Carnival Magic poor reviews

[carribbound]

I am booked on the Magic for Jan 24. I have been on many Carnival Cruises, my first time on the Magic. I am growing increasingly concerned because the reviews I am reading are so poor. I love Carnival. I considered a different cruise line but decided to book this cruise. Many reviews I am reading say how Carnival has really gone down hill. My last cruise with Carnival was in 2021, so not that long ago. Please comfort my worries and tell me these are just a fluke.

[balcony bound]

I've been on the Magic twice in the last 9 months or so, had a great time with no issues.

[ChuckF]

On the Magic in April. No problems.  Even won money in the casino. Had a great time. 

[jimbo5544]

Was on it in November, she is in great shape, nothing at all to worry about.  I did a live review if you want more info.

[carribbound]

Oh good! Thank you!!! I know bad reviews are more common than good ones but I just needed some reassurance 😉 People are more apt to complain than compliment. I have always loved carnival 

[firefly333]

I'm beginning to think all the reviews of excursions are terrible and bad. I keep trying to pick excursions for my 14 day cruise with new to me ports. I'll click on a excursion and it will say waste of money, worst ever excursion. Stuff like that.

 

Rcl doesnt show reviews so this is the first time I've really paid attention or wanted excursions on carnival. Pre covid never booked excursions ahead of cruise. Not sure any discount to booking ahead, just was looking thru them again today. Awful reviews. 

[wemjam]

10 hours ago, carribbound said:

Oh good! Thank you!!! I know bad reviews are more common than good ones but I just needed some reassurance 😉 People are more apt to complain than compliment. I have always loved carnival 

This exactly.  Most times people will only post if they are disgruntled and want to complain about something.  There are those that take the time to post for all they do and give honest opinions good or bad, but the majority of people don't do this.  So when you think about the handful of negative reviews you see, and compare that to how many people are cruising that ship weekly, it really is a very small percentage.

 

 

[ProgRockCruiser]

We were on Magic in Dec 2022.  Southern Carib cruise from Port Canaveral.  It was very enjoyable, and we didn't encounter anything to complain about.  It rained in Bonaire when we went on the snorkeling excursion - OK, I'm gonna get wet anyway, but yeah, if Carnival had just turned on their weather machine, it could have been sunny!  Some passengers were "interesting" and we then avoided them later on, but that isn't Carnival's fault.

 

I have personally encountered too many people that are simply looking for something to complain about, and due to their "aura" the problems seem to find them.

[WendyVF]

This is the first time for an Magic extended season in Norfolk so you are getting a lot of new cruisers and ones that typically do other lines but wanted to try it since it was close to home.  A ship with a lot of first time cruisers is going to feel different as all the newbies try to figure it out.

 

I've sailed the Magic twice in the last year and everything is just fine.

[ninjacat123]

We did an eight day cruise on Magic this past January and loved it!!  Had dinner at the Steakhouse first night and loved the food and service so much, we went there two more nights.  Alchemy Bar was almost always crowded but when isn't it?  Crew as usual was awesome.  Our excursions in SJ, St. Maarten and St. Thomas were lots of fun!  Forgot to add, drink service at Serenity was great!

If you are going out of Port Canaveral, remember to bring a light jacket. Just saw WendyVF's post that Magic is out of Norfolk, but bring a light jacket anyway👍. In January it can be a little brisk until the second day.  Have a great cruise!!

Edited August 3, 2023 by ninjacat123
saw WendyVF post :)

[Butterbean1000]

The Magic is one of our favorite ships.  Even though I was pre-op and on a knee scooter, we loved our Magic cruise.  Now that I can walk without assistance, I hope to cruise her again.

[MisterOJ2]

11 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I'm beginning to think all the reviews of excursions are terrible and bad. I keep trying to pick excursions for my 14 day cruise with new to me ports. I'll click on a excursion and it will say waste of money, worst ever excursion. Stuff like that.

 

I think you're right. I was looking at booking a resort day pass in Freeport recently. I was looking at booking it through Resorts for a Day and was reading reviews of the place on one of the general travel sites - pretty sure it was TripAdvisor, but it might have been a different one. The reviews for the resort were largely positive, although there were a negative reviews. Then I realized I could book the same resort as a Carnival excursion and all the reviews on Carnival's website were TERRIBLE. Those reviews of the Carnival excursion made the resort sound terrible. Which... it's the same resort. There's no reason one review site should have largely positive reviews while the Carnival excursion has awful ones.

Edited August 3, 2023 by MisterOJ2

[Jeafl]

3 hours ago, ninjacat123 said:

We did an eight day cruise on Magic this past January and loved it!!  Had dinner at the Steakhouse first night and loved the food and service so much, we went there two more nights.  Alchemy Bar was almost always crowded but when isn't it?  Crew as usual was awesome.  Our excursions in SJ, St. Maarten and St. Thomas were lots of fun!  Forgot to add, drink service at Serenity was great!

If you are going out of Port Canaveral, remember to bring a light jacket. Just saw WendyVF's post that Magic is out of Norfolk, but bring a light jacket anyway👍. In January it can be a little brisk until the second day.  Have a great cruise!!

Can you tell me which excursions you did?  I am having a hard time choosing because of all the bad reviews.

[Pyrate13]

I take most reviews with a grain of salt and don't just accept them at face value. As has been said, many only post to complain but there's plenty of folks that also had a great time but just don't write about it.

[ninjacat123]

1 hour ago, Jeafl said:

Can you tell me which excursions you did?  I am having a hard time choosing because of all the bad reviews.

