A Review of the Magic - 9/28/14 - Enter at your own Risk!

[cmcsharon]

We’ve arrived at our final port day…Cozumel. My track record for port day experiences has been pretty good so far…will that streak continue?

 

As with the other ports, the kids and I had never been to Cozumel…but all the minions had, multiple times. I didn’t ask them for suggestions this time…I’d already done my research and knew if this worked out…it would be the highlight of the cruise for my daughter. We were going to Chankanaab and my daughter was going to swim with the manatees!

 

Chankanaab is a National Park in Cozumel and it is located less than 10 minutes from the port. The fee for the manatee encounter was $59 and included admission into the park. For those that weren’t doing the encounter, the admission was $19 (actually $21…but they always have a printable $2 off coupon on their web site).

 

At dinner, the night before, we made our plans with the minions to meet at 10:30am on the pier and only 2 minions were going to join us on this adventure.

 

The morning comes and surprisingly, my son is up early and already getting ready. I make a comment about it and he says…this is the day I’ve been waiting for. Now I’m curious so I go ahead and ask why.

 

And, he responds with…because it’s Mexico…and you can buy anything in Mexico!

 

Uh oh…the seedy underbelly warning starts going off in my head again…but…I go ahead and ask anyway…what is it you want to buy?

 

He excitedly blurts out…I want to buy an alligator!

 

I’m suddenly flashing back to the whole fish toilet insanity and start thinking that maybe I need hearing aids…or some seriously strong medication…because the words I keep hearing come out of people’s mouths can’t possibly be what they’re saying!

 

YOU WANT TO BUY A WHAT??!!

 

He explains that a friend told him he should buy an alligator while he’s in Mexico and for some unknown reason…he thought that was a good idea.

 

And then what, I ask, you’re just going to put a leash on it and walk it on board? Because, unless you plan on strapping a seeing eye dog training vest on it…I’m pretty sure they frown on that kind of thing. (You’d think they’d frown on an alligator as a seeing eye/support type animal…but…from what I’ve been hearing…enforcement of what constitutes a "support animal" is a little sketchy right now.)

 

He very quickly responds that he doesn’t intend to keep it and has no intentions of trying to get it on the ship…he just wants to be able to say he did it.

 

As much as I hated to crush his alligator buying dreams…(who am I kidding…I’m not the least bit broken up by it…you heard what he wanted to do, right?)…I inform him that I doubt he’d be able to do that. He’d probably have to go to mainland Mexico to find the seedy alligator selling underbelly and we’re only on an island off the coast.

 

And he responds with…….wait………Cozumel’s an island? ......And………it’s Galveston all over again! Clearly we need an atlas…or more time on Google maps…or just to travel more (I vote for that one!). Yes…Cozumel is an island.

 

I end the discussion by saying…why don’t you just tell your friends that you ate an alligator…because you did that the other night when you ate the alligator fritters off the Didja Ever side of the dinner menu. (He’s still got that confused look on his face…wondering how he missed this detail in all his Mexico plotting…Cozumel is an island.)

 

The three of us then head to the Lido buffet for breakfast. As were walking by the pool, we see that the towels animals have run amok and are hogging all the lounge chairs around the pool. Along with a few benches and a couple of tables too. It was pretty cute to see. But…I’m not sure if we were a little late to the viewing…or…if some of the staff creating the animals were a little inebriated…but, some of those towel animal creations looked an awful lot like the ‘towel animal monsters’ we’d leave for our steward on the bathroom floor after showering.

 

We have our breakfast and then grab our stuff and head off the ship to go meet the 2 minions that are going with us. One of them was having a hard time with that name…Chankanaab…she must’ve asked me 4 or 5 different times…where are we going…Chankanaab…what’s that place again…Chankanaab…how do you say that again…Chankanaab!

 

Getting off the ship was again EASY…we just strolled right off…no lines…no issues! I’ve been very impressed with the Magic and how it handles moving people around. The ship never felt crowded.

