Canada Redux

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: 358

Overall rating:

4.2 out of 5

7 Night Canada (Quebec City To New York)

Sail date: September 27, 2018

Ship: Disney Magic

Cabin type: Balcony

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 5 years ago

Review summary

Having just complete the same cruise in reverse the week before, you'd think this would have been anticlimactic, but not so. This gave us a chance to take a second shore excursion in ports, and the on-board program did change a bit. It was also easier (and cheaper) to take the cruise back to New York than it would have been to rent a car for international drop-off. (We hate to fly.)

Embarkation

2 out of 5

We were back-to-back with the previous cruise, and the timing and process cost us most of the day.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

Disney's food quality has improved recently, and Palo continues to offer the best brunch I know of, at sea or on land.

Palo

5 out of 5

This Italian, adults-only restaurant exists on all four Disney ships, and is quite excellent, with a good Italian wine list. My favorite is the Osso Buco for dinner and the Chicken Parmesan for brunch. Dinners every night (very easy to get on the first day); brunch every day at sea. The brunch is the best I know of on land or sea, and can be a hard ticket so book early.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Theatrical productions are the best afloat. Recent changes to long-running shows have made them even better. Variety acts range from great (John Charles) to unwatchable (a ventriloquist who will not be named).

Children's Programs

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Oversize cabin that would have slept an extra guest; the extra space was surprisingly helpful.

Ship tip

Do not, under any circumstances, fail to enjoy a brunch at Palo!

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Quebec City, Quebec

5 out of 5

Great food, drink, and shopping in easy walking distance -- easy that is if you can handle stairs.

Thumbs Up 1

Ville Saguenay, Quebec

5 out of 5

When we visited last week, on the ship's inagural visit, they put on a huge welcoming show. They did it again this week, suggesting this port really does welcome visitors with greater enthusiasm than I've seen anywhere else.

Thumbs Up 0

Baie-Comeau, Quebec

1 out of 5

Last visit was dull, dull, dull. We didn't get off the ship this time.

Thumbs Up 2

Halifax, Nova Scotia

5 out of 5

A great port for historians of the Titanic and the world's largest non-nuclear explosion. Also great food and drink, and fairly walkable.

Thumbs Up 1

New York, New York

2 out of 5

Took two hours to get from the ship to our rental car and off the island. Not my kind of town.