I was as excited as a kid the night before Christmas. I had never even stepped foot on a cruise ship let alone sailed on one. So when my best friend Dawn and I got the chance to tour the new Carnival Magic ship, we jumped at it! An overnight experience aboard this amazing ship was certain to be a fun event for us.
Driving towards the cruise ship and loading terminal where from a distance I could hold up two fingers sideways and make the ship look only an inch or so tall, I felt my heart thumping because I had heard story after story about how awesome it is on these cruise ships. Yes, I was super excited.
Walking into the terminal and checking in was a breeze. We passed through security, had our photo taken, and then went down a winding hall until we reached the gang plank leading up to the massive Carnival Magic cruise ship. Inside the ship we were greeted by smiling staff members offering welcome drinks. The lobby was amazing; grand stair cases, chandeliers bigger than my Jeep, beautiful decorations on the ceiling—wow!
We found our room, settled in for a few minutes and then it was off to explore. On the Lido deck (10) the Lido Marketplace called to us the moment the elevator doors opened. The scents of great food and the sounds of the people enjoying them greeted us as we found our way over to our first stop: the build your own burrito bar. We tried a little bit of everything they offered. Desserts you ask about? OH WOW. The most incredible desserts were served. Not only was the display tantalizing but taking the first bite into so many choices was like, pardon the pun here, a Carnival in your mouth. Chocolate gnocchi, pumpkin cheesecake, low fat bread pudding, lemon tarts, you name it… it all tasted scrumptious. All this excitement within the first hour on the ship made me wonder if I was going to experience sensory overload overnight.
Afterwards, we toured the ship visiting the children and fitness decks, the huge movie screen at the front of the Lido deck, all of the beautiful pools and hot tubs and so many other things. Having dinner in the Southern Hemisphere dining room on deck 3 was like dining at a very fancy restaurant. Service was impeccable and prompt, the food was just glorious and the signature chocolate melting lava cake with vanilla ice cream complemented the meal perfectly.
After dinner we caught the comedy show and had a blast. The last stop of the day before going to bed was the midnight buffet. Yes, you heard it right, midnight buffet. Yummy. Minute steak, mashed potatoes, stir fry veggies all hit the spot just enough to make us sleepy.
Then it was back to the beautiful oceanview stateroom just in time for dreamland. I’d have to say, it was an amazing experience aboard this new ship—even for just one evening.