brookeq

We just booked on the same sailing an inside cabin for so cheap.  We will be on the bottom deck but I don't even care.  I just needed a break.   

Here is a link to my review

magic review

We were on the magic in March.  You can read my review.  

Some changes have been made in the food probably since you have been.   Not sure if you had all of the different lunch options that are available.   carnival has the regular buffet.  But they also have Guys burgers (greasy but good if you like five guys sort of).  A burrito place that is made to order.  They also have taco salads and tacos.   (They also make breakfast burritos and huevos rancheros in the morning.   They have the deli.  Some of the specials of the day are pretty good.  We have enjoyed the pizza also.  Much better than pizza on other lines.   The Mongolian wok is good but the line is long.  Don't miss the pasta bar upstairs.  Its free for lunch.   

The different lunch options are what we like most about carnival.  I am not a buffet person.  

Dinner has been pretty good our last few cruises.  Most of our meals have been good.  There is the occasional bust but overall we have been satisfied.  

If you search under my profile I have a review our cruise from March.  

We were on the magic last spring break.   It was a bit crowded for me compared to our last cruise on the breeze in January.  Ships are pretty similar.  Just longer lines for food and stuff.  And a bit harder to find lounge chairs.  But we expected it since it was a busy time.   It wasn't horrible or anything.   We liked the ship.  My son likes having the ropes course.

I rarely eat at the buffet.  maybe a salad and I like to get some varieties of cut cheese.  But that is it. On all of our cruises there is always a line at the buffet so people must like them.  I keep thinking of trying royal or other lines but would miss all of the lunch options that aren't a buffet.  🙂

We booked thru iguana mama.   Tour was much smaller group than cruise line and it did all 27 waterfalls.  Cruise line tour only does bottom 8.  I felt taken care of the entire time.   Van was nice and clean.   Lunch was very good.   I have a review in my signature under carnival conquest.   

I have never seen tours for here at the port.  There may be somewhere but I never noticed.   We booked ahead of time thru island marketing.

Cozumel -- there are lots of beach clubs not too far.  We have been to Paradise Beach.  Just head to the cab stand and check out the board and it will give you the cost to the major beach clubs.   Very easy.

Grand Cayman has 7 mile beach.  You can catch a cab and asked to be dropped off there.  We decided to get away from the crowds and head to the end of 7mile beach.  Its called cemetery beach.  It was nice and quiet but there were no amenities.   We also snorkeled at Eden Rock like an above poster mentioned.

We didn't go to the beach when we went to Jamaica so I can't help with that one.  

If you click on my signature you may find pictures in my one of my reviews.  Our last cruise was on the Magic and I did a review but can't update my signature.  You can search under my name for the review.  Grand Cayman beach photos would be there.  And paradise beach is under my Disney cruise review and carnival breeze in my signature.

We got a price match for the Xunantunich ruins tour in Belize this past march.  I don't remember what site I used and it was not an exact match. The tour lengths were different.   So I was not expecting to get approved.  But figure it was worth a shot to save $100 for four of us.  I didn't want to use an outside company since it was a 2 hour bus ride.   

We used Ronys tours In March and hired a private driver for the day.  One of our stops was manawakie to see the sloths.  There were only two other families there.  It was awesome.  Our guide was friendly.  We were never rushed.  It was a great experience.  We then headed to west bay beach.  But it was a busy day so a lot of the beach clubs near the easy access snorkeling was full.  So we ended up at a place further down.  If you click my signature you can find my carnival magic review and it will tell you where we needed up.  We really wanted to snorkel so we paid some locals to take us out to the reef.  We went past where everyone was snorkeling and docked our way further.  It was awesome.  No crowds.  Lots of coral.  

Go hold a sloth and monkeys 

zip line
snorkel at west bay beach.  Some of the best we have done. 
little French key visit 

We went fishing with Pedro in March.  It was an awesome time. Glad others are enjoying his excursions.   They are worth every penny.  

Grand Cayman has 7 mile beach which is easy to get to and very nice.   Just take a short cab ride.

We really enjoy West Bay Beach in Roatan. (Same as Tabyana as someone mentioned above.  But that is the cruise lines spot on the beach. not the actual name of the beach).    It is very nice and has very good snorkeling.  But it is crowded.  And it takes a bit to get there.   Cabs aren't regulated so its cheaper and easier.   Its better to get spot at a beach club so the vendors can't bother you.  The water is a great blue color.   There is a beach right when you get off the ship that carnival owns.  But its small and not nearly as nice IMO.  But it does make for an easy day.

Cozumel beaches are nice but not quite as pretty as the above two but still nice.  Cozumel has lots of beach clubs which many people like.  We have been to paradise beach and it has chairs/umbrellas, good food, water toys, etc.   

18 hours ago, cyntil8ing said:

@brookeq, it was this post and your comments about Fishing with Pedro that led me to contact them about arranging a tour in December. His staff told us about El Cielo being closed, so I googled and found the announcement I posted.

