if so how did this one compare? Thanks

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[bury me at sea]

Thanks for the nice review of what sounds like a nice cruise. I like the Magic.

[Sjb0704]

Thank you for the review. We sail on the Magic in September. I'm looking forward to your pictures.

[mrpayroll]

Sounds like you had a very good time on the Magic. It is our second favorite Carnival ship after the Breeze. Heading out on it again in September. :)

[dctravel]

Awesome! Thanks for the review, especially with the port info (we have a 9 yo and a 6 yo and your plan is exactly what we are planning/have booked, down to the snorkel excursion). Makes me more excited for our August cruise!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Sixtytwo]

Great review! Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[pcvtmom]

Thanks for a great (and timely) review! We leave next Saturday on the Magic...same itinerary! We also have the Fast Cat and Honeymoon Beach excursion booked, and we're planning to hang out at the pools/beach at Amber Cove and Grand Turk. Also, just going to walk around San Juan! Great minds???

[bosoxfan5]

Thank you for the review. We sail on July 2 and I can't wait. We have Steakhouse reservations so I'm glad to hear the positive comments.

[easyboy]

Thank you for the feedback.

Enjoyed reading every detail.

 

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Forums mobile app

[funsun50]

Great review! What movies played during your cruise. Haven't been able to find a list.

[reerun25]

Enjoyed the review, thanks for sharing!

[redpage75]

From what you wrote it sounds like you didn't eat at Tandoor. Is that right?

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

 

No, we never got there. Smelled good though. :)

[redpage75]

Thanks for your review, I enjoyed reading it and look forward to your pictures. Have you cruised with ccl before or with different lines, if so how did this one compare? Thanks

 

We've been on two other Carnival cruises, the last in 2008. This was just as good, although I have to admit, the selection in the Lido has gone down. Everything else seemed pretty much the same though.

[lvetocruise2012]

Great Review! Did your daughter go to kids club? If so, how did she like it?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Lanierain]

Thanks for review! Going on Magic in July with slightly different itinerary. Glad to know about the chairs between deck11 and serenity. Also glad to hear embarkation was reasonable :-)