4/2-4/9/06 Lengthy Costa Magica Review/Trip Memories.

[hadleys9538]

This is my review and memories of our spring break vacation and cruise aboard the Costa Magica. The trip included my and husband and myself, along with our 18-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter, along with our dear friends and their 7 and 10-year-old daughters. I apologize in advance if you’re bored to tears. I just wanted to relive our great week. You can see our pictures at http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=pvambgr.1xiugxs3&Uy=pnfod1&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

March 31, 2006

We took a direct flight on Northwest Airlines to Fort Lauderdale, and landed around 2:00 After renting a car from Enterprise (full size for only 90.00, including tax, for three days), we took off for our hotel, Courtyard Villa on the Ocean. This little European-style hotel is really great – only eight rooms and right on the beach at Lauderdale by the Sea (north end of Fort Lauderdale). It makes it feel like you are at your own private home on the ocean. Rooms were beautiful, with tiled floors, bamboo beds, and an island theme. They even included a kitchenette. Right outside our door was an open-air courtyard, complete with a fountain and a small swimming pool/jacuzzi. The beach was right outside the back door. At only 179/night (including breakfast), this was really a great deal, especially during spring break. We spent some time at the beach that evening, then had dinner at the Aruba Beach Café, Trip Advisor’s number one rated restaurant for the area. The restaurant also sits right on the beach, with great food and a great view. That evening there was a jazz festival in the street there as well, so we went to that. DD and I danced, while DH and DS bought a couple of cigars. After a dip in the pool/Jacuzzi, we called it a night.

April 1, 2006

This morning we headed to Gator Park out in the Everglades. We took an air boat ride, which was really fun, and saw many very large alligators, some turtles, and also some beautiful birds. After an alligator wrestling show, the kids were both able to have their pictures taken holding an alligator. At this point, it was about lunch time, so headed to our second destination of the day, South Beach. South Beach was extremely crowded when we got there. It literally took almost an hour just to find a place to park. Once we did, we were many blocks away from famous Ocean Drive. We were actually headed to the News Café for lunch; however, along the way, DS noticed loud music and girls dancing on a bar. Long story short, we ended up lunching at this wild place known as Mangos. Lots of great salsa dancing (on the bar, no less), with great music. The waiters and waitresses would take turns dancing on the bar. It was a lot of fun, and we lucked into a table right next to the bar. Both kids were completely entranced. After a three-hour lunch, we took a walk on South Beach itself. LOTS of topless women. DS thoroughly enjoyed the walk (probably DH too). We then headed back to Lauderdale. . We had dinner at Athena by the Sea, a small Greek restaurant nearby, and then headed back to the hotel. DD played in the ocean in the dark. We then all got in the pool/Jacuzzi, and then got ready for bed. We wanted to be rested for the cruise the next day.

April 2, 2006 – Embarkation Day – Dress Informal

Headed over to the airport around 11:00 to return our rental car. This was really quickly done, and then we went outside to hail a cab to Port Everglades ($15.00 plus tip for all four of us). We arrived right around noon. As soon as the cab driver unloaded our luggage, there were porters there to take it to the correct color-coded bins. We then took our couple of carry-ons and proceeded in line. All in all, I would say we were in line around a half hour. The line looked long, but actually moved rather quickly. They actually took the “welcome aboard” picture before we boarded, and as we waited to check in. Personnel there were all very friendly, and after check-in, we boarded the beautiful Costa Magica. After nine cruises on many different lines, we all agreed she was probably the most beautiful ship we have been on. Decorated in rich golds, reds and olive-tones, with artwork literally everywhere, she is really gorgeous. Although we were told to head to the buffet, we checked to see if our cabin was ready. The cabin was indeed ready (cabin 8286, obviously on deck 8). We booked an inside cabin for this cruise, and it was definitely large enough, with a queen bed in the middle, flanked by two side tables with lamps. The kids each had a pull-down on either side of the room. There was also a couple of desks and TONS of storage. DD and I LOVE clothes and packed extremely heavily, and yet I was able to easily put everything away and out of sight. The room was spotless, and was magically kept that way the entire week by the wonderful Marjorie). She did an incredible job. This was our second Costa Cruise, having been on the Atlantica three years ago, and we were greeted with canapés, champagne, and fresh fruit (which was changed by the staff daily). Another perk of being a return guest was that we were given copies of the dining room menus prior to our meals each day/evening. We were also invited to two additional cocktail parties, and on the final day of disembarkation, there was a VIP lounge for us, and we would get priority disembarkation.

The cabin comes with a hair dryer; however, be aware that there is only one plug in the entire cabin. It wasn’t really a problem – We just had to take turns using it. Thanks to Cruise Critic, we knew in advance to ask for the extra mattress pad, and Marjorie made sure that was done before we went to sleep this first night.

