Our Carnival cruise on the Magic was selected for its Eastern Caribbean itinerary. However, due to the impending arrival of hurricaine Maria, our captain deemed it necessary, after our port of call at the Dominican Republic (also unplanned, but a very pleasant surprise), to veer to the West and take us safely away from the hurricaine's path. Our ports of call were excellent, as were all of our excursions, from zip-lining to horseback riding, and snorkeling! The wonderful pool deck surprise of every lounge chair filled with a towel animal or person was so much fun and left us with great photos and memories. We were so grateful to the ship's Captain for keeping us safe from harm, and to all who handled the transition from behind the scenes. We had beautiful weather with smooth seas for the entire trip! Thank you to Carnival's Captain and all of the staff for showing us a wonderful time, even in the face of adversity!! We will be back!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was smooth, speedy, and seamless-the best ever!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Food selections in the dining area were outstanding and delicious! I thought that the breakfast and lunch selections on the lido deck in the cafeteria area could have had a wider variety of options, especially with fruits and salads. The " Hamburger Joint" was a pleasant surprise with wonderful burger toppings. The Mexican salsa bar was a very nice choice as well. The mixed drinks were quite good, but very pricey.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
There was plenty do do onboard, so no excuse to sit in your cabin! Unfortunately,gambling is really not an option for a non-smoker or anyone with lung problems, as there was no way to escape the smoke-even in the tiny area designated for "non-smokers." I can do without the gambling, so it was no real inconvenience, as there were many other entertainment options.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The opening show in the theater was a little disappointing, but the entertainers were obviously very talented and redeemed themselves in their subsequent shows. Ron Pass was outstanding at the piano bar, and we loved the string trio! The comedy shows were also very good.
Children's Programs
No children
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Kudos to our wonderful steward, Danang, for his attention to detail in attending to our every need while onboard, as well as his incredible talent at fashioning multiple adorable and fun towel creations for us. Our favorite waiter in the dining room was Julian from Bosnia. He was truly delightful, fun and very professional. He rates a perfect 10 in my book! From guest services, I would like to recognize Arita Anna, who went above and beyond to connect me with my family via phone when our itinerary changed due to the hurricane. She was very kind, and even sent a personal note to my cabin to see if I had successfully reached my family. Everyone we encountered was polite, courteous, friendly and professional, but the three mentioned above are truly assets in the Carnival family who deserve special recognition.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
We found the Carnival Magic to be pristine in cleanliness, and the design was easy to navigate. The only complaint or suggestion was that the restrooms were not easy to find and could have been better marked.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
The cabin was my first (and last) experience with an interior cabin. It was a very claustrophobic feeling not having any light in the morning or any hint of daylight. The room was very tiny, though the bathroom was generous in size as was the closet space. There is no seating area in the interior stateroom either. For $1300.00 (before taxes), I hoped it would be a bit roomier. That said, the beds were very comfortable, and our steward made it a pleasant enough atmosphere.
Ship tip
The one tip that served us well, was to use the hall next to the casino (adjoining the Pixels photo sales area) to avoid going through the smoky casino and access the entertainment in the aft of he ship.
This port is just over an hour from my home in DeBary, FL, so is very convenient. I found off-site parking for half the price of parking at the port terminal, and embarkation and disembarking were both seamless. We did no excursions there.
Such a nice review, thanks to the crew of the Magic. You seem so greatful for the new (and safe) unplanned adventures on your cruise. I would like to have a ship full of cruisers like you.
I'm so glad you made the most of it even though you changed islands. I guess it's cause you didn't have cut it short where that would have brought you home too soon.glad that worked out and you had a blast. you have a great captain.
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