Pinkjgray
I ❤️ All Things Disney!
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2023
- Messages
- 211
I recently booked a last-minute sailing on the Disney Magic, which many have called their favorite Disney Cruise Line ship. This was my fifth sailing with DCL. My previous cruises were on the Dream (my first and still my favorite), Fantasy, and the Wish. This particular trip was a five-night itinerary departing from Port Canaveral.
Overall, I found the experience a bit underwhelming.
The Magic is smaller than the other DCL ships I’ve sailed on, which did lend a more intimate feel to the cruise. The reduced number of passengers was noticeable—in a good way—and I appreciated seeing familiar faces around the ship throughout the sailing. I especially enjoyed the lounges, which were never crowded, and the adult pool area stood out with its comfortable layout and two whirlpools—something I liked.
I treated myself to a spa day and booked the “Perfect Spa” experience, which lived up to its name. The massage therapist was excellent—arguably the best massage I’ve received on any DCL ship.
Unfortunately, the food was a disappointment. The menus didn’t appeal to me, and the room service wings I usually enjoy were subpar this time. I mostly stuck to burgers from room service and pizza from Deck 9. I only attended two main dining rotations and was disappointed that lobster wasn’t served at all during the sailing.
Stateroom Experience:
This was my first time staying on Deck 5 and in an inside stateroom. Surprisingly, it may now be my new preferred stateroom and location. I stayed in a sideways inside stateroom, which was my first—and I loved the layout. On my previous sailings, I’ve always stayed in a verandah room. The room’s forward location on Deck 5 was ideal, with low foot traffic and quick stair access to the Walt Disney Theatre, main dining rooms on Deck 3, Guest Services, shops, and other entertainment areas. Even better, it was just a short elevator ride up to the adult area and spa on Deck 9. I also appreciated the smooth sailing—I didn’t feel the ship rocking at all.
That said, the room showed signs of wear. The couch creaked every time I sat on it, and the room temperature was much warmer than expected, likely due to an aging A/C system. The tap water ran brown for the last two days, which was unsettling. My room attendant appeared sick and did an okay job, but not great. I debated bringing it to Guest Services, but didn’t want to risk him losing his tips. Many crew members seemed tired or disengaged—something I’ve never felt so strongly on a DCL cruise. The staff could benefit from at least a day’s rest between sailings. The bathroom tile also looked dated and could use a refresh.
Final Thoughts:
The cruise served its purpose as a brief escape and gave me a chance to experience the Disney Magic, but I didn’t find that it lived up to the hype. Would I sail again on the Magic? Probably not—unless I found a very steep discount.
Overall, I found the experience a bit underwhelming.
The Magic is smaller than the other DCL ships I’ve sailed on, which did lend a more intimate feel to the cruise. The reduced number of passengers was noticeable—in a good way—and I appreciated seeing familiar faces around the ship throughout the sailing. I especially enjoyed the lounges, which were never crowded, and the adult pool area stood out with its comfortable layout and two whirlpools—something I liked.
I treated myself to a spa day and booked the “Perfect Spa” experience, which lived up to its name. The massage therapist was excellent—arguably the best massage I’ve received on any DCL ship.
Unfortunately, the food was a disappointment. The menus didn’t appeal to me, and the room service wings I usually enjoy were subpar this time. I mostly stuck to burgers from room service and pizza from Deck 9. I only attended two main dining rotations and was disappointed that lobster wasn’t served at all during the sailing.
Stateroom Experience:
This was my first time staying on Deck 5 and in an inside stateroom. Surprisingly, it may now be my new preferred stateroom and location. I stayed in a sideways inside stateroom, which was my first—and I loved the layout. On my previous sailings, I’ve always stayed in a verandah room. The room’s forward location on Deck 5 was ideal, with low foot traffic and quick stair access to the Walt Disney Theatre, main dining rooms on Deck 3, Guest Services, shops, and other entertainment areas. Even better, it was just a short elevator ride up to the adult area and spa on Deck 9. I also appreciated the smooth sailing—I didn’t feel the ship rocking at all.
That said, the room showed signs of wear. The couch creaked every time I sat on it, and the room temperature was much warmer than expected, likely due to an aging A/C system. The tap water ran brown for the last two days, which was unsettling. My room attendant appeared sick and did an okay job, but not great. I debated bringing it to Guest Services, but didn’t want to risk him losing his tips. Many crew members seemed tired or disengaged—something I’ve never felt so strongly on a DCL cruise. The staff could benefit from at least a day’s rest between sailings. The bathroom tile also looked dated and could use a refresh.
Final Thoughts:
The cruise served its purpose as a brief escape and gave me a chance to experience the Disney Magic, but I didn’t find that it lived up to the hype. Would I sail again on the Magic? Probably not—unless I found a very steep discount.
It’s a beautiful ship, but it has aged. Some areas need to be updated such as the AC system in the staterooms and the bathroom tiles. I just didn’t feel the Magic as I did on the other three ships I’ve sailed.