After exploring the cabin, we headed up to the Buffet Bellagio, where we enjoyed a very nice lunch. We then headed to the welcome aboard party for some of the fabulous dancing DD and I remembered from our previous Costa cruise. After a muster drill at 4:00 p.m., we noticed our luggage out in the hall, so went back to the cabin to unpack and get ready for dinner. On the way to dinner, we noticed there was no line to register or credit card, so we got that done very quickly.

Dinner for us was in the beautiful Costa Smeralda Restaurant, which is a bit tricky to get to (You must cross the ship on deck five, then head down to deck three or four, depending on where your table is.) We lucked into table two, on deck three, and right by a huge window. We were joined by friends of ours from Indianapolis (DH and DW, along with their two daughters, ages 6 and 10), and her travel agent arranged the wonderful table for us. Our Welcome Gala Dinner was highlighted by escargots, French onion soup, roast duck with orange sauce, Atlantic shrimp, just to name a few. With regard to the food, we all enjoyed it immensely all week. The family we were with has been on four cruises, including Disney and Carnival cruise lines. This is our ninth cruise. Costa is the only line we have repeated on, although we have enjoyed all of our cruises. The food reminds us of what we’ve had over in Europe, and we thoroughly enjoy it.

That night, we went to the Grand Variety Show, which was excellent. Our daughter dances, and we were both really impressed with the quality of the dancers on board. They also had a pair of amazing acrobats that were incredible, and we all thoroughly loved the show.

We had drinks at the show, and DS asked if he could have a pina colada. The server explained that as long as we (his parents) signed for his drinks, he could have alcohol on board since he was 18. Since it was Spring break, we would sign for a drink with either dinner or the show each evening, and that seemed to make him happy. He can’t stand drunks either. We blocked both his card and our daughter’s from charging privileges, so we wouldn’t have any surprises on the bill at the end of the week.

After some more shopping and exploring, we then headed off to bed. A nice candy greeted us on our pillows.

DS went to find other kids in the disco. He was in by 1:30 and said he had a great time.

April 3, 2006 – At Sea – Dress Formal – Captain’s Cocktail Party

Got up to meet our friends for breakfast in the restaurant. They had a huge breakfast menu, which included virtually anything for breakfast a person could think of. Our first sea day was highlighted by many activities. DD and I went up on deck to learn the cha cha, and also attended the port and shopping talk. DH went to some of the trivia quizzes with our friends. DS went to meet girls. We all met for lunch in the dining room, which is open seating from 12:00 to 2:30. The food in the dining room was consistently good, and this day was no exception.

After lunch, our friends wanted to check out the Squok Club for their daughters. Our DD also reluctantly came along. She never has been into the kids programs on any ship. When we got there, there were very few kids there at all, and they had the small children mixed with the older children, and they were listening to a story. Our girls were frankly appalled, and had absolutely no interest in staying. When we looked at the schedule of activities, it was very difficult to figure out what any of the activities were. Needless to say, the girls did not want to stay, and so we took them with us, and they did some swimming. The one pool is like a giant wave pool (whether accidentally or by design, I’m not sure, but the kids had a blast). They also spent time on the water slide and in the hot tub. As an FYI, there is an adult-only area onboard as well.

After our swim, it was time to get ready for our first formal night. We all met at the Captain’s cocktail party, had our picture taken, did some dancing, had some canapés, and then we were off to another wonderful dinner. DS had mentioned to the waiter that he would like shrimp cocktail, and this evening they accommodated him with two shrimp cocktails even though they were not on the menu that evening.

After dinner, we had more formal pictures taken. The pictures taken during the week were very well done. They are, however, (IMHO) quite pricey. The 8 x 10s were $14.95, 4 x 6s were $9.95. By the end of the week, I had spent $300.00 on pictures. Just an FYI when you’re budgeting. If you’re like me, it’s hard to pass on good pictures of the entire family together. It’s so rare that we’re all together to get any taken.

Tonight was the Magic Moments Show, which we also really enjoyed. Not only was it a typical production show with singing and dancing, but it also included wonderful illusions that we were still discussing at lunch the next day. It was really entertaining. We truly tried to stay up for the sock hop and 70s night, but we were all exhausted. A chocolate greeted us on our pillows when we got back. DS headed to the disco once again, but made it in by 2:30 wearing only his boxers and carrying his tux (???) – He said he didn’t want to wake us up by undressing in the room, and I didn’t think I really wanted to know anymore than that. Anyway, he said he had a blast.

April 4, 2006 – San Juan – Dress Casual

Thanks to my friends here on CC, I knew the previous night to fill in the breakfast menu, so we could enjoy breakfast in our cabin. This became a morning habit for the rest of the week. We had wonderful croissants, including chocolate filled ones that were often still warm when they arrived to our cabin. We also had cappuccino, chocolate milk and orange juice each morning. It was wonderful, and I can’t recommend doing this enough.

