It sounds too good to be true, but this cruise was absolutely perfect. We had smooth sailing, no hiccups of any kind with our excursions, stateroom, dining experiences, staff, etc. etc. We have already booked our next cruise on the Carnival Horizon this time.
Embarkation
2 out of 5
My BF had been "red flagged" and the Carnival Agent's were unable to check him in at the airport. They told us they didn't know why. We later found out he was required to carry on his CPAP machine. The Agents could've done a better job at finding out and relaying this information, as the CPAP was in our checked luggage and we had to go back and dig through it at the terminal AFTER trying to board. Also, although we had priority boarding, we were held at the airport for approximately 1.5 hours. Carnival Agents told us the terminal was closed and no one was boarding. We later learned that the Coast Guard had called for an impromptu safety inspection on the Magic and had the ship on lock down. Once they finished, we boarded with no problem.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The food was fresh and delicious. We spent very little time at the buffets as they were ALWAYS too crowded and slow, although when we did eat there, the food was delicious. We ate every breakfast/brunch in the main dining room. Service was always excellent and food was fresh and delicious. The steakhouse and Italian were intimate dining experiences where the food was excellent. Absolutely worth the extra charge for both.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Our Cruise Director, MarQ, was superb! We participated in the CLUE game that progressed through the week, played Bingo daily with Baby Jane, and attended several comedy shows. Most memorable was the Military Appreciation event hosted by MarQ where recognition was given to all branches of service. Touching and heartwarming experience - I applaud Carnival for this feature and thank MarQ for making it touchingly personal.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
We only participated in the Clue game and Bingo and both were very enjoyable. We observed MarQ in the 80's name that tune game in the lobby and enjoyed it very much. Any time we passed by musicians we enjoyed the music.
Children's Programs
We did not sail with children.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All staff did an outstanding job! We received nothing but smiles and courtesy from all staff on board. I would like to give a special mention to MarQ, Baby Jane and the Captain, who made this cruise that much more enjoyable and kudos to the Captain for personally greeting passengers as we disembarked.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship was always clean and we had no problem navigating it. The elevators were very slow, which prompted us to take the stairs most times.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had an aft-extended view balcony that was always clean and the beds were the epitome of comfortable. We especially enjoyed the turn-down service every evening.
We loved this port. We visited Stingray City and had a snorkel stop. Our excursion was through Shore Excursions Group and our experience was most excellent. Only thing that would make this port better is if we had more time there.
This is the second time I've been to Belize and although our cave tubing excursion was enjoyable, the city itself is like a huge dump. If you are visiting this port, you will definitely want to book an excursion as the city itself is dirty, littered and unsafe to explore on your own.
One of my favorite ports! The water is an indescribable blue. We enjoyed the "Flavors of Mexico" excursion at Discover Mexico Park and thoroughly enjoyed our chocolate, tequilas and tacos experience. Once again, we booked this excursion through Shore Excursions Group and were very happy with it. Would've liked to have had more time in this port.
Because we had priority embarkation/disembarkation our disembarkation was fast and painless. We used the services of a porter for our bags and he took us right to the front of the customs line. ABSOLUTELY use a porter for a pain-free disembarkation experience, but remember, terminal porters do not work for the cruise line, only for tips.
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