I generally try to book on cruise lines other than Carnival, and recent media reports of Carnival cruises did little to encourage me, but wanting to sail out of a port close to home and not finding any affordable options other than Carnival, I took a chance on a weeklong Carnival cruise out of Galveston, aboard the Carnival Magic, and overall, I have to say, it was better than expected.

The ship is a newer one, and offers some unique features (for example, dual bathrooms in our cabin, including a small tub, which was an amazing feature!) The energy-saving feature which required one to leave a key in the wall pocket in order to keep the lights on was annoying but undoubtedly served a purpose. We had four closets, which was nice! and the cabin layout, while typically narrow, was effective. Cabin decor was seriously lacking, but the bedding was comfortable.

The ship layout was easily negotiated, and while the ceilings seemed lower than most, the ship's design had a unique means of seeming more intimate and providing more personal space than I remember experiencing on any ship in the past? The atrium lighting changed colors, which was a cool touch, and almost distracted one from the odd "green eyeball" light fixtures which are sure to become dated very soon. Read more