Another viewpoint was expressed by Judith, a refined, intelligent and well-traveled widow from Denver, who enjoyed the Indian cuisine and other food served in the Marketplace but expressed dissatisfaction with the dining-room fare in general, the gravy served with many meat dishes, the coffee, and the service provided by her cabin attendant.
Sharon and Charlie, an easygoing and fun-loving couple from McKinney, Texas, were very pleased by the food and service in the extra-cost — $30 per person — Prime Steakhouse. And my own evening in the extra-cost — $12 per person — Cucina del Capitano with other guests hosted by the captain was also a pleasant experience.
The most serious concerns I heard voiced concerned the quality of the shows and performers; rave reviews of the entertainment in general were few and far between.
This general level of mediocrity was echoed by Paul, a government manager from Ottawa, Ontario, who noted that the ship offered “mainstream entertainment, professional but just not exciting or exceptional.” Nevertheless, Paul remained convinced that “the worst day on a cruise is better than the best day in the office” and already has reservations on two transatlantic cruises in 2012.
My recommendation?
This coming fall, the Magic’s brand-new and largely identical sister ship, Carnival Breeze, which begins service in June, is scheduled for a similar trip from Barcelona to Miami. The 15-day sailing will feature the same three stops in Spain, plus calls at the popular Caribbean ports of Barbados and Antigua.
Pricing is currently slightly higher, for example, $699 per person, double, inside, but still a great bargain. If you and/or your group members have the time, I’d suggest that you make your reservations as soon as possible.