This day, the kids and dads went up and did some horse racing. DS won $20.00, so he was happy about that. DD and I went up to do our dancing. We learned the Bachata, along with some really fun Italian line dances that we remembered from our last Costa cruise. The girls then all went to the shopping talk, and our friend’s DH entered the arm wrestling competition, and came in second. Go, Larry!!! While on deck, we noticed the ship coming into San Juan, even though it wasn’t even 4:00. We had arrived over an hour early. This was great for those who weren’t booked on excursions. Those on excursions were to meet in the Urbino Theater at 5:00.

Our friends went on the Night Life Tour. They said it was nice, that they were able to see a lot of old San Juan, and their tour ended at 8:00, giving them ample time to explore on their own, since we didn’t leave until 1:00 a.m.

We went on the Bioluminescent Bay tour. To be frank, I generally abhor shore excursions. I like to do research, and then do things on our own. However, in this situation, we really wanted to see the Bioluminescent Bay, and with so little time in port, I was afraid to try it alone. This way if something would go wrong, I knew we would be taken care of and not miss the ship.

The morning of the tour, I noticed that even though the website and our ticket from Costa had said the tour was for 8 and up, their latest literature on board said 12 and up. I went to the shore excursion desk to find out about it, and they said they would contact the tour operators and then let me know. Within a few hours, they had called and written to let me know that it would be okay for DD to go.

Once we got out of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico looked like virtually anywhere in America – a sea of McDonald’s, Burger Kings, KFCs, Taco Bells, and Walgreens. As we got out further, however, we began to see the mountains and that area was truly beautiful (as is old San Juan). They had us take a quick stop at McDonald’s to grab a quick bite and use the restrooms. Everyone on the bus was grumbling about the long drive. It took well over two hours to get there. Once we finally arrived, they had us all don life vests and then they had us pair up for the kayaks. I paired with DS. DH and DD paired up. After a quick lesson on kayaking, they assisted us into the kayaks. It was funny, because in the beginning you could hear everyone yelling at everyone else because of the inept paddling, but soon everyone finally settled in and we got in a line to paddle into the mangroves. It was virtually pitch black out, with only a red blinking light in the boat in front of us to guide us. DS and I did manage to paddle right into a tree at one point, which was pretty funny. Finally, DS decided he would rather just do it himself, and we didn’t have any more problems after that. Trees literally surrounded us as we made our way down the narrow channel. You could hear the coqui frogs in the trees. It was truly amazing. Finally after paddling through the mangrove channel, we arrived at the bay. As we approached it, we noticed that the water around the paddles was literally glowing like it was fluorescent. We could see fish glowing underwater. The glow is caused by tiny organisms known as pyrodimium bahamense. Anywhere a fish jumped in the water or you would disturb the water in any way, you would see the eerie green glow. It was really neat. There are only five of these bays in the entire world. Three of them are in Puerto Rico. After we got to the middle of the bay, they tied the boats off and then you were allowed to go into the water and play. DD didn’t jump out far enough, and somehow got caught on the front of the kayak and was hanging there. It was difficult for the guides to see because it was so pitch black. To release her, they were going to have to take her out of her life vest. Even though she can swim, we were really worried because the boats were tied together and virtually on top of her. She didn’t panic at all (like everyone around her was), but people hung onto her arms, and the guide pulled the jacket off of her and loose and then secured her back in it again. DD thought the whole thing was funny. So anyway, we had a little extra excitement on our tour.

After the tour, we all paddled back. Everyone was really good at the paddling at this point. It was really cool seeing the fish jumping out of the water and the fluorescent glow. After we reached the buses, we changed into dry clothes, and everyone agreed that the trip was definitely worth the drive.

By the time we got back to the ship, it was almost midnight. DS wanted to see San Juan’s Senior Frogs, so we hot-footed over there to get a glimpse, but then had to leave quickly for our 1:00 departure (the ship actually departed at 12:50). Lots of drunken cruisers were making their way back to the ship. DS and I then had some pizza up in the Bellagio Buffet, which was excellent. I put away four pieces. DD and DH went to some of the lounges for some Greek and French food. On board that night you could go from lounge to lounge for a show and to sample the native food. As DS and I were leaving the buffet, a huge contingent of very inebriated girls from Mexico City came up and wanted him to go to the disco with them. Off he went. I went back to the cabin to bed.

April 5, 2006 – St. Thomas – Dress Informal/Italian Flag Colors (red, white, green)

Woke up and had breakfast in our cabin once again, then headed directly off the ship at 8:30 a.m. We had docked at 8:00. Today we rented a jeep at Budget Rental Car for $73.00 total for the entire day (including taxes and gas). The Budget building is located right at the Havensight Dock where the ship is located, so it is very convenient. Cabs are very expensive. They charge by the person. To get to one of the beaches would have been $40 one way, so the car was an excellent deal. – Another piece of advice I learned here on CC.

