Just back from the Magic

[tidefan]

Just back from the Magic 5-night to Castaway and Lookout Cays.

First off, if you were to tell me that this ship is 26 years old, there is no way I would believe it. The Magic is in great shape. I think that the only thing I noticed one day was that there was an A/C Condensation drip in one of the elevator lobbies, but they were on that the next day that I walked through. (Also, they were doing some kind of major work one day in the stairwell next to Cabanas, but not sure what they were doing). At any rate, maintenance on the ship, IMHO, is excellent.

We had an inside room on Deck 5 (our favorite location) and it was fantastic. A/C worked excellent and we had one of the best stewards we've ever had on DCL to be honest. I think that the only thing about the stateroom that I noticed is that it's probably getting close to time to replace the couches, but everything was in working order and spotlessly clean.

Food was hit or miss. On the plus side, Rapunzel's was always good and was also a great place for embarkation lunch. The regular Animator's night (we were also in there for "Let the Magic Begin" night) was also great with the Tuna Steak being one of the best I've had. Palo brunch on this ship, as always, was excellent. IMHO, Palo on the Magic/Wonder is the best setup as it covers the whole back of the ship. Love it. On the other hand, dinner in Lumiere's was a bit of a letdown. The Chateaubriand was surprisingly flavorless. Also, as always, the Pizza just isn't up to par, but I think most people know that.

Only went to one show (Tangled) as this was my 10th and DW's 14th cruise on the Magic, so we've seen Dreams and Twice Charmed too many times to count. (BTW, I miss Villains Tonight). It was good as you would expect.

Great cruise all together. We really enjoyed Lookout Cay. We were fortunate enough to be invited to share one of the Grand Cabanas on Serenity Bay (thanks again to those that invited us! You know who you are ) and it was amazing. Took the cabanas on Castaway and made them next level.

Happy to answer any questions!

 

[o&smom]

So excited to sail on her again for WBPC cruise in 2026!

 

[mcd2745]

Good to hear. Only been on Magic once (8.5 years ago) in 12 DCL cruises, but next two are on her. I also miss Villains Tonight, BTW. Best DCL stage show ever, IMO. Although I knew the odds were virtually nil, l hoped they might revive it for the Destiny given the ship's theme.

 

[holula]

Put me in the people who miss Villains Tonight. I was hoping the Destiny might revive it but sadly not!

Glad to hear she’s all in good working order. Can’t wait to spend 14 nights on her in 2026.

 

[CaseyCruiser]

We were on the Magic in May and we will be back on it in a few weeks. The Disney Magic is great.

 

[tvguy]

I guess the rapid addition of new ships makes the Magic seem old at 26. First ship I cruised on, the MS Mermoz remained in service under another name for 51 years. And the second ship I cruised on, the SS Norway was in service 43 years before a boiler explosion ultimately lead to it being scrapped. Oh, the boiler that exploded had been replaced 4 years before so did not fail due to age.

 

[gatordoc]

We were on the same cruise, as well as the previous one that just went to Nassau/LC. Agree that the Magic is still in great shape!
Some other thoughts:
Both Palo brunch and dinner were outstanding. The MDR food was just OK, but about what we’ve come to expect. We did enjoy the added bonus of a special theme station for lunch (i.e. Indian) at Cabanas each day. Also enjoyed a LOT of shawarma on the pool deck, as well as some very tasty bowls at Daisy’s.
The musical acts were excellent, and we enjoyed spending a lot of time in Keys and the Soul Cat Lounge.
Lookout Cay exceeded all our expectations. The weather was better on our first cruise, but we really enjoyed both visits. The beach is beautiful, with pillow-soft sand and crystal clear water - saw lots of neat sea life while snorkeling. And Serenity Bay is so much better than on Castaway Cay. Plenty of chairs on the beach, as well as set back if that is your preference. Plus, it’s a real beach as opposed to the shallows on CC. The food was excellent, and it was a treat to sit at real tables and chairs with a gorgeous view of the ocean (see pic) as opposed to the picnic tables at CC with a view of, uh, the road?
The only downside for us was a lot of walking. The pier to the island was fine, but then you have to walk everywhere after that which became tiring.
Overall a great BTB experience (Port Everglades has improved significantly since the first time we were there). Also happy to answer questions.

