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Carnival magic review

By J458r , January 29, 2017 in Carnival Cruise Lines

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We just returned from a 7 day western Caribbean Cruise on the carnival magic. I wanted to post my honest review somewhere so hopefully it can help someone planning a cruise. I've never posted a review before so I'll probably be less structured then others but I'll post what I know.

Boarding the boat was extremely easy and quick. I expected to stand in line for awhile but I'd say it was less then 20 mins.

Every person we ran into was so extremely nice. We heard constant how are you this morning, how are you this evening , how's your trip going from everyone. I'd say the entire staff were some of the nicest people we've ever ran into.

The food was eh for us. I don't like to complain and honestly it wasn't a make or break for us. We still truly enjoyed ourselves but the food was not a plus for us. We spent more time eating burgers and pizza then we did the MDR. Both daily and formal dinners, buffets and desserts lacked any real taste for us. Most of the food seemed like it lacked flavor. The pizza,Burger and BBQ place were awesome though. With all that being said they are producing food for 3-4,000 plus people a day so I'm sure that adds to it. When you think about it like that the foods not so bad :)

The photos... ugh ... the photos were awesome. They do a wonderful job taking the photos and they know it. As an FYI these photos were crazy expensive and there is no "deals" . This was our first cruise so we had no idea we'd be paying 21 bucks a photo. Again not a complaint just an FYI. We'd take photos again but we'd be more selective on when and where we took them. It's really hard to pick between 20 photos when they all look AMAZING !!

The drinks, oh the drinks were amazing. We purchased the Cheers package and took full advantage of it. We tried drinks we wouldn't normally try and never felt like we had to watch how much we were spending. We had a 15 drink max daily and never hit it once but we did get our monies worth.

The towel animals were awesome and we enjoyed seeing them nightly.

We docked in cozumel, belize, mahogany bay and Costa maya.

In cozumel we went to Mr sanchos and also did some walking around right outside the port. We didn't get to experience all that Mr sanchos has to offer because of some strong waves and wind but what we did experience was pretty nice. For $50 bucks for adults and $40 bucks for kids we got unlimited drinks and food. You could either order off the menu or eat from the buffet. Both options were very tasty and the drinks were nice and Cold.

In belize we did a snorkeling excursion thru carnival. I don't remember the name but it was about $75 bucks and we went to a private island. This was an awesome excursion. For the snorkeling part you had three men with you. One leading the group, the other in a little paddle boat and another gentlemen who was there incase someone got to tired. This man was my snorkeling savor. We all walked in together and practiced putting our faces in the water and breathing with our snorkel gear. Sounds easy enough right? Not for me ! I just couldn't get the hang of it. I was freaked out and ready to go back but this man insisted I give it more time. He swam next to me and took the time to work with me till I got it . He had me hang on to the orange floater he was holding and helped me till I was comfortable and then still allowed me to use the floatation device but it gave me comfort. They had food on the private island which consisted of hamburgers and hotdogs. They weren't the best but if you're hungry they worked. They also had pop, water , coconuts and coconuts with rum. The boat ride to the island and back wasn't bad either.

In mahogany bay we had intentions of walking out of the port and seeing if Victor Boden tours had anything open. While looking we were approached by a gentleman with another tour company(big daddy tours). He offered us a tour of the town with the possibility of stopping at places like the chocolate factory, rum cake , shopping and ziplining. He said it'd be $15 a person but when we suggested $10 he took it(I should add we had a group of 14 all together for our cruise). I'll admit that I was nervous. We had no idea who these people were or where they'd take us. It ended up being a nice tour and the people were pretty nice. We stopped at a ziplining place who offered the ziplining for $45 a person but when we offered $30 a person for the 9 that were going they took it . The kids and adults loved the ziplining and the guides were great they said. I have everyone's cards for all the places we used and will come back and post them once we have them unpacked. They had a small zoo with birds and monkeys which we all enjoyed. After that we went to a little area for photos of the island and some shopping. We then went back to the port and came on board the boat to drop off our things and eat. We ended up going to the private beach from there and did some more snorkeling.

Our last and least favorite port was costa maya. Although the water is beautiful the port people are ridiculously pushing. They were rude and persistent also. I get that it's their job to sell stuff but they were over the top. They demanded tips for everything. My husband purchased a chess set and the seller expected a $10 dollar tip just because he sold us the chess set. This was the norm for the entire port. All of the adults in our party experienced it at several stores. As a matter of fact before you even go in there is a group of people who are dressed up in silly clothing wanting you to stop and take a photo with them. We did it because it was a neat photo opportunity but then realized we didn't have change to tip them. I told the heavy set guy (who I have a clear photo of his face) that I needed to grab change and I'd be back. When I did this he almost became even more pushy. He told me he'd take a $20 then. My husband and I laughed and said no thank you but if you have a $5 I'll give you a $10. He said ok and so I handed him the $10 and then he refused to give me my change back. We immediately felt extremely uncomfortable and left. We ended up being approached by people renting golf carts to tour the city. This was still done by a company inside the port. He gave us a great deal and a map of the area. We were just looking to see the beach and do some non pushy sales people. We drove over to that area and met some wonderful locals who were selling nice souvenirs. They were all very nice and nobody asked for a tip just because they sold us something. We would for sure skip the port and go shopping there again if given the choice. I'm not sure why we only got to port there till 1 but I wish we would have had more beach time.

Our wait staff in the MDR was amazing also. She remembered everyone's name and even made sure to ask where certain people were when they didn't attend dinner on some nights. She engaged us with conversation and seemed to honestly like speaking with us.

The pools were smaller then what we expected but they were still enjoyable.

The shows and parties were nice too.

By the 7th day we were exhausted. I don't think we'd go for a 7 day 4 port cruise again(especially not as a first cruise) but we'd for sure cruise carnival again.

Oh I should add that leaving the boat the last day was pretty easy too.

I'd say the major downside for us was the tipping. I love to tip and we do so pretty freely. I just don't like being asked to tip before I even get the chance. Not everyone was this way but the ports were pretty heavy on the tipping signs. Almost everyone even down to the bathroom attendant expected a tip even if they did nothing for you. I was kind of prepared for this but I just kind of expected to be able to tip on my own and not be harassed for it. All in all with the expecting of Costa maya it wasn't a trip breaker.

I tried to think of anything I could add that could help a future cruiser for this cruise ship but I'm sure I left out 500 things. If you have questions just ask and I'll try to answer. Thank you :)

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Thanks for the review!!:D:D

Sounds like you guys had a great time. We are on the Magic in June, and cannot wait.

We've been on the Breeze twice, so we know what to expect.

We also have 4 ports, but we are mostly beach people, so either way, we are chilling out with a drink in hand......:D:D

That was a good read and you did great as first review. Glad you enjoyed your cruise!!

Micahs Grandad

Thanks for the review. We were on the Magic in Nov and also enjoyed it.

