Necessary compromise
For the most part, dealing with the crowds to find seating in these areas defined the compromise necessary to get Carnival’s bargain pricing.
In addition to 11 days at sea, our itinerary was scheduled to include four days in port for sightseeing, shopping and exploration at the excellent Spanish ports of Palma de Mallorca, Malaga and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, as well as a day at Grand Turk Island in the Turks and Caicos largely devoted to beach and water sports.
However, a malfunctioning stern thruster engine that needed to be replaced dictated two days and an overnight stop at Freeport on Grand Bahama Island in place of the single day at Grand Turk and one of the days at sea.
Although we did bounce around a bit on a few days, prompting periods of somewhat amused staggering by the largely veteran passengers, there was never anything approaching the rolling sensation that can cause seasickness. We also had days of sunshine and nice weather, so overall, it was far from an unpleasant trip.
Accommodating cabins
I heard no complaints about the cabin accommodations, all being nicely equipped and of the generous size that is the Carnival norm. I was particularly impressed by the well-designed bathroom and excellent shower, which couldn’t have worked better.
Some might consider my particular cabin, being an inside very close to the stern of the ship, to be one of the worst possible locations. Instead, I found it to be most comfortable, convenient and quiet, as befits a location out of the general flow of traffic.
Carnival Magic offers an incredible variety of public rooms and entertainment facilities, as well as contemporary decor that is bright and colorful without being as flamboyant as some of her earlier sisters in the fleet.
Standing room only
Unfortunately, the Books and Games Library is far too small for this size vessel and was “standing room only” most of the time. As a result, the only venue I found missing was a generally quiet, observation-type lounge where one could read, play cards, work on a laptop or simply relax in relative peace.
On the plus side, I was impressed that the vessel has exterior, forward observation areas without glass to obstruct the view on six different decks.
Although some cruisers accustomed to “fine dining” may have concerns about the inspiration behind specific dishes served at dinnertime in the Northern and Southern Lights dining rooms, as an aficionado of “comfort food,” I was pleased with dinners throughout the cruise.
Furthermore, I was impressed by the astounding quality and variety of the offerings available for breakfast and lunch in the extensive Marketplace buffets, where not once did I have to wait in line behind more than a couple of people, despite there being 3,600 guests aboard.
Choices included a great salad bar, typical American fare, deli, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, pasta/Italian, hot dogs and hamburgers, 24-hour pizza and ice cream and, lest I forget, desserts and pastries that were better than those served on any other ship I have experienced.
I also found both the dining room and cabin service to be as attentive and professional as could be desired.
