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

[gunner13]

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

 

Yes, in with the shore excursions. Here we can see the FTTF information even if it's sold out. I'm not sure it's a case of discrimination - I'm not at all sure it's available on all ships for all sailings here. That may have been a part of the roll-out a year or so ago?

 

There well may be laws/regulations down there that govern this kind of thing. As a for instance our daughter flies for a major airline. Her airplane is almost exclusively international trips. One of the reasons for that is the aircraft that fly into England must have a certain number of seats that fully recline. Rather than outfit the entire fleet with these (more expensive) seats they install them only on certain models of certain jets and schedule only those models for trips to England. It might be fair to ask why they don't schedule a brand new Triple 7 on those trips but claiming discrimination because the newest jet in the fleet isn't assigned to that route just isn't true. Another example - Carnival can't sell the Cheers beverage program until day 2 of cruises that sail from Texas. I'm sure there are some misguided passengers who think Carnival (or someone) is discriminating against then but I would expect it's some quirk in Texas law.

 

Who knows, getting FTTF down there may be as simple as getting the software up to speed.

[windsor26]

Thank you Gunner13

I have actually asked Carnival Australia but 3 weeks later no reply.

 

There are lots of different perks etc from various of Carnival companies that we cannot have

 

No recommendation bonus

Only Military get credit not police amboes or firies

It would appear no FTTF as it is not shown on the tours page

Carnival have also told me that we have to pay 1.5% if we pay our on board accounts by a credit card and this has not happened on a USA ship we have travelled on nor actually on Princess cruises either

 

We understand the Texus thing because of their laws We have a similar problem when cruising past the coast of West Australia the casino closes for that duration but the anomalies above are down to the cruise lines themselves:rolleyes:

Edited October 26, 2014 by windsor26

[cmcsharon]

I’m very surprised (and humbled) by the comments from those of you that would want to cruise with us. You do realize that would relegate you to minion status….and…minions are fair game when it comes to my cruise reviews…just ask Augustus Gloop minion…or Fish Toilet minion! (Though…no minions were intentionally harmed in the making of this review.)

 

In case you’ve been wondering why I haven’t provided any reviews about the shows, or the piano bar, or other entertainment venues…it’s because I didn’t go to any. No trivia…no hairy chest contest…no karaoke…no bingo…none of it. I just never got around to it. (You’ve probably figured out by now…I’m easily entertained…and, I can pretty much find entertainment anywhere.) I saw bits and pieces of things as I would walk through different venues…the performer in the Red Frog Pub was very good…and, it looked like the piano bar had a good turnout…but, there were always lots of other things keeping me entertained.

 

I thought I would be going to the shows and performances…I’d even look through the Carnival Fun Times and see what was playing and when…but…then I’d get busy doing other things instead. A couple evenings were spent watching some spectacular lightning storms off in the distance. The Serenity deck is a great place to watch the lightning. This is another thing that’s very different where we live in California…we have wimpy lightning. It just lights up the clouds and that’s it. One very late night on the cruise, during a really crazy lightning storm…I went out on our cove balcony to watch. As soon as I saw that it was real lightning…where the squiggles looked like they were coming down and touching the water…I ran right back into the cabin and just peeked through the window…that definitely wasn’t California lightning.

 

A couple of nights all 8 of us would pull tables and chairs together out on Deck 5…and play the game Apples to Apples that I brought with us. We would just laugh and laugh…it was a great way for all of us to spend time together…not many things can provide a group ranging in age from 18-75 so much entertainment…but, that game did. As people walked by I’d hear them say…I wish we’d have thought of that. My apologies to those with balconies that were just above deck 5…we were having a lot of fun out there. (Again…this was the Apples to Apples version…not the Cards Against Humanity version…which the kids refused to play with anyone over the age of 25…effectively eliminating the rest of us. The Cards Against Humanity cards can get pretty crazy…and there are some things you just don’t want to have to explain to your Grandma!)

 

You’d be surprised at how entertaining it is over by the pizza area late at night…I think the cooks there like the entertainment so they grease the plates or something. People would be handed their plate of pizza…they’d turn to leave too quickly…and…the pizza would go flying off their plate right onto the deck. One night we got to witness ‘pouty pizza man’…….he’d had way too much to drink……and, he was quite upset when he lost not one but two plates of pizza. (You’d think he would’ve learned after the first plate…actually, you’d think he would’ve learned after the friend he was with did the exact same thing before him!) But no…he would gruffly grab his plate and turn to leave and that pizza would go airborne! The second time it happened I actually saw the cook the snicker. (I don’t blame him…pouty pizza man was pretty rude.)