Thanks for the review!!:D:D Sounds like you guys had a great time. We are on the Magic in June, and cannot wait. We've been on the Breeze twice, so we know what to expect. We also have 4 ports, but we are mostly beach people, so either way, we are chilling out with a drink in hand......:D:D

We were told by a frequent cruiser that your first cruise you try to do everything but after that it's a little more relaxing!! Can't wait till our next one :) we will spend a lot more time on the beach

Thank you !!

The magic was a really good ship :) glad you guys had a good cruise too!!!

Brisket on the new bbq was very good. Strange thing though is if you wanted water had to buy a bottle. Many people including us would make a plate and than go up to lido.

My family loved the BBQ place too. That stinks that you can't get water there by the cup. We bought the bubbles package for all non alcoholic passengers but it was barely used. They ended up drinking the free drinks the entire time pretty much.

Many thanks !

We are on the Magic in 5 weeks. :D

Hogladyrider

You did GREAT for your first review! We were on the same cruise, it was our 20th Carnival Cruise so we can relate to being over the food "thing". You will learn to pace yourself when it comes to ports!

It was our first time on the Magic and that is why we chose this cruise. We sailed Dream 3x and wanted to give her sister ship a try. We really love the cove balcony.......we spend a good bit of time out on our balcony. When you have had enough of the crowds it is a fantastic retreat.

I had to laugh at security when we were boarding. I have ALWAYS carried on two 750 ml bottles of sangria with me and this was the very first time the security person questioned, "is this alcohol".......she could not read the labels on the bottles......I had to explain to her that it was wine and carrying on two 750 ml bottles is allowed.......she said ok and off we went.

We attended one production show Flick, it was very well done and enjoyable. We attended several comedy shows......which were loads of laughs, however, the best comedian we remember from years ago is Happy Cole.

We enjoyed several Dive In Movies under the starts......Avengers; Jason Bourne; Deepwater Horizon; The Secret Life of Pets.

It was our 2nd time sailing in January and the weather in ports was amazing. Cozumel and Costa Maya, I believe snorkel excursions in Cozumel were canceled due to the wind conditions.

In Cozumel we went to Paradise Beach and lounged at the pool....best fresh salsa.

Belize we did not leave the ship, another sea day for us, and less crowds around the pools.

Mahogany Bay we walk to the beach. It appears that the big corporations have come in an bought up all the locals that had restaurants on the beach, Fat Tuesday's is the predominate owner of the bars and restaurants.

While in Mahogany Bay the Dream was also docked so the beach was rather busy but there was plenty of room. We met some fellow cruisers from the Dream and we enjoyed chatting with them.

Costa Maya was a 7 am til 2 pm port day......heck it was still dark outside when we arrived! It was our first visit to this port. We walked into port and back to the ship to just enjoy the beautiful views of the coast line and the water. NCL Getaway and Oceania Marina were also in port with the Magic.

We left port late as we were waiting on five stragglers who never got back onboard until after 2 pm. I can remember a time when the ship would have left without them! Small world I met the last man to board the next day while in line to book a future cruise. He was late because he met up with some locals and was enjoying some tequila!

The crew did a great job, always pleasant and speaking with the passengers. Many could take an example from them.

I have never been on a cruise where so many people are walking around on the cell phones.......really you can't go 7 days without.......it really has ruined our country IMO.

Forget about using the Magic Wifi, yes it is free but it is beyond slow, even to go to the free websites to search future cruises, just not worth the time IMO.

The biggest thing we noticed was lack of parental supervision by parents cruising with children. There was a time when children were not allowed in the hot tubs, not on this cruise. There were children in the hot tubs with snorkel gear! There were children in the hot tubs without parental supervision and these children were younger than 10! The hot tubs were just lukewarm so no worries about getting overly heated.

We watched children around the Lido pool without parental supervision, I am talking about 3 years old and younger.

On the flip side we ran into one grandmother who was sailing with 6 of her grandchildren and ALL of them were well mannered and well behaved so there is hope for our future leaders.

We met many wonderful repeat cruisers, one couple celebrating their 123rd cruise and they were doing back to back on Magic. We enjoy meeting and chatting with other cruisers.

We did not purchase anything to take home for us it is all about enjoying the ship and the open ocean and the scenery......the immigration officer asked me "you made no purchases"......nope not even a t-shirt that Carnival had on sale. I looked at them but there was nothing I couldn't live without.

We are booked again on the Magic for Eastern in January 2018 and we will try and fit in a short cruise before then.......we are Carnival fans!

Sounds like you had a great cruise. We love Magic and are booked again for this years Christmas cruise as well.

By far the best food on this ship is Tandoor Grill, the flavors and ingredients used are excellent. We wish it were open for longer than just lunch time. We ate there every afternoon.

We love the Eastern itinerary (San Juan, St. thomas, GT and Amber Cove) and have sailed it 3 times. We also love the western itinerary and have not had an issue with Costa Maya. We always use a strong "no thank you" if we run into an aggressive merchant but never a problem.

As far as the restroom attendants, remember they may not give you service directly but many of those restrooms are pretty clean considering the amount of people that come through them. As those attendants are the ones cleaning in between guests/tourist, I am happy to tip them whether there is a sign or not. I like a clean public restroom and dont forget the reason for most signs, because there are many people that just dont give the courtesy of thinking about it. If you do not want to tip then dont. But a reminder for many people is warranted believe me.

My next cruise is on the Magic with the same itinerary that the OP went to. I have only done eastern Caribbean so far and am worried that I won't like the western as much. It's great to hear you had a good time.

I have also done the Amber Cove, St Thomas, San Juan and Grand Turk and loved it! We just did the Grand Turk, San Juan, St Kitts and St Maarten and loved that one even more! I would love it if they had St Kitts, St Maarten, St Thomas and Grand Turk as an option... may have to do a B2B to do that!

Sounds like you had a great cruise. We love Magic and are booked again for this years Christmas cruise as well.   By far the best food on this ship is Tandoor Grill, the flavors and ingredients used are excellent. We wish it were open for longer than just lunch time. We ate there every afternoon.   We love the Eastern itinerary (San Juan, St. thomas, GT and Amber Cove) and have sailed it 3 times. We also love the western itinerary and have not had an issue with Costa Maya. We always use a strong "no thank you" if we run into an aggressive merchant but never a problem.   As far as the restroom attendants, remember they may not give you service directly but many of those restrooms are pretty clean considering the amount of people that come through them. As those attendants are the ones cleaning in between guests/tourist, I am happy to tip them whether there is a sign or not. I like a clean public restroom and dont forget the reason for most signs, because there are many people that just dont give the courtesy of thinking about it. If you do not want to tip then dont. But a reminder for many people is warranted believe me.

lizzyplague

We're doing this same itinerary in April. Looking forward to it. Thank you for the review!

Thanks for the review.

Really hard to be pushed into giving tip. But glad you did enjoy your cruise.

Thanks for the feedback.

