“MAGICA” Truly Spells “MAGIC” In Italian

[NickAndysMom]

Andy, in addition to your entire review, thanks particularly for your description of what you did in San Juan. I am trying to figure out what will make the most sense for our family, since our dinner, like yours, will be the late seating. I'd thought about taking the San Juan City Tour, but I imagine that would mean we'd miss our late seating. Do you know if this is correct? Did you hear much about this excursion? I'm wondering if it's worth doing, or if we'd be happier just exploring on our own, as you did. (We typically don't go in for bus tours, but since our time is so limited there, we're considering this one.)

[rps2004]

New2: Kara ordered them at dinner as well. Everyone should have a signature drink. She had an absolute ball and thought the kids in the teen group were great. She told me Amber was a sweet kid.

 

Nick...: We had the early seating, so we chose to miss it and do San Juan. I suspect that you would miss the late seating, as well, if you toured the city, as opposed to just walking around Old San Juan. One of the few criticisms we had was that there were not a lot of eating options if you chose to get off the boat at 5 or 6 and see San Juan. Buffet wasn't open - only the grill with limited menu - but hey, we didnt starve.

 

We did not do the boat sponsored tour. We were just going to walk up to old San Juan's center - but a tour company was hawking tours as you came off the boat. $15 pp. They had a fleet of A/C buses waiting and we decided to try them. Was very nice. Toured the various city areas with narration, including a visit to the Capitol building, which is kept open late for tourists. You could then choose to be left off at the Old San Juan shopping center or ride back to the ship. The walk back is about ten minutes downhill - well lit - police everywhere, crowds of people and a very pleasant walk. There were seven of us and we negotiated one tour free.

 

You can also do better than the boat tour in St. Thomas. Both Godfrey and Sunny Liston offer the full day for $25 pp (compared to $46 off the boat). Includes pick up at ship and shuttle to shopping followed by tour of the Island and time at Sapphire Beach (very nice). We took Sunny and he and his wife were both delightful, fun and informative. Actualy met Godfrey at the beach - he and Sunny are apparently friends. Both get consistently great write ups on Cruise Critic and Sunny lived up to his reputation. We had a great day and were returned back to the ship safe, sound and on time. Both have websites which you can easily find by searching either name with St. Thomas.

 

Hard to let go of the cruise right now. Back to work tomorrow.

 

Richard

[hadleys9538]

Out of curiosity, did any of you hear anything about the bioluminescent tour in San Juan? I'm seriously considering it (although I'm not big on missing dinner.:D)

[llgator]

Andy,

Have you had any experience with Costa and upgrades? The price on our 3/19 Magica cruise has dropped significantly and my TA is looking in to it, but she says so far she's having no luck with Costa. Please let me know if you have any advice. Thanks a lot. Really enjoyed your review!!

[goosecruiser]

my wife and I were on the costa magica from 1/8 to 1/15 eastern carribean, i will try to address some of the issues noted here and include my own observations

 

had no problems with lines at all, we arrived at the port way too early from our flight so we had to wait and were hungry (found a food truck to buy a hot dog)..... not costas doing

 

the line to show papers and embark was similar to the other 3 cruises id been on, line flowed smooth and wait was not bad

 

as for registering your credit card to your costa card, there were lines when you got on board to do this, but you did NOT have to register it immediately, the cards worked fine without registering them and we waited until wednesday night to give them our credit card, took 2 minutes at the service desk

 

we paid just under $400 total each for catergory 1 cabin, lowest level interior room, we were pleasantly suprised at the size of the cabin in comparison to what we experienced with norwegian and carnival on the same catergory, room was clean and the staff was great and room was well maintained while we were there, did not hear any noise and the room was comfortable (we always cruise on the lowest price catagory, we only sleep in our room and could care less about a window - we eat the same food as the people paying 5x as much and use the same ship - but each to their own)

 

drinks are expensive, with tip the cheapest alcoholic drink was around $5.50, i was drinking double stoli (which was their cheap vodka) and tonic, the base price of the drink was $6.50 and they only charged half price for the second shot (2.50) so with tip i was knocking back $10 drinks at night

 

we saved money by smuggling a case of those plastic miller light 16 oz beer bottles on board and a bottle of malibu rum, no problem with them in our luggage, we kept them out in view in the room and had no problem and drank them openly on the deck with no problem

 

we also carried in full view another 6 pack of redstripe beer off st. thomas and another bottle of vodka in our bag with no problem, boarded the boat, said nothing, and walked to our room

 

but enough about our alcoholic tendancies.....