 

We head to our meeting spot and there’s no sign of the minions. So we wait a bit. And…it’s HOT here! It’s been hot at the other ports…but…Cozumel is really hot. We wait a little longer and then decide to go through the port building and see if they’re waiting on that side…and…after winding our way through…nope…no sign of them. My son starts to look into the stores around the square to see if he can find them and my daughter goes and sits in the shade…leaving me to stand there and watch everyone that’s coming through the port building.

 

And…we wait some more.

 

I glance over to my right and notice this cheesy cake statue thing…that says Eat Me on it…written in frosting…and notice some loons climbing in it to take pictures. And then it dawns on me…yep…those are my loons. It’s the minions.

 

And here they are…

 

 

I quickly head over there and find 4 minions…they point to the table they’ve been sitting at and say that they’ve been watching for us.

 

Um…yeah…this is how they’ve been watching for us!

 

 

They finish their margaritas while I gather the kids and then we head for the exit to find a cab. And…as we’re walking out…I hear it one more time…where are we going again…Chankanaab!!!

 

As I’m talking with the other 2 minions, that aren’t going with us, I see the others heading towards the cabs. As they approach the sign that shows all the cab charges, one minion keeps walking but the other one stops to talk to the dispatcher guy…he asks her where it is that we want to go…and I’m still not positive what it was that she said…but, what I thought I heard was…….ch………..ch……….Czechoslovakia? The dispatcher guy just laughs and loudly says…oh, that’s only 10 bucks.

 

But…the first minion…who’s at the cab now…didn’t hear the Czechoslovakia part…he just hears 10 bucks. He approaches the first cab, the driver steps out, asks where we want to go and he says Chankanaab…and then he says, it’s 10 bucks right? Now the cab driver is flustered…No! It’s not 10, not 10…let me show you…and he’s trying to drag the minion over to the sign…which I’ve just passed and saw that it’s $16 to Chankanaab. I quickly step between them…pull a $20 from my pocket and say…I saw the sign, it’s $16 right? And, show him the $20. He nods his head and starts to calm down and then he heads back to the cab and opens the door. The one minion is still complaining…but, that guy said it was 10 bucks…so I push him towards the cab and say…that’s to go to Czechoslovakia…we’re not going there!

 

The ride to Chankanaab is quick and easy and less than 10 minutes later we’re arriving. A park guide greets us as we’re walking up and we explain that we have 3 people for the manatee encounter and 2 for the park entrance and he directs us to the different lines to get in. They ask that we remain in the lobby area because the next manatee tour starts in just 15 minutes. (That’s 15 minutes in Cozumel island time…which is considerably longer than the time I’m used too!)

 

After a bit of a wait, a large crowd has formed and the guide finally comes to get things moving along. The park has a lot of different dolphin encounters so the guide starts calling the roll for each one…starting with the regular dolphin encounter and then he calls out a bunch of names. Then it’s the dolphin super encounter…and another long list of names. Then it’s the dolphin super-duper encounter and some more names. Finally he gets to the list for the manatee encounter and he calls my daughter’s name and then the two minion’s names…and, that’s it. We all just look at each other…really…again?!! It’s another private tour!

 

After some instructions and safety information my daughter and the minions put on life vests and are led to the pen…where 3 manatees are waiting…Edgar, Angel and a mystery one (my daughter said she couldn’t pronounce the name…too many x’s). They weren’t allowed to bring the underwater camera to the encounter (because they wanted to sell us the pictures) so I wasn’t doing the encounter with them so that I could try and take some pictures from outside the pen. I ended up not needing to do this because as soon as I saw the photos I knew I had to buy them!

 

Here’s my daughter with Angel

 

 

As I was taking pictures, and the others were with the manatees, my son was also exploring around the park. There was one area in particular that he wanted to find…he was after these guys…

 

 

I never did ask him if he purchased one of them…I still don’t want to know!

