Magic out of Norfolk, VA, Brief Review

[bay guy]

We just returned from the four day trip to Bermuda. Everyone at the Norfolk cruise terminal did a great job getting passengers aboard. One criticism is that the folks who designed the terminal should have added a couple more elevators for those who have to use wheelchair assistance.

 

The ship was in great shape and the staff was wonderful. Constantly cleaning and always greeting us in the hallways and asking if we needed anything.

For reasons out of our control, we ate at three different tables for dinner. In all three cases, the dining room staff did an excellent job and we completed out 3-4 course dinners in about an hour. Other passengers were complaining about the slow service but we didn't experience that at all.

 

The only criticism I have is the quality of preparation of the entrees both in Lido and in the main dining room. From looking at the food, it looked like they had good quality beef, chicken and fish but, for the most part, everything was over cooked and, by the time we got it, was almost too tough to eat. To show you how poorly we thought the main dining food was prepared, we actually ate sandwiches from the deli bar and enjoyed those more than any dinner entree we had.

 

Activities were OK. I felt the advertising of $1000 and $5000 bingo jackpots was deceptive once you heard the stipulations to possibly win those amounts. Simon London and his cruise staff did an excellent job with entertainment over all.

[pcvtmom]

Thanks for your take on the cruise.  We board Magic on Saturday, for the first time out of Norfolk. Did you use the parking suggested on the Carnival website, or were you dropped off (I see you're from VB)? I'm slightly concerned about the parking.

[bay guy]

11 minutes ago, pcvtmom said:

Thanks for your take on the cruise.  We board Magic on Saturday, for the first time out of Norfolk. Did you use the parking suggested on the Carnival website, or were you dropped off (I see you're from VB)? I'm slightly concerned about the parking.

 We were dropped off and picked up which worked out well. We considered getting a cab to take us back home but found out that no cabs were coming to the terminal area unless you actually called for one. Having cruised out of Norfolk a few times, we figured someone else would snag our cab before they found us so our great neighbor drove us to and from.

 

The buses to and from the parking area seemed to be moving back and forth fairly smoothly. The only problem I saw was that you had to wait for the bus to get several passengers aboard before it left. I'm not familiar with where the parking area was but lots of people were using it.

 

Have a great time. The new cruise director just took over for the cruise after ours.

 

Also, if someone in your party needs wheelchair assistance, as we did for my wife, the wheelchair folks are by the elevator. That was great because we had priority for processing and we were on board within 15 minutes of getting the chair for her. Same thing coming off, They had the wheelchair assistance set up at the guest services desk on the ship.

[DCDragonfly]

9 hours ago, pcvtmom said:

Thanks for your take on the cruise.  We board Magic on Saturday, for the first time out of Norfolk. Did you use the parking suggested on the Carnival website, or were you dropped off (I see you're from VB)? I'm slightly concerned about the parking.

You should be concerned about the parking.  It took us almost 90 minutes from our arrival at the lot to actually parking the car, followed by another 90 minutes or so waiting for a shuttle, and a third 90 minutes going through the terminal.  As said, the only ways into the terminal (a repurposed banquet hall) are a small bank of elevators or 2 flights of stairs.

 

The embarkation was so bad that we've decided never to cruise from Norfolk again.  I wish you far better luck.  Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, the cruise was fine and the food was good.

Edited June 1, 2022 by DCDragonfly

[Laplayaperson]

No more Simon?

[MisKaren1]

47 minutes ago, DCDragonfly said:

You should be concerned about the parking.  It took us almost 90 minutes from our arrival at the lot to actually parking the car, followed by another 90 minutes or so waiting for a shuttle, and a third 90 minutes going through the terminal.  As said, the only ways into the terminal (a repurposed banquet hall) are a small bank of elevators or 2 flights of stairs.

 

The embarkation was so bad that we've decided never to cruise from Norfolk again.  I wish you far better luck.  Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, the cruise was fine and the food was good.

This 💯. The Magic is a great ship…it doesn’t belong in Norfolk. 
Putting that big of a ship in a small port like Norfolk feels like a money grab. 
 

Our saying the whole 4 day trip was “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[MisKaren1]

39 minutes ago, Laplayaperson said:

No more Simon?

He left for vacation on 5/30. He will return to the Breeze in August. 

[Laplayaperson]

@MisKaren1 thank you!  So who's on Magic now??

[FloridaGram]

We loved Simon and the Magic. We sailed her in Feb and liked them so much, and the piano bar guy Louis that we went again in March. I will miss Simon, he is a great cruise director who does make a positive difference, but I won't go to Galveston to sail on the Breeze. I recommend to anyone who can to sail with him but we won't travel when we can go to the same ports from FL.

Even though the terminal situation was bad I hope you had a great cruise. We really liked the Magic and always were her well.

[Pop-Pop]

Regarding the parking, we are leaving on Sat from Norfolk and we are wondering how they handle the checked bags. Are we able to check them with a porter through to the ship from the parking lot, or do we take them on the shuttle bus with us to the terminal? Also wondering where the bags are claimed for debarkation. Thanks!

[Silent Penguin]

Thank you for your report. I've recently become interested in seeing Bermuda.  What did you do while you were in port?  Also,  how full was the ship?  

[DCDragonfly]

2 hours ago, Pop-Pop said:

Regarding the parking, we are leaving on Sat from Norfolk and we are wondering how they handle the checked bags. Are we able to check them with a porter through to the ship from the parking lot, or do we take them on the shuttle bus with us to the terminal? Also wondering where the bags are claimed for debarkation. Thanks!