 

My kids didn’t go to the shows or performances either. You hear on the forums that there’s not a lot for that age group 18-21…no formal Carnival activities specifically for them…but…my kids were just fine without having any formal activities. They both said they had a great time…and, they’re like me…they can easily entertain themselves.

 

Here’s one of the goofy pictures they took while hanging out in the Lido late one night…(it’s my son’s eyes in the picture on the phone, in front of my daughter’s face). Yep…easily entertained!

 

 

I have to admit, I was having fun taking goofy pictures too. My new camera has wi-fi on it and there are some apps that can be loaded to it…just like on a smartphone. One of those apps had some fun settings to play with…it would change the shooting modes to different functions…and, one of the functions was called illustration.

 

Illustration became my go to setting for funny pictures. As soon as I took this first one in Galveston…I was hooked.

 

 

I’d look at the pictures and think how fun it would be to create a Carnival Magic comic book! Something like…The Carnival Magic and the Cap & Gown Caper. Here’s my daughter at the pool in Jamaica.

 

 

This would be her regular self…and then…when the ‘soon to be pier runners’ arrive…she’d change into her super powered Cap & Gown and catapult the four of them from the pool…out into the ocean…just for disturbing our peace!

 

Or…The Carnival Magic and the Minion Madness…where everyone on board turns into minions and they all have to do what I say! I guess that makes me the evil comic book villain…but…getting complete control of everything on a cruise ship…yeah, I think I’m okay with it.

 

Here’s a Royal Caribbean ship along with the Carnival Glory in Grand Cayman. (The Glory was the last ship the minions and I had been on…it was fun to get to see her out there.)

 

 

And then I discovered another function on the camera apps called miniature. This just cracked me up. Here’s Grand Cayman in miniature…it looks like a little toy town. You can see the line of little people in the middle of the picture waiting to get back on the tenders to go to the ship (I was taking these pictures from the secret deck on deck 9).

 

 

As I was showing the miniature pictures to my son in the cabin, some on-board announcements started. At first it was the ones that are only broadcast outside the cabin…where you feel like you’re in an old Charlie Brown cartoon and the adults are talking…wawah wah wah, wawah wah wah. But then…the Captain came on and gave some announcements and those we’re broadcast into the cabin. I pointed to the photo and said to my son…can’t you just picture the Captain saying…UNLEASH THE KRAKEN…and some giant Cayman Island Iguana would come out and terrorize the town…which caused my son to go into a fit of laughter because he had no idea what I was talking about with the ‘Unleash the Kraken’ comment!

 

So…just for fun…I’ve added in a Cayman Island Iguana to my miniature town. See…I told you I was easily entertained.

 

 

It probably didn’t help that they were playing Godzilla for the late night movie the night before.

 

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)

[ccahope]

I have read this from start to this moment all in one sitting but the Iguana in the town! So hilarious...laughing out loud, waking people up!

Thank you so much for this review!

[gunner13]

Thank you Gunner13

I have actually asked Carnival Australia but 3 weeks later no reply.

 

There are lots of different perks etc from various of Carnival companies that we cannot have

 

No recommendation bonus

Only Military get credit not police amboes or firies

It would appear no FTTF as it is not shown on the tours page

Carnival have also told me that we have to pay 1.5% if we pay our on board accounts by a credit card and this has not happened on a USA ship we have travelled on nor actually on Princess cruises either

 

We understand the Texus thing because of their laws We have a similar problem when cruising past the coast of West Australia the casino closes for that duration but the anomalies above are down to the cruise lines themselves:rolleyes:

 

Here we can ask for "customer service" and get folks more helpful than the standard "operators." I, of course, have no idea what happens down your way. I do want to visit before I make my final muster before He/She who has the final vote.

 

We have a saying up here - "The squeaky wheel gets the grease". I would email them (copy/paste) as often in a 24 hour period as I could (every 5 minutes if you can). I would also call every chance I had and drive them berserk with my requests to talk/meet with the head knocker in Austraulia. I'd also bomb john Heald's Facebook page every time I had a spare minute. IOW become the squeaky wheel.

 

 

Give 'em hell !!

 

Best of luck!!