 

We still ended up booking, as he told us there were plenty of other nice snorkeling spots to visit. 

That stinks that it is closed.  I am sure you will still have an awesome day with Pedro.  We didn't get to snorkel with him.  Our kids didn't want to after getting stung in grand cayman a day earlier.   So we did the fishing and el cielo.  Hopefully you hit some good spots.  🙂

many years ago we used Ionie McBeam and did an island tour.  She was great.  

On 10/6/2019 at 11:51 PM, uvadover said:

Obviously you don't go on a cruise if you're worried about motion, but how rough is the water on a private boat tour down to El Cielo?  Definitely considering that for our family, but the wife is a bit sensitive about small boats in open water.  Thanks!

I just saw this post about el cielo  😞

I would do a mayan ruin tour from Progreso. There wasn't anything else that interested us there and Cozumel has more options for other things to do (unless you really want to go Tulum than that would be a Cozumel excursion).

We went to Chichen Itza on our stop at Progreso.  When you most pictures of Mayan ruins they are usually with the pyramid at chichen itza.   We went  many years ago  when you could still climb the pyramid and we inside it on the side.  Now you can't.  If you want to climb one I would choose a different place.   

Uxmal looks really nice.  I have been wanting to go there but we haven't been back to progreso. 

Coba also looks nice. 

On 10/6/2019 at 11:51 PM, uvadover said:

Obviously you don't go on a cruise if you're worried about motion, but how rough is the water on a private boat tour down to El Cielo?  Definitely considering that for our family, but the wife is a bit sensitive about small boats in open water.  Thanks!

It wasn't bad at all as long as we were moving.  We trolled for fish on the way but weren't having much luck.  So Pedro stopped in a spot for a bit.  When the boat wasn't moving it really rocked in the water.  My husband felt a little sick then but as soon as we moved again he was fine.  

I have a review if you click on my name and find my posts about our carnival magic trip.    

Our social media internet was just ok. 

We rented an atv on our own at grand Turk Thru Omar I think.  We got a map and drive around ourselves to the light house and some beaches.  

Look up El Cielo.  Its too far to get by taxi but several companies go there by boat.

We used Fishing with Pedro.  It was the best day.  He will take you deep sea fishing, snorkeling and then to chill at el cielo.  it was beautiful there.  He also made us some fresh ceviche with the fish we caught.   He was so friendly.  We rented a small boat for our family so it was a nice private tour.   

We have never made reservations to go there.   Just show up.  

We went to cemetery beach in march.  It wasn't crowded.  But there are no facilities.  or chair rental places.   

We did bananarama on our own a few years ago.   Its just a lounge chair on a small strip of beach.  They have some facilities and a restaurant.  You can walk to the snorkel area.  We didn't get to because huge storms rolled in.   

This last trip we used ronys and we did a sloth and monkey tour first.  It was a crowded ship day and by the time we drove to west bay bananarama was full.  so was infinity.  Our driver got us some spots at henry morgan.  It had more space then bananarma.   It was also nice to have a pool.  We were too far from the snorkeling to walk.  We paid some locals to take us out on their boat.   It was worth it because we were away from the crowds.  The snorkeling was awesome.  

I think it depends what your plans are.  Do you want easy access to shallow water snorkeling.  then infinity or bananarama are the closest.   Do you want a pool and more amenities.  Then infinity or mayan princess or other clubs would be better.

I wouldn't do free beach access in roatan.  From our experience at banarama if you dont' have a lounger the locals are free to come up to you.  Anytime we left our lounger we were swarmed by vendors.   More than other beaches.  If you are at the beach clubs they are not allowed to come up on their property.

On 5/16/2019 at 9:53 AM, mook1525 said:

 

thanks! what was included? beer, water and light snack?

sorry wasn't on here.  I will answer in case anyone else may have the question.   It included beer, soda, and waters.  They had snacks below.   But we brought our own so not sure.  It also included the chips and the fresh ceviche.  

On 7/27/2019 at 7:15 AM, grandmarnnurse said:

 

On 7/12/2019 at 5:48 AM, Tess2326 said:

do I purchase inclusive package better than 3 dollars to get in and do the beach is beautiful ? 

I am nervous to do own excursion and I am thinking to book it ourselves and hope taxi is straightforward for us as we are deaf and how to communication to taxi, do I show the name of Paradise Beach?  Do taxi understand english words? or I have to translate to Mexico words?  I know daft question 

 

Are there plenty taxi for return back to cruise port?

 

Sorry I haven't been on here recently.  The people at the cab stand speak English and so do most of the drivers.  The guy at the stand will tell the cab driver where to take you.  there is a board with prices.    You can pay in US dollars.   I would also have it written out.   

There will be taxis waiting for people at paradise beach.  and if there aren't they will call you one.   Just make sure you know what pier you are at.  I would probably have the written down also.   

If you look in my signature I have some links to reviews and it has pictures of paradise beach.  probably the Disney cruise one and the carnival dream review.