 

The manatee encounter went on for more than an hour and they got to feed the manatees heads of lettuce…and kiss them…and play with them…and swim around with them. They’re very intelligent creatures and Angel was the biggest. They would try and give Angel one leaf of lettuce at a time…and he would grab the whole head out of their other hand and then back away with it until he was just out of their reach. They had an endless supply of lettuce to feed them though and had a lot of fun doing it.

 

Here’s my daughter swimming with two of the manatees.

 

 

While I was taking pictures of them…I was also able to catch pictures of this little guy that was trying his hardest to get their attention away from those manatees. He kept leaping behind them…wanting them to come play with him instead.

 

 

I’ve reached my picture limit for this post…so…next up – Cozumel…part 2.

[douglinc@msn.com]

Great job, can't wait for more.

[ABQrobin]

hurry with more... we leave this Sunday on the Magic!!!

[bizeemom4]

Enjoying your review.

 

One question though - can someone post a link to the green cap and gown story? I'm lost on that one.

[KevInPitt]

May I PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come on your next cruise with you? Nothing this entertaining ever happens to me on vacation and it's the kind of thing I thrive on!

 

"The Galveston Mafia"... The "I think we're on the wrong ship"... The "soon-to-be pier runners".... I think I wet myself a little laughing so much.

 

Hands down the best review I have read - congrats to you!

[MichelleChell]

I can't see the pics anymore. :(

[snorkler8]

hurry with more... we leave this Sunday on the Magic!!!

 

Us too!!

[RetesGirl3]

This is the best review ever! I have never been so entertained reading a cruise critic review. Please add my name to the list of people that want to join you on the next cruise! I am putting you in charge of all excursions!;) Jane

[cmcsharon]

Thank you again for all the kind comments...I'm still amazed that anyone is even reading this! You have my son to thank for this review (well...thank or curse...I guess it's a matter of perspective). He had been reading reviews here on cruise critic before our cruise...and, about midway through our trip he asked if I'd be writing one. I very quickly said NO...and he responded with...you should. So...I thought I'd give it a try.

 

Back to Cozumel...part 2.

 

More pictures from the manatee encounter. These creatures were so much fun to interact with. We don’t have manatees in the Pacific Ocean so this was truly a one of a kind experience. Most people seem to focus on the dolphin encounters at Chankanaab…but…it’s the manatees that are going to steal your heart…they are so unique.

 

When the guide was first checking off names he mentioned that the manatees were his favorite to interact with…because of their big personalities. They can’t jump out of the water and do as many tricks as the dolphins…but…they have their own ways to interact with you. He said that Angel, the largest, was the size of a sedan. After the encounter, my daughter and the minions didn’t quite agree with the size description…instead of a sedan, they decided Angel was closer in size to a Fiat…or a Smart car. But still…swimming in the path of three Fiat’s can be a bit intimidating!

 

And now for more pictures…a manatee comes in for a hug from a minion

 

 

Look at that belly!

 

 

My daughter gives Edgar a kiss.

 

 

This was one sea creature she wasn’t able to put on her head!

 

 

My apologies to the minion for showing you this picture...but…this is what it looks like when a Fiat sized manatee starts to roll over on you! He’s huge! Maybe she did try putting him on her head!

 

 

We could see the ship from Chankanaab.

 

 

Next up…last pictures from Chankanaab…Cozumel…part 3.

[cmcsharon]

Cozumel…part 3. Just a few more pictures from Chankanaab.

 

In addition to the manatee and dolphin encounters, the Chankanaab National Park has a beach, a pool, a snorkeling area with underwater statues, shops and restaurants, a zip line, the crocodile area, a sea lion show and encounter…some very cheesy Mayan ruins…and lots of gardens to walk around. It’s a very pretty place and very easy to get to.

 

Beach area at Chankanaab

 

 

Snorkeling area

 

 

Lots of places to sit and relax.