You put the bags in the bus's baggage compartment at the parking lot, and the porters will collect them at the terminal.  On debarkation, your bags will be waiting in the terminal building.

[MarsMama]

We were on the second sailing out of Norfolk and the parking situation was terrible and disorganized. My husband dropped me and the bags off and then went to park in the suggested lot. Three hours later he met me at the terminal.  Disembarkation was better but as another person said it took a long time. If this was my first cruise, it would probably have been my last. The cruise was fun. The food was pretty low quality but the service was pretty good. The price was good so we were overall happy. And the sea was well worth some hassle and disorganization.

[SRQbeachgirl]

On 5/31/2022 at 9:16 PM, MisKaren1 said:

This 💯. The Magic is a great ship…it doesn’t belong in Norfolk. 
Putting that big of a ship in a small port like Norfolk feels like a money grab. 
 

Our saying the whole 4 day trip was “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”. 🤷🏼‍♀️

 

I am so disappointed the Magic isn't in Florida anymore. I love that ship, but after moving back to Florida from four long years in Virginia there's no way I'm going back up there to get on a cruise. 

[mz-s]

I hope they get the parking situation handled. Sounds horrible. Three hours to park? That is insanity.

[Guest BasicSailor]

On 5/31/2022 at 9:16 PM, MisKaren1 said:

This 💯. The Magic is a great ship…it doesn’t belong in Norfolk. 
Putting that big of a ship in a small port like Norfolk feels like a money grab. 
 

Our saying the whole 4 day trip was “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Strong words for such a nice ship. Not saying it's the wrong words for the port, just surprised at the raw honesty in these forums. 👍

[mz-s]

There is a huge opportunity here with Charleston ending their homeport operations - Norfolk should be preparing to strike while the iron is hot if they want that contract.

[Guest BasicSailor]

5 minutes ago, mz-s said:

There is a huge opportunity here with Charleston ending their homeport operations - Norfolk should be preparing to strike while the iron is hot if they want that contract.

Great minds think alike.👍

[mz-s]

1 minute ago, BasicSailor said:

Great minds think alike.👍

 

I remember I was on one of the first Sunshine cruises out of Charleston back when Ecstasy was the main ship and they were just testing out Sunshine in Charleston. The crowds were incredible. The facility was absolutely at it's breaking point. Charleston figured out how to get wait times down and on my last cruise before COVID we practically walked from our car to the ship, and our two cruises since the restart were just as fast if not more so. Norfolk will figure it out as well if they have the gumption. The main challenge it seems is Norfolk doesn't have access to on-property parking, that's probably their main chokepoint.

[bstel]

so could you just park in the Carnival recommended parking lot and then call an Uber/Lyft to save time and aggravation?  or is it walkable?

 

edit:  never mind, looked on a map, dang that is far.  I would definitely consider an Uber.

Edited June 6, 2022 by bstel

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

On 5/31/2022 at 10:46 AM, bay guy said:

We just returned from the four day trip to Bermuda. Everyone at the Norfolk cruise terminal did a great job getting passengers aboard. One criticism is that the folks who designed the terminal should have added a couple more elevators for those who have to use wheelchair assistance.

 

The ship was in great shape and the staff was wonderful. Constantly cleaning and always greeting us in the hallways and asking if we needed anything.

For reasons out of our control, we ate at three different tables for dinner. In all three cases, the dining room staff did an excellent job and we completed out 3-4 course dinners in about an hour. Other passengers were complaining about the slow service but we didn't experience that at all.

 

The only criticism I have is the quality of preparation of the entrees both in Lido and in the main dining room. From looking at the food, it looked like they had good quality beef, chicken and fish but, for the most part, everything was over cooked and, by the time we got it, was almost too tough to eat. To show you how poorly we thought the main dining food was prepared, we actually ate sandwiches from the deli bar and enjoyed those more than any dinner entree we had.

 

Activities were OK. I felt the advertising of $1000 and $5000 bingo jackpots was deceptive once you heard the stipulations to possibly win those amounts. Simon London and his cruise staff did an excellent job with entertainment over all.

As for BINGO. It is the same on all the Carnival ships. I think you must win during the first 25 numbers called to get the jackpot. Otherwise it increases at every game played. The last game will be a coverall for the winning of the final jackpot. Some one will win it. We actually won the last day jackpot but had to split it with another winner. Still not a bad haul.

[maybesomeday]

I will go on Magic again, but NEVER again out of Norfolk.  Workers were busting their tails, but the infrastructure is just not able to handle the volume of people.  

Edited June 6, 2022 by maybesomeday

[MisKaren1]

On 5/31/2022 at 9:28 PM, Laplayaperson said:

@MisKaren1 thank you!  So who's on Magic now??

His name was Ryan, I think his last name is Rose. He seemed pretty great!

[cellfree]

On 6/6/2022 at 12:17 PM, maybesomeday said:

I will go on Magic again, but NEVER again out of Norfolk.  Workers were busting their tails, but the infrastructure is just not able to handle the volume of people.  

Oh dear, we are booked October ‘22, is it a good idea to book a hotel near airport that allows extended overnight parking and Uber to Port?

[ninjacat123]

We are on Magic Jan 14, 2023 out of Port Canaveral.  So far, nothing has changed in my Cruise Manager.  Anyone know more info about Magic's location?  Thanks!