Plan On Puerto Rican Time
Disney Magic Cruise Review to Caribbean - Southern
7 Night Southern Caribbean (San Juan Roundtrip)
Sail date: September 20, 2014
Ship: Disney Magic
Cabin type: Oceanview
Cabin number: 2002
Traveled as: Family (older children)
Reviewed: 10 years ago
Review summary
First off, it took us about around 2 hours to both board & leave the cruise from the San Juan port due to Puerto Rican customs not knowing any English & not have enough staff there. It was a mess! I suggest you do not plan a flight or rental very close to the departure & arrival time of the cruise, or you will miss it!
Besides the cluster that happened at the San Juan port, the rest of the cruise was okay. There is only one day just at sea, which is the next (second) day. There are a total of 5 destinations all in a row after that, so if you do not have the energy, or just want to relax & not wake up early to go to excursions, this cruise is not for you. We were already exhausted after the second or third day.
The destinations have very poor demographics, so everywhere you go, you will run into homeless people & pushy taxi drivers that trick you into one of their deals so they can get business. If you like or know how to haggle, you might get some good deals on island exclusives. I recommend the drive-thru volcano excursion in St. Lucia & the submarine excursion in Grenada, if you do decide on them.
The entertainment & staff on the cruise itself was very good, which is what you would expect from a Disney cruise. It was smooth sailing & no problems aboard the Disney Magic. The second night at sea is the formal night, so be prepared to dress up for it. I suggest if you go to an adult show at Fathoms after dinner, go early so you can find a seat. Expect the high quality & service that you get from Disney, as they almost never fail to deliver. The last night of the cruise, the ship speeds back to San Juan from the last destination, so be prepared for a bumpy ride back.
I highly recommend Disney cruises, but I do not recommend coming to this port to take ANY cruises due to the problems at the port.
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