We had never expected to take a cruise, but when a family friend invited us to join them on the cruise, and to be witness to their daughter's Bat Mitzvah on St. Thomas, we agreed to go. So 4 of us (2 adults in our 40s and 2 teens) went. We flew to Orlando, arriving about 2pm the day before embarkation. We wanted make sure we had a chance to go to Walmart for the last minute items, or things that we couldn't fly with. We stayed at Residence Inn Airport, and it was ok. They had a shuttle take us to the Walmart, and we got what we needed (bandaids, full-size conditioner, etc.). We spend the night there, and had arranged, with another family that was joining the celebration, to take a shuttle to the port. $300 round trip for 9 people and all our luggage. Seemed like a good deal.
We arrived at Port Canaveral, and were a bit overwhelmed.The Carnival Magic is a huge ship - 15 levels above the waterline. We had arrived early (no Faster to the Fun), and weren't sure what we were supposed to do. We asked the guys in yellow vests (porters?), and they told us to leave our tagged luggage with them, then go inside. It was a bit unnerving to leave our luggage with strangers, in an open area where anyone could have taken the bags or added something to them. Not at all like an airport with all the security. Seeing no other options, we went inside with only our carryon (things we would need for the day). First thing inside was the person checking the boarding passes and passports. No problem. Then to another row of desks so we could check in and get our Sail & Sign cards. Also done quickly, as there were only about 5 other people trying to check in, and about 50 desks. Then we were pointed to some chairs and told to wait until our boarding group was called. There were vending machines and bathrooms available. Boarding was very smooth - you enter onto the 3rd level of the ship via a bridge much like what is used at an airport to board a plane. You only need your card to board - no passport. It's their inventory system.
On board, we then went up to the 11th level via stairs, and once outside went up a couple more levels, then went down each level to explore the ship. We finally got to our room on the 1st level, #1350, an Ocean View Suite. We could get into our room, but none of our luggage was there yet. So we left our carry-on bags in the room, and went out to find lunch. We had burgers at Guy Fiori's, and they were ok - like Wendy's. After lunch, my husband and I headed for guest services, and the kids went to check out the arcade and sports options. While waiting in line at guest services, a staff person talked with us to make sure we were in the right place (we were), and we found out that we REALLY need to put a spending cap on the kids cards,as you could not do it at the kiosks, nor could I have done it prior to boarding. By the time we got up to the desk and requested a cap, our daughter (13) had already spent almost $100 in the arcade. The guest service staff person explained we could set a daily limit - which would require daily trips to the guest services desk, or we could set a limit for the entire trip. We chose the latter (who wants to stand in more lines?).
The cabin has a decently sized window (you can sit in it). Two twin beds (ours were pushed together to make a king). One couch that became a twin bed, and a pull-down twin bunk from the ceiling. 4 closets (1 with 4 shelves) - one of the closets contained our life jackets. The suitcases (4 of them) fit easily under the beds - not the couch. There were four drawers in the desk, a small safe, and a cabinet for storage. Two bathrooms - one with a toilet, sink and shower, the other with a bathtub and sink. Over the bathtub and shower were pull-out laundry lines. Plenty of room for 2 adults and 2 teens.
We did a shore excursion with IguanaMama - 12 waterfalls of Demajagua. Outstanding! Our guide, Raul, was amazing, we had our own personal paparazzi taking pictures and videos (we bought the flash drive after), and the lunch was delicious. Very informative of the area and history, and lots of fun!
We just showed up, followed directions (left our checked bags with people in yellow jackets), and waited to embark. Very easy and orderly.
This was our 2nd time in San Juan in 2 years, and we loved it just as much this time around. We got to show our kids the old walled city, and provide them with some of the history of this beautiful city and island.
Our friends' daughter celebrated her Bat Mitzvah in the synagogue on this island (the 2nd oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere). It was a lovely experience all around.