Magic Review 7/14/19

[BNBR]

3 minutes ago, TNcruising02 said:

We may have been on the same cruise.  However, my husband and I had a great time and didn't think there were huge numbers of trashy passengers.  Maybe it's all a matter of perspective or just where we hung out on the ship, but we met some very nice people and enjoyed the cruise.  I didn't see any fights, hear anybody screaming, or notice any really bad behavior.  I just didn't notice anything different from any other cruise I've been on regarding the behavior of the passengers.  There were more young people because it was a summer cruise.

Summer cruises are a bit different though.  The adult comedy shows were very crowded, but we did like it that they didn't clear out the room for the next show.  It was nice to not have to line up again.  The comedians weren't the greatest.  The lady comedian wasn't very funny at all.  Usually, we have had better luck with comedians on Carnival cruises.  Our first Carnival cruise on the Magic we had Cowboy Bob, or something like that, and he was hilarious.  I guess it's the luck of the draw, but I do like the number of comedians that Carnival has on each cruise.

 

We were on June 22nd.  The ship was undeniably trashy compared to pretty much every other ship and sailing we have done.  It just felt very "trailer park" type crowd. This is what comes with the cheapest sailings during summer and is to be expected I think. 

 

The lady comedian should have been set adrift. She had no business being on stage.  We NEVER walk out on comedy shows and we left after 10 minutes twice on this cruise. The first comedian we saw was great. The lady and another guy were horrible. Piano bar was outstanding! 

 

Overall we had a plenty nice cruise, went great, but the passengers weren't my cup of tea along with simply preferring nicer ships. We gave it a shot. It was fine overall. But won't be back during this time of year on Carnival. I'd also like to see if Carnivals new LNG ships are an upgrade, as their current ships just aren't up to par compared to the competition. You get what you pay for and there is a reason Magic was 1 day longer and 35% cheaper than Oasis class this year. 

[grandmarnnurse]

On 7/22/2019 at 7:51 PM, Amadawn1 said:

I understand tbndx.  It's just that Carnival gets a bad rap in my opinion, when it shouldn't.  We've been on several different cruise lines and I've found that Carnival staff is top of the line, and the cruisers have been friendly, unpretentious and a whole lot of fun. I'd say give Carnival another chance.  Sailing Carnival out of Galveston is fantastic.  I've never met so many friendly people in one place.

We had sailed 5 Carnival cruises before branching out and trying both RCCL and NCL for a couple cruises on each. Our opinion? We will stick with Carnival. Their staff is WAY MORE FRIENDLY than those other two lines. RCCL is the worse. And there were far more drunk and obnoxious people on my NCL cruises because of the free unlimited drink package. And because the drinks were free, there were NO ROAMING WAITERS. You had to wait in a roped off line to get to the bar for a drink. Not very cool! We returned to Carnival this past year, and immediately booked 3 more cruises with them, the Magic being one. I have no doubts we will have a wonderful time on the Magic, celebrating our 50th Anniversary. And we are far from low class. My hubby and I are both retired professionals. 

[TNcruising02]

1 minute ago, BNBR said:

 

We were on June 22nd.  The ship was undeniably trashy compared to pretty much every other ship and sailing we have done.  It just felt very "trailer park" type crowd. This is what comes with the cheapest sailings during summer and is to be expected I think. 

 

The lady comedian should have been set adrift. She had no business being on stage.  We NEVER walk out on comedy shows and we left after 10 minutes twice on this cruise. The first comedian we saw was great. The lady and another guy were horrible. Piano bar was outstanding! 

 

Overall we had a plenty nice cruise, went great, but the passengers weren't my cup of tea along with simply preferring nicer ships. We gave it a shot. It was fine overall. But won't be back during this time of year on Carnival. I'd also like to see if Carnivals new LNG ships are an upgrade, as their current ships just aren't up to par compared to the competition. You get what you pay for and there is a reason Magic was 1 day longer and 35% cheaper than Oasis class this year. 

Yes, that was our cruise too.  I have cruised during all seasons and summer does bring a more energetic and younger crowd.  There is a different vibe to summer cruises.  I prefer cruising when schools are in session.  Those cruises are a bit more laid back.  Overall, we really liked our cruise.  I know some people love the larger ships and all they offer and can see the appeal. 

We cruised out of Baltimore in September of last year and the crowd was very laid back, so the time of year makes a different. My husband and I pretty much go with the flow.  As long as someone isn't impacting us directly, we really don't pay much attention.  I just saw people having fun.

We tried the Vista and didn't care for the ship at all.  The theater was poorly designed and it was so crowded, even though we cruised in January (last year).  However, I know there are people that really like all of the extra things that a large ship provides.  Different strokes for different folks.  Ships being up to par really depends on what you are looking for in a cruise.  Some people love the fancy stuff and some people are fine with simple stuff.
 

