Review of 7-day Eastern Carribean Cruise on Carnival Magic (9/15)

[RebelAthena]

Hello fellow cruisers! This was my third cruise in about a year and my second sailing on Carnival. We (my parents, bro/sis-in-law with their children, and myself) sail in mid-September -- yes, the height of hurricane season -- because many school children in Georgia (including my niece and nephew) are on fall break during that time; in the absence of a hurricane, the weather can be spectacular and the prices are lovely, too. Our family cruise planned for last September -- a short trip to the Bahamas on the Liberty -- did not go as expected because, shortly before cruising, my sweet little nephew landed in the ICU after going undiagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. My brother and his family missed the sailing, but Carnival worked with us (thankfully), and we learned our lesson -- travel insurance for ALL.

 

Our cruise this year also had some drama, with four-five tropical systems rolling around the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic (Florence, Isaac, Helene, Joyce, and TD Eleven), but our luck held, and our sailing was unaffected. Our itinerary was as follows:

 

Sat., Sept. 15: Embark at Port Canaveral, FL, USA

Sun., Sept. 16: Sea Day

Mon., Sept. 17: Amber Cove, DR

Tues., Sept. 18: St. Thomas, USVI

Wed., Sept. 19: San Juan, PR

Thurs., Sept. 20: Grand Turk, T&C

Fri., Sept. 21: Sea Day

Sat., Sept. 22: Disembark at Port Canaveral, FL, USA

 

Because we live in Georgia, the drive to Port Canaveral is not terrible. Last year, when we didn't know if we were cruising or staying with my nephew, we left SUPER LATE (after we knew my nephew was going to be okay), and arrived in Port Canaveral about 4AM. Of course, we said never again.

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Joke is on us.

 

This time, we could. not. get. our. stuff. together. to. leave. on. time. My parents and I were supposed to leave the house about 6pm; we left at nearly 8pm. We finally picked up my brother and sis-in-law with kids about 9PM (they were standing in front of their house with ALL their belongings looking like a traveling show) and grabbed dinner on the road. Driving at 2am was no fun, but I was wide awake after discovering that our house/dog sitter was a no show; thankfully she responded promptly (to communications sent by a family member), and we learned she was just out doing things on a Friday night as young folks do (she had visited the dogs earlier before going out (thanks home-camera technology)). We arrived at the Residence Inn at Port Canaveral/Cocoa Beach at 4AM, and the place was heavenly (maybe because of my level of exhaustion?). The clerk was a bit of a smartass, but I guess I, too, would entertain myself with weary travelers at 4AM if I worked the night shift, and he gave us toothpaste (all that extra time certainly didn't help my packing skills).

 

We all slept a few hours -- my parents made a Publix run before we were shuttled to port -- and we arrived at the cruise terminal.

[Jerseygirl1416]

Great start! Looking forward to more.

[mkcurran]

Sounds like an adventure!

[nessz79]

Yay! Can't wait to see the rest. We sail the same cruise (out of Miami) in March.

[marshabear]

we sail in a few weeks! can't wait for more!

 

 

 

Marsha

[Kwaj girl]

Waiting to hear more about the fight among the group of 120+ pax during their "private" party.......

[RebelAthena]

Our rooms at the Residence Inn included parking and a cruise shuttle. Though we loved the service (we had so much luggage!), the lone shuttle ran at 10:30 am, but our embarkation “appointment window” was 1:30pm – 2:00pm, so we were a little nervous about waiting for hours in the cruise terminal (especially because this was our first sailing without FTTF); nevertheless, we decided to head over early instead of paying for a couple of Ubers. It turns out that we had nothing to fear. Though we were asked to show our boarding passes when we arrived at the cruise terminal, no one questioned our appointment time; likewise, though we arrived with busloads of other passengers, the lines for check in and security were SMOOTH and FAST. Our passports were scanned, our carry-on luggage was checked, and we were given a boarding zone; as best as I can recall, we boarded within the hour. Note here about FTTF: on our first cruise out of Port Canaveral, we had FTTF and were able to bypass the obvious crowds and lines. It seems, though, with the new key-at-stateroom process, there were simply no crowds or onerous lines. It was a breeze, and a perfect start to our cruise! I did miss FTTF when we boarded and had nowhere to put our carry-on luggage, but it wasn’t too terrible; we parked ourselves inside on the Lido Deck and enjoyed lunch and dessert until the rooms were ready. Following a nap and muster (which was INSIDE, WOOOT!), we stayed on the deck for the sail away party.

 

[RebelAthena]

Some notes about the Magic (and something that I’ve seen discussed here) – I found that, for the most part, it felt like a very crowded ship. The Lido deck (pool and buffet), the casino, Ocean Plaza (on sea days), and other locations always felt very busy; there were almost always lines for food or a crowd waiting for the MDR.