 

san juan was the first stop, night stop, pretty much a waste of time, only the tourist trap shops were open and restaurants, we hit senor frogs for dinner and drinks then sat out by the water and just enjoyed the night, we had been to san juan before and it was the same with the late stop, so we knew what to expect

 

st. thomas was beautiful, it was our 3rd time in st. thomas, we went to megans bay beach and spent the day there, soaking the sun

 

the private catalina island was beautiful, nice weather and nice beach, again we sat on the beach, swam, and soaked up the sun

 

the next stop was the worst, la romana, night stop, only about 4-5 hours to do anything, we got off the boat and there was only a building with a shuttle service offering $6 per person cab rides to la marina and another place, we should have known by the people already coming back that it was a mistake, the ride to la marina was about 10 minutes, they told us to get off the bus and either go into la marina or wait for another bus to take us to the next stop, we went in to la marina and most everything was closed, expensive few shops and restaurants open, we took the next bus back to the ship

 

i would not bother with la romana stop, it was a waste of time and i recommended to costa they remove it from the itenerary

 

nassau was canceled due to very high winds (60mph plus) but the boat was comfortable with some rocking but not bad

 

pools and hot tubs were great

 

food at the buffet and sit down dinners were average, nothing outstanding but nothing bad, acceptable and sometimes on the good side

 

big pig me had three lobster tails and they were awesome. they also have a steak you can order off the menu and i did that a couple time and it was good too (order a step down from what you usually order (med rare vs med as they tend to overcook it a bit)

 

wait staff was great, we requested a table change due to the location right next to the kitchen and the next day they had us and our entire table of 8 at a new table in a better location, very attentive

 

dont know how the bartenders remember names so well, they had my name and were almost at the ready with my drink when i pulled up, and i didnt even recognize them..... great personal touch......

didnt see any shows, not our cup of tea....

 

balance on account was always available via the TV in our room

 

it would be nice if they put a sports type bar or at least a lounge with a couple big screen tv's, wouldve been nice to watch the NFL playoffs with some other sports nuts, we got lucky the day nassau was canceled and it was really windy, we were hung over and they had the redwings vs. the rangers on tv which we watched in our room (speaking of red wings - former coaching legend scotty bowman was on the ship, got a picture, im a big fan)

 

disembarkation was smooth, we were last to get off (brown tag), the flyer the night before said it would be around 10am when we got off the ship, i slept in until 9:30 and was not bothered, got up, showered, showed up in the theatre and waited 10 minutes before smoothly walking off the boat

 

if you have any questions feel free to ask me, i will do my best to answer....

[med510]

Thank you for your review. We just booked on the Costa Atlantica. It is so nice that you have given so much effort to help the rest of us! We appreciate you.

[Cruise4Andy]

Thanks folks! I am glad that everybody had a great time...

 

rps:

My daughter - Madison - also loved the teen group and was definately one of the "Shirley Temple" girls... She loved that drink and ordered it whenever we went to the theatre or hung out in one of the lounges...

 

I guess quite a few girls are being remembered by the drinks... LOL ;-)

 

new2:

Welcome back! Great to see you as well back here on the board! I hope you had a wonderful time as well!

 

IIgator:

Last year on the Mediterranea we got upgraded by one category. We booked in a Suite (S), but actually were upgraded to a Panorama Suite (PS), which was one category above the original booked one. This we knew however prior to our sailing, as our TA informed us with the good news about a week after our original booking. On the Atlantica we tried to get upgraded at the port, but the ship was full and I guess (as first timer) we were too late at the port...