[xbatt8]

There are lots of different perks etc from various of Carnival companies that we cannot have

 

Only Military get credit not police amboes or firies

 

Only military get credit here as well. I have never heard of Fire or Police getting anything.

 

Bob

[ccahope]

I know you said that you have a Panasonic Lumix, what model# is it?

[pearose]

A couple of the minions had gotten to Galveston several days early to explore the island. One day, when I was still at work…I get a text from a minion that simply says: There’s a lot of y’alls.

 

Now that I’m here…that minion was right. This is my first experience in Texas…I always thought the y’all thing was a stereotype…but, nope! It’s full on…y’all…around here............not judging…just a comment.

 

LOVE LOVE LOVING your review! Love your sense of humor and writing style. We will be on the Magic on February 8th. Have sailed out of Galveston many times, but this will be the first time on the Magic. I am from Dallas, so quite used to the Texas weather and humidity unlike y'all. lol YES the y'all thing is quite real here!

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review!

[1Honey12]

Still tuned in! :D

[JackNJillCruz]

Waiting to hear about sea day, glass elevators, etc.

I haven't gotten off the ship in Jamaica in more than 15 years. After reading your review and seeing pics, (I'd actually get off the ship again in Jamaica) to go on that excursion in Jamaica!

As far as the casino, germs and noro-virus... if people could learn to stop putting their hands/fingers in their eyes, nose or mouth unless they're clean they'd be much healthier. That's my best friend's motto and he hasn't had a cold, the flu, or any other illness in more than 10 years. Yes, we are germ-a-phobes. We know it and admit it. (but we're healthy). :D

[cmcsharon]

I know you said that you have a Panasonic Lumix, what model# is it?

 

It's the model TS25. I think I got it for about $135 when it was on sale.

[cmcsharon]

Chapter 7…the Last Sea Day

 

I know what you’re thinking………will this EVER end!

 

(My apologies for the delay.)

 

So…it’s the last sea day. My son and I decide to go to the sea day brunch for breakfast this morning. Several of the minions have been eating breakfast every morning in the dining room…while we’ve just been going to the buffet (or sometimes the handy set up on deck 5…for cereal and fruit). We wanted to try something different today…and, use our drink coupons. The minions shared about how you can be seated at group tables…and, they shared about the fun they experienced one morning with one man who would not shut up for the entire meal…not while the waiter was trying to take other people’s orders…not while other people were trying to talk…and especially…not while he was eating! We weren’t feeling up to that kind of fun this morning…so, we opted for a table just for us.

 

When I asked for a table for two I was told they only had the group tables…so, I said we’d be fine with waiting until one was available. I could tell she didn’t like that answer…but, she said she’d take us in anyway, without a wait. (I can now picture the maniacal laughing she probably did after seeing us to our table…thinking…I’ll show them for not going to a group table!)

 

We were seated in a fairly empty area…but, in the next section over I could see a group of four people that were seated right before us. Their waiter had just brought them a basket of pastries and some waters and was talking with them about the menu. Our waiter was nowhere to be found. So…we waited.

 

After a few minutes the bar waiter stopped by our table and asked if we had the drink coupons…which we did. I ordered a peach Bellini and my son ordered a Long Island Iced Tea. This would be my son’s go to drink on this cruise. He found a bartender that would make all the different colors of the Teas and he was having a great time trying them all out. At one point, I watched the bartender make one of his drinks and was surprised to learn that there’s actually no TEA in a Long Island Iced Tea…they use coke to turn it tea colored.

 

Still no sign of our waiter but after a short time our drinks arrived. So we wait some more.

 

And…finally…our waiter showed up. I glanced at the other table and noticed they were already getting their food delivered…but…we didn’t have anywhere else to be so I was trying to be patient. Our waiter was very pleasant and we both ordered the steak and eggs. He asked how we wanted our steaks prepared and we both responded and then I also ordered the banana cream pie for dessert.

 

And then he looked at me and said…Cheese?

 

Um……uh…..no? Banana cream pie, please.

 

And again…Cheese?

 

Um…no thank you? Oh…could we also get a basket of pastries? Which he writes down…and then…looks at me…and says………

 

Cheese?

 

I shake my head with a confused look on my face, and fortunately, a table near us that was seated right after us…was becoming very vocal about the wait so he leaves to go over to assist them. As my son and I sit there confused about the cheese thing.

