Carnival Magic: Accommodations and Amenities Reviewed by Cruise Critic

Carnival Magic, according to a review by Cruise Critic, is a ship that lives up to its name and offers an enchanting experience for cruisers. The review highlights various aspects of the ship, providing an overall positive assessment. One of the key features of Carnival Magic mentioned in the review is its impressive array of amenities. The ship boasts a WaterWorks water park, which is described as a highlight for families and thrill-seekers. The Serenity adults-only retreat is also praised for providing a peaceful and relaxing environment. The dining options on Carnival Magic are also lauded in the review.

Also, I've been blessed in the past with amazing room stewards. Unfortunately, this cruise broke that streak. One night, he knocked on our door, basically asking us to leave the cabin so he could clean it. Really? What he actually said was, "aren't you leaving for dinner?". He said it in a way that was basically, you need to leave. He also didn't clean up spills. He did the absolute basics.

The dining options on Carnival Magic are also lauded in the review. The ship offers a variety of specialty restaurants, including a steakhouse and a sushi bar. The main dining room is commended for its diverse menu offerings and attentive service.

Carnival Magic Review

Last year we did the Halloween cruise aboard the Carnival Magic. It’s been a while, but I’ll try to give you some of my impressions of the ship. This was a really fun and unforgettable cruise.

Halloween on a Cruise Ship

We were on deck one and had a Deluxe Ocean View stateroom, cabin 1245. I really enjoyed this room even if it was at the bottom of the ship. The window was large and deep, and I was able to actually sit in it and watch the ocean go by. Next best thing to a balcony room! Also, this room actually had two bathrooms. This was our first time with a Deluxe Ocean View. One bathroom was the normal cruise ship bathroom, with a toilet, a sink, and a small shower. The other bathroom had a sink and a small bathtub/shower, which was absolutely wonderful. I love baths. The tub looked tiny, but it was actually big enough to relax in. I do wish that there had been a toilet in that one, but it was great when we were both getting ready at the same time. And as always, the mattress and pillows were the best ever. I would love to get my hands on one of those mattresses, Carnival needs to sell them. You can buy the pillow online, but I’ve never found a mattress. Anyway, I would highly recommend the Deluxe Ocean View Stateroom. Our steward was good, he kept the room clean and made sure we had our towel animals. We decorated our room door with Halloween decorations, and had decorations in our room, along with a bowl of Halloween candy for the steward. He seemed to like that.

Kathy, enjoying her cruise

We always enjoy meeting new people on a cruise ship, which is why I was not pleased with the hostesses at the Main Dining room. We had Your Time Dining, and when we went to the dining room on the first night we asked to be seated with other people, like we always do. We were informed that they could not seat us with anyone else, that we had to have a table for two. We’ve never had that happen before. Normally we would be asked if we minded sharing. Same thing for the second night. We finally insisted around the third night to be seated with others and they seated us at a table for 10…. with ONE other older gentleman who was traveling alone. He was very nice and we enjoyed his company, but how embarrassing to be at that big table alone for the entire dinner. I was not happy with that hostess. The waiter was very nice though, and we ended up requesting him the rest of the trip. I think he felt bad for us. The next day there was an older lady traveling alone asking to be sat with someone. They were saying no to her, and I told her that we’d be happy to sit with her. It just happens that the older gentleman from the night before walked by alone, and we invited him to sit with us. Thankfully it was a table for four, not 10. I saw the two of them during the rest of the cruise spending time together, so I like to think that they made a friendship that trip. I don’t remember their names, but who knows? The food was good in the main dining room, and of course the chocolate melting cake was delicious! I’m trying not to order that as often. And I always like to try new things each cruise. The waiters were attentive and friendly. And on Halloween my waiter brought me some “Scary Cake”. So much fun. I’ll post a picture below.

Carnival Magic Scary Cake

The Lido buffet was the usual, with the usual food. I don’t know why, but Carnival cannot cook plantains right. They need to let them ripen. Other than that, the food was fine. It wasn’t horribly crowded, and there was room to sit. I love Guy’s Burger Joint. They have the best hamburgers ever. And this was our first time trying Guy’s Pig & Anchor BBQ. Very good. And of course the Sea-day brunch was excellent, as usual. We even tried the High Tea for the first time on our sea-day. It was okay, but they’ve cut out the good teas and you have to pay extra for them. It’s just plain tea, and a few small cakes, etc. Nothing all that exciting.