 

med510:

Thanks... I try my best to help out... I certainly hope you'll enjoy your Atlantica experience... I am pretty sure you'll have a wonderful time! She is a beautiful ship as well and would sail on her anytime again!

 

familyof4crusing:

We did not book the Kandela Show in La Romana, but it was certainly still available on board. Some excursions though will sell out rather quickly, as some have only limited seatings available (e.g. bioluminescent tour). Once you arrive on board (if not booked ahead of time online), you may review your tour guide (found in your cabin upon arrival) and pick your tours. The Magica also offeres a self-booking kiosk on Deck 3 and Deck 5... so you don't have to stand in line to book your tour on the excursion desk... simply swipe your Costa card, select your desired tours on the touch sceen... and you're set!

 

NickAndysMom:

Another Andy on board??? LOL... We usually like the independence and love to explore new things by ourself. We've been in San Juan last year on the Mediterranea, and visted the Fort "El Morro". If you have not seen it yet, it is definately worth a trip up the hill... great views and impressive structure (as long as you arrive on time and it is still daylight). Other than that we decided this time to just browse through Old Town and visit the many local open markets along the streets and plazas. It started raining, so it wasn't really a pleasure to walk around much anyway.

 

If you should decide for a city tour, there are plenty of small buses lines up, once you exit the terminal building. Several drivers are promoting a city tour (approx. 1 hour long) for a variety of prices... ours was quoted at $ 10 pp, but when we came back to the ship at around 8:15 PM, somebody was hollering $ 5 pp for a narrated city tour... if you want, you still have time after dinner to get off the ship again and do a tour... just be back before 12:30 AM! Otherwise you might be another "Mary Moore">... LOL

 

Andy

[Cruise4Andy]

As promised (and also requested by some members) I also wanted to share our wonderful dining experience with you. This was our selection on the MAGICA during our January 8 cruise...

 

NOTE:

I am - in no way - responsible for any hunger feelings, cravings or an extreme wave of appetite, this post may cause. But I still hope that you will truly enjoy your dinner selections... I am certainly ready to hit the dining room again! >>>>>>Where's the food????>>>>>

 

 

 

DAY 1

Featured Region: Lombardia

Main City: Milano

 

 

SUGGESTED REGIONAL MENU

 

Warm Italian Pizza Bites

 

Tortellini in doppio consommé di carne

Double Beef Consomme garnished with Tortellini

 

Gnocchi al gorgonzola

Gnocchi pasta with a creamy Gorgonzola sauce and spring onions

 

Scaloppa di vitello bruschettata alle olive Verdi

Breaded Veal Schnitzel with brunoise of fresh Tomato and Green Olives

 

Mousse al mascarpone con salsa ai mirtilli

Mascarpone Mousse with Blueberry Coulis

 

 

Alternative Menu (NOT regional to the region of Lombardia)

 

APPETIZERS

Fruit Delight with refreshing Chervil Dressing

 

Octopus Carpaccio, Bay Scallops and Baby Shrimp

Dressed with extra virgin olive oil and lemon

 

 

SOUPS

Cream of Broccoli

 

Chilled Melon and Mint

 

 

SALADS

Romaine and Bibb Lettuce

tossed with Daikon and Bell Peppers

 

Ripened Plum Tomatoes with Italian Parsley

Black Olives and Scallions

 

 

PASTA DISHES

Bavette con gamberetti, zucchini e pomodorini

Bavette with Baby Shrimp, Cherry Tomatoes and Zucchini

 

 

ENTREES

Fillet of Tilapia raised in the crystal clear waters of Idaho

Pan Seared and offered with Chive and Fresh Vegetables

 

Tender Oven Baked Cornish Hen

coated with Mustard and Herb Crusted, slowly roasted until crisp and golden,

served with a smooth rich gravy

 

