Costa Magica Review 11/26 to 12/03

[dawcruiser]

We just got off the Magica Sunday 12/03/06. We did the 7-day Eastern. We had a good time. I will say this was our 3rd cruise on Costa and we like it the least. But it still was a good cruise. I will rate the ship with a “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”or “E” letter grade. “A” being excellent, “B” good, “C” as average, “D” poor and “E” horrible.

 

In college I had an English professor who told us not to expect “A’s” because “a” were for excellent work and most of us were just average people so expect “ C’s” then we would all be happy and not disappointed.

 

Embarkation get a “D”. It took us 2 hours to board. We got to the ship at 12:30 and were on the ship at 3:30. They needed more people working check in.

 

Cabin get a “C”. We had an inside cabin 9216. Size was nice, closets were fine, and bathroom was huge compared to other cruise ships. BUT A/C was horrible. It never got cool in our cabin. They came and worked on it twice but it never got really cool. Bearable but not cool. Beds were extremely hard. And I like hard beds but they were too hard.

 

Food gets a “C-”. Dining room was fairly good. Buffet was poor. Pay restaurant was horrible.

 

Service gets a “B”. Good service but I have had better. I, to this day, have no idea what our busboys name is. He gave us drinks and that was about it. Agnes our waitress was very good very attentive. Cabin steward was OK. I gave his $5.00 and he emptied our refrig for us. Cabin was clean but no towel animals. He didn’t even give us ice on the last night.

 

Entertainment gets an “A+”. The shows were some of the best I have every seen and this was our 18th cruise. Singers and dancers were very good. One of the Platters sang and brought the house down. The Italian singer was the poorest and he was good. Roman Night, Toga Party was excellent. All of our guest entertainers were very good. One lady from Alabama did comedy and she was very good.

 

Max and his wife Manuela were the highlight of the cruise staff. Max is the CD and his wife was in charge of most of the other activities. I have cruise with this team once before and they were as good this time as before.

 

We had some folks getting sick toward the end of the cruise. I didn’t but I felt like I was going to get sick for the past 3 days. My wife is in bed now she is extremely sick on both ends if you know what I mean.

 

All in all would I cruise Costa Magica again? Yes I would but I wish it was the Victoria because in my opinion the Victoria was a better cruise experience. But any day on ship is better than a day at work.

 

Any questions ask I will try to answer them.

 

Don

[taxlady66]

My husband and I are going on this boat on the 16th. I been waiting to taste the food. Looks like I am in trouble. What was the problem boarding? What time should we get to the ship? What excursions did you do? Did you have the drink pacakage? Last but not least, how was the weather?

 

Thanks for giving us the 411.

[dawcruiser]

My husband and I are going on this boat on the 16th. I been waiting to taste the food. Looks like I am in trouble. What was the problem boarding? What time should we get to the ship? What excursions did you do? Did you have the drink pacakage? Last but not least, how was the weather?

 

Thanks for giving us the 411.

 

Boarding Problem was lack of staff. I saw maybe 20 check in agents. Lines were very long. We were full with 3,000 pax on board. At 12:30 line was short. But when I returned from parking my car 30 minutes later the line was long. At 3:30 lines were short again. I would suggest you get to the ship before noon or after 3:00.

 

Sugar Tracks, a jeep trip through the sugar cane plantation, in Dominican Republic. Swam in Grand Turk, shopped in St Thomas didn't get of in San Juan.

 

Don't drink.

 

Weather was good rained part of 1 day. Temps were in high 70's to low 90's.

 

Don

[wasup254]

We also have cabn #9214 balcony and 9212 interior. Is the bridge on the same deck us our cabins? There is a "wing" extension and we were wondering if that is the bridge. Someone else posted that the public can go onto the "wing" area,but it looks like the bridge to me..

 

How was the motion that far forward, we are veteran cruisers, but my husbands son is not and he is in the interior cabin.

 

As for the hard beds, do they have the egg crate toppers?

 

The bedding is it old or the newer bedding we have been seeing on other cruise ships? (duvets and down comforters)

 

The shower has the shower gel installed on the wall along with shampoo?

 

Thanks for all the info

 

we plan to go there about 230p, not ready to fight the lines. we live in fort lauderdale and we went down to the port Sunday to go to the convention center show and the line for boarding the Magica was LOOOOONG

[wasup254]

How did you like the sugar tracks tour? we are booked

 

Thanks again

[joetrizeo]

thanks for the review.