 

Here’s the other thing – I was not a fan of the condition of the ship. Generally speaking, the ship smelled strongly of damp and mildew (or smoke in the Casino). I’ve read that comment before, and I’ve discounted it as someone being overly sensitive – NO. Seriously. You can smell the awful wetness from outside the ship, you can see the damp carpets (see picture), and the smell lingered with my clothing when I opened my suitcase back home. Worse yet, the ship just seemed dingy, and my room was in the condition that I would expect at a 2-star hotel: there were stains on the walls, in the drapes, and on the couch; the mirror in the bathroom showed wear; and, my balcony and the outside furniture were covered in while specs (presumably paint chips from the pressure washing?). To be clear – it all seem clean, and I was not at all uncomfortable (though the smell was unpleasant), but I was surprised by the condition of the ship.

 

That being said, it was an AWESOME cruise. We had an early dinner the first night, and I was in bed VERY early that night ... next up, Sea Day and Amber Cover, DR.

[RebelAthena]

On our Sea Day, we played in WaterWorks, ate at the Italian Place for lunch (thanks for the idea, fellow cruisers), and visited the casino. We had late dining, so my favorite part of that day was sitting far forward on Serenity during the sunset. It was GLORIOUS. Our first “elegant” night was so much fun – and I thought the food was good enough. Our waiter, Kalvin, was great, and the little “showtimes” by the wait staff were a hit with my family. What I learned that first night – I don’t care for the melting cake! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the room service chocolate cake (I can’t find a recipe), but the melting cake wasn’t for me.

 

The next day we were in Amber Cove. It is a lovely port – tucked away in a cove surrounded by mountains – but it feels very much in the middle of nowhere. We choose the Ocean World Day Pass, which we felt was a decent value, but we ended up spending most of our time at the pool drinking the VERY affordable drinks (some of which come in a COCONUT!). We only had a few hours at Ocean World, which was enough. We did not care for the “beach” (there wasn’t really one) but it was delightful to see the dolphins, sea lions, sharks and tropical birds (though my bleeding heart for animals was a little saddened by their captivity); also, the views of the ocean from the park are spectacular. Our favorite part – which made the excursion worth it for us – was the opportunity to snorkel in the large salt-water aquarium. There wasn’t much to see, fishes and coral, but it was PERFECT for the kids to practice snorkeling in calm and friendly waters. I wouldn’t repeat my trip to Ocean World, but I would recommend it if you have children and want an affordable excursion.

 

Next up: USVI and San Juan!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[UKJJ]

We'll be taking our family vacation on the Magic in a couple months. Looking forward to the rest of your review. Thanks

[Cruzinbabe06]

Thank you for posting your review.:)

 

Sailing on the Magic in January and we're on the Lido Deck.

 

Do you mind sharing, What was your cabin number?

[Pellaz]

Following, as we're on this same itinerary on the Magic in 11 days out of Miami. :)

[Knights on the Beach]

Really enjoying your review. We have friends on the Magic now but they're on the western itinerary.

 

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[Gamecock_Cruiser]

We are potentially doing the same trip on the Magic out of Miami next month. Looking forward to the rest of the report!

[max a million]

Loving the review!

[iluvcruises]

Excited to finish reading your review and we sail soon! What cabin/deck were you guys on?

[grandmarnnurse]

On our Sea Day, we played in WaterWorks, ate at the Italian Place for lunch (thanks for the idea, fellow cruisers), and visited the casino. We had late dining, so my favorite part of that day was sitting far forward on Serenity during the sunset. It was GLORIOUS. Our first “elegant” night was so much fun – and I thought the food was good enough. Our waiter, Kalvin, was great, and the little “showtimes” by the wait staff were a hit with my family. What I learned that first night – I don’t care for the melting cake! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the room service chocolate cake (I can’t find a recipe), but the melting cake wasn’t for me.

 

The next day we were in Amber Cove. It is a lovely port – tucked away in a cove surrounded by mountains – but it feels very much in the middle of nowhere. We choose the Ocean World Day Pass, which we felt was a decent value, but we ended up spending most of our time at the pool drinking the VERY affordable drinks (some of which come in a COCONUT!). We only had a few hours at Ocean World, which was enough. We did not care for the “beach” (there wasn’t really one) but it was delightful to see the dolphins, sea lions, sharks and tropical birds (though my bleeding heart for animals was a little saddened by their captivity); also, the views of the ocean from the park are spectacular. Our favorite part – which made the excursion worth it for us – was the opportunity to snorkel in the large salt-water aquarium. There wasn’t much to see, fishes and coral, but it was PERFECT for the kids to practice snorkeling in calm and friendly waters. I wouldn’t repeat my trip to Ocean World, but I would recommend it if you have children and want an affordable excursion.