 

I hear the other table ask for a basket of pastries…with extra of the lemon loaf cake (because they just love the lemon loaf cake)…and they’d like the basket first, while they look through their menu.

 

And he responds with….....Cheese? They’re becoming increasingly irritated…so he quickly walks away.

 

After a bit of a delay he returns to our table and sets down the basket of pastries and has a second basket for the other table. As soon as we look at our basket we start laughing. What we have is a nice basket of pastries…but…at the top…he’s laid one slice of lemon cake on it…and…it looks like there’s a bite taken out of it. I’m afraid to look over at the other table…but, as soon as he sets their basket down…I hear a loud……What is this?!!

 

Before I can hear his response, another waiter walks up with our breakfasts…he sets our plates down and when he leaves I notice our waiter and the other table's basket are now gone. My son and I start eating but we both decide to stay away from that basket of pastries. (I’m hoping it was just one of the last pieces and a part of it had broken off of it…but…it was very suspiciously shaped like someone had taken a bite and put it back.)

 

Our waiter never did come back out after that…and…I really didn’t want to see what banana cream pie with cheese looked like…so we finished our breakfast and left. The steak and eggs were very good and we both agreed we probably should’ve gone to some of the sea day brunches earlier in the week (and sat in a different section!).

 

The whole brunch ordeal took a lot longer than we had planned so we headed back to the cabin to drag my daughter out of bed so that Dewa could take care of the room. I went and sat with her in the Lido while my son went in search of a new color of Long Island Iced Tea. There was a large section of the Lido blocked off with caution tape and we sat at a table right next to it. My son walks up with his drink, points to the area, and says…you would sit next to the Ebola Containment Site. (It was funny at the time…because this was prior to the Carnival Magic Ebola World Cruise that would happen a week later.)

 

My daughter finished eating and we went and walked around on the decks and noticed it was really starting to get windy out there. By early afternoon the crew was stacking up and tying down the lounge chairs around deck 5. My daughter wanted to head back to the cabin (probably needed a nap) and I wanted to check the account balance on the TV so I went back with her.

 

I bring up the account and I begin wondering whether Carnival has already adopted common core math! Really? Could we make this any more confusing? Would it be so hard to have totals? Debit total…credit total…and…the difference between the two. Is that really too much to ask for?

 

Plus…it’s broken out by 3 people…even though I’ve only set up one account. I have to go to my daughter’s account…and figure out how many obscure credits she has ($3.70…$7.12…we didn’t even miss any ports?). Along with how many purchases she made…only one, a soda card…but then…every single soda is listed so it adds pages and pages of screens to flip through (okay…not so much with my daughter…that soda card probably wasn’t worth getting for her…but…my son’s Cheers package…it’s page after page after page of $0.00 drinks to weed through to find his obscure credits).

 

It shouldn’t be this difficult to figure out my balance on this cruise! I think it’s a Carnival strategy…don’t make it easy for anyone to see just how much they’re spending…we’ll only give it to them on their final bill when we’re safely back in port! Probably saves on infirmary expenses this way…think of all those accelerated heart rates and the difficulty breathing episodes if those bills could be easily deciphered along the way!

 

After using my fingers and toes to figure out my balance I notice I still have a credit balance so I decide to go shopping. I pass through the casino on my way to the gift shop and decide to waste a little bit of the credit here. I go up to a machine…put a whopping $10 in it from my credit…and, on my 3rd spin…win $125. This was crazy!! I NEVER WIN! I quickly cash out and continue on to the gift shops.

 

There wasn’t a whole lot that I was after…I was mainly looking for a luggage tag…because the airplane ate my good leather one off my bag on the flight over…but, I kept waffling about it because I didn’t really want to pay THAT MUCH just for a luggage tag. It was as I was in the gift shop that I noticed how rocky it was getting. You could really start to feel the ship moving.

 

I decide to buy the tag and grab a couple other small items and head to the checkout line. There’s one person checking out already and one person in front of me. The person in front of me is a little wobbly from the ship rocking and rolling…and…she’s got a fancy frozen drink in her hand…so I take a precautionary step back. The first person leaves and the lady in front of me steps up and hands the cashier the shirt she’s holding and asks him if it would fit him. He doesn’t quite understand what she’s asking so she sets her drink down on the counter and asks him to turn around so she could hold it up to him because he looks to be the same size as her husband. He glances over at the line getting longer…and then quickly turns around and she holds up the shirt. And…I’m just watching that drink…because any minute I know it’s going over. She’s precariously rocking from side to side as she’s holding up the shirt…and she’s laughing as she tries to steady herself…and this poor embarrassed man just wants this to be over so the line full of people don’t start glaring at him.