Roast Sirloin of Grain Fed Beef

Carefully seasoned and served to your preference, presented with a Perigordine Sauce

 

 

VEGETARIAN

Bell Peppers Stuffed with Savoury Rice

on a bed of Herbed Vegetable Julienne

 

 

DESSERT

Pear Tart served with a Vanilla Almond Sauce

 

Millefuille Napoleon

 

No Sugar Added Baked Apple Crumble

 

Chocolate, Rum Raisin or Vanilla Ice Cream

 

Refreshing Pineapple or Lemon Sherbert

 

 

 

DAY 2

 

WELCOME GALA DINNER

 

 

Carpaccio con olive nere e scaglie die parmigiano

Beef Carpaccio with Black Olive Tapenade and Shaved Parmesan

 

Escargots a la Bourguignonne

 

Caribbean Fresh Fruit Cocktail

 

*****

 

Crema di Funghi

Cream of Forrest Mushrooms

 

Zuppa di cipolle alla francese

French Onion Soup

 

Gazpacho

 

*****

 

Risotto mantecato con cozze e carciofi

Risotto with Mussels and Artichokes

 

Penne all’ arrabbiata

Penne Pasta with Tomatoes and Chilli

 

*****

 

Gamberoni dell’ Atlantico

Atlantic Shrimp sautéed and served with a delicate combination

of Garlic, Tomato, Onions and Peppers

 

Anatra all’ arancia

Crisp roasted Duckling complemented

by the traditional Orange Sauce with Berny Potatoes

 

Costoletta di maiale

Partly flattened pork cutlet brushed with Soy Sauce, Demerara Suar,

Ginger and Lemon Juice, accompanied by Rum Spiced Butter

 

Filetto die manzo Wellington

Center Cut Beef Tenderloin enhanced with Rich Mushroom Duxelles,

then wrapped with lightly smoked ham and puff pastry and backed golden brown

 

Misto di verdure allo stile del Madagascar

Assorted Sauteed Vegetables enhanced with Pineapple and Mango

in a lightly curried Green Peppercorn Sauce

 

*****

 

Insalata

Mixed salad with spinach, Bacon Bits, Chopped Hard-Boiled Eggs and Croutons

 

DAY 3

Featured Region: Piemonte

Main City: Torino

 

 

SUGGESTED REGIONAL MENU

 

Vitello Tomato allo Torinese

Thinly sliced veal with tuna sauce

 

Crema di asparagi

Cream of Asparagus Soup with Shellfish Quenelles

 

Fusilli al ragu d’agnello con verdure

Fusilli with Lamb Ragout and Vegetable Brunoise

 

Sirloin Steak

with porcini mushroom sauce

 

Torta alle nocciole

Hazelnut Cake

 

 

Alternative Menu (NOT regional to the region of Lombardia)

 

APPETIZERS

Smoked Salmon with Capers and Lemon

 

Terrine di gorgonzola

Terrine of gorgonzola cheese

 

 

SOUPS

Clear Oxtail Soup with Sherry

 

Chilled Avacado Soup

 

 

SALADS

Seasonal Tender Leaves tossed with Belgium Endive and Radicchio

 

Garden Fresh sliced Heart of Lettuce and Tomato

 

 

PASTA DISHES

Linguini allo scaglio

Linguine Pasta with Seafood and a touch of Fresh Diced Plum Tomato

 

 

ENTREES

Fillet of Grouper

lightly seasoned then broiled and offered with Lemon, Caper, Tomato and Parsley

 

Pollo alla cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore Style served with Mousseline potatoes

 

Scaloppa di vitello allo Parmigiana

Pan-Seared Veal, topped with Prosciutto Coot, Mozzarella cheese and Tomato Sauce

presented with a fresh Medley of Vegetables

 

 

VEGETARIAN

Vegetable Tempura

Vegetable Tempura an assortment of fresh vegetables dipped in a light batter dough

then deep fried and served with sweet and sour sauce

 

 

DESSERT

Mousse al cioccolato

 