 

 

We had a great time at Chankanaab and again, I would highly recommend this as an easy excursion. It’s a beautiful, clean, safe place with lots to see and do. And when you’re done for the day, a line of taxis will be waiting to take you back to the ship. It was $16 each way for the 5 of us in a taxi van. Prices were less if you had smaller groups.

 

The other minions, that didn’t join us at Chankanaab, spent the day shopping around the port and walking to a few close shopping locations. At one of the places they walked to, they found this great photo op!

 

 

We didn’t hear about it until after we’d sailed away from Cozumel or else we all would’ve headed over there. Imagine the pictures we could’ve made with our bodies hanging out of that mouth…it would’ve been so much fun! Legs, arms…yeah…it was a missed opportunity. (So…if you’re going to Cozumel soon…find this shark...and make me proud!)

 

We really enjoyed our day in Cozumel. My son wasn’t interested in the swimming with the manatees but he enjoyed exploring other areas of the park. My daughter will never forget her encounter with the manatees. Even one of the minions…who was traveling with us for his very first time…commented about how amazing this day, and the day before with the stingrays, had been.

 

I’ll take that as a three for three on my excursion planning!

 

Next up…Chapter 7…Last Sea Day (I will not eat green eggs & ham…is that the moon in the glass elevator…and, bouncing off the hallway walls)

[MichelleChell]

I can't see any of your pics anymore. I would love to see the manatees. When we were there for the dolphins we got lucky that they let us in with them for free.

[cmcsharon]

I can't see any of your pics anymore. I would love to see the manatees. When we were there for the dolphins we got lucky that they let us in with them for free.

 

The manatees are adorable...in their giant goofy way! Is there a different browser you could try? Because they're still showing up on the app on my phone and on my computer.

 

Is anyone else having trouble seeing the pictures?

[Goof3]

The manatees are adorable...in their giant goofy way! Is there a different browser you could try? Because they're still showing up on the app on my phone and on my computer.

 

Is anyone else having trouble seeing the pictures?

 

I can still see the pictures! And I want to say that even though I've never cruised Carnival and don't remember how I ended up on this board, I'm loving your review, it's so funny! Every day at lunch I sign on, hoping for another entry. Also, I really want to go to Chickadee...Chunkibee...uh.... that place you went, with the manatees.

[snorkler8]

The manatees are adorable...in their giant goofy way! Is there a different browser you could try? Because they're still showing up on the app on my phone and on my computer.

 

Is anyone else having trouble seeing the pictures?

 

Thanks so much for the review on Cozumel!! We wil be ready to hit the ground running when we get there this Tuesday...rain or shine..which has a high likelihood of rain. And I and my group all agre with other posters here..we want to go on a cruise with you!! :D

 

PS, pictures are showing great on my iPad.

[happy40]

The manatees are adorable...in their giant goofy way! Is there a different browser you could try? Because they're still showing up on the app on my phone and on my computer.

 

Is anyone else having trouble seeing the pictures?

 

 

 

photobucket was having "maintenance" for a while....

[MichelleChell]

I was seeing them at first.

[ch27088]

It's time for another intermission. I had heard on the forums that our cruise was a Premier Casino cruise. I have no idea what that means. But…I do need to share a little bit about the Casino.

 

I’m not a big gambler, but I did bring $100 in cash that, over the course of the cruise, I was willing to donate to Carnival if I decided to gamble. I wasn’t quite sure of the ‘players card/players bank’ thing so I had a minion run it down to me. You put your sail and sign card in the machine…and, the very first time it’s going to ask you to set up your account. Easy enough. Some of the minions had already been playing in the casino and had won a little bit so I thought I’d go in and give it a try.

 

I put some cash in a slot machine (penny slots…that’s my speed)…and then I put my card in to set up my account for the first time…and I get a card error message. So, I take the card out and put it in again…still get a card error. Try it again…still card error. Well…that’s okay, I figured I was going to lose anyway…I’ll just start playing.