 

She finally decides that it’ll do and pulls out her wallet to pay…the ship rocks again and her hand bumps her drink…but…she catches it. I have to admit…I was impressed. (I’m thinking she probably has a lot of experience with this.) She gathers her change, her bag and her drink and wobbles a bit as she starts to step away. Up from the other side of the register comes her equally off balance friend…with her own fancy frozen drink. And, just like weeble wobbles…the ship rocks again and these two bump right into each other. The shopping bag comes up…and…the friends drink topples over…and…the frozen slushy liquid lands right on my feet. I look down at the pink sloppy mess on my sandals and see a little yellow paper umbrella shading my big toe.

 

They both immediately start apologizing…and I assure them it’s no big deal…as I step out of the frozen muck…and start wiping my frozen toes off with paper towels the cashier hands me. They even offered to pay for my purchases for ruining my leather sandals…but, I tell them it’s not necessary. We all finish wiping up the floor and shelves…and the cashier rings me up and I take my frozen, syrupy, glued together toes, and my purchases…and head back to the cabin. But wait…what’s that sound? Oh…squish…squish…squish…with each step!

 

It’s when I get to the cabin hallway that I start to feel like I’m in an air hockey game. I’m trying to walk normally…and, the next thing I know…I’m ricocheting off one wall and bouncing into the other. You’d think I’d been drinking…but, the only alcohol I’ve been near is in between my toes. I bounce my way down to our cabin…watching others bouncing back and forth the entire length of the hall…and finally get to the cabin and get cleaned up.

 

As much as I don’t want to do it…I decide it’s time to start packing.

 

Next up…Last Sea Day…part 2.

[momof3cruisers]

I have to say that I'm going to be really sad when your review is over.

 

In Cozumel, the taxi was $16 total or per person? In the Virgin Islands and the Bahamas, it's always per person which can get pretty pricey.

[cmcsharon]

I have to say that I'm going to be really sad when your review is over.

 

In Cozumel, the taxi was $16 total or per person? In the Virgin Islands and the Bahamas, it's always per person which can get pretty pricey.

 

It was $16 for the 5 of us. It would've been less for a smaller group but I didn't see how much. There is a sign at the taxi area that lists destinations and prices by number of people.

Edited October 29, 2014 by cmcsharon

[GaMtnMom]

I too am going to be sad when this review is over! LOL. I would follow your blog or join your email list just to get my daily dose of your humor.

 

Thanks again for taking the time to post this review and keep us all entertained.

 

Edit ... I forgot to add that you are invited to join us on our 30th anniversary cruise on the Liberty (was Valor) out of San Juan on April 5 - 12, 2015! We would love to have you and your minions join us and our group of minions! LOL

Edited October 29, 2014 by GaMtnMom

[ch27088]

Please continue with your review, can't you think of anything else that happened on your cruise...I just love your writing style and I've enjoyed reading your review.

 

Can't wait until the next chapter!

[springs741]

Please continue with your review, can't you think of anything else that happened on your cruise...I just love your writing style and I've enjoyed reading your review.

 

Can't wait until the next chapter!

I agree! I know this has taken a great deal of time and I thank you once again for your great review.

[cmcsharon]

I agree! I know this has taken a great deal of time and I thank you once again for your great review.

 

This is so funny to me...because...I delete so much of what I write! I keep thinking...this is waaaay too long...or people don't want to hear about that...and delete a ton of stuff before I post it. :D

[dmdiver]

Don't delete anything! Enjoying the review!

[granno]

I agree! Don't delete anymore - I'll read as long as you write!

[1959kar]

me too!!!, I love love love your sense of humor!!!!!! more, more, more, and don't delete :)

[cruiseclues]

Thanks for the warning and your really happy photo review. :):):):)

[LambKnuckles]

Thank you for persevering!!! It's GRRRRRRRRRRREAT!!!

[ccahope]

It's the model TS25. I think I got it for about $135 when it was on sale.

 

 

thank you :)

[pmp_cruise_junkie]

I am having massive giggle fit right now as I read this. This is even funnier than the "fish toilet" comment.

 

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