Fruit Tart with Red Berry Sauce

 

No sugar added raspberry mousse

 

Chocolate, Strawberry or Vanilla Ice Cream

 

Watermelon or Peach Sherbert

 

 

DAY 4

Featured Region: Sicilia

Main City: Palermo

 

 

SUGGESTED REGIONAL MENU

 

Frittelle di baccala con salsa aioli

Fried salt cod fritters with Aioli Sauce

 

Creamy Clam Chowder

 

Penne alla norma con provolone affumicato

Penne with Tomato, Eggplant and smoked Provolone

 

Pesce spada alla palermintana

Grilled Swordfish, lightly dusted with Herbed White Bread Crumbs

enhanced with Lemon Olive Nage

 

 

Alternative Menu (NOT regional to the region of Lombardia)

 

APPETIZERS

Light Duck Mousse with Blueberry Compote and Orange

 

Bruschetta die fagioli bianchi

Warm white beans bruschetta

 

 

SOUPS

Petite Marmite Henry IV

 

Crema fredda d’aglio

Chilled garlic soup with croutons

 

 

SALADS

Tossed Green Leaf Lettuce and Radicchio Lettuce

with Radish, Cucumber, Bacon and Herbed Croutons

 

Sliced Tomato and Baked Onion

flavored with Balsamic Vinaigrette

 

 

PASTA DISHES

Spaghetti all’aglio, olio e peperoncino

Spghetti with Garlic, olive oil and a trace of Chili Pepper

 

 

ENTREES

Roast Turkey

A Native American tasty treat with the traditional trimmings,

Cranberry Dressing, Giblet Gravy, Candied Sweet Potatoes and Corn

 

Oven Baked Pork Loin

Stuffed with a mixture of sun-dried tomatoes and herbs,

presented with delicate natural juices flavored with Calvados

 

Juicy Grilled Sirloin Steak

served with a complement of Fresh Vegetables and a mild Anchovy Butter

 

 

VEGETARIAN

Vegetable Strudel

filled with Grilled Vegetables, Tofu, textured vegetable protein and potato,

wrapped in Spinach and Puff Pastry, served with a red Bell Pepper Coulis

 

 

DESSERT

Cannoli alla siciliana

Flaky Pasty filled with Ricotta and Candied Peel

 

Torta di gianduia trancio

 

White Chocolate Mousse

with Raspberry Sauce and sliced almonds

 

No sugar added Swan Puff with Strawberry Coulis

 

Banana, Coconut or Vanilla Ice Cream

 

Refreshing Orange or Pineapple Sherbert

 

 

DAY 5

Featured Region: Lazio

Main City: Roma

 

 

SUGGESTED REGIONAL MENU

 

Calamari Fritti con purea di pomodori secchi piccanti

Fried Calamari with Spicy Sun Dried Tomato Dressing

 

Consomme Stracciatella

Chicken Consomme with Shredded Egg

 

Bucatini all’amatriciana

Bucatini with Onion, Bacon, Chilli and Tomato

 

Carre d’agnello in crosta di erbe con salsa dolce all’aglio

Roast Rack of Lamb with Herbed Crust and Sweet Garlic Sauce

 

Zuppa Inglese

 

 

Alternative Menu (NOT regional to the region of Lombardia)

 

APPETIZERS

Tuscan Style Canapes

 

Bresaola Air Cured Beef

with Tomato, Lettuce and Parmesan Cheese

 

 

SOUPS

Brown Lentil and Spinach

 

Chilled Cream of Strawberry

 

 

SALADS

Tossed Crisp Greens, Red Leaf Lettuce

topped with shoestring potatoes and fried onions

 

Iceberg Lettuce with Ripe Tomatoes

Hard-Boiled Eggs and Olives

 

 

PASTA DISHES

Rigatoni al ragu di carne e zucca

Rigatoni with a Meat Ragout Sauteed with Pumkin

 

 

ENTREES

Baked Link Cod

topped with Tomato, Capers and Black Olives

 