As you probably know, driving in St. Thomas is on the left. My kids love an adrenaline rush, and a friend joked that my husband’s driving in St. Thomas would definitely give them one. Boy, was she right. It was great fun. The roads are literally like a roller coaster, and the views are breathtaking. We tossed around taking the car ferry in Red Hook over to St. John, but the line was fairly long, so after some sightseeing, we decided to check out Sapphire Beach, where I had heard about the amazing scenery and legendary iguanas. I definitely wanted to avoid the beaches where all of the excursions were going.

The view from Sapphire Beach was amazing, facing St. John in the distance. There is a nice resort there as well with a restaurant and bar. DD and I immediately went to hunt down some iguanas. As we walked, we noticed a woman taking pictures of another woman in a lounge chair. On closer inspection, we realized that a three foot iguana was resting near the lounge chair and very docilely spending time with the women. We could have touched him. He was completely unafraid. We learned from another woman there that the iguanas were mating a couple of weeks earlier and were quite aggressive then, even chasing tourists up the beach. They said the only time someone gets bit is if they mistake their brightly painted toes for berries.

DD then went and did some snorkeling. She brought dry cat food from home and the angel fish were all over her. A school of long blue fish also came around her. She had a great time. DS went down to the marina and rented a jet ski. The jet ski there was $45 a half hour, which is about what we’ve paid in the past. We spent a wonderful afternoon there, and met a nice couple from Texas who let DD use the shower in their villa. Just before we left, DS met an interesting fellow who made him a great hat out of palm fronds. He got a ton of compliments on that hat during the remainder of the week. The guy also offered DS some ganja, but DS passed on that.

After the beach time, we headed to Charlotte Amalie to have lunch at either Cuzzins or Gladys’ Café. I had heard good things about both; however, a tour had let out at Cuzzins, so we headed over to Gladys’. Her place is incredibly quaint, located in a charming maze of narrow cobble sidewalks full of shops. The food is traditional Caribbean, and was incredibly good. DS and I had the mahi mahi, and it’s probably the best we’ve had.

We then did a little shopping. DD had coupons she had received at the shopping talks, and went and picked up her free charm bracelet and gem stone, along with a pearl bracelet. At this point, it was about 3:30, so we dropped off the car and then did some more shopping outside the ship. We had to be onboard at 4:30.

After meeting for a wonderful dinner (where we had napkin waving and a huge conga line set to Italian music, with the waiters putting on great dancing performance afterwards), we took part in the activities for Italian night – had masks and flowers made for us, watched people play bocce ball, and the girls got their faces painted. Tonight’s show was a singer (Edmondo Rahme). We were a little late to the show, and frankly it didn’t look all that appealing, so we went back out, did some shopping, and went to learn the tarantella dance. It was a lot of fun. After that, we called it a night.

April 6, 2006 – Catalina Island, Dominican Republic – Dress Informal/Tropical

We slept in a little this morning, and then had our usual in-cabin breakfast. Afterwards, we donned our beachwear and headed towards the tenders. The tender ride went quickly, and soon we were at Catalina Island, and greeted by a wonderful little band. The island had a huge area set aside for a buffet and dining, a large bar area, shopping area, and then places to get hair braided or a massage. We immediately ran into our friends and headed to the shopping. We found the people to be very friendly and not overly pushy at all. They immediately approached us as we walked to their shops and gave us each a really nice necklace (some sort of creature that lives in the sea that looks like a turquoise stone). They were definitely willing to bargain with us, and if you told them no, they immediately left you alone. We had no problems at all, and we went into every shop. We were all able to buy some Cuban cigars here ($7 a piece, which was about half the price of the cigars on board the ship). Be warned, however, if you bring those cigars back into the states, the fine is $10,000. I bought a couple cute outfits for DD. She bought some really cute jewelry and was able to barter better than all of us. DS bought some rum and some shot glasses (the new thing he has decided to collect).

Had a wonderful buffet there – The fruit was really fresh. Loved the potato salad. Also had some photos taken on the beach – Ka-Ching!

After playing in the water for a large part of the afternoon, we had some tropical drinks, and then headed back to the ship to get ready for dinner.

Tonight we had another wonderful dinner, with more fun and music in the dining room. Afterwards, we left to get on the buses to take us to Casa de Campo and Kandela, the show everyone on CC raves about. Being that we had first seating, we were able to eat in the dining room. Those with second seating had to eat at the buffet this evening.

