Better and closer than France.

Item: Disney Magic
Rating: 4.2
Author: bmetcalf

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

bmetcalf

Contributor Level: Second Mate

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 13

Helpful Votes: 429

Overall rating:

4.2 out of 5

7 Night Canada (New York To Quebec City)

Sail date: September 20, 2018

Ship: Disney Magic

Cabin type: Balcony

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 6 years ago

Review summary

This was the first visit of both us and the ship to the three Quebec ports. Inaugural cruises often have many small glitches, but the only one we found was the lack of handicap accessibility in the ports (better than Europe, but not even as good as the Caribbean where all rebuilding seems to be accessible). English was available everywhere, with apologies from those whose English wasn't very good, but it was never a problem, never an attitude. We enjoyed the trip so much we stayed aboard for a return trip the following week, and would gladly recommend it. Dress warm though, it was in the 40s some mornings.

Embarkation

4 out of 5

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

Cove Café

5 out of 5

Fancy coffees (hot and cold), a full bar, pastries for snacks, often a stack of shared magazines and books, and some genuinely nice folks behind the bar. Far and away the nicest coffee shop aflot or on shore, and a blessedly quiet spot (kids are banned after 9pm).

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Children's Programs

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5

Ship tip

Get to know the staff in The Cove.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

New York, New York

4 out of 5

Thumbs Up 0

Halifax, Nova Scotia

5 out of 5

An easily walkable town. Two streets up there's a variety of small restaurants.

Thumbs Up 1

Ville Saguenay, Quebec

5 out of 5

One can easily see why this port is rated "world's most welcoming". Perhaps half the town was on the pier, and half of those put on a show of song and dance. This isn't the first time I've been aboard a ship (or even this ship) on its first visit to a port, and I've never seen anything like this. Free blueberry pie (while it lasted), free blueberry juice, free city flags, a sincere welcome and circus performers on the pier when we left. The community epic is also well worth the 75 minutes. I was delighted to return the following week. Nice fijord nearby, too.

Thumbs Up 0

Baie-Comeau, Quebec

1 out of 5

This is a one-industry company town, and looks like it. Nice enough people, but nothing to see or do. Avoid the "Garden of the Glaciers" unless you're a 6th to 8th-grader with a love of geology. Wouldn't get off the ship here again.

Thumbs Up 1

Quebec City, Quebec

5 out of 5

The old town is immediately across from the dock, and there's a walking street with a treasure trove of shops, bars, and bistros. I could easily have spent a few more days just in the lower town, and then there's the upper town atop the bluff. We plan to return next chance we get.

Thumbs Up 0

Disembarkation

2 out of 5

Back to back cruisers, and the timing of the process (and the need to change cabins) made it difficult to enjoy the town on the day between.

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