Ossabuco alla Milanese con Gremolata

A traditional Italian dish of Veal Shanks cooked in an aromatic Tomato Sauce,

with Orange Zest served with saffron rice

 

Fillet Mignon grilled to your preference

offered with a green peppercorn sauce

 

 

VEGETARIAN

Vegetable Lasagne

Traditional Pasta garnished with a layer of Ricotta Cheese, Tomato and Fresh Vegetables

 

 

DESSERT

Tiramisu

 

Meringata all’italiana

 

No sugar added Apple Strudel

 

Chocolate Chips, Coffe or Vanilla Ice Cream

 

No Sugar Added Ice Cream

 

Refreshing Raspberry or Pineapple Sherbert

 

 

DAY 6

 

FAREWELL GALA DINNER

 

 

Cocktail di gamberi

Shrimp cocktail

 

Prosciutto di Parma con perle di melone

Prosciutto Ham with Melon pearls

 

*****

 

Crema di pomodoro rustica

Rustic Tomato Soup

 

Consomme die anatra

Duck Consomme Beijing

 

Crema fredda di albicoche al miele

Chilled Apricot and Honey Cream

 

*****

 

Risotto royale con polpa di granchio e champagne

Risotto Royal with Crab Meat and Champagne

 

Tagliolini alla Bolognese con funghi porcini

Tagliolini with a Bolognese Sauce and Porcini Mushrooms

 

*****

 

Filetto di dentice

Broiled filet of Red Snapper placed on a Bed of Julienne of Yellow Squash,

Zucchini and Sauteed Tomatoes with Lemon, Garlic and Parsley

 

Quaglie farcite servite con salsa al Lambrusco

Roasted Tender Quails partially boned and stuffed with a Savory Country Filling,

served with a Lambrusco Wine Sauce

 

Coda die aragosta al forno

Broiled Caribbean Lobster Tail

flavored with a delicate Tarragon Sauce and Shallot Butter

 

Costata di manzo

Prime Rib of Beef presented with baked Idaho Potato, Natural Juices

and Creamy Horseradish Sauce

 

Polenta con vegetali all’aglio

Polenta with garlicky greens, spinach leafs, onions and sliced mushrooms

 

*****

 

Insalata Elegante

Tossed Crunchy Romaine Lettuce, Radicchio with Cesar Dressing and Cherry Tomatoes

 

Insalata del giorno

Crisp Heart of Lettuce with Cucumber, Red Bell Peppers, Italian Parsley

and shaved Parmesan

 

 

DAY 7

Featured Region: Campania

Main City: Napoli

 

 

SUGGESTED REGIONAL MENU

 

Caprese

Tomato and Mozzarella

 

Doppio brood di pollo con verdurine julienne e erba cipollina

Double Chicken Consomme with chives and Vegetables Julienne

 

Agnolotti al ragu di vitello

with Veal Ragout and Double Cream sauce

 

King Clip in acqua pazza

Prepared in a traditional way, King Clip in a light tomato and wine sauce,

served with Garlic Crostini

 

Baba al rum

Rhum Baba

 

 

Alternative Menu (NOT regional to the region of Lombardia)

 

APPETIZERS

Bruschetta all’Italiana

Italian Style Bruschetta

 

Carpaccio di tonno

Finely sliced tuna with fresh bouquet of spicy Chinese Relish

 

 

SOUPS

Minestrone scented with Basil

 

Chilled Vichyssoise

 

 

SALADS

Seasonal Tender Leaves

tossed with Cucumber, Carrot, Bell Peppers and Radishes

 

Hearts of Palm and Sliced Tomato

on a bed of Crisp Lettuce

 

 

PASTA DISHES

Rigatoni with Tomato Sauce, Black Olives and Capers

 

 

ENTREES

Chicken alla diavola

Grilled Chicken with Devilled Sauce

 

Pork Piccata in Marsala Sauce

accompanied by a selection of Fresh Garden Vegetables

 