[TEXSUN46]

I just have not experienced any noticeably bad passengers on any cruises, but we only cruise in the months of January or February, or September and October. Before we ever went on first cruise it was assumed that you would find a different crowd in the summer than you would at times that are not traditional vacation months. I would suspect that you will see lot more first time cruisers in summer months, and would change the dynamic of how you perceive the crowd too.

[Palmetto Pilot]

On 7/22/2019 at 7:10 PM, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

I was thinking the exact same thing when I read his post concerning this issue. He also believes he is better than other people with his comment about the low class of people who cruise on Carnival. I am glad I won’t have to worry about running into him on a Carnival ship in the future, especially since I can afford to cruise way more than the two cruises he can afford per year, despite my low class as a frequent Carnival cruiser. 

That's not what he said at all. He said this cruise there were apparently some bad apples. 

[PhillyFan33579]

20 minutes ago, Palmetto Pilot said:

That's not what he said at all. He said this cruise there were apparently some bad apples. 

 

You need to read his original post again. He said he expects to see all classes on Carnival and this cruise was particular low, which implies every cruise is low class to some degree in his view. Personally I would rather associate with the literally hundreds of “low class” people I have met on 30 Carnival cruises than someone with a pompous, I am better than you, attitude like the OP. 

[DGP1111]

On 7/22/2019 at 6:02 PM, tbndx said:

. . . .

 

We left the hotel around noon and were on the ship within about 30 minutes. Smooth embarkation. We are not the type to be the first people on board the ship and I think this helps as we have not waited in lines for the last several cruises. 

 

. . . .

 

Thanks, tbndx, for posting your experience on this ship.  Glad to read you had multiple very enjoyable elements of your cruise vacation week to buffer some of the challenges.

 

My upcoming sailing is the same ship and port stops (re-arranged order), and my first out of Port Everglades in MANY years.  Swore I'd never attempt that again, but now I find myself being a liar. 😀

 

 

 

On 7/22/2019 at 7:10 PM, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

 . . . He also believes he is better than other people with his comment about the low class of people who cruise on Carnival. I am glad I won’t have to worry about running into him on a Carnival ship in the future, especially since I can afford to cruise way more than the two cruises he can afford per year, despite my low class as a frequent Carnival cruiser. 

 

2 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

You need to read his original post again. He said he expects to see all classes on Carnival and this cruise was particular low, which implies every cruise is low class to some degree in his view. Personally I would rather associate with the literally hundreds of “low class” people I have met on 30 Carnival cruises than someone with a pompous, I am better than you, attitude like the OP. 

I don't see where the original post was edited later, so I have to assume it wasn't.  I didn't get the same vibe that you did, and I'm glad I didn't.

 

[BNBR]

13 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

You need to read his original post again. He said he expects to see all classes on Carnival and this cruise was particular low, which implies every cruise is low class to some degree in his view. Personally I would rather associate with the literally hundreds of “low class” people I have met on 30 Carnival cruises than someone with a pompous, I am better than you, attitude like the OP. 

 

Why does this upset you so much? There is a wide range of cruises that attract different crowds.  The class of people on Carnival is undeniably the lower class crowd and that actually may appeal to some people. For example, Celebrity is going to have a more classy crowd but it may come off as snobby and boring to some.  We have a house in a small town in Florida and also a house is a more upper class area in South Florida.  The people are incredibly different between the two, with the small town far more trashy. As in smoking next to their kids, lighting up cigs next to yours, dirty clothes, poor hygiene, etc.  It's just a night and day difference.

 

I think it's fair to be open about the types of crowds.  And Carnival was 100% more of the small town crowd compared to other sailings and lines I've been on. It was trashy, very trashy. It wasn't at all for our October Carnival sailing, so I'm confident it has to do with Carnival being by far the cheapest for summer sailings.  They draw in that crowd. I'd consider an off season Carnival cruise again. But definitely not summer. 

 

I've found Royal to be more in between on summer sailings.  They still have some trashy guests but less. To me, Royal felt in between Carnival and Celebrity. Which is a nice mix that works for me. 

 

But yeah, let's at least be objective and honest about the differences and not act offended or upset about it.

[PhillyFan33579]

16 minutes ago, BNBR said:

 

Why does this upset you so much? There is a wide range of cruises that attract different crowds.  The class of people on Carnival is undeniably the lower class crowd and that actually may appeal to some people. For example, Celebrity is going to have a more classy crowd but it may come off as snobby and boring to some.  We have a house in a small town in Florida and also a house is a more upper class area in South Florida.  The people are incredibly different between the two, with the small town far more trashy. As in smoking next to their kids, lighting up cigs next to yours, dirty clothes, poor hygiene, etc.  It's just a night and day difference.