San Juan: Rum mix & salsa. Started out from the port and proceeded uphill, with our guide talking about history, architecture, etc.  After about 45 minutes to an hour we entered a bar where rum & cokes were already made.  We listened to rum history while drinking, Then walked to another restaurant, had a pina colada.  Then to another restaurant where we were instructed on how to salsa in a small room.  It was fun, just wish the room was bigger.  Then we were provided equipment and ingredients and instructed on how to make mojitos. Chicken skewers were provided. Fun day!

 

St Maarten: America's Cup Regatta. My DH loved this!  We walked with our group to a dock and were given jobs (I was bartender, passing out waters, sodas and beer and DH was a grinder) and we boarded a sailboat.  We raced the other sailboat and my DH was able to steer the boat.  Very fun!  No bathroom on board, FYI.

 

St. Thomas: St. John Champagne Sailaway. We were vanned over to a marina where we boarded a catamaran.  Motored to St. John.  Rumosas (rum punch with champagne) were yummy!  We snorkeled over to Honeymoon Beach then snorkeled some more.  Saw a big turtle!  Sailed back.  Great day!

 

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by ninjacat123
more info :)

[pe4all]

We have been on Magic several times, and visited all the ports mentioned numerous times (on other ships) - to the point we just go shop for a bit then go back and use the ship as a deserted floating hotel.  In San Juan I would walk to the forts if you have never been.  Lots of shopping on all the little streets if so inclined.  St. Maarten I second the America's cup regatta.  Many people go to Maho Beach to try to see planes landing or taking off over your heads.  I think the beach is crowded, dirty and over-rated.  St. John Champagne is wonderful - that is one excursion I would do again.  That or take the sky ride to Paradise Point.  Good drinks - easily walkable from ship.  Lots of shops there also to wander through before you get to sky ride.

[Chief93]

I only read 1, 2 and 4 star reviews.  The five star reviews rarely have useful information.  I read 1 star reviews for the entertainment value only.  I immediately dismiss those with no information.   Usually they slam the entire venue (cruise/hotel/restaurant) over one issue that they probably could have resolved.  For instance, "food in the MDR was horrible and a high school cafeteria is better" tells me only that the reviewer is emotional for some reason.  

 

I also feel that those that write very negative reviews only represent a small percentage of actual customers.  Using your humble servant as an example, I rarely write reviews, and when I do my goal is not to dissuade anyone, but to provide helpful info.  I spent 5 days at the most amazing hotel in Mexico City.  I didn't write a review on the advisor of trips, but I did write one for the taqueria down the street, as the food was superb, it was hard to find, and sitting on the second floor was much, much cooler (temp wise).

 

There are (in my opinion) words that immediately signal a review is just an angry, unhappy person.  

 

"Filthy" - I've never, ever, seen anything filthy on a Carnival Cruise.  I've seen tables that needed to be cleared, but never FILTHY

 

"Rude" - no one has EVER been less than civil to me on a Carnival cruise.  I've seen obnoxious guests be rude when they didn't get the rules bent for them, but never staff.

 

"Horrible - no, no it wasn't.  It might not have been good, but is wasn't horrible.  Horrible is a jail in a 3rd world country.  The fact your warm chocolate melting cake was overcooked isn't horrible.

 

[carribbound]

Thanks for your input! I’m feeling more reassured ☺️

[havanadaydreaming]

We are taking cruise on Magic this winter.  Have sailed it before and have zero reservations about doing so again. 

 

About the most critical thing i can say is i think there was one night we went to the buffet and the entree options failed to wow us. 

 

#firstworldproblems

[wemjam]

On 8/2/2023 at 6:29 PM, carribbound said:

I am booked on the Magic for Jan 24. I have been on many Carnival Cruises, my first time on the Magic. I am growing increasingly concerned because the reviews I am reading are so poor. I love Carnival. I considered a different cruise line but decided to book this cruise. Many reviews I am reading say how Carnival has really gone down hill. My last cruise with Carnival was in 2021, so not that long ago. Please comfort my worries and tell me these are just a fluke.

Just wanted to say thanks for putting this out there.  We are sailing on her in December for our once a year sailing with our elderly parents.  In all our cruises this will be our first time on her.  Good to see all the positive things people are saying.

 

As the one who handles all the arrangements for this yearly trip, I am the one that catches the flack from my mom if she wants to gripe about anything... it all is somehow my fault lol! 😁  

Edited August 5, 2023 by wemjam

[EdmundXXIII]

On 8/2/2023 at 8:01 PM, jimbo5544 said:

Was on it in November, she is in great shape, nothing at all to worry about.  I did a live review if you want more info.

I’d love to read that too. Do you have a link to it?

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, EdmundXXIII said:

I’d love to read that too. Do you have a link to it?

It was a short review (compared to my others) but it was a short cruise.

 

 

[Potstech]

Have not talked to one person who has done multiple cruises on the Magic who have said anything bad about her overall. One just came back off her last month. As always cruise ships in any line will have problems. We will be on her in September and are looking forward to cruising on her for the first time.

[thunderingherd11]

On 8/2/2023 at 6:29 PM, carribbound said:

I am booked on the Magic for Jan 24. I have been on many Carnival Cruises, my first time on the Magic. I am growing increasingly concerned because the reviews I am reading are so poor. I love Carnival. I considered a different cruise line but decided to book this cruise. Many reviews I am reading say how Carnival has really gone down hill. My last cruise with Carnival was in 2021, so not that long ago. Please comfort my worries and tell me these are just a fluke.

Ask yourself a question.  Are you hard to please.  Be honest.  If the answer is yes, read the reviews and make a decision.  If the answer is no, move on.  The magic will be fine.  Booked it for November 24.

[ProgRockCruiser]

On 8/5/2023 at 10:43 AM, wemjam said:

As the one who handles all the arrangements for this yearly trip, I am the one that catches the flack from my mom if she wants to gripe about anything... it all is somehow my fault lol!

Wait, we have the same Mom?

 

😁