Many thanks !   We are on the Magic in 5 weeks. :D

We had a lot of fun!! You guys will enjoy it:)

You did GREAT for your first review! We were on the same cruise, it was our 20th Carnival Cruise so we can relate to being over the food "thing". You will learn to pace yourself when it comes to ports!   It was our first time on the Magic and that is why we chose this cruise. We sailed Dream 3x and wanted to give her sister ship a try. We really love the cove balcony.......we spend a good bit of time out on our balcony. When you have had enough of the crowds it is a fantastic retreat.   I had to laugh at security when we were boarding. I have ALWAYS carried on two 750 ml bottles of sangria with me and this was the very first time the security person questioned, "is this alcohol".......she could not read the labels on the bottles......I had to explain to her that it was wine and carrying on two 750 ml bottles is allowed.......she said ok and off we went.   We attended one production show Flick, it was very well done and enjoyable. We attended several comedy shows......which were loads of laughs, however, the best comedian we remember from years ago is Happy Cole.   We enjoyed several Dive In Movies under the starts......Avengers; Jason Bourne; Deepwater Horizon; The Secret Life of Pets.   It was our 2nd time sailing in January and the weather in ports was amazing. Cozumel and Costa Maya, I believe snorkel excursions in Cozumel were canceled due to the wind conditions.   In Cozumel we went to Paradise Beach and lounged at the pool....best fresh salsa.   Belize we did not leave the ship, another sea day for us, and less crowds around the pools.   Mahogany Bay we walk to the beach. It appears that the big corporations have come in an bought up all the locals that had restaurants on the beach, Fat Tuesday's is the predominate owner of the bars and restaurants.   While in Mahogany Bay the Dream was also docked so the beach was rather busy but there was plenty of room. We met some fellow cruisers from the Dream and we enjoyed chatting with them.   Costa Maya was a 7 am til 2 pm port day......heck it was still dark outside when we arrived! It was our first visit to this port. We walked into port and back to the ship to just enjoy the beautiful views of the coast line and the water. NCL Getaway and Oceania Marina were also in port with the Magic.   We left port late as we were waiting on five stragglers who never got back onboard until after 2 pm. I can remember a time when the ship would have left without them! Small world I met the last man to board the next day while in line to book a future cruise. He was late because he met up with some locals and was enjoying some tequila!   The crew did a great job, always pleasant and speaking with the passengers. Many could take an example from them.   I have never been on a cruise where so many people are walking around on the cell phones.......really you can't go 7 days without.......it really has ruined our country IMO.   Forget about using the Magic Wifi, yes it is free but it is beyond slow, even to go to the free websites to search future cruises, just not worth the time IMO.   The biggest thing we noticed was lack of parental supervision by parents cruising with children. There was a time when children were not allowed in the hot tubs, not on this cruise. There were children in the hot tubs with snorkel gear! There were children in the hot tubs without parental supervision and these children were younger than 10! The hot tubs were just lukewarm so no worries about getting overly heated.   We watched children around the Lido pool without parental supervision, I am talking about 3 years old and younger.   On the flip side we ran into one grandmother who was sailing with 6 of her grandchildren and ALL of them were well mannered and well behaved so there is hope for our future leaders.   We met many wonderful repeat cruisers, one couple celebrating their 123rd cruise and they were doing back to back on Magic. We enjoy meeting and chatting with other cruisers.   We did not purchase anything to take home for us it is all about enjoying the ship and the open ocean and the scenery......the immigration officer asked me "you made no purchases"......nope not even a t-shirt that Carnival had on sale. I looked at them but there was nothing I couldn't live without.   We are booked again on the Magic for Eastern in January 2018 and we will try and fit in a short cruise before then.......we are Carnival fans!

I was almost positive those people in casta maya were late runners haha! I thought for sure they didn't wait for anyone.

It sounds like you experienced the same awesome team work from the ships crew that we did 💓 💓

I can't wait to book our next cruise. We will for sure take it a lot slower the next time.

I think we will try the eastern cruise next time.

I am a big tipper. It's one of my favorite things to do (reward those who deserve it I mean). And I'm not above tipping a bathroom attendant but we have heavily populated areas where I live and they're required to keep it clean too. I did tip them though as well as others. I just feel like it's more about the tipping in some of the areas we visited then about the experience. Just my opinion. And that might change the more cruises we go on.

My next cruise is on the Magic with the same itinerary that the OP went to. I have only done eastern Caribbean so far and am worried that I won't like the western as much. It's great to hear you had a good time.   I have also done the Amber Cove, St Thomas, San Juan and Grand Turk and loved it! We just did the Grand Turk, San Juan, St Kitts and St Maarten and loved that one even more! I would love it if they had St Kitts, St Maarten, St Thomas and Grand Turk as an option... may have to do a B2B to do that!  

I can't compare the eastern vs western because I've not been on the eastern cruise but I think you'll love it. Everything was so beautiful. And honestly if you get the chance to do the $75.00 dollar snorkeling thru carnvial in belize you should do it !! We also loved Mr sanchos if you get the chance to look them up on Facebook ( they're in cozumel). I can't wait to hear if you liked it 💓

I hope you guys have a magical cruise !!

thanks for the review.

Really hard to be pushed into giving tip. But glad you did enjoy your cruise. Thanks for the feedback.

Not true, you can very easily be pressured into giving tips.

Again mine stated I liked to tip just didn't like the constant push for them or the need to tip someone because they sold me something.

But since it's my first day back at work and I'm having a beautiful Monday I'll take your comment as not being a ding and say for you to have a good day also 😉 😉 😉

I was on this cruise also, and while I love the Magic (and Dream class in general) there were some things I was disappointed with (not that I let them ruin my cruise, just worth mentioning).

Service in the main dining room was very slow (except for the second elegant night, which many people skip since they don't want to dress up). I had early dining and it was the slowest I had ever seen on a Carnival cruise, except for when YTD was first introduced.

I was underwhelmed by the Pig & Anchor BBQ food, it was just OK. The sauces were too runny and the brown sugar one was pretty bland, and the mac & cheese just tasted too artificial-cheese to me.

I purchased a spa pass in order to use the Thalassotherapy pool and heated loungers. In Mahogany Bay they closed the pool for a few hours to chlorinate it during regular open hours. When I called about it they said it was because that port facility had options for flushing the water that other ports did not, and it was not allowed in the open ocean. The pool wasn't as warm as usual and it was actually cold after they chlorinated.

I purchased the intermediate internet package (not sure what free WiFi Hogladyrider was referring to?) and it is extremely slow for anything other than Facebook. Using it around 2 - 3 am was faster but not by a lot.

My room steward was probably the best ever, and I got more goodies this cruise because I turned platinum :D I was glad to get the night light instead of the stationary or croc hat, lol. But the chocolate covered strawberries are not that great, the chocolate is really waxy. I guess I have become a chocolate snob!

I was part of the Piano Bar-Barians group and would like to apologize for any of us who were rude to other cruisers. We had a private party in the piano bar several nights but one of the nights the sign wasn't put out and the doors were open, so there was no way to know. Unfortunately at least one of our group was unnecessarily snippy to some people who happened to stop by just to get a few drinks. I tried to diffuse the situation and welcome them back later, most of us are open to introducing new people to the fun of the piano bar.

