The Carnival Magic is a terrific ship. We really loved the spaciousness of the boat. While some areas by the pools would fill up during popular times, even then there were vacant chaise lounges on Level 5, and the hot tub/whirlpools on Level 5 were often vacant during these times, too. The Lido buffet sometimes was crowded, but we found that if we used the buffet stations more to the aft, they were less crowded and seating was always easily found. Red Frog pub is a wonderful innovation -- what a great change from normal cruise ship bars and bar decor!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We found the food to be excellent in the dining room, and better than average at the buffet. The dining room atmosphere was elegant, and our waiters were wonderful. We really looked forward to dining there each night. We did breakfasts and some lunches at the Lido Buffet. Particularly enjoyed the french toast, hamburgers, pizza, Thai food and sandwich bar. Only downside was the pushing and cutting in line by a number of rude eastern European guests.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Only criticism is that the stage shows were loud, long and not terribly innovative. I think this is an area that needs to be re-thought. Perhaps they are just going out of style. My 18 and 21 year-old kids went to one show, pronounced it boring, and found other activities. On positive side, we really enjoyed the Sports Square area and gym. The kids liked the rope climbing area, too. Mini golf is fun, but watch out for inadequately supervised children.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our steward and our dining room waiters were the best!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
We really liked the more subdued decor -- we have been on other Carnival ships and this one's decor felt more elegant. Red Frog Pub's carribean decor is completely appropriate -- it is supposed to evoke a pub in the British West Indies, not an English pub as another reviewer suggested.
Rome is difficult to do from a cruise ship. We'd been there before, so we just decided to go back to see St. Peters and the Vatican Museum more in-depth. Make sure to get Vatican Museum tickets ahead of time online if you go on your own.
This is a nice stop. The ship docks close to town. We decided to rent a car and go to Taormina on our own. This is not for everyone -- you must be able to drive a stick shift and have nerves of steel for Italian traffic. But we had a grand time.
Some of us took the 4 hour cruise ship tour to Pompeii, which was excellent. Others in our group took a high speed ferry on their own to Capri, which worked out well.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