Casa de Campo was about a 20 minute ride from the ship. We got there and waited in line to enter the amphitheater. It truly looks like you are at some ancient Greek theater. As you enter, they take your picture and then hand you a padded cushion to sit on. This was the only time of the entire cruise where there was a chance of rain, so Costa had provided us with rain ponchos (yes folks, they even have it in the rain). It did sprinkle for about 10 minutes during the show, but then it immediately cleared off again, so we were very lucky. The show was indeed very good. DD actually said it was one of the highlights of the cruise for her. Then again, she was chosen at the end of the show to go dance on stage with the cast, so that probably made it extra special for her. The rest of my family thoroughly enjoyed it as well. Our friends liked it, but said they weren’t sure it was worth the money. The show is only about an hour in length, and then ends with a firework display.

There was a show on board that night called “Fantasy Show.” They also had karaoke on board that night, and then the line dances and things started on deck at 10:00 p.m. We actually made it back for most of the line dancing, and then DD and DS also participated in the limbo contest as well.

During our cruise week, as I said before, there was a large contingent of girls (50+) from Mexico City. These were very cute girls, but they remained in a drunken state most of the week, and after a few days of this, even our son was completely annoyed and turned off by them. They announced the limbo contest, and DD was very excited. She dances competitively and is incredibly flexible, and she just knew she was going to take this contest. Everyone lined up and began to go. There were probably six to eight children total in line to compete and the rest were these drunken girls and other adults. After going around a couple of times, they became much more strict about what was acceptable to get under the limbo stick, and so many people got out quickly. Soon our daughter was the only one left doing it correctly, along with a handful of the drunken Mexican girls. DD happened to be the last one in the line. As she came under the limbo pole for the last time, they announced, “These are our winners.” All the girls went onto the stage, including our daughter. As she climbed up, they told her, “No – Only adults. You can’t come up here.” Her eyes immediately filled with tears, and Mama Bear went into action. (I know to many of you this might seem like a ridiculous thing, but she spends hours a week at dance and gymnastics, takes it very seriously, and this was something she had looked forward to all week.) I happened to be there taking pictures, and explained that she had been in the contest the entire time, and had done it correctly the entire time, they had never announced “adults only” in the program or on the stage, and the others on the stage were all minors as well. They absolutely would not listen at the time and an argument ensued and I finally took DD and left. DH and I left a message for Max, the cruise director, and we were to meet with him the next day.

Had a few drinks after that (my first alcohol of the week), and then called it a night.

April 7, 2006 – Sea Day – Dress Formal

Slept in a little, had our in-room breakfast, then went to the debarkation talk with Max. Afterwards, he told us to meet him that afternoon at his office. Went photo shopping, did some other shopping, and went to a shopping talk on Nassau as well. When it was time to meet with Max, DD and our friends all went to bingo ($2800 prize that day). Triple card, four games, was $20. Single card, four games was $10. Of course, they didn’t win, but they said they came close.

At our meeting with Max, he asked us to explain what had happened. He then told us that since they had so many kids on board, they had decided to limit the limbo contest. We explained that it was not printed anywhere and that no announcement was made to that effect either. Also, in the end, what happened affected one person, since none of the other children were doing it correctly anyway, and were all out. We finally agreed to disagree. He did agree that they should have it written somewhere if an activity is adults only. Our friends also wanted us to let him know about the kids activities being much too juvenile for older kids. Our daughter had avoided the dance lessons after the incident, and we just wanted her to feel good about everything again, and Max said he would come up with something.

That night as we got ready for dinner, Manuela (the assistant cruise director that I had argued with the night before) came to our cabin, gave our daughter some Costa gifts, and apologized. BTW - Ironically, she’s actually Max’s wife. We thought it was handled well. Our daughter was very happy, and they went out of their way after that to talk with her whenever they saw her on the ship. Things happen, and I thought they handled this situation extremely well.

Went to the crew show that afternoon, which was good, but a little disappointing. The crew consisted of exactly nine people. Six members of the staff danced in every number and three singers took turns with the songs. To be frank, the dancers in the dining room were much more talented than the dancers they had chosen. We were hoping to see some of the staff that we knew on the ship. I suppose they probably don’t have the time to do the show because of the large number of hours they have to work, but I wish more of them could have participated.

Had a wonderful dinner of lobster tail and prime rib (yes, I got both). The prime rib is incredible, we all agreed. I had read a couple of comments that the lobster was mushy on previous cruises. I think I can solve that mystery. When I started eating my lobster, I started at the tip of the tail, and it was done perfectly. Suddenly, it did get a little mushy. It was then that I discovered this was actually a whole lobster and that was the body part. I had a couple of tails and they were excellent – Stay AWAY from the body. After dinner, we went to the Cinemagique show, which included all a huge production of numerous tunes from the cinema and stage. It was extremely well done, and DD and I were so excited when they did “All that Jazz,” which is our daughter’s dance number this year.

Called it an early night, since we had Nassau the next day. DH and DS went off to the casino. DS was up $20 at the black jack table, but then lost it and his original $20 in the end. He’s still mad that he didn’t quit while he was ahead. DH played $10 in the slots, and of course, lost it all.