 

[SnowWhite2]

Going on the Magic in March and can't wait to sail her again. Our favorite stateroom location on the classic ships is deck 5 forward. Love sailing on the Magic as it has been the ship we have sailed the most.

Looking forward to going to Lighthouse Cay. Seems that there are more positive reviews and DCL is fixing what people don't like.

 

[auntlynne]

@tidefan and @SnowWhite2 - add me to the list of Deck 5 fans.

Our first cabin was a Secret Porthole on Deck 5 Forward. We chose inside sideways cabins on Deck 5 Forward for our first AK cruise. It helped keep down overall costs, since helicopters, float planes, whale watching were all achieved.

We opted for those same sideways cabins Spring 2022 for a Double Dip.

Deck 5 Forward cabins are great to get from the front to back if the ship in inside, wide hallways. And the Buena Vista theater is another quick scoot around the corner.

I will say our Deck 2 Forward oceanview last May was really nice with some extra room. The location was close to the elevator and stairs, allowing for quick access to O’Gill’s for trivia and the entire Deck 3 or up to the Pool Deck.

The only cabin that can best my love of Deck 5 in the Magic & Wonder is one of the giant Family Oceanview with a divider wall and two very large portholes, found in Dream & Fantasy. There are four identical layouts of these on each ship. And also a Deck 5 cabin.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Ah the Magic! We were due to be on her in the Med when the pandemic hit. I miss her. Great to hear she is doing well. And Lookout "looks" spectacular. Can't wait to visit.

 

[tidefan]

@tidefan and @SnowWhite2 - add me to the list of Deck 5 fans.

Our first cabin was a Secret Porthole on Deck 5 Forward. We chose inside sideways cabins on Deck 5 Forward for our first AK cruise. It helped keep down overall costs, since helicopters, float planes, whale watching were all achieved.

We opted for those same sideways cabins Spring 2022 for a Double Dip.

Deck 5 Forward cabins are great to get from the front to back if the ship in inside, wide hallways. And the Buena Vista theater is another quick scoot around the corner.

I will say our Deck 2 Forward oceanview last May was really nice with some extra room. The location was close to the elevator and stairs, allowing for quick access to O’Gill’s for trivia and the entire Deck 3 or up to the Pool Deck.

The only cabin that can best my love of Deck 5 in the Magic & Wonder is one of the giant Family Oceanview with a divider wall and two very large portholes, found in Dream & Fantasy. There are four identical layouts of these on each ship. And also a Deck 5 cabin.

We really love Deck 5 Aft. Close to the Theater and a quick ride up to Cabanas! And it’s soooo.quiet back there.

 

[MonaMN]

We chose inside sideways cabins on Deck 5 Forward for our first AK cruise. It helped keep down overall costs, since helicopters, float planes, whale watching were all achieved.

We just had one of the sideways cabins on deck 6 on the Wonder recently - definitely better than I expected (first time in an inside stateroom) though I did miss the split bathroom!

 

[Henlady]

We were on this cruise as well. I agree MDR food was just OK. Not the best we have had on the Magic in the past. Lookout Cay is and will continue to develop into a beautiful retreat. I do feel that Disney needs to make some major additions to make this spot more user friendly especially for older persons. It was extremely hot that day. Only place we could get out of the sun without going on the beach under an umbrella was to sit in a dining pavilion. It would be wonderful to have shaded benches along the massave expanse of wooden walkways. It would be nice to sit out of the sun and observe the beautiful foliage and surroundings.
While speaking to a CM onboard (for what it’s worth) he said they still have a lot to do with the island and may be closing it for a little while to complete what needs to be done.
This was our 4th trip on the Magic and will probably be the last.