 

Before I can begin a minion sees me at the machine and comes over…so I explain the error with my card. And then I demonstrate it. She says…let me try my card…so she puts her card in my machine and it lights up like it’s supposed to and then she takes it back out. (I see the machine processing something but it doesn’t quite register to me.) And then a service person walks by…so we stop them and explain that my card won’t read and he politely explains that it must’ve deactivated and I’d need to go to guest services to have them fix it. Okay…and then I say…but what about my money? He looks at the machine and says…what money? I look back at the machine and its showing $0.

 

I explain that I had just put $20 in the machine and was about to start playing when I discovered the card error thing. And then I point to the minion and say…and then she put her card in to make sure it wasn’t a problem with the machine. And he said…well, if she put a good card in, the money transferred to that account when it was removed. And then he asks…do you know her? The minion and I look at each other and I say…NO! And we both start laughing. As we’re standing there laughing the minion’s husband walks up and she explains that she accidently took my money and asks him if he has cash to give me…which he does and hands it over. As I’m walking away to go to guest services I’m thinking…that minion was pretty shrewd…first she got my money…and then she got her husband to pay me. At that rate…she’s going to clean up in the casino without even playing!

 

On another day, she saw me in there again when I had some winnings on my machine and she offered to put her card in again…I politely declined that offer!

 

But…we can’t leave this casino story without sharing a bit about some of what I saw. I guess I don’t spend much time in casinos because this truly was a learning experience! Just as a reminder…my experiences were in the penny slots areas…I’m not a table games player. That’s way too much math for me!

 

What I discovered was that a lot of the casino slot players fell into three different groups. Group 1…the screamers! Group 2…the tag teams! And, Group 3…the rituals!

 

I found a penny machine that I liked because it was funny…it was based on the old Airplane movie…and the WILD function was the inflatable co-pilot from the movie and it would inflate and wiggle (what can I say…I’m easily entertained). I had my first experience with a screamer when I was playing this machine. A very nice woman sits down at the machine next to me and proceeds to play. It doesn’t take long before she lets out a little shriek…and I’m thinking…wow…she hit something big. In her excitement she bumps my arm and says…I just won 80! I smile politely and nod…(yes…well done…you just won 80 cents!).

 

A few minutes later…a much louder shriek! This one definitely startled me…and she bumps me again…and excitedly shares that she just won 160…! It’s at this time that I notice she’s betting 400 coins at a time…but I again smile politely…while thinking…congratulations…you lost more than half of your money on that one!

 

I continue playing my measly 30 cent bets…and, you guessed it. The mother of all blood curdling screams! I’m so startled…I think my spleen exploded! (I’m pretty sure that’s okay though…because I don’t think we need one.) She’s hanging on my arm…so excited…she’d won 320 coins!!! Still…less than her bet…and I’m rapidly pressing my cash out button because I know I’m not going to survive if she hits anything over $10. It’s time for me to move!

 

On another night in the casino…I get to experience the tag teams. One stands behind the other…or sits next to them…and they take turns doing something. One will push the button…and then…TAG…it’s the next one’s turn. They’ll trade places and then that one will push the button. And then…TAG…they switch again. Sometimes it’s just one each…sometimes it’s a pattern…3 and then 2 and then 3 and then 2…or some other random pattern that you begin to wonder if there’s some significance to it. I was taking it as it’s spelling out ‘time to move again’ in some sort of casino morse code!

 

And then there’s the rituals. I really need to spend more time in casinos because I had no idea how involved people get. I thought you just put your money in and pushed a button. Maybe pulled a handle. Oh…how inexperienced I was.

 

The first ritual sat down next to me one evening and began playing…but she didn’t sit for long. Soon she was up…for a few plays. Then…she was crossing her arms over to use a different arm. Then…it was sit on the stool but sit sideways this time. Then…sit the opposite way. And then stand again. Oh…other arm. Left foot in the air. Now hop on one foot. Sit but use both hands on the button. Now stand again…right foot in the air. It was so hard not to laugh…that I ended up quietly humming to myself…’you put your left foot in…you put your left foot out…you put your left foot in…and you shake it all about’. After two rounds of the hokey pokey it was time to cash out again!

