Good, Not Great

Carnival Magic Cruise Review to Canada, New England, New York

Cruises: 7+ cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 24

Overall rating:

3.5 out of 5
Verified Review
Carnival Magic

7 Night Canada & New England (New York Roundtrip)

Sail date: September 10, 2022

Ship: Carnival Magic

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 11218

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 2 years ago

Review summary

It wasn’t the worst trip we have ever been on, but it certainly wasn’t the best. There were many carnival frequent travelers on board who were disappointing with this particular ship. If you are looking for some relaxation and can get a great deal it could be worthwhile.

Embarkation

4 out of 5

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5
Main dining rooms and specialty both had good food but service was hit or miss. Dinner could take 45 minutes or 2.5 hours depending on your server. Buffet was just okay.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5
All slides were closed down after the first day.

Entertainment

2 out of 5
They did “concert versions” of their shows. So basically the same four people sat on a stool and sang overdone songs.

Service and Staff

4 out of 5
The good ones were great. Others needed a lot more training.

Ship Quality

3 out of 5
Very easy to find your way around. Lots of elevators. Although the ship was clean it is in dire need of repairs. Handrails were replaced with two by fours, paint was chipping everywhere. There is also a gypsy moth infestation on the Lido deck.

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5
Nice size, could use some updating. Paint was chipping, refrigerator didn’t work properly. Upgraded amenities were not supplied as advertised.

Ship tip

A seasoned cruiser may be disappointed with the lack of detail. Especially the shows. Most of the staff tried hard and were very accommodating

Ports of call

Saint John, New Brunswick

2 out of 5
The excursion we chose was a 3 1/2 hour trip to Saint Martin. It became three hours of driving and two 15 minutes stops at a restroom.

Sydney, Nova Scotia

4 out of 5

Halifax, Nova Scotia

4 out of 5
Plenty to do right off dock.

Disembarkation

4 out of 5
Organized
Was this review helpful? 24

9 Comments

JissaPAcruisers    1 year ago

JT1962.. I was not comparing the cruise to pre-Covid cruising. We’ve been on quite a few post Covid and thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment offered and the ships were all kept up nicely. This specific ship was not being maintained as well as others.

tavo6    2 years ago

Thanks for your review glad you enjoyed your cruise 🚢

javawoody    2 years ago

Thanks for the review

AuntPinkie    2 years ago

Sorry you didn’t enjoy your cruise!

maryred    2 years ago

Was on the same sailing. And though many points are accurate in the review I would like to point out 2 things... 1)There was a reason beyond Carnival's control as to why the slides were closed after day 1. Tropical Depression Earl was to our east the entire trip bringing cold air (about 57-65°F) out of Newfoundland, Iceland, and Greenland, along with sustained winds of 11-15 knots. So fair to say even if it was safe to open the slides most would of been complaining about how cold & windy deck 15 was. 2) The upgraded to Elemis body wash and 2 in 1 shampoo/condition is now in the on the wall dispenser (w/ unlimited refills as opposed to just a 3oz sample bottle of each per cabin). The other items, like the salt scrub, were handed out after the competition of the private tour of the entire 2 levels of the spa along with a reminder about needing to sign up at the latest the night before for any of the free yoga or spin classes.

Gwbigdog    2 years ago

Thanks for sharing your cruise

CruzeFan    2 years ago

Thanks for the review. I think comparing current cruises to previous experiences results in being disappointed. Cruising has changed since Covid and will likely never be the same as it was previously.

lisa86404    2 years ago

Thanks for sharing.

gertie34    2 years ago

Thanks for sharing your experience.

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