Why The Carnival Magic Is My Favorite Ship (With Pictures)

[Joie]

We are sailing the Dream in about 6 weeks......I was hoping that they would be sister ships and be very similar......but it sounds like the Magic is much more than the Dream......have you sailed the Dream and can you compare for me?Hoping for same pool area and serenity area....and especially 2 outlets in the room!!!!!!!!!

[firefly333]

We are sailing the Dream in about 6 weeks......I was hoping that they would be sister ships and be very similar......but it sounds like the Magic is much more than the Dream......have you sailed the Dream and can you compare for me?Hoping for same pool area and serenity area....and especially 2 outlets in the room!!!!!!!!!

 

Dream doesnt have the rope course, Italian pay restaurant at night, or Red Frog Pub.. but it is a sister ship. So the other stuff should be similar, but I hear some things are laid out a bit differently.

[Spaniel Lover]

I did not see much written on the food quality/selections on the MDR.

 

My wife and I have a very relaxed style of cruising when it's just the two of us together... we hate to get dressed up for dinner, and we hate to spend two hours on dinner. So, we eat dinner in the buffett almost every night. Out of 14 days, we only went to the MDR for dinner twice... and that was mainly because it's the only way to get warm chocolate melting cake!

 

We had Your Time Dining, and got to the MDR just a few minutes after it opened... in order to avoid a gigantic line. Surprisingly, dinner only took about an hour. By the time we left, the line to get in the MDR was pretty long.

 

The main thing we don't like about the MDR when it's just my wife and I cruising alone is that you generally get stuck seated with or very close to a bunch of total strangers. Both times we ate in the MDR we were technically at tables for two... but the nearby tables were so close (less than a foot) that it was just like eating with another couple. Small talk with strangers is just not our thing. We tried to be as friendly as we could, but it's just plain awkward. I always come off as a know-it-all ass, and my wife managed to say the wrong thing and unitentionally insult a couple that was within earshot. Not fun! We'll stick with the buffett.

 

The other thing I prefer about the buffett is being able to see the food before I choose it, and also being able to control the portion sizes. Just as example... mashed potatoes. The amount they serve you in the MDR is incredibly tiny. Yes, I know you can order more, but a lot of times you don't realize how small the portion sizes are going to be until it arrives... and then it's too late, unless you want to make the server go all the way back to the kitchen for more.

 

Speaking of the MDR...

We did also eat there one day for the Punchliner comedy brunch. That was a new concept to us, so we thought we'd check it out. Going in to it, I expected it to be kind of awkward... it seemed an odd venue for comedy... and very tricky for the comedian since the audience would be somewhat "cold" and much more interested in their food than in anything he might say.

 

Surprisingly, I ended up liking it more than I tought I would. The comedian did fine. The weird part was that we couldn't see him at all... he was somewhere near the center of the room and we were way on the outskirts with walls totally blocking us. Also, he only does a few minutes... and then he's gone. So, we were in there for at least 45 minutes, but only about 5 involved the comedian. The worst part was definitely the awkward chit-chat with the other people at our table.

 

I will say this, though: the Texas/Louisiana/Mississippi/Oklahoma people who make up the majority of the passengers on the Carnival Magic are really quite friendly. You can definitely feel the difference from a Miami or Los Angeles cruise. After a few days onboard, after meeting quite a few really friendly passengers, my wife actually said to me: "If I had grown up in Texas, I might I have learned to like people more than I do!"

 

 

 

Do you happen to know what time the Casino opened after leaving the port?

 

Sorry, I did not notice that. We don't spend any time in casinos at all.

 

 

One subject I did forget to mention in my review was our transportation between Houston and Galveston. Deciding how to get to Galveston was something I struggled with for a long time during the pre-cruise planning. Obviously, it's too far for a cab. A Carnival transfer was out of the question since we wanted to arrive a few days before the cruise so we had lots of wiggle room to work around any weather-related problems. We looked at renting a car, but a one-way rental dropped off in Galveston is outrageously expensive. So, it came down to finding a good limo service.

 

I did some searching online and discovered that there are a LOT of limo services in Houston! It was very difficult to figure out which were the good ones. I ended up emailing about 10 different limo companies and asked for quotes. It was surprising that there were a few that never replied, and a few that didn't reply for days. Of course, a few replied right away.

 

I turned to the Cruise Critic forums to try to find advice from others who had used a limo service to get from Houston to Galveston. Based on a suggestion in the forums, I focused on Hyatt Limousines of Houston. Via email, they offered a price of $138 plus tip to drive us from our hotel in Houston to another hotel in Galveston where we would stay the day and night before the cruise. The vehicle was a black Chevy Suburban, and it worked out fine.

 

Speaking of Galveston Hotels... the one we stayed at the day and night before the cruise was the Moody Gardens Resort. I was attracted to this hotel because there was so much to do there. We were going to have a whole day in Galveston, and Moody Gardens definitely kept us busy. They have their own water park, an aquarium, an indoor rain forest, and a 4D theatre. If you're really in to waterparks, an even larger waterpark, Schlitterbahn, is right next door.