Beef Medallions

with grilled Eggplant, Mushrooms and a Roasted Garlic and Thyme Sauce

 

 

VEGETARIAN

Veggie Pizza Margharita

Made with fresh Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella and Basil

 

 

DESSERT

Tarta Foresta Nera

Black Forest Cake

 

Baba al rum

Rhum Baba

 

Chocolate Mille-Feuilles with fruit sauce

 

No Sugar added Poached Pear in Red Wine

 

Pistachio, Coffee or Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

 

No Sugar Added Ice Cream

 

Refreshing Lime or Pineapple Sherbert

 

 

 

There you go… now you got a good overview of the delicious specialties, the Costa Magica chefs served us during our cruise… Again, thanks to all members of the kitchen staff and chefs, which created those culinary masterpieces!!! Job well done! Keep it up like that!

 

 

 

BON APETIT!

 

 

Andy

[Snowblind]

I had to loosen my belt just reading the menu!!:D

 

Thanks again Andy, above and beyond the call of duty.

 

 

Happy Cruising:)

[mtl kid]

Andy, like the menu on the Costa Victoria, Med and Atlantica....Magnifico! I quess I'll have to book the gym quite a few times to keep my pants from busting open. I hope I will not have anyone ordering gourmet hotdogs in the dinning room this time because they could not find anything they liked on the nightly menu.

TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!:p

[Cruise4Andy]

mtl & snowblind:

Just wear your TOGA all week long! No belts there!!! LOL

 

(Just watch the windy days on the open deck!) ;-)

 

 

Andy

[familyof4cruising]

Thanks Andy!

[hadleys9538]

Thanks, Andy! The menu sounds even better than when we were on the Atlantica a couple of years ago.

[New2cruzng]

Wanted to note, the drink of the day - in the TODAY newsletter was 5$, you can order an extra large of that drink for only .75 more in the lounges.

They were drinks like, pina coladas, margarita, can't remember them all, some days were reg. mixed drinks...

You can get the virgin of the drinks with the soda cards and order a shot of the alcohol, mix it yourself, lol. They might do it for ya, i just never thought of it before now!

 

You have to HAVE to go on the tour with Godfrey of St.Thomas. I was referred to him on this board and will return the favor by referring others, he is amazing, and will give you a lot of history as well as sightseeing.

 

Godfrey Renal [godfrey@godfreytoursvi.com] (email address) he charged us 20$ a person ahead of time, was charging $25 at port for the 4 spots he had open. Drops you off for shopping and then a 2 hour tour of the island. HE will even drop you for a couple of hours at one of the 3 beaches and then pick you up to take you back to the ship.

 

Dont miss it! Be prepared for a wild ride though, he knows how to get around those curves!!!

[Cruise4Andy]

new2:

Good thing you brought that up... I think it was also posted in the "What Costa does not tell you" thread... but thank you very much for bringing that up again...

 

Yes, if you order the drink of the day, always ask to XXL size it! Only costs you $ 5.50 vs. $ 5.00 for the regular version... definately a better value.

 

Drinks included Pina Colada, Melon Ball, Margarita, Planters Punch, etc.

 

 

Andy

[Elaine515]

........

 

Andy,

 

Thanks so much for finally providing a great and detailed review of the Magica. We are currently deciding between her and Carnival and your review is making me sway towards Costa. (that and, of course, the price!!!)

 

Can you and the others on this thread who had teenagers cruising with them, provide me with more details about what exactly the teenagers did, i.e, is there a separate room just for the teens, what did they do after 10/11 at night etc. I have a 15 year old daughter that I am very concerned about.

 

Whatever info you can provide me would help lots..........

 

Elaine :)

[Cruise4Andy]

Elaine...

Our teens (Madison/girl and Morgan/boy - both 14) both enjoyed their cruise to the fullest. Our daughter though is the social butterfly, so she quickly made new friends with who she hung out with at the teen zone or even on Catalina Island on the beach.