April 8, 2006 – Nassau – Dress Toga! Toga!

Got up early – DD had to be at the Squok Club to rehearse for the 10:00 kids talent show. Got her ready, then dropped her off and went to save seats. Talent show was pretty funny, until one boy started throwing quarters at the end of his act and hit a woman right in the eye. I’m not sure what happened with her – but she did leave right away. Most of the kids just prepared something on the ship with the help of the Squok club. There were two gymnasts who had matching costumes, and then my daughter was in costume and did her competition dance to “All that Jazz.” Each child was then given a certificate for being in the show.

After the show, we changed then went to lunch in the dining room. DS had a couple appetizers and three entrees. The waiter asked him if he was ordering for the whole table. It was pretty funny. We watched from the dining room as the ship docked in Nassau. After lunch we left the ship and looked for someone to braid our daughter’s hair. We met a woman almost immediately who started at $120, but finally agreed on $50 to braid our daughter’s extremely long hair. She took us to a beauty salon and it took just over an hour. It was definitely a good deal. The woman in the chair next to DD was paying $100 and had considerably shorter hair.

Next it was DS’s turn. We took off for Senor Frogs. The party was in full swing when we got there. DH worked on getting us a table, while the three of us watched the antics in the bar. When they announced a free shot conga line, DS was there. First time through, they gave each person in the line one shot. Second time through, three waiters stood on chairs and poured three shots at a time into the open mouths below. We then sat down and had some nachos, and found out that they were out of the famous yard that I had promised DS. In fact, they were out of every single souvenir glass. DS settled for a margarita instead, and had to be happy with a t-shirt and his time in the shot conga line.

We left there and spent only a short time at the famous straw market. DD bought a couple of things, but the new straw market has very narrow aisles, was very crowded, and has more knock-off stuff than hand-made straw items now. Did a little more shopping, then it was time to get on the ship and get ready for TOGA night!!!!

Had very little time to get ready. Tried to do some Cleopatra eyes for DD and myself, but didn’t have time to do much else. The night before, Marjorie had left us all of the items needed to create our togas, along with the crowns and a sheet that explained how to tie different types of togas. Three of us went for the traditional around one shoulder look. DS decided he had to have the one that (IMHO) looks like a diaper. He found a cabin steward that was willing to help him while we all went off to dinner. He brought down the house when he arrived fashionably late. – It was absolutely hilarious, and raised more than a few eyebrows.

Afterwards, we took turns holding seats for the famous guest talent show. We had promised a cute little man that we met at DD’s talent show that we wouldn’t let him get fed to the lions, so we figured we needed to be up front to save him. While several saved seats, we all took turns packing. Luggage was to be outside the cabin by 1:00 a.m.

The talent show is NOT to be missed. We had an absolute ball, and we happily were able to save our friend. – Not an easy task, mind you. The crowd was full of drunken Romans. Sadly the revelry came to an end. We went to the buffet – It was flambé night -- and enjoyed ice cream over pineapple. Then it was time to say goodbye. By now it was well after 1:00 and we still needed to shove the luggage outside. Finally got to bed around 2.

April 9, 2006 – Disembarkation Day

We were to be out of our cabins by 8, so rose at 7 and got dressed. Make sure you leave clothes out so you’re not out in the terminal in a sheet!! There was no line at all and we literally just walked off the ship. As we were leaving, DS realized he had left his passport in the pants he had packed, but he did have his driver’s license. We explained this to an immigration officer in line, and she quickly pulled us from one line and put is in another (apparently the line we were in had a really strict officer, and she was afraid he would detain our son). The officer we talked to let us right on through after seeing DS’s driver’s license. Finding our luggage and getting through customs was a snap, and we immediately found a cab outside. Our flight wasn’t until 2:30, so we didn’t have to hurry at all and that was really nice. Our “direct” flight home was delayed on the tarmac for three hours, and then we had to stop in Tennessee for fuel, but we did arrive home safely (although it was three hours late).

All in all a fabulous cruise, and we wouldn’t hesitate to sail Costa again. Sorry I got so wordy. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

[shipshapegal]

What a lovely review. Thanks for sharing, I really enjoyed reading it!

[Andiamo]

Good evening.

 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on your trip. They were very good depictions and I enjoyed reading them. Your pictures certainly echoed your feelings.

 

I'm just confused about two things. How did you manage to save seats in the theater? I never go to the shows, but thought I have read over the years that saving seats was not allowed. Did they relax that rule? Also, the taking of pictures during the show. Has that rule changed as well. I was on the week before and thought I read no photos. Mind you, the pictures are great, just thought picture taking was prohibited.

 

Jeanne

[packercruising]

I can't believe I watched the whole slideshow :) Great pics! They were a review in itself. Thank you for sharing!

