I have to admit, going into this cruise, I was a pessimist. I had read so many negative reviews about Carnival and Magic that at one point, I refused to read the negative any more. So, for those of you thinking about cruising Carnival Magic, do not listen to those negative reviewers. I am convinced those are people who just find something negative and perseverate! Our cruise was FANTASTIC! From smiling and helpful people at embarkation to excellent food, to SPOTLESS public bathrooms! First off, our room was terrific, always clean, with ice in our bucket (since our refrigerator didn't work very well). Anna, our steward, was great. We brought her some treats from Vermont as a gift, and she appreciated them. She remembered our names (4 of us, two rooms, two adults, two teenage girls) immediately. Not only was our steward excellent, but pretty much every other member of the crew was outstanding. These people work tirelessly for our comfort and pleasure. Some of the reviewers said that the crew was miserable and acted like it was a chore to serve. On the contrary, 99% of the crew members greeted us with smiles and sought only to make us happy, especially in the dining room. We used "anytime dining" and ate everyday, at the same table, at 5:00, without a single problem. Our lead waiter was Henry, and he knew our names (there were seven of us total in our group) immediately. His team worked tirelessly to provide us with excellent service.

The food was very good, especially the beet carpaccio and the meatballs. Of course, some of us had the chocolate melting cake EVERY single night for dessert! The meals were beautifully plated! The portions are small, but no matter because, if you want, you can order as much as you feel you can eat! A member of our group had four orders of lobster on lobster night! NEVER did the waitstaff demonstrate agitation with our additional meal orders. Instead, they were eager to please. After dinner each night, we took advantage of the shows and entertainment. Anyone who says there is nothing to do on Magic must have a screw loose because everywhere you turn, there is some kind of live performance. Our group really liked the magic show, and the dancers were excellent! Be sure to catch "Fifty Shades of Groove" on night 1; they are very talented!

During the day, we stayed away from the shenanigans at the main pool (but the kids checked it out!) and found a lounge chair with relatively no problem. People do save chairs, but there are plenty to go around. Lunch was a "go your own way" deal, and everyone found good eats. I enjoyed the shrimp burrito at the Blue Iguana and the BBQ was good as well. I never ate lunch at the Lido Market place--only had breakfast there. One criticism is that breakfast is the same EVERY day! That got VERY boring. I had cantaloupe and honey dew with an egg every day. Unfortunately, there was no mango or watermelon, and the pineapple was never ripe. This is really my only criticism of the food. (You can eat breakfast in the dining room or at the Blue Iguana as well). Read more