pe4all

Great review! Love the Magic - going on her again (4th time) in January. One of my favorite ships. You have a great sense of humor. Sorry your wife got ill. I can get it - my dd throws up at least 1x every cruise due to the food disagreeing with her- lol! We have not done digital debark yet, but looking forward to less back-up on the ramps getting off Magic and down the escalator to the terminal. We also debarked at a different terminal than we embarked at - seems this happens often to Magic passengers. A lot of people were bent out of shape when getting that letter the night before, but everyone managed to get where they were going. Jake was our CD also - very pleasant guy, and Mambo was leaving the next day as her vacay/contract was up. Glad she came back - she was really funny, and "on the edge" with some of her comments - loved it!

Mine are also still showing. Try all the above suggestions, including logging out and in again. Or look for a specific sailing and do a "mock" booking. Sometimes offers show up then. (I always have multiple offers pop up when it comes to picking a cabin location.)

We have done Jack Harter helicopter 2x now - once 40 years ago on our honeymoon (they did not do doors off flights then - Jack Harter himself was our pilot) and the again when we took our adult children to Hawaii for our 35th anniversary. (Jack runs the company but doesn't do tours himself anymore). On that flight we did the doors off experience, which was amazing. Can't recommend JH Helicopters enough.

I would have done it for free!

Happy to hear Grandma is ahead of schedule, and that you have such a great family that is stepping up so you can "do your thing!"

For us it usually turns up around 3 days after cruise ends.

My dd had severe abdominal pains one cruise. The ship's infirmary did tests and felt it was her appendix, and she (and I) were off-loaded to Belize where she was admitted to a medical facility. The port agent (which truthfully I never knew existed - even after over 40 cruises) took care of transporting us to the facility, checked us in, and then went back to the ship where my dh was with my special needs dd. The port agent packed a small suitcase, got our passports, etc. and brought it to the hospital and made sure all was well before she left us. And yes - our travel insurance then kicked in and picked up all expenses. Luckily it turned out to be some kind of infection that mimicked appendicitis, and 3 days later we were permitted to leave Belize. (the hospital actually took our passports and would not return them until dd was medically cleared to travel.). Our insurance paid for all expenses, including the flight back to the U.S., our hotel stay as we waited for dh and dd to return from the cruise, and all food expenses.

So glad Norfolk was welcoming to Carnival during a bad situation. Happy the next cruise is going off.

Just did this itinerary on Magic in January, and the January before that! Great itinerary!

Great review. Panama Canal is on my bucket list - at least the partial transit one. Now that I think of it - we haven't had a water carafe on the table the last few cruises. Waiters would just come around and re-fill the glasses. Not sure I miss it on the table, though. Just took up some room - lol.

Loved your last review - looking forward to this one!

The only "perk" I really use is the free laundry. Coming home with clean clothes is great. Before the perk I dreaded going home to do laundry for 4. Now every 2-3 days I drop a bag on my cabin bed (along with $5 tip) and back it comes clean and folded. Really cuts down on our packing. I have never used the "free drink" perk as we don't do the brunch. I do use the water, the $25 in the casino, and the free gift has been pretty lousy. How many koozies and cosmetic bags can we use? We just give them away at this point. Carnival has been talking about this change for years. I remember years ago when JH said we would be running naked down 5th avenue over the wonderful changes that were coming, when - in fact- the changes were actually cut-backs, lol. We cruise CCL because we like CCL - not because of the perks.

Did you get a "fish pedicure" while you were there? That is one of dd's favorite things to do at AC. Me - I pass on it every time - lol!

I agree with all you wrote - except the HMC water shuttle. Can do without that. Can't wait till Carnival builds the pier there. https://www.thenassauguardian.com/business/carnival-starts-development-process-for-half-moon-cay-berth/article_545acde0-a495-11ee-841d-03cd7d2b4ae7.html

Horrible - just horrible. Praying for those who were on the bridge when it went down.

I still get butterflies upon driving up to the cruise terminal and seeing whatever ship I will be sailing on. Nothing beats that first step onboard and being greeted like a long-time friend. I love the way CCL treats my special needs dd, who has been on every one of the 34 Carnival cruises with us.

I had 199 days when I boarded Magic in 2022. Everything I printed beforehand had "Diamond" on it, and the white card was waiting in our mailbox upon boarding. It is unfortunate that some people somehow "slip through the cracks" and don't get what they earned. I can see how frustrating that would be if it wasn't handled correctly onboard.

Check your luggage tags. They should say "Diamond" on them, and when you check-in online your boarding pass should also say "Diamond."

The Havana pool area was open during embarkation when we sailed on Horizon.

That was February recess here. Maybe everyone went to sail on her - lol. Or maybe because schools elsewhere were off that Monday (Presidents Day) the parents decided to take kids on a cruise! I used to cruise that week when I was teaching. Now that I am retired I can cruise on the "off" weeks when school is in session - much cheaper, also!

Interested in seeing your take on the ship.

Specific dates may help you: My district here on Long Island goes back 9/3, as do other local districts. NYC schools go back 9/5. Late August cruise might be best, or early June, before schools let out here in NY.

Totally understand this. But why don't they have a lightening rod (think that is what they call it) as other structures have as it's highest point - and that would re-direct the current instead of it igniting the fiberglass?

It is definitely a loss for people not to have the opportunity to cruise along the Na'Pali coast. We did the doors off helicopter (Jack Harter - we flew with him -Jack himself as our pilot- on our honeymoon.) 35 years later (6 years ago) we took our 2 adult children on the Pride of America and did the Jack Harter doors off experience with them in Kauai. (Jack was in the office - no more flying for him.) The kids agreed it was the experience of a lifetime- but they would never do the doors off again!

Holy Cow! The Freedom must be cursed!