 

I think it's fair to be open about the types of crowds.  And Carnival was 100% more of the small town crowd compared to other sailings and lines I've been on. It was trashy, very trashy. It wasn't at all for our October Carnival sailing, so I'm confident it has to do with Carnival being by far the cheapest for summer sailings.  They draw in that crowd. I'd consider an off season Carnival cruise again. But definitely not summer. 

 

I've found Royal to be more in between on summer sailings.  They still have some trashy guests but less. To me, Royal felt in between Carnival and Celebrity. Which is a nice mix that works for me. 

 

But yeah, let's at least be objective and honest about the differences and not act offended or upset about it.

 

You are making the same conclusion the OP is making, that lower class people (or small town people in your words) equates to trashy behavior.  Both of you are heavily implying low class equals trashy behavior, which I don’t agree with.  To state or imply that all low class people behave this way is not true. Some of the worst behavior I have seen on Carnival ships is during spring break with lots of obnoxious, drunk college students. These students are far from low class, but their behavior is as bad as anyone’s. However, I am not saying all college students behave this way.  Along those same lines, saying  more lower class people means more trashy behavior is not always true either. 

 

Maybe in person the OP is different, but in this thread he has come across with an I am better than you attitude.  I am well aware of the market Carnival focuses on. But once again, implying people who can only afford to cruise on Carnival are likely to engage in trashy behavior is offensive in my book.  And no., I am not taking this personally. My wife and I are both professionals with a combined income over $200K, so by the OP and your comments, I wouldn’t fall into the low class or small town category. 

[BNBR]

30 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

You are making the same conclusion the OP is making, that lower class people (or small town people in your words) equates to trashy behavior.  Both of you are heavily implying low class equals trashy behavior, which I don’t agree with.  To state or imply that all low class people behave this way is not true. Some of the worst behavior I have seen on Carnival ships is during spring break with lots of obnoxious, drunk college students. These students are far from low class, but their behavior is as bad as anyone’s. However, I am not saying all college students behave this way.  Along those same lines, saying  more lower class people means more trashy behavior is not always true either. 

 

Maybe in person the OP is different, but in this thread he has come across with an I am better than you attitude.  I am well aware of the market Carnival focuses on. But once again, implying people who can only afford to cruise on Carnival are likely to engage in trashy behavior is offensive in my book.  And no., I am not taking this personally. My wife and I are both professionals with a combined income over $200K, so by the OP and your comments, I wouldn’t fall into the low class or small town category. 

 

I'm not just talking about behavior. I'm talking "vibe."  The same reason Carnival has elegant nights, to set a certain tone and mood.  The ship had a very trashy vibe to it due to a lot of trashy guests.  Call it low class, trashy, it's irrelevant.  Rich trashy people, poor trashy people, doesn't matter.  It was trashy and had a trashy vibe.  Does that mean all the guests were trashy?  Of course not.  That seems to be what you are focusing on, though.  As if anyone here believes all poor people are trash.  That's ridiculous and offensive. There was just an overall far larger percentage of types of guests we don't particularly enjoy being around and everyone here knows the cheaper sailings draws in that crowd.

 

We had an overall nice cruise.  Just wouldn't do it again as we have plenty of other options that better fit us and we can afford to sail on the nicer ships with a bit more refined crowd.  Many people probably prefer the Carnival crowd, that's fine!  But was the behavior less than ideal in my opinion?  Yeah, I'd say that "inconsiderate" was at a higher level than I've seen on a cruise.  And just the vibe was not to our liking.  The way people dress and present themselves makes a difference to some people.  To others, not so much.

 

There is a difference in the types of people that sail the different lines and what price points and amenities attract different kinds of people.  Again, why can't we just be honest about it?  Obviously there are people who found the crowd on the Carnival Magic during THIS summer NOTICEABLY different that previous Carnival sailings.  It's just the way it is.

 

Re-read what OP said.  They have been on plenty of Carnival cruises and the class was noticeably low on THIS one.  And I shared that I had a similar experience on the same ship but not the same sailing.  Which certainly implies a changing demographic.  It most likely has to do with competition and pricing this year.  And the same way everyone warns people about the 4 day booze cruises, it's not offensive to also recognize that the low priced Magic summer cruises may not be the crowd everyone is in to all the same.