[meresener]

:) :) Cheryl, (sniff, sniff) as I read your review and see the awesome pics..wish we were all together again on the Costa Magica!! What a great cruise, cant wait till next year!!?? We had a great time and the ship, staff and our "company" was GREAT!!! Makes me sad to see the pics, wish we were back on board having a great time!! Mindy:p

[hadleys9538]

Mindy!!!! We had such a terrific time with you guys -- We would LOVE to go with you again. Blake must have said a thousand times since we left -- I LOVE her. He's definitely a big fan. It was such a special trip, and it was fun to go back over everything again.

 

Jeanne - Lots of people save seats in the show lounge (and you should see the pool deck:eek: -- lots of towels flung on chairs everywhere). We only did it for a couple of shows, and we never had to save them long. We pretty much hung together in the evening. The only night we cycled in and out was the night we had to go up and pack.

 

Regarding pictures: Mindy told me that she thought she'd read we couldn't take pictures in the show lounge -- I never saw anything about it, and I saw others snapping some. -- Anyway, no one ever acted like it was a problem. Just took a few -- DD is always looking for costume ideas, and as for the acrobats -- Well, need I say more.;)

 

Thanks everybody for bearing with my overly loooong review. Also thanks to everyone who gave me so much information in advance. It all helped make the cruise as wonderful as it was. That, and my VERY, VERY wonderful friends. We love you Mindy, Larry, Mallory & Meredith!!

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Thanks for taking the time to share so many details. It was like being with you on board!

 

BobK/Orlando

[greggrass]

I did this itinerary on the Costa Atlantica a couple of years ago and want to do it again on the Magica. Costa is my favorite line. Thanks for the review and the pictures (I too sat through the whole slideshow). You have nice looking children, Cheryl, and what a nice family. Thanks for sharing.

[jee]

Good review. I even spotted my daughter and I in one of your pictures. This was our first cruise and I do not think it will be our last. We thought the Magica was a beautiful ship (in a Vegas sort of way) and the staff generally quite good. I wanted to share some things we learned, maybe a little late. I don't want to repeat everything that has been said.

 

Embarkation - It was a zoo for us, but we were a little late. We waited in line for over an hour until we reached the suite priorty area. I would recommend water and something to keep small children amused. Our luggage was in the room before us. Our table mates did not get there luggage before dinner. There were piles in one of the elevator lobbies (aft?) so it would have been possible to go find on your own if you really wanted a clean shirt for dinner.

 

The food - After all the talk, it was really very good, but I could see where some might prefer things you could always pronounce. The salads and desserts were a little dissappointing. The pastas were great. The soups usuallu good. The prosciuto(sp?) and salami were delightful. I enjoyed breakfast in the cabin too, but discovered it was also very good in the dining rooms, especially if you wanted a hot egg dish. I had eggs benedict with perfectly soft yolks - just not possible on a buffet line. We also discovered that all the buffet lines were not the same at lunch and the restaurants had some additional offerings, such as a really incredible chiopino(sp?) one day. So we learned to read the menus before we decided where to lunch.

 

Catalina - When I read to take beach shoes, I thought it was for rocks. Now I understand it was for sand so hot it could blister your feet. If you want to walk a lot or play volleyball, flip flops do not cut it - you need a more substantial beach shoe. Also, there was not a lot of fresh water, so I wish I had the hand sanitizer. They do give you beach towels, so do not worry about packing them. Otherwise, one of the best days of the cruise.

 

Photos - I guess we were lucky that we were not photogentic - at least not all at the same time, so we did not buy any of the cruise photos. But we never had a problem finding someone to take a picture of the three of us at various times on board. The one silly photo I wish we took (that the cruise photographer took) was from catalina island. Pose your subject standing one the beach with the ship to one side, then have the subject hold out their hand, palm up, so it looks like they are holding the ship in the palm of their hand.

 

Activities - We were a little frustrated that the activities were either kid only or adult only - like volleyball. I can see the point, but it would have been nice to mix it up some.

 

Sunscreen -- SPF 30 is enough in Washington state but not down there -- 50 - with a spray on bottle so it is easy to apply. And don't forget the back of your legs when you go snorkeling.

 

Teens and drinking - Be warned that the kids are drinking and some are drinking a lot. Our fifteen year old was hesitant to tell us, because she thought we wouldn't let her go to the disco. We let her go, on condition she would not go on outside decks. Not sure where they get it (thge minor's costa card has a hole punched in it, so assume they won't sell it), but if you aren't sure about your kid, you might want to be sure you pay close attention.

 

Togas - Go with it. Although I made three to take with us ( I was the one with the puple toga, daughter with an all white toga, and spouse in purple and white) the sheet worked well. And do not miss the passenger talent show.