 

[Erica1016]

saw lots of neat sea life while snorkeling.

I'm looking very forward to bringing my snorkel mask to LC in December. I'm excited that there isn't a specific area and that you can go different places. Where did you snorkel that you got to see some good wildlife?

 

[tidefan]

We were on this cruise as well. I agree MDR food was just OK. Not the best we have had on the Magic in the past. Lookout Cay is and will continue to develop into a beautiful retreat. I do feel that Disney needs to make some major additions to make this spot more user friendly especially for older persons. It was extremely hot that day. Only place we could get out of the sun without going on the beach under an umbrella was to sit in a dining pavilion. It would be wonderful to have shaded benches along the massave expanse of wooden walkways. It would be nice to sit out of the sun and observe the beautiful foliage and surroundings.
While speaking to a CM onboard (for what it’s worth) he said they still have a lot to do with the island and may be closing it for a little while to complete what needs to be done.
This was our 4th trip on the Magic and will probably be the last.

I rather enjoyed the Magic. I like it better, I think, than the bigger ships.

 

[DonkeyHoTay]

I was on the Magic too this month and it was our first time going Concierge as well - it was such an improved experience that have decided we will only cruise Concierge from now on. Having been on the Wish and the Dream before, I must say I really liked the charm and classic feel of the Magic and prefer it overall. I look forward to booking the Magic again soon!

We are on the Dream for the next few cruises booked and looking forward to comparison with the Magic, but may not be fair comparison as the Dream will have just come out of dry dock enhancements ahead of our November 2024 cruise on it.

 

[Cfabar1]

We are looking forward to our first cruise on the Magic soon. Glad to hear some good things! We have read some things that were worrying, but we are really looking forward to it. We have done the Wish & the Dream, so it will be great to try the classic ship!

 

[tidefan]

I was on the Magic too this month and it was our first time going Concierge as well - it was such an improved experience that have decided we will only cruise Concierge from now on. Having been on the Wish and the Dream before, I must say I really liked the charm and classic feel of the Magic and prefer it overall. I look forward to booking the Magic again soon!

We are on the Dream for the next few cruises booked and looking forward to comparison with the Magic, but may not be fair comparison as the Dream will have just come out of dry dock enhancements ahead of our November 2024 cruise on it.

This was my 20th Disney cruise (and DW's 33rd) and neither of us have ever sailed Concierge. For us, the value isn't there (we'd rather do 2 cruises), but I think that it is a great option for those that enjoy it.

Of course, we usually just sail inside cabins, so what do we know...

 

[BamaBornNemoNut]

Couple of quick questions about your experience/cruise.

At PC, you now are able to take the pre-boarding photos at any point after entering the terminal. What about PE??

Also, was crazy lucky and snagged a Serenity Bay Cabana am I’m hoping it will be like CC where you are able to book a Golf Cart ride all the way to the ship at the end of the day

 

[tidefan]

Couple of quick questions about your experience/cruise.

At PC, you now are able to take the pre-boarding photos at any point after entering the terminal. What about PE??

Also, was crazy lucky and snagged a Serenity Bay Cabana am I’m hoping it will be like CC where you are able to book a Golf Cart ride all the way to the ship at the end of the day

First, yes, there is an embarkation photo opportunity at PE. You can skip it if you want or have the picture made.

Second, yes, the cart did take us all the way back to the ship on CC from our Serenity Bay Cabana. This was really nice. We've had a cabana maybe 3 or 4 times before and they've never taken us back to the ship before. Maybe because we were Pearl/Diamond and not Concierge? At any rate, on LC, the cart only takes you to the tram. Once you get to the pier, there is another line to get a cart. Just show them your band and they have separate carts for those in Cabanas. (However, if you are willing to have a short wait, anyone can get a cart back).