GAPearl's "MAGIC"al Birthday Cruise! Complete Magic picture review-6/14/15 sailing.

[gapearl]

This is looking like the best cruise you've had in a minute. Great to see you still had a great time despite those conditions. :cool:

 

It was indeed a pretty awesome cruise. I had way too much fun (as you already know :cool:) lol.

 

Cozumel, Belize, & Roatan. We have been to Cozumel(Johnnie has been once. I have been there three times). It will be our first visit to Belize & Roatan. We know we are going cave tubing in Belize. Still trying to figure out Cozumel & Roatan.

 

I still haven't been to Belize and Roatan yet. They're up there on my list.

 

Look at you matching that gorgeous aqua dress to the lights behind you in the dining room! :D You are so clever.

Heather

 

It's all about coordinating! :D

Edited June 27, 2015 by gapearl

[Gopherpharm]

Kim, I love your reviews!

 

Your Breeze review helped convince me to get my butt on that ship...financially we could only do interior this time, but we were able to get an interior spa cabin. It sounded like you liked yours which makes me that much more excited to leave in one week.

 

Awesome review so far, great outfits, tons of fun!

[gapearl]

I woke up bright and early at 8 am and had every intention of working out today.

 

But. The. Struggle. Was. Real.

 

I didn't make it. I took a shower and got dressed in my swimsuit and coverup, ready for a sunny pool day. My mom and JJ were going to go to the breakfast buffet on lido, so I suggested they come to the MDR with me for brunch instead. Sea day brunch is held in the Southern Lights Restaurant, deck 3 aft. We were seated immediately with no wait.

 

Sea day brunch menu.

 

 

 

We were served a basket of assorted pastries.

 

 

Pastry selfie.

 

 

My mom brought one of the new puzzle books I got her and we could not figure this one out. Can anyone get it without using a calculator, and what was your strategy?

 

[gapearl]

My mom had pancakes with a slice of ham, scrambled eggs, and tried turkey bacon for the first time. She didn't like it.

 

 

I had the French toast, hash browns, and chicken sausage. Carnival's chicken sausage is normally very good, but today is was very dry and lacking any kind of seasoning. I couldn't finish it.

 

 

JJ had some sort of filet, which she enjoyed.

 

[skittl1321]

My mom brought one of the new puzzle books I got her and we could not figure this one out. Can anyone get it without using a calculator, and what was your strategy?

 

It's 37, 46, 31.

My strategy was to divide 114 by 3 to find what the average value of the number needed to be- 38. There isn't a 37, 38, 39- so I knew I couldn't do that. I figured I could dismiss most of the lower numbers, because there aren't enough large numbers to "even them out", so I got rid of anything lower than 30. I started with the 46. 114 - 46 = 68. Then I tested the 36 and there wasn't a match, so I tried 37, and 68 - 37 = 31, so those were the 3 numbers.

 

 

Edit: Really happy to see you can get NORMAL french toast. Was it good?

Edited June 27, 2015 by skittl1321

[gapearl]

The Serenity area was half empty and there were plenty of loungers around, but it was really windy up there. I thought the aft pool was an adult only pool, but it's not and it was crowded. I eventually made it out to the lido pool around 10 am. It was already packed but there were a few empty chairs scattered around. I didn't see them enforcing the 40 minute rule, but I wasn't paying attention to how long people were gone from their chairs either. I got a mocha chocolate getaway and chilled in my chair for a while. Everyone was like ohhhh, what's that? Carnival owes me a commission for selling that drink to a lot of people around me. :p

 

I ended up not using it much, but the locked box on my chair is called the Aqua Vault. You set a code of your choice and it locks over your beach chair. I saw this on Shark Tank and ordered one. This is great for cruises or the beach when you don't want to take your stuff to use the restroom and you don't want to leave it laying out in the open either.

 

 

Me with my favorite dessert drink. It's like a spiked chocolate milkshake.

 

 

The really crowded lido pool.

 

 

Selfie with some new pool friends.

 

 

They had the drink special of the day inside a pineapple. I didn't get one, but borrowed this one for the picture. A whole pineapple! LOL

 

[gapearl]

After an hour or so, I went inside to check out what they had at the buffet. Today's theme was Caribbean food.

 

 

 

I grabbed a light snack of some jerk chicken, fried plantains, and fried dumplings.

 

 

Me to the guy behind the buffet line: Ummm, what's that?

 

Him: Cornbread.

 

 

#FacePalm #EpicFail #NotAgain #ThisIsStillNotCornbread

 

Now you all know how I feel about Carnival's cornbread! Cruisers BEWARE! They're disguising it with extra goop on top and calling it "chili and cheese" now.