 

i thought the food on costa was A+ Excellent!

 

next time remember to ask for a second mattress for the bed, it makes all the difference!

 

glad you enjoyed the entertainment.

 

also glad to see Max is still the CD. he's a great cd.

 

We had some folks getting sick toward the end of the cruise. I didn’t but I felt like I was going to get sick for the past 3 days. My wife is in bed now she is extremely sick on both ends if you know what I mean.

 

-maybe this is why it was late leaving on the 3rd?

[dawcruiser]

We also have cabn #9214 balcony and 9212 interior. Is the bridge on the same deck us our cabins? There is a "wing" extension and we were wondering if that is the bridge. Someone else posted that the public can go onto the "wing" area,but it looks like the bridge to me..

 

How was the motion that far forward, we are veteran cruisers, but my husbands son is not and he is in the interior cabin.

 

As for the hard beds, do they have the egg crate toppers?

 

The bedding is it old or the newer bedding we have been seeing on other cruise ships? (duvets and down comforters)

 

The shower has the shower gel installed on the wall along with shampoo?

 

Thanks for all the info

 

we plan to go there about 230p, not ready to fight the lines. we live in fort lauderdale and we went down to the port Sunday to go to the convention center show and the line for boarding the Magica was LOOOOONG

 

We are veteran cruisers also and my wife did say she noticed more movement in our cabin on this sailing than any other time. We normally try to get middle of ship.

 

I didn't see a bridge on our floor.

 

They have egg crate toppers we just didn't ask for one.

 

Older style linens no comforter.

 

Only shower gel no shampoo.

 

Don

[dawcruiser]

How did you like the sugar tracks tour? we are booked

 

Thanks again

 

We loved it.

 

Don

[sailaway211]

Boarding Problem was lack of staff. I saw maybe 20 check in agents. Lines were very long. We were full with 3,000 pax on board. At 12:30 line was short. But when I returned from parking my car 30 minutes later the line was long. At 3:30 lines were short again. I would suggest you get to the ship before noon or after 3:00.

 

 

Don

 

We were on the sailing before you and got to the port at 10:30 am hoping to get on right away, like we do with other lines. We did not get onboard until after 1:00pm. The woman in front of me passed out and they had to call the EMT's. It was the worst boarding ever. I won't do it again.

[wasup254]

or just bottled?? we heard just bottled

 

also,

 

late seating for dinner time?

 

What restaurant were you seated in? We alsoheard that one restaurnat (aft) was a better place to eat in and that if you were booked in a forward cabin, you were eating in the forward restaurant.

 

Thanks again and again

Marlene

[dawcruiser]

or just bottled?? we heard just bottled

 

also,

 

late seating for dinner time?

 

What restaurant were you seated in? We alsoheard that one restaurnat (aft) was a better place to eat in and that if you were booked in a forward cabin, you were eating in the forward restaurant.

 

Thanks again and again

Marlene

 

Plenty of Tap water. It was served each evening with dinner. My wife even asked a bartender for a glass of ice water and got one. I also asked for ice water oner evening when my wife purchased a virgin frozen drink and i got my water for no charge.

 

Late seating is 8:30 p.m.

 

We were in the aft dining room it is called the Emeralda.

 

You are correct the restaurant and time you are assigned is where you eat.

 

Don

[wasup254]

Thanks for all your answers..did u see where the Magica didnot leave till 10:30p on Sunday...have not heard why yet, but heard they canceled Key West.

[snipboy]

I was on this same cruise and I would echo all of Don's comments strongly. The fact that the pay restaurant was worse than the main restaurant/buffet is truly unforgivable. I will be posting pictures of an angry wife infront of her terrible meal. The food overall was a definite C-. Utterly disappointing given how much we enjoyed the food on our prior cruise on the Meditereanea. Early on in the cruise we overheard another couple make a very telling comment. The husband said, "It is amazing how one ship's service and quality can differ from another." I will bet you they cruised another Costa ship and had a much better experience.

 

Like Don's wife, both my wife and I got bad colds towards the end of the trip. No gastro problems though.

 

This was our last romantic vacation before starting our family (the little one is due in May). Yes, any day spent on a cruise is better than a day at work for the most part. But towards the end on this line, I was already looking forward to getting back to work. This much I will say, the ports were fantastic and we enjoyed each in it's own way. I'll post my own review shortly.