I was on this cruise also, and while I love the Magic (and Dream class in general) there were some things I was disappointed with (not that I let them ruin my cruise, just worth mentioning).   Service in the main dining room was very slow (except for the second elegant night, which many people skip since they don't want to dress up). I had early dining and it was the slowest I had ever seen on a Carnival cruise, except for when YTD was first introduced.   I was underwhelmed by the Pig & Anchor BBQ food, it was just OK. The sauces were too runny and the brown sugar one was pretty bland, and the mac & cheese just tasted too artificial-cheese to me.   I purchased a spa pass in order to use the Thalassotherapy pool and heated loungers. In Mahogany Bay they closed the pool for a few hours to chlorinate it during regular open hours. When I called about it they said it was because that port facility had options for flushing the water that other ports did not, and it was not allowed in the open ocean. The pool wasn't as warm as usual and it was actually cold after they chlorinated.   I purchased the intermediate internet package (not sure what free WiFi Hogladyrider was referring to?) and it is extremely slow for anything other than Facebook. Using it around 2 - 3 am was faster but not by a lot.   My room steward was probably the best ever, and I got more goodies this cruise because I turned platinum :D I was glad to get the night light instead of the stationary or croc hat, lol. But the chocolate covered strawberries are not that great, the chocolate is really waxy. I guess I have become a chocolate snob!   I was part of the Piano Bar-Barians group and would like to apologize for any of us who were rude to other cruisers. We had a private party in the piano bar several nights but one of the nights the sign wasn't put out and the doors were open, so there was no way to know. Unfortunately at least one of our group was unnecessarily snippy to some people who happened to stop by just to get a few drinks. I tried to diffuse the situation and welcome them back later, most of us are open to introducing new people to the fun of the piano bar.

We did have slightly slow service in the dinning room but we just assumed it was the norm because of the size of the boat. We didn't eat there every night so I couldn't compare some nights to others.

I myself am a vegetarian but my family loved the BBQ place. I wanted to taste the mac and cheese but never got around to it so I'm thankful that I didn't miss much!!

We looked into some spa stuff but never booked. The pools were freezing cold but I just assumed that was the norm also. We thankfully got to get out and experience the mahogany bay port for the entire day.

No Internet for us or prizes (it was our first cruise) but our room steward was super nice and we loved our waitress in the MDR!!

And small word.. we were those people that just stopped by to experience a different type of drink/atmosphere in the Piano bar. The bar tender said "we have a private party starting in ten minutes. Please take your drinks and come back after 10". Our response was wow, we didn't even know that was an option. But we'll come back at 10 and see what's going on (we'd never been in a piano bar before). No sooner then the words were out of our mouth at least 3 members starting talking trash. We became completely uncomfortable while waiting for our drinks and started having to defend our actions. It still at this point was not 10 pm and members of the piano club party started chiming in. Honestly I wish security would have been called. I wish the way that the members of this club acted would have caused them to not be able to continue with this party. We are a fun group of 6 adults who brought our children on a cruise for the first time and were simply looking for a good time. Had we just been allowed to get our drinks before the private party started and leave and come back we could have all had some wonderful conversations. I think the actions of many members of that group were uncalled for and brought a negative face to any future piano groups we see on future cruises. I actually took it upon myself to email carnival and ask them to review any future bookings with the group that was there that night. Do I think it'll stop them from being allowed to book? No. But do i think it might make carnival add some security to any future parties with this group yes. I also asked if there is a time buffer to which the room needs to be cleared out before the reserved time and they said no.

I decided not to include this interaction in my original post because I wasn't sure how to address it. Since you commented I decided to reply my thoughts. I hope you enjoy any future cruises you take. Thanks.

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Carnival Magic

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Traveler Reviews

A ship’s traveler rating is provided under license by Cruiseline.com , which manages one of the largest databases of cruise reviews and ratings by travelers. A total of 3655 guests have reviewed Carnival Magic , giving it a rating of 4.2 on a scale of 1-5.

Cruiseline Travel Rating:

Reviews by traveler type, most recent reviews.

Best Caribbean cruise

Sep 4th, 2024

Best cruise I been on so far carnival just needs to upgrade the television in the room

Traveler Type

Large Group

4-6 cruises

Living Our Best Life!

Aug 29th, 2024

This trip was the first time our grandchildren traveled out of the country and they we absolutely living their best life. We had an amazing family trip with staff who took care of anything we needed, incredible and delicious food options, and activities and ports that kept us busy provided wonderful experiences and memories to cherish always. We hope to do another cruise again soon!

Family (older children)

Too many young unsupervised children on board. We even saw large groups of them at 2:00 am. Very loud. Our room was next to the elevator. Children would run down the hall screaming to get to the elevator. We would hear it all.

Aug 27th, 2024

Other than the unsupervised children out way past curfew and the horrible disembarkation process, we enjoyed the ports and all of the crew. It also helped that we had one of the best cruise directors we have ever experienced.

Singles/Friends

Our favorite ship

Aug 24th, 2024

Not the best for people with mobility issues. They need separate elevators on debarkation days. Arrive early if you want good seats at the main theater shows.

2-3 cruises

Bahamas instead of Bermuda

Our favorite ship. Because of the hurricane, we had to visit the Bahamas instead of Bermuda. The staff was great. Food was great. Plenty to do on the ship.

Loved our cruise

Aug 21st, 2024

Great relaxing experience! Our dinner staff all knew our names and were very personal! They also knew our drink orders from day 1! They made our cruise extra special!!

Great and we will do it again .I think that the cruise director could have been a little more enthusiastic

Family (young children)

amazing Caribbean cruise

this is my first time on the cruise and my time was amazing. I have three kids and my husband we had really perfect time. I wanna come again with more family members so if I get a discount, definitely, I will be back there.

1 cruise (first)

Never again

It was ghetto and I wouldn't want to sail with Carnival again. SUPER DISORGANIZED, NOT ENOUGH ACTIVITIES, RUDE LEADERSHIP? A WASTE OF MONEY

Great cruise.. Terrible passengers

Aug 14th, 2024

For the price you cant go wrong. Great service and entertainment. The only problem we experienced was with the passengers. It was a nearly full ship and seemed to have an abundance of teenagers and young adults that just acted like animals. Several people mentioned they complaining to the staff but they were simply out numbered. They acted like wild animals everywhere on the ship. From the pool to the shows, even during meals. I blame it on the parents not Carnival but it certainly had an impact on the cruise experience.

Disclaimers about ship ratings: A ship’s Health Rating is based on vessel inspection scores published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If a ship did not receive a CDC score within 22 months prior to the calculation of its Overall Rating, its Health Rating appears as N/A; in such a case, the ship’s Overall Rating is calculated using the average Health Rating of all CDC-rated ships within the cruise line. All ship Traveler Ratings are based on ratings provided under license by Cruiseline.com.

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• Carnival Cruise Lines

Carnival Magic Review

By carribbound , February 6 in Carnival Cruise Lines

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carribbound

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I have cruised with Carnival many many times (enough to be at Platinum status for a while now). First time on Carnival Magic.  