 

 

I find it VERY amusing that they don't have it labeled as cornbread on the ship full of Texans. They clearly know better. :D

[gapearl]

It was a pretty uneventful afternoon by the pool. Every time someone saw me with my selfie stick, they either photo bombed me or jumped in for a picture with me.

 

 

There was a lot of line dancing this afternoon. To the right, to the right, to the right, to the right....

 

 

 

I think this was an accidental photo bomb. lol

 

 

The ice carving demonstration.

 

[campdaan]

I've been getting asked a lot where I bought all my cruise clothes. Ladies, this is for you, and I'll post where I got everything in the rest of my posts.

 

Dress is from a random clearance rack at Macy's, shoes are from DSW (don't remember the brand), purse is Betsey Johnson.

 

 

Dress from Bebe, clutch from Express.

 

 

Maxi dress from Target.

 

 

Dress from Bebe, shoes are Rampage or Steve Madden, can't remember.

 

 

I was about to get started on day 3, but I'm still having issues with photobucket, so unfortunately it'll have to wait until tomorrow. :(

 

 

Come for the review...

 

Stay for the fashion show !

 

Awesome !

[gapearl]

Everyone's favorite cruise pastime.

 

 

 

 

After the line dancing was over, DJ D-Biz kept the fun going with some fun music. Eventually he played Atomic Dog. Some of you already know what happened next. lol I was laying down when I heard it, looked up, and saw my new friend Jason out there getting his step on.

 

 

Atomic Dog is basically THE song for the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Any time this song plays, members show out a little bit. These guys were quite the center of attention and even got some applause! haha

 

 

Shout out to all the Ques! LOL

 

[gapearl]

I was done with the sun around 2:45 pm. I guess I'll go wander around the ship now and take some more pictures for my review. :cool:

 

Aft lido pool, deck 10.

 

 

There's a hot tub on either side.

 

 

It's quite a windy day.

 

 

Nice place to sit for a nice view.

 

 

[gapearl]

Deck 11.

 

 

There's a shower out there to rinse off.

 

 

Lots of sitting areas over the lido pool.

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

The sky course area, deck 12 mid ship.

 

 

 

I never got around to doing this and didn't do it on the Breeze either. What a shame! It really looks like fun.

 

 

Miniature golf.

 

 

 

[gapearl]

 

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

More pictures from Sports Square.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

Back in the Sky Court area, deck 12 aft.

 

 

 

There was a pretty serious dodgeball game happening.

 

 

 

Some exercise equipment is out there too.

 

 

[gapearl]

Don't count on getting in a strenuous workout up here. The equipment is not that great.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The running track.

 

[gapearl]

 

 

 

 

A little lido entertainment from Red Frog Pub singer Paul.

 

 

Don't you wish you were here right now?

 

[gapearl]

Cloud 9 Spa, deck 12 forward.

 

 

You can always pick up the daily spa specials here.

 

 

 

 

 

The gym offers several exercise classes throughout the cruise for an extra charge.

 

[gapearl]

The studio room where cycle and yoga classes are offered.

 

 

 

And for the 20 people that work out on vacation and might be interested in what kind of equipment the gym has, here you go.

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

 

 

 

They have a couple of rowing machines behind the treadmills.

 

 

 

Yeah right, like I'm gonna get on a scale after all I've eaten on the ship. I don't even like these at home.

 

[gapearl]

 

I know some people prefer to use the gym's showers since they are larger than the ones in the cabin or when they have 3-4 people sharing a room.

 

 

The dry sauna, my heaven!

 

 

 

[BenjiRodney]

Loving the review. Original plan to do the Magic's Repo cruise, which Carnival has since cancelled. So rebooked the same week on the Magic now roundtrip out of Port Canaveral.

[gapearl]

After spending 30 minutes in the sauna, I took the scenic route back to my cabin for a shower and nap before dinner.

 

Seuss-A-Palooza story time was happening in the Showtime Theatre. There were a lot of kids (adults too) in attendance. It was really cute.

 

 

Who's in charge of this? You had one job, man.

 

 

We're so close, yet still so far away.

 

 

There's a laundry line in your shower so you can let your wet swimwear dry.

 

 

I was sent this nice treat from John Heald, I assume for being first in the Red Frog Pub. In addition to your free beer, you also get these goodies.

 

 

We left for dinner at 8 pm tonight. My dress is from Express.

 

[bluejay555]

Your review is so entertaining! I'm glued!! I was on the 6/14 sailing of the Dream, so I went through the storm too. It was the rockiest cruise I've ever been on! We met some people from the Magic at Nachi Cocom and they were telling us how your itinerary had ben changed.