MAGIC - Suite Guests & Other Questions

[cparkerkite]

Hey guys! Hope your Monday is off to a great start! :) I am full of questions and I appreciate all of you that offer your expert advice!

 

We decided... we are going with the Magic! Yahoo!!! We are going to book a Spa Suite. We paid the same price for a balcony cabin on the Oasis this past April, so we figured, why not book a Spa suite and cruise with Carnival again!

 

Here's my questions:

 

1. I understand suite guests get priority check-in. A Carnival rep told me that they also get to go straight to their rooms. However, I read on Carnival's website that suite guests do NOT get to go directly to their room unless they are Diamond and Platinum (we aren't) and need to purchase FTTF. When we cruised 2013 on the Dream, we bought FTTF and LOVED being able to go straight to our room. Can someone clarify please?

 

2. What is the Priority Lounge at embarkation and what perks does it offer? Drinks and food or something?

 

3. If you have stayed in a Spa Suite, can you comment on what you liked/disliked about it?

 

4. Smoke. We are non-smokers. I have asthma and like an idiot, I smoked when I was in my 20's. I'm in my 40's now and haven't smoked in 20 years. Not only do I have issues with smoke because I have asthma, but I have "former smoker repulsion" with smoke smell! From reading posts on here, some people have mentioned that the heavy smoke from the casino spills out to other areas, Ocean Plaza, etc. We love visiting the shops and picture gallery and other spots on the ship. Will these areas be so smoke smelly that you can't enjoy them?

 

5. Weather in FEBRUARY. I know the weather is unpredictable. But, generally speaking, what is it like in the Western Caribbean? Leaving from Port Canaveral, will the pools be too cold to use in February? We are in metro Atlanta and February is super cold for us. Is it warmer in the Western? Does it rain a lot? We've only cruised twice and twice we went in April and it was PERFECT weather temperature wise and no rain.

 

6. We were in a mid-ship cabin on both of our cruises. So, booking a Spa Suite concerns me just because of its forward location. We aren't sea sick people, but just curious is the movement THAT bad like it would be if you are watching a show all the way forward? Would we better off in an Ocean Suite? Does the Ocean Suite still have the same blueish carpet and non-red decor?

 

7. How comfy are the beds?? I don't remember the beds much on our Dream cruise. We are mattress snobs...admittedly. We sleep on an ultra-plush pillow-top mattress at home and love a soft, comfy bed! :)

 

 

Thanks for your help everyone!

Edited November 7, 2016 by cparkerkite
Forgot to add something

[crusing48/51]

Hi cparkerkite,

 

Just got off the Magic. We were in an ocean suite, 7363. We are not platinum or diamond. We got FTTF luggage tags, but weren't allowed in our cabins any earlier. We also had 2 complimentary bottles of water, and one bag of laundry free. We also had priority embark and debark on the ship, and priority debark at the ports of call.

 

Can't speak about the priority lounge, we were on the ship so quickly, we didn't even see it.

 

The casino was smoky, but didn't notice it in the Ocean Plaza, and we played lots of trivia there. Didn't notice any smoke smell except outside the Red Frog Pub on deck 5 where the smoking area is, otherwise, fine for us.

 

We did feel more movement in the show lounge than mid ship, but I'm prone to motion sickness, so I take Meclizine the whole trip.

 

We had rainy weather on our cruise, but the locals said October is the rainy season, and it didn't rain all day anywhere we went. You should be fine with moderate temps in February.

 

We were good with the bed, however it may be a bit firm for your taste, no pillowtop.

 

Have a wonderful cruise, you will love the Magic!

[cparkerkite]

Hi cparkerkite,

 

Just got off the Magic. We were in an ocean suite, 7363. We are not platinum or diamond. We got FTTF luggage tags, but weren't allowed in our cabins any earlier. We also had 2 complimentary bottles of water, and one bag of laundry free. We also had priority embark and debark on the ship, and priority debark at the ports of call.

 

Can't speak about the priority lounge, we were on the ship so quickly, we didn't even see it.

 

The casino was smoky, but didn't notice it in the Ocean Plaza, and we played lots of trivia there. Didn't notice any smoke smell except outside the Red Frog Pub on deck 5 where the smoking area is, otherwise, fine for us.