 

Next up: USVI and San Juan!

 

[ATTACH]429365[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following along, as I will be sailing this ship, along with 25+ family members, to celebrate our 50th Anniversary in April 2020. I did want to tell you that although I have yet to sample the room service chocolate cake, I have a great recipe for you that I use. Google “Ina Garten” (Barefoot Contessa) and request “Betty’s Chocolate Cake”, a big favorite for our family gatherings.

 

 

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[RebelAthena]

Tuesday was spent in the USVI, and it was so beautiful pulling into port! Unlike DR, it felt like we had docked right in the middle of things. I cannot strongly enough emphasize that we were so, so fortunate to have amazing weather throughout the entire trip! Our interest in this sailing was to get some sun and beach time, so we booked the Magens Bay Beach Trip; while there were Magens Bay excursions with shopping and the tram ride, we had two kids (and an adult with a fear of heights), so the simple beach trip with a stop at Drake’s Seat was plenty for us. The open-air bus was spacious and comfortable (I’m plus-size and over 6-foot tall), and I felt safe the entire time. The drive around the island gave us a flavor of the place (it was so odd to see American stores while driving on the opposite side of the road!). The view from Drake’s Seat was lovely, but it wasn’t my favorite. As you would expect at a tourist stop, there was a cadre of locals at the spot who would “help” you take pictures and offer their assistance in surveying the island (one even had a cow with sunglasses for pictures); these folks, working for tips, could be a bit aggressive and, though I was a bit overwhelmed with them, I am certain that they were harmless. I was a bit mystified when my sister-in-law mindlessly handed one local her phone for a family picture, seemingly unaware that, at best, this person would expect payment in return for his services, or, at worse, this person could just walk off with the phone (the phone was returned to me, and I took the picture). So, just be aware that you are going to be hassled at Drake’s seat if you visit. Now, Magens Bay Beach . . . that is another story entirely.

 

Our excursion included the minimal cost of the beach ticket and two hours on the beach. The beach was not particularly busy, and so we did not need to rent a chair or umbrella; we simply camped out at picnic table under a covered pavilion and played in the ocean (someone stayed with our stuff, though I think it would have been fine either way, there were guards and bus drivers everywhere). The beach and area was clean, and the area was magnificent; we were not hassled or bothered at all. The bar and quick-service food were a little pricey ($3 for a slice of pizza and $6 for nuggets), but we thought it was reasonable for a tourist place. After our two glorious hours (which was plenty for us), we were returned to the shops right out of the port, which provided an opportunity to pick up a souvenir or necessities (or buy cheap rum and have a quick drink!). NOTE HERE: There was kettle corn being popped right outside the ship; my mother, a connoisseur of popcorn, thought it was FANTASTIC. Its not cheap, but it was plentiful and tasty!

 

We left USVI at dusk, and the views of the harbor with the light on shore was just stunning!

 

San Juan up next!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RebelAthena]

Waiting to hear more about the fight among the group of 120+ pax during their "private" party.......

 

 

 

I didn’t hear about this!! OMG!

 

 

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[RebelAthena]

Thank you for posting your review.:)

 

 

 

Sailing on the Magic in January and we're on the Lido Deck.

 

 

 

Do you mind sharing, What was your cabin number?

 

 

 

Hi! I was in 8284, my parents were in 8263, and my Bro/SIL were 9263. We loved being mid-forward, close to the elevators (though it was a haul to get to 4Aft for dinner).

[RebelAthena]

Excited to finish reading your review and we sail soon! What cabin/deck were you guys on?

 

 

Hi! I was in 8284, my parents were in 8263, and my Bro/SIL were 9263. We loved being mid-forward, close to the elevators (though it was a haul to get to 4Aft for dinner).

[roxierox]

We are on this same itinerary end of October on the Breeze. We have booked Ocean World also and I was wondering if there is food available for purchase there. I have read conflicting answers and so I am hoping you can help. Loving your review btw!

[RebelAthena]

We are on this same itinerary end of October on the Breeze. We have booked Ocean World also and I was wondering if there is food available for purchase there. I have read conflicting answers and so I am hoping you can help. Loving your review btw!

 

 

 

Hi! I’m sorry that I can’t help you with this. There was a snack/drink hut (and what looked like a small place to eat), but I can’t say for sure. There is, however, a little store and a gift a shop, both of which sell snacks and drinks.

 

 

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[ricew001]

RebelAthena, I LOVE your writing style! I was afraid that I'd have to say no to following you after I saw you don't like chocolate melting cake. :oWHAT IN THE WORLD?!!! :confused:But you redeemed yourself when you said you had a bleeding heart for animals. So do I! When we did a similar itinerary to this, I said no the dolphin swim after doing a little research. Anyhow, all kidding aside, :')great review! Looking forward to the rest of it!