Embarkation: This was a piece of cake.

Cabin: Adequate. We had a cove balcony which we always book. The mattress was awful though. Awful. Balcony was rusty and dirty most of the week. We expect it to be salty as it is close to the water, but this was dirty and gross.

Staffing: Definitely seemed short staffed. Dirty dishes left on tables much longer than normal. Hard to get bar service. Cabin attendant was amazing! Met our needs and more. The cruise director was less than average.  

Entertainment: Lacking! It appears there have been cutbacks. It used to be I would have to decide between 2 or things to do if they were at a certain time and this time found myself to be bored. I had a discussion with the cruise director. I asked if there were cuts to comedy and he assured me there were not and it's the same as always. No, not the same. Used to be more shows. He repeatedly disagreed with me. Comedy shows should be in the large theatre as the current venue is always packed. Usually standing room only. There were some movies shown, which we like to do usually, but many times spinning ice cream cones, the movie showing schedule and a wiener dog falling asleep in the sun was on the screen most of the day. Music midday was played at the Lido pool for a few hours. They did some contests midday like usual utilizing guests at the Lido pool as well. Tons of Trivia. Multiple times a day. But that only takes one staff member so I am thinking if they are short staffed, that's an easy way to provide "entertainment". We watched one show and peaked in on another in the theatre. The one we went to was 5 singers sitting on stools singing for 30 minutes. Literally, sitting on stools with the one singer occasionally getting to sing. Poor presentation but the singing was ok. I looked in on another show later in the week, same thing, singers sitting on stools singing.  

Food: The food was par for Carnival. I feel like the steakhouse was better on other Carnival ships I have sailed on. We never were hungry and there were plenty of options. We usually drink the ship water but it tasted awful this time. We ended up buying bottled water all week. Pizza, Mongolian Wok, BBQ, burgers, and tacos were all great. Buffet was par. I did notice one day after the sea side BBQ, the buffet had pulled pork and Mac n cheese with burnt ends mixed in. So maybe feeding leftovers ??

General condition of the ship: Not good. Needs many repairs. Carnival Magic is an older ship, but is certainly showing its age. I believe a dry dock is scheduled for Jan 2025. It needs it. It was much more dirty than I have experienced on other ships. Grates near the pool were bent up with signs over them. The laundry room had only 2/4 dryers that were working and one of the 3 washers leaked all over one day. The door on our cabin would need a gently hit with the hip to get it open as it stuck hard. The casino really needs a better ventilation system. Very smoky anywhere near the casino. We opted to walk the deck below to get from forward to aft vs walking through it. This also made shopping non existent in the shops as it was such a strong smell of smoke.

Other: No enforcement of any of their policies. Chair saving was ridiculous. Many times saw chairs with towels on them for 4 or more hours and nothing was done about it. People also smoking anywhere they wanted to on open decks and nothing was said to them. There was tons of security on this ship. More than I have ever seen on a Carnival ship.  

Debarkation: getting off the ship was acceptable, luggage reclamation was a nightmare. Going through customs was a breeze.  

Overall, I would not sail this ship again. I have to admit though, I do favor the newer Carnival ships now and maybe that makes me biased.

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Your review mirrors most of my experience when I sailed Magic over Labor Day 2023. The only difference is the food on my cruise was horrible. It was essentially hospital food. So it's good they've improved the food since.

But yes the ship was dirty, stained carpet and upholstery everywhere, smelled like smoke, people smoking whatever they wanted wherever they wanted, etc.

We just got off the ship Sunday 2/4.  Probably same sailing as you.  I have to agree with all you have mentioned.  Embarkation was easy.  The shows were modified because there was an accident the cruise before with 2 of the performers falling through the stage floor - videos are on TikTok.  So yes, they had the other performers sitting in chairs singing for at least 2 of the shows. (we walked out- boring)  Buffet was poorly run at dinner - only one side of stations was opened instead of the 4 they could have had.  Our steward introduced himself the first day, then we never saw him again.  At the introduction I mentioned a drawer was sitting 3 inches open and we kept hitting it as we walked by, and it couldn't be closed, and the bathroom light was not working.  By the 2nd day I ended up calling Guest Services to report it as it had not been fixed, and within 10 minutes an engineer came by and fixed everything.  Our cabin was cleaned well each morning, though, so no complaints there.  

Chair hogs were out in force.  I was at the aft pool by 7 a.m. each morning to sit and read, and 3/4 of the chairs had towels on them, with no bodies.  And the bodies would not show up until  9-10 am, if then.  The ship was definitely showing wear and tear, and definitely seemed short-staffed.  At the buffet some of the serving staff was coughing while serving the food - ew. Walking through deck 5 was like walking through a smoke-stack.  We also had some "odors" on deck 8 where our cabin was, filtering up to the aft pool at times.  Had 2 good dinners at the Steakhouse, one meh at Italian, though the lunch pasta was very good at Cucina.  Had great weather on this cruise, even with a short period of rain in St. Thomas. (it seems to rain every time we are there - lol.).   Never got to the bbq or Mongolian wok - lines were crazy long.  Debarkation was easy, but finding our luggage in zone 1 was not.

This was our 3rd time on Magic in 3 years, and we definitely have seen some slippage - but not enough to not sail on her again.  BTW - I tried searching to see when she is due for dry dock, but could not find any date.  Did you see that somewhere?  May want to book again for Jan. 2025, but not if she is going into drydock right after.

The Jan 21 sailing was much the same 

long wait times for your time dining (90 -100 minutes checking in at 5:30 p) Dining room half empty

Wait staff told us a team of 3 now responsible for 2 stations at a time 

Definitely short staffed 

difficult to get dining room bar service  ( they no longer have a staff member designed for this)

carnival needs to step it up!

11 minutes ago, pe4all said: \BTW - I tried searching to see when she is due for dry dock, but could not find any date.  Did you see that somewhere?  May want to book again for Jan. 2025, but not if she is going into drydock right after.

https://help.goccl.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1495/~/carnival-magic-(mc)-fact-sheet

25 minutes ago, pe4all said:   BTW - I tried searching to see when she is due for dry dock, but could not find any date.  Did you see that somewhere?  May want to book again for Jan. 2025, but not if she is going into drydock right after.

Ohhh, when I looked back I guess I was looking at an “unofficial” dry dock schedule. It sure is in need of it. 

straitlover1965

On 2/7/2024 at 8:54 AM, mz-s said:   https://help.goccl.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1495/~/carnival-magic-(mc)-fact-sheet  

Oh no! I am booked for April 2025, wash hoping for the January dry dock.

40 minutes ago, straitlover1965 said: Oh no! I am booked for April 2025, wash hoping for the January dry dock.

The fact is pretty much all of my complaints with Magic could be taken care of by Carnival with regular maintenance. It doesn't take a drydock to replace the upholstery in the MDR. They can do that in phases on turnaround/port days. They can add extra scrubbers in the casino to clear smoke any time. They can enforce their smoking rules and kick people off who break them anytime.