 

We did feel more movement in the show lounge than mid ship, but I'm prone to motion sickness, so I take Meclizine the whole trip.

 

We had rainy weather on our cruise, but the locals said October is the rainy season, and it didn't rain all day anywhere we went. You should be fine with moderate temps in February.

 

We were good with the bed, however it may be a bit firm for your taste, no pillowtop.

 

Have a wonderful cruise, you will love the Magic!

 

 

Way cool! Thanks so much for the info. I don't mind purchasing FTTF. It is a huge relief to get in the cabin early! :) Good to know about the smoke smell. We won't do the casino anyways, but wanted to visit Red Frog as I heard they have games there. WAY COOL about the laundry! We will so need that with my messy 6 yr old!

[Drazil65]

We are not platinum or diamond. We got FTTF luggage tags, but weren't allowed in our cabins any earlier.

 

:confused: Not sure why you thought you could not have early cabin access but with FTTF you always have early access. We will have it for the 5th time on the Magic next month and plan to be in our cabin shortly after boarding just as we have the last 4 times we have had it.

 

The hallway doors to the cabins are always closed (until 1:30) BUT if you have FTTF you can push them open and go to your cabin. Our cabin has always been ready for us and the cabin stew has always been available and ready for us (and aware we have FTTF).

Edited November 8, 2016 by Drazil65

[bugsokc]

2. What is the Priority Lounge at embarkation and what perks does it offer? Drinks and food or something?

 

Based on the Galveston Port, the Priority Lounge is just a separate area with a couple TVs and dedicated staff to help with getting you ready to board. If I remember correctly, I think there was some refreshments... but nothing to write home about (chilled water, cookies, maybe coffee and tea, etc.)

 

4. Smoke. We are non-smokers. I have asthma and like an idiot, I smoked when I was in my 20's. I'm in my 40's now and haven't smoked in 20 years. Not only do I have issues with smoke because I have asthma, but I have "former smoker repulsion" with smoke smell! From reading posts on here, some people have mentioned that the heavy smoke from the casino spills out to other areas, Ocean Plaza, etc. We love visiting the shops and picture gallery and other spots on the ship. Will these areas be so smoke smelly that you can't enjoy them?

 

I am also an asthmatic non-smoker. You heard correctly that the casino can get thick with smoke. I'm sure it trickles out to adjacent areas a bit, but it never bothered me. I think this is just something you will have to experience to see how much you are affected by it. Everyone is different. ;)

 

Hope this helps a little bit. I'm sure you will enjoy the Magic. I cruised it twice - once in a Grand Suite and once in an Ocean Suite.

[riffatsea]

They didn't have FTTF but only on their luggage tags and not on their Sign n Sail card so that's why they could not go to their cabin early.

We also book suites but we buy FTTF in order to be able to go straight to our cabin. Now that it is much more expensive not sure we would buy it again?

[satbeachbill]

 

We were good with the bed, however it may be a bit firm for your taste, no pillowtop.

 

 

There's an easy remedy for the lack of the pillow top. We had our steward put the comforter under the bottom sheet and walaah - comfy pillow top! :D

[cparkerkite]

Based on the Galveston Port, the Priority Lounge is just a separate area with a couple TVs and dedicated staff to help with getting you ready to board. If I remember correctly, I think there was some refreshments... but nothing to write home about (chilled water, cookies, maybe coffee and tea, etc.)

 

 

 

I am also an asthmatic non-smoker. You heard correctly that the casino can get thick with smoke. I'm sure it trickles out to adjacent areas a bit, but it never bothered me. I think this is just something you will have to experience to see how much you are affected by it. Everyone is different. ;)

 

Hope this helps a little bit. I'm sure you will enjoy the Magic. I cruised it twice - once in a Grand Suite and once in an Ocean Suite.

 

 

Thanks tons!

[cparkerkite]

There's an easy remedy for the lack of the pillow top. We had our steward put the comforter under the bottom sheet and walaah - comfy pillow top! :D

 

 

Now that's an idea! I'm assuming they'll give me another comforter for the top?