Carnival magic which side for best sunset?

[4 tater]

My dh our two friends and I are booking the 1-26-14 cruise on carnival magic. We plan to get 2 cove balconies mid ship.. My question is on which side do you see the most sunsets? Which sides are docked at ports? Any info about the ship would all be great thanks everyone .. I have cruised one time when I was 11 yrs old many many moons ago on the SS Norway, but the rest of our group has never cruised. So excited for our first non kid vacation with really good friends!:D

[1025cruise]

It will be dependent on which way the ship is pointing at sunset, which is impossible to predict. Same as for the way the ship docks, it could go either way depending on multiple factors.

[4 tater]

So which side is your favorite on a cruise? Or does it really matter

:confused:

[paul929207]

We have found that both sides are great. Then only port where it really matters is Venice where sailing in and out is spectacular if you are on the correct side.

[navybankerteacher]

My dh our two friends and I are booking the 1-26-14 cruise on carnival magic. We plan to get 2 cove balconies mid ship.. My question is on which side do you see the most sunsets? Which sides are docked at ports? Any info about the ship would all be great thanks everyone .. I have cruised one time when I was 11 yrs old many many moons ago on the SS Norway, but the rest of our group has never cruised. So excited for our first non kid vacation with really good friends!:D

 

The side facing the setting sun. Sorry, I couldn't resist. Actually, since you are essentially sailing southeast from Galveston to Montego Bay, and then northwest back, a starboard cabin will fence the sunset on the way down and a port cabin on the way home: your choice. There is really no way of telling which side will be against the pier at ports.

[CruiserBruce]

So which side is your favorite on a cruise? Or does it really matter

:confused:

 

Topside!!

 

Otherwise it doesn't matter, and isn't predictable.

[4 tater]

Funny .....topside!

[klfrodo]

The side if the ship facing west for sunsets. :eek:

[paul929207]

You need to look at each sunset. Where will you be? Still docked? Sailing away from the port? At sea?

[CruiserBruce]

Funny .....topside!

 

Actually, serious. Welcome to Cruise Critic! We see this type of question here almost daily. So the answer has a serious side to it. You aren't locked in your cabin. If the action is on the other side, you will be topside.

 

And, which side is to the dock, or on the side of anything important, is essentially not predictable. With only a very small number of exceptions.

[pdmlynek]

My dh our two friends and I are booking the 1-26-14 cruise on carnival magic. We plan to get 2 cove balconies mid ship.. My question is on which side do you see the most sunsets? Which sides are docked at ports? Any info about the ship would all be great thanks everyone .. I have cruised one time when I was 11 yrs old many many moons ago on the SS Norway, but the rest of our group has never cruised. So excited for our first non kid vacation with really good friends!:D

 

Hi, tater!

Interesting question. Let’s try to figure this out.

According to Carnival website, here is your itinerary:

Day

Sunday, 26 January 2014 : Galveston, TX, dep 16:00.

Monday: seaday

Tuesday: seaday

Wednesday: Montego Bay, Jamaica, arr. 9:00, dep 18:00

Thursday: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, arr. 7:00, dep. 16:00

Friday: Cozumel, Mexico, arr. 10:00, dep. 18:00

Saturday: seaday

Sunday: Galveston, TX, arr. 8:00

The sunset time for Galveston on Sunday, 26 January 2014 is 18:53 at 244° azimuth, so on Sunday you’ll be on your way. Your heading, presuming that you’ll be going most direct route to the Yucatan Channel, will be about 130°. So the sun will set at 113° to starboard off the axis of the ship. The starboard side will see the sunset, port side wont.

On Monday, the ship will be in the Gulf of Mexico, at heading of about 130°, so the same analysis applies: starboard will see the sunset, port side wont.

On Tuesday, the ship should be through the Yacatan Channel, and will head at a bearing of about 110°. The sun sets here at 251°. The starboard side will see the sunset, port side wont.

On Wednesday, the sun sets at 18:04 at 252°, which is shortly after taking off departing Montego Bay. The most direct route from Montego Bay to Grand Cayman Island is at a heading of about 283°. The ship will be heading into the sunset, with about 30° to the port side. But because the ship will be maneuvering out from MB, it is anyone’s guess in which direction it will be facing at 18:04. It is a toss up.

On Thursday, 30 January 2014, the ship will leave before sunset, and will be heading at about 280 or 285° heading. The sun is setting at 252°, thus the port side will see it.

On Friday, the ship will leaving Cozumel. Since it is a tender port, and the winds in January in are from the west or northwest, it is likely that the port side will have a better view of the sunset. Maybe.

On Saturday, the ship will be heading at about 315°. The sun will set at 252°. Thus, the sun will set at about 62° off port bow.

Thus, there really is not that much of a difference. Maybe there is a slight advantage to be on the starboard side.

[4 tater]

Thankyou pdmlynek ... That is fantastic information and i will be bookin a starboard cove .. Make that 2 starboard coves .. Thinking that seeing the sunsets out our balcony the first few evening will be the greatest thing ever.. Without the kids!! Can you all tell that dh and i are very excited about the xnay on the kids part? First time ever for us and the people we are sailling with. Every darn vacation has been kid centered for 7years!

[Keith1010]

For us both sides of the ship are fine.

 

Keith

[GrannyJ]

Hey, NavyBankerTeacher, what years were you on the Boxer?

[superlawyer2004]

Actually, serious. We see this type of question here almost daily. So the answer has a serious side to it. You aren't locked in your cabin. If the action is on the other side, you will be topside.

 

And, which side is to the dock, or on the side of anything important, is essentially not predictable. With only a very small number of exceptions.

 

Although I can certainly leave my cabin and watch the sunset, IF :) I wanted to be in my cabin on a cruise to Fiji and Australia from Hawaii, which side of the ship should I be on--the "drivers" side (in America) or the "passenger" side? If the boat is going forward, which I hope it will but you never know since we are on Celebrity Millennium, I am currently on the "passenger" or starboard side (right side of the ship). I have the opportunity to change to a port side room but it seems I am currently in the perfect location for a great sunset every night.

 

If someone knows navigation and sunset locations, or a website that would prevent me from burdening at least Bruce :D, please let me know.

 

Thanks.