The fact is, Carnival doesn't care that their ships look nasty. If they cared, they'd fix the problem. Actions (or rather, lack of action) speaks louder than words.

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Carnival Magic ®

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We knew exactly what we were doing when we named this ship Carnival Magic... and we're sure you'll agree. At 1,004 feet, this one continued the Dream class tradition of large-scale, bow-to-stern cruise ship fun including the food-and-entertainment space Ocean Plaza, the splashy stylings of Carnival WaterWorks ™ ... and The Lanai, a convenient, scenic half-mile outdoor wraparound promenade deck. In other words, a cruise on Carnival Magic has no shortage of its namesake charm! It's no surprise Carnival Magic debuted all-new ways to have a good time onboard, and continues to prove it with the outdoor fitness-and-fun of SportSquare ™ , featuring the world's first ropes course at sea. This is also the ship that introduced the world to Cucina del Capitano ® , which serves up Italian favorites fit for a captain. Who can forget their first taste of RedFrog Pub ® , with its laid back, not-a-worry-to-be-found atmosphere... plus its exclusive, tasty, not-a-drop-to-be-found (on land, that is) beer, ThirstyFrog ® Red. And if you wanted to visit the original Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse ™ ... guess which ship you'd check out! Keeping with the times, Carnival Magic features the delicious good times of Guy's Burger Joint ™ , BlueIguana Cantina ™ , Alchemy Bar ® and RedFrog Rum Bar ® . Carnival Magic has a history of starting good things... and sharing them with guests.

• 130,000 Gross Tonnage
• 3690 Guest Capacity
• 1004 Length In Feet
• 1367 Onboard Crew

INSIDE THIS SHIP

Just like a delicious cake, your ship is made of layers. Find out which fun ingredients — staterooms, dining, activities — go into each deck.

YOUR STATEROOM

Cloud 9 spa interior.

Amenities exclusive to Cloud 9 Spa ™ staterooms and suites:

• Unique welcome ritual
• Priority spa reservations
• Unlimited use of Thermal Suites, plus scrub kit
• Unlimited use of Hydrotherapy Pool
• Two complimentary fitness classes (per guest)
• Complimentary body composition analysis
• Exclusive discounts on treatments during port days
• Cloud 9 Spa bathrobes and slippers
• Upgraded ELEMIS in-stateroom toiletries

Plus, every room includes:

• Dedicated stateroom attendant
• Soft, cozy linens
• Plenty of closet and drawer space
• In-room safe for valuables
• Stateroom climate control

Interior with Picture Window (Walkway View)

Every room includes:

Interior Upper/Lower (Porthole)

Interior upper/lower, cloud 9 spa ocean view (walkway view).

The best way to enjoy the relaxing, invigorating Cloud 9 Spa while on a cruise is in a spa stateroom, and this one fits the bill, providing comfy accommodations and convenient, priority access to treatments and services at the Cloud 9 Spa. (Note that rooms of this type have obstructed views.)

Deluxe Ocean View

On Carnival Magic, Deluxe Ocean View staterooms are a great choice for families who want to let the sun shine in as they sail. Rooms in this category feature great views, a full bathroom — plus a separate washroom — and while stateroom configurations vary, certain Deluxe Ocean View rooms have space to sleep up to five cruisers.

Deluxe Ocean View (Obstructed View)

On Carnival Magic, Deluxe Ocean View staterooms are great for families. These rooms feature a full bathroom — plus a separate washroom — and while stateroom configurations vary, certain Deluxe Ocean View rooms have space to sleep up to five. (Note that rooms of this type have obstructed views.)

Premium Vista Balcony

Premium Vista Balcony staterooms were designed to wrap around the aft corners of Carnival Magic, giving you a unique vantage point from which to enjoy luxuriously panoramic views of the sky and the sea — and yes, take in even more of that sunshine.

Cloud 9 Spa Balcony

Whether you're warming up for your spa appointment or winding down after your treatment, there's no better place to do it than on your Cloud 9 Spa Balcony. Breathing is important — take the ocean breeze in, then let it out — you're already getting the hang of the whole spa thing!

Aft-View Extended Balcony

Aft-View Extended Balcony staterooms feature a larger balcony for more lounge-around room, more kick-back space; not to even mention some of the best stern-side views you'll find anywhere. Get ready to relax as you gaze upon Carnival Magic's gentle wake from your spacious balcony.

Balcony (Large Balcony)

We designed Carnival Magic balcony staterooms for maximum sea breeze and the most stunning views, and this stateroom features a balcony that's even wider than our standard balcony. Enjoy the extra outdoor space, along with all the standard Carnival stateroom amenities.

Balcony staterooms were designed for maximum sea breeze and the most stunning views, so look to a balcony if you're looking to cruise aboard Carnival Magic. Any time you're in your room, you're just steps away from your own personal outdoor oasis, featuring the sort of sea view you can also feel.

Cove Balcony

Love the sea? Carnival Magic's Cove Balcony staterooms are the best way to see the sea — these rooms get you close to the waterline, and feature balconies that let you make the most of your location. Enjoy things from a whole new perspective: one amazing up-close view of the wake and seafoam as the ship cruises along.

Grand Suite

A Grand Suite aboard Carnival Magic features even more space than the standard suite — plenty of room in your room! This stateroom is loaded for an unparalleled experience: VIP check-in, a huge balcony, and even a convenient dressing area with vanity.

Amenities exclusive to suites:

• Priority check-in and boarding
• Priority Main Dining Room time assignment
• Priority debarkation at homeport, and ports of call requiring a water shuttle or with arrival times later than 9:30 Am
• Two large bottles of water
• Pillow-top mattress

Cloud 9 Spa Suite

A Cloud 9 Spa Suite is the ultimate in both stateroom and spa accommodations. There's room for you and your things — with a large room and balcony — and a walk-in closet. The soothing in-room whirlpool tub will help you stay relaxed after your relaxing spa treatment. And like all suites, a Cloud 9 Spa Suite features VIP check-in, which lets you easily get right up to your amazing stateroom.

Plus, all suites include:

Ocean Suite

A Carnival Magic suite is the ultimate way to cruise. With more space for stretching out indoors, plus a large balcony for kicking back outdoors, try an Ocean Suite to experience private, luxurious relaxation. Ocean Suites also include VIP check-in, walk-in closet and bathroom with whirlpool tub.

Junior Suite (Obstructed View)

As you step into a Junior Suite aboard Carnival Magic, you can't help but feel that you're stepping into full-size luxury in a smaller package. Featuring a standard-size balcony, in a Carnival Magic Junior Suite you'll find everything else there is to love about a suite, including VIP check-in, a walk-in closet; and even a whirlpool tub for relaxing (Note that rooms of this type have obstructed views.)

ONBOARD ACTIVITIES

Onboard dining, where to for you.

This ship is always visiting great vacation spots. Where will your next vacation take you?

* Taxes and fees are included.