 

Usually they would go their own way after we were finished with dinner (we had late seating), so most of the time we were done by about 10:45. They usually met up at the teen zone, which offered all kinds of entertainment, such as fussball table games, teen zone disco, etc. She had a blast and made lots of new friends!

 

I'll ask her tonight for more details... if she shares them with me... LOL ;-)

 

Andy

[New2cruzng]

At 11pm, dancing, dancing, and more dancing, oh did i mention dancing.....

My 13 yr old had a blast, avg age i would say was 15 in the teen zone

[Cruise4Andy]

New2:

Yes... if you were looking for them, you knew where to find them... Dancing! LOL

 

BTW:

They also received several invitations to like Teen Evening, such as a teen BBQ, a teen aperitif and a pizza party... my guess... they must have loved it!

 

Andy

[familyof4cruising]

Were the teens in the disco til 1:00 Am mixing with the adults? Usually they are told to be out by 11:00.

[Cruise4Andy]

Watch out for Italian Night... If you really want to sing along... well, here's one restaurant favorite:

 

 

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie

That's amore

When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine

That's amore

Bells will ring ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling

And you'll sing "Vita Bella"

Hearts will play tippy-tippy-tay, tippy-tippy-tay

Like a gay tarantella

 

 

 

When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fagiole

That's amore

When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet

You're in love

When you walk in a dream but you know you're not

Dreaming signore

Scuzza me, but you see, back in old Napoli

That's amore

 

 

 

When the moon hits you eye like a big pizza pie

That's amore

(That's amore)

When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine

That's amore

(That's amore)

Bells will ring ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling

And you'll sing "Vita bella"

Hearts will play tippy-tippy-tay, tippy-tippy-tay

Like a gay tarantella

(Lucky fella)

 

 

 

When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fagiole

That's amore

When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet

You're in love

When you walk in a dream but you know you're not

Dreaming signore

Scuzza me, but you see, back in old Napoli

That's amore

(Amore)

That's amore

 

 

Have fun.... singing and dancing along with your waiter(s)!

 

Andy

[rps2004]

Family of 4...: Teens didn't get the disco until 10:30-11. Younger kids had programs in there earlier. Adults mingled in, but Teen Zone Directors - Marco and Alex (girl) - were there with the teens throughout.

 

My granddaughter had a midnight curfew, but others stayed later. I believe Alex and Marco stayed with them until the last teen left, but not sure. They were always there when Kara left.

 

As Andy mentioned, the teens had lots of special events throughout the cruise in addition to the disco - pizza parties, barbecues, volleyball, basketball and foosball tournaments, italian lessons, etc. Most importantly, they made friends and had people to hang with even when there were no planned activities. I was very happy with the kids I saw my granddaughter in the company of - including Andy's daughter Madison. And I did not see any drunken teens on this cruise. One other little positive: You could see into most of the disco (deck 4) and all of the dance floor from the glass walls in the casino on deck 5. So - easy to check on the teens if you accidentally looked down into the disco from the casino.

 

Andy: Tell Madison Kara says Hi!!!!

 

Richard

[Yeldarb]

This sounds like an incredible thing to see. Wondering if anyone out there participated or talked to anyone who took this shore excursion. It's pricey so I'd like to get a little validation before going on it.

 

Ps- Family of 4, We also are a family of 4 headed out on Magica April 2nd. My girls are 11? Your kids?

[NickAndysMom]

Andy,

 

Thanks so much for your helpful hints about San Juan. If all goes well, sounds like we MIGHT be able to squeeze in a city tour before our late seating. We will definitely NOT book the tour through the ship. May end up just exploring on our own, since we tend to like that better anyway.

 

I also loved hearing about the XXL drink of the day. We will take advantage of this option for sure!

 

-Nick & Andy's Mom

[veromom]

Andy you really made my evening! Your detailed post including the menu was awesome. Thanks so much! Anyhow you make me want to upgrade, I have a balcony but not sure I will be happy after reading your Suite review, and sweet it was! ;)