Selections from Carnival Magic High Tea

Halloween was so much fun. We’d been looking forward to this party all year. I even made us pirate costumes. I love Halloween, and usually I’m handing out candy and watching everyone else have fun, but I got to party on this cruise for a change. They decorated the ship with Halloween blow ups all over the ship. They had a big costume contest, and there were Halloween activities everywhere. They had Halloween backgrounds for pictures, and people were dressed up in every imaginable costume. I liked the life size Ken and Barbie in a box. There was a great Captain Hook, Barney Rubble and Betty. There was even a transformer. I have no idea on how he packed that costume. It was crazy fun. At the big costume judging one of the entertainment staff was dressed as Rufio from Hook. And his real name was Rufio. I’ll post his picture below. Nice guy.

The entertainment was pretty much the same as you see on all the Carnival Ships. They tend to use the same shows everywhere, so they get boring. We don’t really go to the welcome aboard show anymore because we’ve seen it so many times. Halloween night entertainment was a nice change of pace. The Reverend Dr. E was the Cruise Director, and I loved him. He was especially funny Halloween night, dressed as the Johnny Depp Mad Hatter. He was one of my favorite Cruise Directors.

The Carnival Magic is a large and very nice ship. It seemed pretty smooth on the water. It has a great “adults only” Serenity area, it has one of the best miniature golf courses I’ve seen on a ship, plus it has a rope course. I’d never seen one of those on a ship before. It also has a movie screen on the pool deck, you can watch movies on a lounge chair in the evening, and watch the stars at the same time. Carnival will provide a blanket and popcorn for your additional comfort. It’s very tastefully decorated, and has lots of places to sit down and relax. They have enough computer kiosks to go around, I never had trouble finding an empty computer. We ended up buying the $5 internet plan for one day. That way I could keep in touch with my family. We also managed to find free wi-fi in a couple of the ports, and could use our phone in Puerto Rico, since it’s a US Territory.

Halloween on a Cruise Ship

Entertainment is another highlight of Carnival Magic. The review mentions the Broadway-style shows and the comedy club as standout attractions. The RedFrog Pub and Piano Bar are also noted as popular spots for socializing and enjoying live music. The review also emphasizes the ship's comfortable accommodations, spacious public areas, and attentive staff. Additionally, the itinerary of the ship is praised for offering a good balance of port days and sea days. Overall, the review of Carnival Magic by Cruise Critic is positive, highlighting the ship's impressive amenities, dining options, entertainment, accommodations, and itinerary. It appears to be a ship that offers a fun and enjoyable experience for cruisers of all ages..

Reviews for "Cruise Critic's Review of Carnival Magic: A First-Time Cruiser's Perspective"

- John Doe - 1 star: This cruise was a complete disappointment. The ship was overcrowded and it felt like there were not enough staff members to handle the number of passengers. The amenities were also subpar, with outdated and worn-out facilities. The food options were limited and the quality was mediocre at best. Overall, I would not recommend the Carnival Magic to anyone looking for a relaxing and enjoyable cruise experience.

- Jane Smith - 2 stars: My family and I had high expectations for the Carnival Magic, but unfortunately, it fell short. The entertainment options were lackluster, with repetitive shows and a limited variety of activities. The rooms were small and cramped, making it difficult to relax and enjoy our time onboard. The service was also not up to par, with unfriendly staff members and long wait times at the restaurants and bars. Overall, we were left feeling underwhelmed and will not be booking another cruise with Carnival.

- Mark Johnson - 1 star: The Carnival Magic was a nightmare from start to finish. The ship was constantly noisy and there seemed to be no escape from the loud music and party atmosphere. The pools were always crowded and the water was dirty. The dining options were limited and the food was tasteless. The whole experience felt like a money-grab, with constant pressure to spend extra on various activities and excursions. I would not recommend this cruise to anyone looking for a peaceful and relaxing vacation.

Carnival Magic: A Review of the Ship's Spa and Wellness Offerings by Cruise Critic