Magic Carpet?

[39august]

What exactly is the Magic Carpet on E class? Just a place to sit and see the ocean? Any activities? Bar? Food?

[BuckeyeMark]

Here you go ...

 

 

[Northern Aurora]

When raised it is a very pleasant outdoor bar.  But when lowered to deck 2 it is the tender platform.  Makes tendering much easier for anyone with mobility issues.

[PTC DAWG]

31 minutes ago, Northern Aurora said:

When raised it is a very pleasant outdoor bar.  But when lowered to deck 2 it is the tender platform.  Makes tendering much easier for anyone with mobility issues.

Well said…

[39august]

The video seems to indicate that only champagne is available at the MC bar. Is that true?

[HeddaGarbled]

No, it’s a normal bar with normal range of drinks. 

[HeddaGarbled]

Albeit served in plastic glasses because of the wind.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

4 minutes ago, HeddaGarbled said:

Albeit served in plastic glasses because of the wind.

 

Probably a function of it sometimes being an extension of the pool deck. Most bars around a pool I've encountered have plastic as you don't want glass up there.

[omahabob]

2 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

When raised it is a very pleasant outdoor bar.  But when lowered to deck 2 it is the tender platform.  Makes tendering much easier for anyone with mobility issues.

Do they load wheelchairs on the higher decks with the MC and then lower to deck 2, or do the wheelchairs still have to use the elevators to get down to deck 2?

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

2 minutes ago, omahabob said:

Do they load wheelchairs on the higher decks with the MC and then lower to deck 2, or do the wheelchairs still have to use the elevators to get down to deck 2?

You'd have to use the elevator to go down. They don't move the Magic Carpet with anyone on it for safety reasons.

[Northern Aurora]

@omahabob:  As already noted no one rides the Magic Carpet.  It also takes some time for the MC to move.  We were dining in Raw of 5 on the Edge when it was moved, and it moves very slowly indeed.  

[omahabob]

Thanks, guys.

[NutsAboutGolf]

You're welcome to bring food from the buffet (usually the same deck of 14).  Always found it very windy and note the "roof" is a grate exposing you to the rain or the sun.  I don't find the seating very comfortable as many of the seats have very deep seating meaning your back isn't touching the back of the chair.  The busiest times I see it are embarkation and when pulling into port many will be on against the glass on the Magic Carpet taking photos.  If you have a tender port you won't even realize how much easier it makes things until your next cruise with a tender port without the magic carpet

[screwsmcernst]

We had friends on The Edge last year, and they said that the Magic Carpet never moved from deck 14.  they did not lower it for tendering.  They were told there is an engineering problem with it.  Has anyone been on the Edge recently who can let me know if it is working?

[frteach]

I heard that it is lowered for tendering when the ship's tenders are being used (they are the lifeboats). If the port's own tenders are being used, there is regular entry. On our Iceland cruise on Apex, the carpet never left deck 14, and was only open on the embarkation day in Amsterdam. Very windy and too cool. 

[kokopelli-az]

For anyone interested in boarding a tender with a mobility device from the Magic Carpet, take a look here:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1em3fTLhrJk

 

[Northern Aurora]

20 hours ago, screwsmcernst said:

We had friends on The Edge last year, and they said that the Magic Carpet never moved from deck 14.  they did not lower it for tendering.  They were told there is an engineering problem with it.  Has anyone been on the Edge recently who can let me know if it is working?

 

We spent 40 nights on the Edge last fall.  The Magic Carpet was used at the tender ports, even when private tenders were used.  At Airlie Beach, Australia one of the private tenders hit the Magic Carpet and damaged it.  That was our last tender port and we were told by crew that it would be repaired in Sydney.

[ijscheer]

21 hours ago, frteach said:

I heard that it is lowered for tendering when the ship's tenders are being used (they are the lifeboats). If the port's own tenders are being used, there is regular entry. On our Iceland cruise on Apex, the carpet never left deck 14, and was only open on the embarkation day in Amsterdam. Very windy and too cool. 

For Grand Cayman, local tenders must be used, so the Magic Carpet is not used.  But the "Destination Gateway" area is very well organized and efficient.