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Carnival Magic

Cruise line Carnival Cruise Line

• Miami (Florida)

Carnival Magic current position

Carnival Magic current location is at North West Atlantic Ocean (coordinates 22.75420 N / -72.46439 W) cruising at speed of 16.9 kn (31 km/h | 19 mph) en route to DOAMB>TCGDT. The AIS position was reported 2 hours ago.

Current itinerary of Carnival Magic

Carnival Magic current cruise is 7 days, round-trip Eastern Caribbean . Prices start from USD 739 (double occupancy rates). The itinerary starts on 08 Sep, 2024 and ends on 15 Sep, 2024 .

Specifications of Carnival Magic

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

Carnival Magic Itineraries

Carnival magic review, review of carnival magic.

The 2011-built Carnival Magic cruise ship is one the biggest and Carnival's second DREAM-class liner, together with Breeze , Dream as well as Costa Diadema . Carnival Magic was last refurbished in February 2021.

The vessel (IMO number 9378486) is currently Panama- flagged (MMSI 370491000) and registered in Colon .

History - construction and ownership

Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) is a US shipping company, trademarked brand and subsidiary of Carnival Corporation (shipowner). CCL was founded in 1972 as an independent company by Ted Arison (1924-1999, co-founder of NCL Norwegian ).

CCL has the Corporation's largest fleet as number of vessels and GT-tonnage (ship sizes/volumes and passenger capacities). In 2023, CCL had ~9% (by revenue) and ~19% (passengers) share of the cruise industry's worldwide market. In 2024, the parent company (Carnival Corporation) had ~51% stake in the US$64+ billion industry.

The 3690-passenger ship Carnival Magic was built in 2011 for USD 740 million. Magic features facilities similarly designed on the previous generations of line's ships while presenting some new features. This extraordinary ship marks the end of Carnival's longtime interior architect Joe Farcus, and he goes out in style. While cruisers might still expect neon and mirrored surfaces, his touch is limited, as far as other designers were also hired. This is the reason why there is a lighting refinement to many of the places, including the main dining rooms, the sun deck and especially Serenity adults-only area.

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Magic staterooms (1845 total) include 54 Suites, 877 Balcony, 227 Oceanview and 713 Iside cabins, in all 34 grades. Most staterooms are sized 170-185 ft2 / 16-17 m2. Most cabin balconies are sized 35-45 ft2 / 3-4 m2. Deluxe Oceanviews are with two separate washrooms and advertised as "Family cabins" having max capacity 5 passengers. Cove Balcony (located beneath the lifeboats on Deck 2) have partially enclosed verandas.

CCL Magic ship also has 368 connecting ("Family" cabins), 79 "Cloud 9 Spa", 35 wheelchair-accessible, and "Cove Balcony" cabins (located on Deck 2/by the lifeboats). The largest are the Grand Suites (345 ft2 / 32 m2 plus 85 ft2 / 8 m2 terrace) with max occupancy 4 passengers. Deluxe Oceanviews have max capacity 5 passengers.

The boat has 14 decks , of which 9 are with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The two formal dining rooms on Carnival Magic are the Southern Lights and the smaller Northern Lights. Both restaurants are the focal point of dining onboard the ship. For those who like laughter with their food, is the Punchliner Comedy Brunch, taking place in the Spotlight Lounge only on sea days. The real foodies who are curious about how the galley feeds so many people, have to check out Chef's Table. For US$75 per person, you'll be able to meet the head chef and tour the galley, as well as dine on a multi-course meal at a private table, while watching the chefs at work.

Follows the complete list of Carnival Magic restaurants and food bars.

• Southern Lights Restaurant (1248-seat aft Dining Room, with two fixed dinner seatings and “Anytime Dining”)
• Northern Lights Restaurant (948-seat forward Dining Room, with two fixed dinner seatings, open seating breakfast and lunch; “Seuss At Sea” themed breakfasts for $5 cover charge)
• Sushi and More Bar (sushi bar, complimentary; serves as salad bar during the day)
• Lido Marketplace buffet restaurant (825-seat self-service restaurant with various complimentary takeaway food stations)
• Prime Steakhouse (69-seat, reservation-only specialty restaurant, serving seafood and prime beef)
• Cucina del Capitano (117-seats Italian restaurant; offers complimentary lunch and a la carte dinner/surcharge; serves as pasta bar during the day)
• SeaDogs (complimentary hot dogs, toppings)
• Guy’s Burger Joint (fast-food bar) and Bluelguana Cantina (Mexican eatery). Other new venues on Lido deck are BlueIguana Tequila Bar (Mexican-themed outdoor bar for frozens and beers) and the Pizzeria del Capitano
• Guy’s Burger Joint (fast-food bar) - since 2017
• Bluelguana Cantina (Mexican food bar) - since 2017
• BlueIguana Tequila Bar (Mexican bar for frozens and craft beers) - since 2017
• Pizzeria del Capitano - since 2017.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Lots of what is found onboard Carnival Magic came from first-in-class Carnival Dream, like the Seaside Theatre, 2-deck Cloud 9 spa and WaterWorks aqua park (Magic has two waterslides - corkscrew and bowl slide, Dream's got one). But Magic is not just a refined version of Dream. The liner has ushered in a handful of new features, such as Cucina del Capitano Italian restaurant which boasts singing waiters and handmade pasta for a $10 fee; Cherry on Top candy store and industry's first water "dump bucket", that complements ship's waterslides.

The following official YouTube video reviews Carnival's Dream-class vessels (Breeze, Dream, Magic) as facilities and onboard amenities.

Follows the complete list of Carnival Magic lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Showtime Theatre (1500-seat show lounge for a live show and music productions; features the “Playlist Productions” live musical mixes and “Hasbro Game Shows")
• Magic Atrium (11-deck high midship open floor area, featuring Magic Lobby Bar with piano and dance floor)
• Cherry on Top (candy shop; offers branded gear, special occasions gifts, tuxedo rentals)
• Escape Bar (a 30-seat club with bar)
• FunHub (24-hour Internet computers room; free Intranet offered for information on onboard programs, menus and scheduled events)
• Circle C (complimentary kids' club and lounge area with video games, parties, movies, planned activities)
• Club O2 (teens only lounge with movies, karaoke, video games, themed parties); Warehouse Video Games Arcade
• Hat Trick Casino (500-seat, with slot machines and gaming tables; features gambling tournaments and complimentary classes)
• FunHub 44 (with Internet/Intranet computers)
• The Lanai (60-seat promenade with Lanai Bar-BQ Bar and four cantilevered Whirlpools; Power Walking/Jogging Track)
• Ocean Plaza (270-seat lounge with Plaza Cafe)
• Vibe Disco and Nightclub; Play It Again Bar; Spotlight Lounge (400-seat; hosts the Punchliners Comedy Club)
• RedFrog Pub (120-seat, with indoor and outdoor seating, games, live music, international beers selection and Thirstyfrog/RedFrog beer)
• Guy’s Pig and Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse (added 2017, replacing Lanai Oceanside Barbeque)
• Tides Pool area; Sunset Pool area
• Camp Carnival (complimentary kids play area)
• Cloud 9 Spa (Thermal Suite, Oriental Steam Bath, Aroma Steam Bath, Steam Rooms, Sauna, Lacanium, Thalassotherapy pool)
• Carnival WaterWorks (kids pool play area with Twister water-slide, DrainPipe, and AquaPark)
• Seaside Theatre (with a huge LED screen for movies, sports events, concerts, with a stage for live performances)
• SportSquare complex (featuring outdoor relaxation area with Sports Park Bar; 18-hole mini golf course, Ping-Pong Tables and multisport court)
• Serenity (adults-only relaxation complex with sundeck and Serenity Bar)

In April 2024, the Showtime Theatre was upgraded with new ROBE moving lights (30x model PAINTE, 30x model LEDBeam 350, 12x model miniPointe).

