The ship is a good size, accommodating around 3.700 passengers, yet we never felt crowded. There always seemed to be lounger chairs available, even if just on deck 5, where you could also find hot tubs. We did do a couples massage at the spa, and while it was very relaxing, I won't do it again, as I don't find it to be good value for the money spent. I can get more for less at home. I will definitely sail on Magic again, and will recommend it to friends who cruise.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
smooth embarkation, friendly agents, little wait time (even though we were before our scheduled embarkation time)
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Ate at the Italian restaurant the first night... fantastic food and good service, although our drink orders were forgotten. MDR on our second night had some challenges with forgetting drink and food orders, but they resolved their issues, apologized and didn't have any further issues. Steakhouse is amazing, Guy's burgers are delicious (but their fries are even better), Blue Iguana burritos are ok, but nothing special. If you eat at the pizza place after enjoying some evening entertainment, be sure to ask for whatever is fresh, if you're not particular about the type of pizza you want... fresh is definitely best. All the bar servers were fantastic, with some being so above and beyond, there's not an appropriate word to describe. KiKi worked primarily in the Piano Bar while we were there, although we saw her in the coffee bar and Hat Trickk Casino as well. I can't say enough good things about her... she is extremely personable, friendly, and makes you feel welcome. Dragan (Hat Trick Casino), Tuty (Lobby Bar), Raman (Serenity Bar) were also fantastic. Honestly, I didn't see a server (food or drink) that wasn't working extremely hard and very friendly.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
There are plenty of places to relax and spend time in the water. When wanting to be in a pool, we tended to stay in the Tides pool, aft, Deck 10. The pool is salt water, and there's 2 whirlpools, and plenty of deck chairs, plus a wake view! We also spent time in the Serenity deck, which surprisingly was not overcrowded, even on a sea day. There are whirlpools all around the ship, so if water is your thing, you will always be able to find a spot. Our friends did the rope course multiple times, and thoroughly enjoyed it, as well as the fitness centre.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Piano Bar with Scott Lyle was really entertaining, and we spent most evenings there. The dive-in movies were great, although the popcorn could use butter or something... it was quite bland. We didn't go to any of the shows in the theatre or lounge... the seas were pretty rough and I was concerned about getting seasick. Oh, and the arcade was pretty fun too!
Children's Programs
no children
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Nicola was our room steward, and she was super friendly and very helpful. "Mr T" in the MDR was really nice and friendly. Always trying to be of service. Notable bar staff are mentioned in the food and drinks area, but let me say again... KiKi is awesome!
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
I don't think there is anything I didn't like about the ships design, and everything was generally clean, however, for some reason, they were always putting out blowers to try carpeted floors... not sure why they were always wet, as they were nowhere near the water.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Very comfortable for two people, lots of shelf space in the bathroom, hair dryer in the desk, 3 ample closets, two with hanger bars and hangers, one with shelves, plus drawer space in the desk. Luggage fits nicely under the bed, tucked out of the way. Bedside tables have small cupboard for storage. Only drawback is one set of plugs on the desk... very inconvenient for plugging anything in beside the bed (ie., CPAP machine). Made due with extension cord, which our cabin steward very kindly taped to the floor for us), and a non-surge protected power bar. The beds were very comfortable, much to my surprise as they are very soft. Room was clean, and quiet, balcony was clean and comfortable with two chairs and a side table... perfect for sitting and watching the ocean sail by, while drinking coffee or wine.
Took a tour called "Top 10 of Aruba", however we did not see 10 sites... That being said, it was a very good tour, highly informative, and we got time at 4 sites. Plus the guide took pictures on our phones with the Divi Divi tree on Eagle Beach. As a tourist spot, Aruba is beautiful, however you can definitely see the North American influences in their hotel area... personally, I prefer to see more authentic aspects of countries when I visit them.
Super friendly people. We walked off the boat, through the old fort, which has been turned into shops and restaurants, walked across the pedestrian bridge (do not be alarmed if it has to move to allow a boat to go through... you can stand on it!), and did some shopping. If you have an interest, find Happy Paintings... they have some wonderful works done by local artists in a Curacao flair. There is something available for every budget.
Our luggage was easy to locate, however, our friend's proved a little more difficult. Once all luggage was found, we stepped into the "cattle call" line to get through customs. It was a very long line, but all things considered, it moved fairly quickly. Transportation to the airport was good, although our airline was initially not mentioned on the stop, so we didn't get off right away. Again, the bus driver was very entertaining, and provided useful information about Fort Lauderdale.
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