[Chrisobrn]

I just looked at your pictures while having my coffee. What a treat!! Your pictures are beautiful...I'd love to know what camera you use! I'll be on the Magica this Sunday!

[mtl kid]

Glad you all had a great time. We were on the Magica 03 05 2006. We were also on the 8th floor in room 8300 and we had a blast. Your slide show brought back many happy memories. Just to let you know that the Magica was our 4th Costa Cruise, one night we were talking and I told my son that next year I wanted to go with NCL for the spring break because I read and saw beautiful pictures of a family who also had a swell time with NCL onboard the Spirit.....my 15 year old said NO! we are sticking with Costa again. Anyways let me go wipe my tear from my eye because those pictures were just to hard to view while here in Montreal it is still on the cool side outside. Did your son have a good time with Marco who was with the youth club on board Costa.

Till next year......!

TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!:cool:

[hadleys9538]

Hi, Jee. Great additional advice. I wanted to address the drinking -- The subject actually came up while we were talking to Max. I'm sure you saw that incredibly huge group of underage Mexican girls who were inebriated the entire trip. I guess security had to be called on them numerous times. Max said the staff could not figure out where they were getting the liquor. Our son explained later that they were smuggling it on board in water bottles. He also had seen some kids lighting up a joint in the disco as well. It was funny, because he was on the way to the disco and was going to take a cigar one evening. I told him I didn't think they'd let him smoke it in there. He said, "Mom, do you seriously think they're going to stop me from smoking a cigar when kids are smoking pot in there?" As the week wore on, he was hanging out less and less in the disco, because he said that group of girls was just too annoying.

 

Our daughter got a terrible burn on her back from just one short afternoon of missing it with the sunscreen.:o That sun is definitely dangerous, and 50 is a GREAT idea.

 

DH and DD are bigtime germaphobes, so the sanitizer was flowing the entire cruise.:D

 

Chrisobrn -- Thanks for the compliment -- I used a Kodak 7530 digital camera. I LOVE my camera. It will even do video taping as well, and I have video snippets of a few special moments on the cruise as well.

[mtl kid]

Hi there I just wanted to let you know that my 15 year old son was at the disco everynight and on the last night the teens were drinking. The booze was sneaked in via a water bootle. Vodka to be more precise. I was upset at first because the teens were supposed to be supervised but then I remembered the way I would sneek booze home right under my parents nose. Not happy about it but ..... have been there done that. However all that said ,next cruise I will let the teen monitor know what happened last cruise.......Happy sailings

[hadleys9538]

Mtl kid - I guess kids are going to be kids. If it's any consolation, our son ran us ragged on the last two cruises. We figured this one, since he is 18 now, he would give us a real run for our money. He actually ended up spending a great deal of his time with us, was a whole lot of fun to be around, and drank some, but not to excess (or else maybe he just holds his liquor well:confused: ). Anyway, it was like he had finally grown up.

[mondello]

Hi Cheryl, Thanks for the great review. I was on the 3/5 Magica and loved it, too. I got the the impression that your son had a very memorable cruise. Seems to me that you are a really cool mom and are doing a great job raising your kids. Can't say enough for those mid- western roots. I managed to avoid the hordes of kids on spring-break, but one of these years (God willing) I'll be in the same boat and on a spring-break cruise with my own holy terrors. Ciao!

[hadleys9538]

Thanks, Mondello, for the kind words. It was definitely a wonderful trip, and now I REALLY wish I had another one to look forward to.:(

[goldencup]

What an entertaining and informative review and such great photos! I've only cruised Costa in Europe so far but this has made me want to go to the Caribbean!

[hadleys9538]

Thanks, Goldencup. It really was a great cruise. Our daughter was just saying at lunch today that she misses the ship and George and Gunther (our waiters).

 

Ironically, we are hoping to cruise on Costa in the Med next summer (if I can just get a decent airfare for four people). I wish I at least had something planned (even if it is more than a year away). I LOVE to have something to look forward to.

[goldencup]

 

Ironically, we are hoping to cruise on Costa in the Med next summer (if I can just get a decent airfare for four people). I wish I at least had something planned (even if it is more than a year away). I LOVE to have something to look forward to.

 

So do I! That's why I've just booked a Red Sea cruise in November followed by New York in December (my first visit to the USA).

Re Costa in the Med, I recommend both the Costa Victoria and the Costa Fortuna.

[hadleys9538]

Hi, Goldencup. I've been looking for another trip since my return. -- Unfortunately, Costa's website doesn't go past April of next year, and if we go to the Med, we'd go June/July, and skip a spring break trip next year (unless, of course, we win the lottery;).)

[bbbiker]

hi - can you pls tell me about this tour in San Juan - I am not a kayaker - but do swim - really want to do this tour - are the kayaks the type you sit on top of or down in - if down in - do they show you how to "roll"........

leaving on 3/4 - thanks for any help you can give me. are they single or double boats?