Itineraries

Prior to the COVID crisis, Carnival Magic was homeported in Galveston TX for 7-day roundtrips to the Bahamas, Eastern, and Western Caribbean. Feature port destinations included Key West Florida, Jamaica, Nassau , Belize , Mexico (Progreso, Cozumel, Costa Maya), Roatan, Grand Cayman.

Carnival Magic itinerary program in 2022 was based on homeporting in Port Canaveral-Orlando (Florida) . In 2023, the liner was homeported in Miami Florida and also offered voyages from Norfolk Virginia . Summer 2023 season from Norfolk VA was CCL's longest (6 months/May 14th thru October 22nd) since 2002. Carnival Magic's previously scheduled homeporting in NYC (to Bermuda) was canceled in Nov 2022.

Ex-Norfolk itineraries (roundtrip departures from Nauticus Half Moone Cruise Center) visit ports in The Bahamas (6-night to Bimini Island, Nassau, Freeport), Eastern Caribbean (8-night to Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk, Amber Cove Dominicana), Bermuda (6-night to King’s Wharf), Canada and New England (8-night to Portland ME, St John NB, Halifax NS, Sydney NS). Voyages to the Caribbean include 4 sea days (2 southbound plus 2 northbound).

Photos of Carnival Magic

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CCL-Carnival to increase passenger capacity from homeport Norfolk VA (Half Moone Cruise Center)

CCL-Carnival Cruise Line on November 14, 2022, announced it would more than double its homeporting/departures out of Norfolk (Virginia USA) in 2023...

Unruly CCL-Carnival Cruise Line passengers to be fined $500

In a recent update to the company's cruise ticket contract, CCL-Carnival Cruise Line revealed that unruly passengers could be fined US$500 and forced...

Carnival cruise ships Magic and Legend experience satellite issues impacting their Internet service

Two CCL-Carnival Cruise Line ships operating in Northeast USA - Carnival Magic and Carnival Legend - are currently experiencing satellite antenna...

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Other Carnival Cruise Line cruise ships

• Carnival Breeze
• Carnival Celebration
• Carnival Conquest
• Carnival Dream
• Carnival Elation
• Carnival Firenze
• Carnival Freedom
• Carnival Glory
• Carnival Horizon
• Carnival Jubilee
• Carnival Legend
• Carnival Liberty
• Carnival Luminosa
• Carnival Mardi Gras
• Carnival Miracle
• Carnival Panorama
• Carnival Paradise
• Carnival Pride
• Carnival Radiance
• Carnival Spirit
• Carnival Splendor
• Carnival Sunrise
• Carnival Sunshine
• Carnival Valor
• Carnival Venezia
• Carnival Vista

Carnival Magic Wiki

The boat's Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade was done in 2015. The Carnival ship Magic is the second of the company's Dream-class vessels ( Fincantieri Monfalcone -built), with sisterships Breeze and Dream , and also Costa Diadema . The boat was christened by Lindsey Wilkerson (worker at the NYC -based ALSAC - fundraising organization for St Jude Children's Research Hospital).

Due to scheduled drydock refurbishment projects , in September 2020 CCL canceled all planned for 2020 and 2021-Q1 itineraries for 4 ships.

• Carnival Magic itineraries (15 total) from Miami Florida were canceled from November 7, 2020, through March 13, 2021 (1st departure).
• Carnival Paradise itineraries from Tampa Florida were canceled from November 2, 2020, through March 19, 2021 (1st departure).
• Carnival Valor itineraries from NOLA New Orleans   were canceled from November 2, 2020, through April 29, 2021 (1st departure), including two Transatlantic crossings - from NOLA (January 25) and from Barcelona (February 26).
• Carnival Spirit itineraries from Brisbane Australia   were canceled from December 6, 2020, through May 16, 2021 (1st departure is on June 12 / repositioning cruise from Singapore to Brisbane).

Carnival Magic drydock 2021

In 2021 (April 24 - May 24) Carnival Magic was drydocked at Chantier Naval de Marseille (CNdM Shipyard in Marseille France ), mainly for general maintenance works.

Curiously, Magic became Carnival's first liner to change the old hull design (white, with a red line running the entire length) with the new trademarked livery (red-white-blue) introduced on Mardi Gras.

During drydock 2021, the ship's Casino was expanded (with a greater variety of slots and other games), also were refreshed the WaterWorks aquapark and Lido Deck's swimming pools.

In April 2024, the Showtime Theatre (show lounge) was upgraded with new ROBE moving lights (30x model PAINTE, 30x model LEDBeam 350, 12x model miniPointe). The new lighting system (redesigned by David Horner) was installed while Carnival Magic was operational/carrying pasengers.

Carnival Magic refurbishment 2016 review

The list of deckplan changes after the ship's 2016 drydock refurbishment (February 21 to March 5) includes:

(On Promenade deck 5) was added the Alchemy Bar (cocktail pharmacy with resident mixologists). Also here, the Lanai Oceanside Barbeque was replaced by the new fast-food bar named “Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse”. The bar is complimentary and via a partnership with Guy Fieri (running also the “Guy’s Burger Joint” on Lido deck). Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse is an open-air restaurant for a variety of BBQ favorites. The menu features pork butt, blue ribbon chicken, sliced smoked beef, Guy Fieri's traditional sides, and gourmet burgers, a variety of BBQ sauces, hot sauce bar. Signature menu items are named Mac Daddy Mac'n Cheese, Old Skool Potato Salad, Scratch-Made Slaw, Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey, Molasses Baked Beans with Bacon and Burnt Ends.

(On Lido deck 10) were added 2 new poolside eateries (both complimentary) – Guy’s Burger Joint (fast-food bar) and Bluelguana Cantina (Mexican eatery). Other new venues on Lido deck are BlueIguana Tequila Bar (Mexican-themed outdoor bar for frozens and beers) and the Pizzeria del Capitano (complimentary).

(On Lido deck 10) were added RedFrog Rum Bar (rum bar for frozens and beers, plus the Carnival’s private label ThirstyFrog Red (draught beer).

Among the various technical enhancements implemented were shoreside power capabilities and new hull coating.

In 2021-Q1 (February-March-April) Carnival Magic was drydocked at Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport Bahamas , mainly for general maintenance works.