Edited July 27, 2019 by BNBR

[PhillyFan33579]

11 minutes ago, BNBR said:

 

I'm not just talking about behavior. I'm talking "vibe."  The same reason Carnival has elegant nights, to set a certain tone and mood.  The ship had a very trashy vibe to it due to a lot of trashy guests.  Call it low class, trashy, it's irrelevant.  Rich trashy people, poor trashy people, doesn't matter.  It was trashy and had a trashy vibe.  Does that mean all the guests were trashy?  Of course not.  That seems to be what you are focusing on, though.  As if anyone here believes all poor people are trash.  That's ridiculous and offensive. There was just an overall far larger percentage of types of guests we don't particularly enjoy being around and everyone here knows the cheaper sailings draws in that crowd.

 

We had an overall nice cruise.  Just wouldn't do it again as we have plenty of other options that better fit us and we can afford to sail on the nicer ships with a bit more refined crowd.  Many people probably prefer the Carnival crowd, that's fine!  But was the behavior less than ideal in my opinion?  Yeah, I'd say that "inconsiderate" was at a higher level than I've seen on a cruise.  And just the vibe was not to our liking.  The way people dress and present themselves makes a difference to some people.  To others, not so much.

 

There is a difference in the types of people that sail the different lines and what price points and amenities attract different kinds of people.  Again, why can't we just be honest about it?  Obviously there are people who found the crowd on the Carnival Magic during THIS summer NOTICEABLY different that previous Carnival sailings.  It's just the way it is.

 

Re-read what OP said.  They have been on plenty of Carnival cruises and the class was noticeably low on THIS one.  And I shared that I had a similar experience on the same ship but not the same sailing.  Which certainly implies a changing demographic.  It most likely has to do with competition and pricing this year.  And the same way everyone warns people about the 4 day booze cruises, it's not offensive to also recognize that the low priced Magic summer cruises may not be the crowd everyone is in to all the same.

 

Probably the one point we can agree on is Carnival is not the cruise line for the OP, and possibly you, based on the demographic Carnival focuses on these days.  I definitely understand your comment about the vibe of a cruise, and the vibe of a cruise on Carnival has definitely changed over the last several years. However, my wife and I continue to frequently cruise on Carnival because we always have fun on their cruises and we always meet great people, from blue cards who are doing a once in a lifetime cruise to Diamonds who do double digits cruises every year. 

[BNBR]

2 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

Probably the one point we can agree on is Carnival is not the cruise line for the OP, and possibly you, based on the demographic Carnival focuses on these days.  I definitely understand your comment about the vibe of a cruise, and the vibe of a cruise on Carnival has definitely changed over the last several years. However, my wife and I continue to frequently cruise on Carnival because we always have fun on their cruises and we always meet great people, from blue cards who are doing a once in a lifetime cruise to Diamonds who do double digits cruises every year. 

 

Agreed!  And I am not against Carnival, just pointing out that specifically, summer sailings with them are probably not for me. 

[TNcruising02]

I prefer sailing when kids are in school too.  I viewed the behavior as young people having a good time, not trashy behavior..  People come from different backgrounds and as long as they aren't being disruptive or interfering with my enjoyment, then I don't have any issues with them.  I've seen horrible behavior by people with little money and by very wealthy people.  People who think they are better than other people are ones I avoid, along with people who are rude or negative.

Summer sailings bring a more energetic vibe with young people.  I didn't personally witness any fights, yelling, screaming, or disruptive behavior.  In my career, I've worked with all types of people and try to treat everyone with kindness.  Although I can afford to sail on any cruise line in any cabin, fancy things aren't impressive.  The older I get, the less I am impressed by material things and the people who value them or the people who look down on others.  Give me a casual cruise surrounded by people who just want to relax and have a good time and I am happy.

[jimbob70]

We took a break by doing the Panama Canal cruise on the Island Princess in March.  With stops in Columbia and Costa Rica, we went to a couple of places we hadn't been before including the canal itself.  But back on the Magic this March as we are primarily Carnival people.  We're not super big partiers or anything like that, but we do like the laid back style.  The Island Princess was definitely a break, I think I've never seen so many motorized chairs in one place or a ship more deserted after about 9 PM.  Our bar waiters commented on the low amount of bar sales this time of year as compared to the summer Alaska season!

[Shaded Lady]

We cruised on the Magic about 5 years ago and really enjoyed the ship... we just cruised on the Vista last month... sort of. On every cruise I've been on, I've seen examples of bad behavior, and samples of really nice, decent people onboard. I think that each cruise's demographic can and will vary, even week to week, and it's tough to make sweeping assumptions about people regardless of what cruiseline, what port, what time of year people choose to cruise.

 

I'd personally like to try some of the other cruiselines, not because of the people, but because of the ship, the ports of call, the amenities they offer... for now, I'm chasing platinum on Carnival, but once that drops, I want to try some other lines. Of course, the fact that I expect to be living back in Florida by then really opens up our options- Galveston is our preferred port since we can easily drive to it, but when there are half a dozen ports within a 3-4 hour drive of home, the sky's the limit!