 

There is one other Galveston hotel option you might want to look at...

Right next to the cruise ship terminal at the port of Galveston is the Harbor House Hotel. You can walk from the hotel to the cruise ship on embarkation day. And if you get up early enough in the morning, you can watch the ship come in the day of your cruise!

 

Now that I've experienced Moody Gardens, I think that if I ever make my way back to Galveston for another cruise... I'll stay at the Harbor House.

[jules815]

I believe while Dream is in dry dock, they're making changes to the main pool area to be more like Magic/Breeze. I wish they would upgrade the the seating around the tables that are on the sides of the pool deck. It looks much nicer on Magic than what they currently have on Dream.

[cuted126]

You are an excellent photographer! The photos are beautiful! Great review too! Dh and I both enjoyed it!

[scotlady]

I will say this, though: the Texas/Louisiana/Mississippi/Oklahoma people who make up the majority of the passengers on the Carnival Magic are really quite friendly. You can definitely feel the difference from a Miami or Los Angeles cruise. After a few days onboard, after meeting quite a few really friendly passengers, my wife actually said to me: "If I had grown up in Texas, I might I have learned to like people more than I do!"

 

Thanks for the nice compliment! And thanks for the great review! Can I ask - you said the music was better at the aft pool. What kind of music did they play there?

[wrigley80]

awesome review.....someday I am going to make it onboard the Carnival Magic. I wanna cruise now on the Magic to see the Serenity Deck

[firefly333]

The other thing I prefer about the buffett is being able to see the food before I choose it, and also being able to control the portion sizes. Just as example... mashed potatoes. The amount they serve you in the MDR is incredibly tiny. Yes, I know you can order more, but a lot of times you don't realize how small the portion sizes are going to be until it arrives...

 

I like the buffet for the same reason. I like to see what the food looks like as Im a picky eater. I like to try a little of this and a little of that. I think the portions in the MDR are too large!!! lmao.

 

I love your pictures. Very nice. Mine never turn out like that.

[Spaniel Lover]

Can I ask - you said the music was better at the aft pool. What kind of music did they play there?

 

To fully get my thinking on this, you have to understand that I'm a 55-year-old white guy that couldn't give a crap about Adele, The Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna, Lady Gaga or just about anything else post-1985. I'm in to Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Jimmy Buffett... and I'm also totally fine with George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, etc.

 

The music at the main (mid-ship) pool was provided by a DJ. Every now and then he would sneak something in I would recognize, but the vast majority of stuff he was playing sounded like it would have been something a 21-year-old college kid on Spring Break would have wanted to listen to. I'm afraid I can't tell you what the music was, because it was simply unrecognizable to me. And it was too loud.

 

Back at the aft pool, the music comes from an automated music system that runs 24/7. A Carnival employee told me that there are actually several independent music systems running throughout the ship to provide more appropriate mixes of music to different parts of the ship. For example, in the hallways by the cabins you want a much more neutral kind of music playing than you do out by the pool.

 

Anyway, at the aft pool the volume of the music was just right... and the selection was better, in my opinion. There were a lot more songs that I recognized. For example, I remember sitting in the aft pool on a beautiful sea day with "Billie Jean" playing by Michael Jackson... and it just seemed to fit. I also remember hearing a few Motown songs that fit in real nice. Now I do have to say that there were still an awful lot of songs at the aft pool that I was not familiar with... as I simply have not listened to current pop music in YEARS... but the difference between the music at the aft pool that was unfamiliar to me and the music at the main pool that was unfamiliar to me was that the style and tone of the unfamiliar music at the aft pool was not obnoxious or offensive. It seemed to fit the mood. A lot of the unfamiliar stuff I heard at the main pool was urban music and not only was I not familiar with it, but I hated it. At least the unfamiliar stuff at the aft pool didn't sound horribly bad.

 

Personally, if I were in charge of music onboard Carnival ships, I'd be hitting the classic hits of the 70's and 80's and "Big Chill" music a lot more than they do now. Also, on a Caribbean cruise, you'd hear a lot more Jimmy Buffett, if it were up to me! And on a cruise out of Texas... there'd be some mainstream country music, for sure!

But in spite of the fact that the majority of their passengers are Americans in the 40+ age group, I suspect that their music selection is done by a European in his 20's.

[mom4mom]

Thanks, Spaniel Lover, for a wonderful pictorial review. I sailed on Magic in March and since I hate to take photos, I had none to share with my hubby whom I am going with on the Magic in 5 weeks to celebrate our 40th anniversary. I know he will appreciate seeing the wonderful photos you took as well as read your review from a guy's prospective.

 

Are crowds really a problem as they were on the Dream?

 

My March cruise was during a spring break week for many schools and even though there were over 2000 kids aboard, it really didn't seem to be overcrowded. I found many deserted areas of the ship to relax, mostly on deck 5, My favorite place to hang out was outside of the Red Frog Pub where they had games to play and a relaxing, gliding picnic table. Can't wait to get back onboard!