 

The last of the rituals was a little unexpected. I was sitting playing a machine and I kept hearing these people kissing. Um…yeah...awkward. I was afraid to look over…because it was just a little too much. Eventually there was a break and I glance over and it’s just a woman…by herself. Okay…now I’m curious. I glance back over and see that she’s kissing her finger and then kissing every button and then every reel and then whatever creatures were dancing along the top…and then she’d kiss the button one more time…and then she’d press it. And…then it would start all over! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! This is NORO VIRUS just waiting to happen! I felt like I was Sheldon Cooper…my hands go up and I can’t help thinking…what if she was on this machine before I was!!! I think I used the corner of my shirt to hit the cash out button and quickly headed out…to wash my hands!

 

I didn’t spend much time in the casino after that…never did donate the $100. (I actually ended up cashing out winning a little over $275 when I was finally done…not bad for pennies)

 

My apologies to any Screamers, Tag Teamers or Rituals that are reading this review. I mean no offense…just sharing my observations! And…please…stop kissing the machines!

 

I'll end this intermission with a picture. The dinosaur towel animal we found the evening of Grand Cayman was my daughter's favorite.

 

 

Next up…Chapter…uh…um…6 maybe? Our final port…Cozumel (Where to buy an alligator, confused cab drivers…and…manatee hugs.)

 

I'm dying here laughing so hard. Yes, you have just met the "Casino People", and I'm one of them. You truly know the Ritual folks, because we rub the screen, talk to the machine, tell the machine to "give it to me", give it to me". Too funny...thanks for the laughs!!!

[ch27088]

I must admit with those who are drinking and playing the slots I always get a disinfectant towel from the cashier's desk and wipe down the buttons of the machine before I use it (I do this also in the internet cafe)

Better safe than sorry and now after the kissing story I am glad I do:o:mad:

 

Good point Windsor26. I'm so nuts about making sure our room is clean and sprayed with Lysol, that I didn't even think about the machines...which are probably loaded with all types of germs!!! Wipes will come with me to the Casino going forward.

[ch27088]

OMG, like someone mentioned earlier, you have GOT to do a blog, write a book, or just email me everyday, because your writing style is just too funny. My glasses are wet with tears from laughing so hard. Thanks for making my day GREAT, because i love your review. Hope you plan a cruise for next year so I can tag along, I would love it.

[KBS1607]

I'm glad he asked you about a review.

[CruznisMagic]

Im looking forward to following your review.

 

We are booked on Magic, same itinerary on 22nd March next year, me & other half. We are new to Carnival & only our 3rd cruise. Strangely this is just the 2 of us, no kids & no grandkids, due to school holidays in the U.K.

 

Really looking forward to this cruise,, having read all the wonderful reviews on here, & following the cruise critic boards.

 

We really want FTTF, but check it several times a day & its sold out. Also going to book the Cheers on the 2nd day. Never been to the Caribbean, so super excited.

 

I didnt know Galveston was an island!!. We have friends in Houston , who also have a house in Galveston so get to spend a week with them before cruising.

 

Cant wait to read more of your review, and any tips you have.

 

Jan xx

 

FTTF , I bought today !!!

[Slippin]

FTTF , I bought today !!!

 

What time?

[Jan the City Fan]

I have checked 4 times today, every time it said sold out.

I thought you got FTTF for my March sailing with it attached to my thread, but im guessing it's for a different sailing.

Edited October 25, 2014 by Jan the City Fan

[windsor26]

FTTF , I bought today !!!

 

Is it with the tour reservations? If so I believe again that it is not available to us 3rd class cruisers down under Shame all Carnival lines for their discriminations

[sewut]

We've done the dolphins twice, the stingrays twice, but manatees? How did we miss that? Where's the best deal for the manatee swim?