The Carnival Magic: A Western Caribbean Celebration of Family and Fun

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I had a mission this year. I wanted to get my whole family on a family vacation where we would all be together. I know, *gasp* right? With everyone’s busy schedules and everyone with a different idea of what vacation is, this mission would be impossible. I come from a large family of six: mom, dad, a sister and two brothers. Throw in two girlfriends and it’s a party wherever we go. Currently, my youngest brother is 17  ranging to the oldest family member at 67. As you can imagine, it can be difficult to get everyone together with everyone working and/or in school. From requesting days off to making sure class is not in session, it becomes quite a relief when we finally make progress in our vacation planning. Because our group is so diverse in age and interests, I’ve learned a long time ago a cruise is the only way to go. With activities running all day long catered for all types of interests, no one is left out of the fun. Speaking of fun, there’s only one cruise line with infinite amounts. In fact, there is so much fun to be had, their ships are called the Fun Ships: Carnival Cruise Lines.

Booking with Carnival Cruise Lines was probably the easiest decision I’ve made in a long time. With the most competitive prices, convenience of departing ports, and their family mentality, my Mission Impossible was accomplished in a matter of a few clicks of the mouse. We decided on a Western Caribbean itinerary on the newer Carnival Magic ship. It’s maiden voyage was in 2011 and coincidentally I’ve been on it once before. After booking, I created an account on the Carnival website and was able to handle almost everything online. From check-in, print documents, and shop excursions, their website was very easy to navigate and it just worked. I must say, from start to finish I had hassle free experience and it was very much appreciated.

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24 HOURS OF FUN ON THE FUN SHIP

The Carnival Magic is a beauty to look at. This Dream class ship is Carnival Cruise Line’s second largest ship. Her maiden voyage was in May 1, 2011. Her passenger capacity sits just under 3700 with an additional 1400 in onboard crew. Needless to say, this ship currently serves as Carnival Cruises’ flagship vessel. Carnival calls all their ships Fun Ships and boy they weren’t lying. With 2 waterslides in their Waterworks area, a ropes course in their Sports Complex, and two clubs for under teens and adults, there is truly something for everyone.

From the moment we arrived at the port everything just ran smoothly. The service we received throughout our 7 night voyage rivaled any 5-star hotel I’ve been too. Housekeeping kept the rooms clean, wait staff never missed a beat, and we always got a smile and sometimes a nice chat with the crew members. Everyone was so genuine with making sure we were enjoying our time on the ship.

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MAHOGANY, HONDURAS

Our first stop was in Mahogany Bay, Honduras. This newly built port sits right on a beautiful beach with a “Magic Flying Chair” lift that takes you from right in front of the dock to right on the beach. Our excursions started in the afternoon so we were able to spend some time on the beach and relax on the free beach loungers as we passed the time.

 

BELIZE CITY, BELIZE

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The second port in our 7 night cruise of the Western Caribbean was in Belize City, Belize. This tropical city was hustling and bustling throughout our stay and was very lively. Our excursion took us to Xunantunich, the Mayan ruin, where we learned a bit of history of the both Belize and this amazing Mayan structure. Our guides were very entertaining and knowledgable. You can tell they really cared for their country’s rich history and enjoyed sharing their information with us.

COZUMEL, MEXICO

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Alas, the final destination of our Caribbean cruise was here. In Cozumel, we opted to explore the city on our own. Going against Carnival’s recommendations, the entire family rented scooters and rode around the island enjoying the beautiful beaches and local culture at our own pace.

My week cruising the Western Caribbean with Carnival was an unforgettable experience. It’s not always we are able to get the whole family together so I try to enjoy every second of it. There was talk of getting everyone together at least once a year and if that’s possible at least we already know where to go for the planning process to ensure our vacation planning is as smooth as possible: Carnival Cruises with AfffordableTours.com!