[cerabella]

The Carnival Magic at anchor of the coast of Belize

 

We were on the first leg of this cruise!

Nice review & extra nice pics...just wondering how many you took on your B2B!?

 

Notice the big thick cushions on this couch

 

And, ahhh, there sits my DH enjoying those big thick cushions! LOL!:p

 

[Luluwa]

Thanks for the great review of Magic and enjoyed the pics.:D

Edited September 17, 2012 by Luluwa

[BusyBlond]

Thanks so much for the fantastic review of the Magic. My Dand & I will be sailing her in January.

[mavis2222]

The Carnival Magic at anchor of the coast of Belize

 

We were on the first leg of this cruise!

Nice review & extra nice pics...just wondering how many you took on your B2B!?

 

Notice the big thick cushions on this couch

 

And, ahhh, there sits my DH enjoying those big thick cushions! LOL!:p

 

 

Noticed I saw allot of "empty" chairs close in to the pool. And the ship looked like it was underway during a sea day, were the CHOG Police in full force?

[silvercrikhix]

Very nice review, OP! Thank you for the time and consideration in posting!

[Winterstale]

Fantastic review! Thanks so much! Five weeks from right now, we will be having a fun day at sea on her!! And I am also curious about how nice and quiet that aft pool looks in your photo! While I too am bummed it's not adults only, it still looks pretty mellow, which I like the thought of :)

 

We are in a spa balcony as well so thanks for sharing those pics - love the decor - much better than Splendor! Soothing almost :)

[MsMot]

Great review, thank you!!

[cruiserNC]

Your pictures are gorgeous!

[kiraryker]

Thanks for taking the time! Not sure if you mentioned it but did you eat at their steak house restaurant and if you did was it worth the $$?

[MzOhioLady]

Thanks a bunch for writing the Review. I can't wait until its my turn on September 30th!!! I LOVE your Pictures too.

[flounder315]

Great pictures and great review. I have yet to sail the Magic because I don't care to visit Jamacia but maybe this spring. I can always stay on the ship in that port.

 

The Magic has 3 different Itenaries to choose from. I did a B2B in July and went on the eastern route, Key West, Freeport & Nassau then the excotic western route of Isla Roatan, Belize and Cozumel.

 

Loved the review & pictures. I have the exact same camera. I need to spend more time learning how to use it in other modes instead of auto.

[hmm33502]

To fully get my thinking on this, you have to understand that I'm a 55-year-old white guy that couldn't give a crap about Adele, The Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna, Lady Gaga or just about anything else post-1985. I'm in to Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Jimmy Buffett... and I'm also totally fine with George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, etc.

 

The music at the main (mid-ship) pool was provided by a DJ. Every now and then he would sneak something in I would recognize, but the vast majority of stuff he was playing sounded like it would have been something a 21-year-old college kid on Spring Break would have wanted to listen to. I'm afraid I can't tell you what the music was, because it was simply unrecognizable to me. And it was too loud.

 

Back at the aft pool, the music comes from an automated music system that runs 24/7. A Carnival employee told me that there are actually several independent music systems running throughout the ship to provide more appropriate mixes of music to different parts of the ship. For example, in the hallways by the cabins you want a much more neutral kind of music playing than you do out by the pool.

 

Anyway, at the aft pool the volume of the music was just right... and the selection was better, in my opinion. There were a lot more songs that I recognized. For example, I remember sitting in the aft pool on a beautiful sea day with "Billie Jean" playing by Michael Jackson... and it just seemed to fit. I also remember hearing a few Motown songs that fit in real nice. Now I do have to say that there were still an awful lot of songs at the aft pool that I was not familiar with... as I simply have not listened to current pop music in YEARS... but the difference between the music at the aft pool that was unfamiliar to me and the music at the main pool that was unfamiliar to me was that the style and tone of the unfamiliar music at the aft pool was not obnoxious or offensive. It seemed to fit the mood. A lot of the unfamiliar stuff I heard at the main pool was urban music and not only was I not familiar with it, but I hated it. At least the unfamiliar stuff at the aft pool didn't sound horribly bad.

 

 

Personally, if I were in charge of music onboard Carnival ships, I'd be hitting the classic hits of the 70's and 80's and "Big Chill" music a lot more than they do now. Also, on a Caribbean cruise, you'd hear a lot more Jimmy Buffett, if it were up to me! And on a cruise out of Texas... there'd be some mainstream country music, for sure!

 

But in spite of the fact that the majority of their passengers are Americans in the 40+ age group, I suspect that their music selection is done by a European in his 20's.

 

You and your wife sound like my kind of cruisers! Your cruise really is what you make of it. Your review made me smile!

 

Heather

[fer]

Awesome review! Thanks for putting this together!

[bransworld]

Great review! Thanks for writing it. It is making me more and more anxious for my trip on Magic in March!

[Suntanz]

Wow!! One of the best reviews I have ever read here. The photos were outstanding as well. Thanks for taking the time to post your review.