Opinions from those who've sailed on the Magic recently...

[cadien]

We were on a MDAS, but other than Marvel characters it was whatever you would call the core 8 instead of just the Fab 5. Plus a bunch of princesses, Hook and Smee, Stitch, and Captain Jack Sparrow.

I am always oblivious to the cruise director, DCL or otherwise.

 

[GrrArrgh]

I was on the Magic in August for the 10 night from Copenhagen. It was newly refurbished this year and was gorgeous. I was so impressed with how new and well maintained it was. It never seemed crowded and in fact seemed much less crowded than larger ships I've been on. I enjoyed Rapunzel's table a lot and really liked the Twice Charmed show. Our cabin was great. No problems with plumbing, no weird smells. Would absolutely go on the Magic again. In fact, someone from our cruise has already gone on another cruise with the Magic out of NY.

As for smoothness, the only time it wasn't absolutely smooth was a couple of days in the North Sea where we had some really big waves. The rest of the time, even in the north sea, it was totally fine.

 

[koala1966]

We were on the Fantasy last November and the Magic this summer. We love the classic ships, and have only sailed Fantasy once and not yet on the Dream, so we may be biased. We did love the Fantasy, it is gorgeous and even more smooth sailing than we would have imagined, but there's no reason to ditch the Classics. First of all, walking the Fantasy was exhausting, lol, you really notice the size difference of the ship. And it is definitely more crowded.

1) I think the Magic is not showing its age at all, personally. It was in tip top shape when we sailed this year.

2) Except in rough seas, smoothness is the same.

3) Have you experienced any of the odor with the plumbing that I have heard mentioned on the Magic? This is not something I've ever noticed.

4) We love all the shows on all the ships. I'm glad that they change the shows up every so often and have different shows on different ships, even though we somehow managed to miss Villains completely (never saw that one at all).

5) Yes, the Magic feels noticeably less crowded than the larger ships

6) We don't like to eat at the MDR for embarkation lunch and for breakfasts, but I'm pretty sure it was available. We love the MDRs for dinner, but we prefer going up to Cabanas for breakfast and lunch (unless we're doing Palos for brunch, that's our one exception).

 

[gilsan]

Hi! Just curious as to recent experiences on the Magic.

1) How evident is the age of the ship when compared to the Dream class ships? Is the wow factor much different? Is there a lot of noticeable wear and tear on the Magic? Are staterooms pretty identical other than the virtual porthole on the Dream ships?

2) Is the smoothness of sailing similar between the Classics and Dream class?

3) Have you experienced any of the odor with the plumbing that I have heard mentioned on the Magic?

4)What are your thoughts on the shows?

5) Does the Magic feel noticeably less crowded than the larger ships?

6)On the Magic, are you able to eat at the MDR for embarkation lunch and for breakfasts?

Also, if you sailed out of Miami, would you mind sharing where you stayed the night before?

Thanks so much!

We sailed on the WBTA at the beginning of September, I haven't sailed on the Dream class ships since 2012 so I won't be able to compare on the motion or wear or tear. I do think the Magic looks good for its age. We did notice a musty smell in a number of hallways and in the movie theatre. It was very strong. The shows were great I loved Tangled. The ship was not crowded on the WBTA, but I think it feels less crowded than the Dream class ships. Lumieres was open for lunch on embarkation day and breakfast and lunch for the rest of the cruise. We had some very nice meals there.

 

[Travel60]

Just got off the Magic today. Absolutely NO "age" issues, she is as beautiful as when she first sailed. Was on deck 5 aft, no plumbing issues, rooms nice size. Love the shows. Don't have little ones so I don't know about water slides but pools are great (too cold on this trip to swim).

 

[Agent 86]

We were on the Disney Magic earlier this year.

It is NOT showing it's age in any way, except perhaps more "bubbly" windows, but I'm not sure whether that it simply an issue with all cruise ships. The carpets, paint, curtains, furniture, etc were all in great condition as far as I could tell. It was a stark contrast to our time on the Disney Wonder in 2016. But, to be fair, we were on the Wonder not long before it was due to go into dry dock for a major update, so I can understand why the Wonder may not have been at its best and brightest.

No rough seas, that we noticed. And no odour issues anywhere on the ship. We were on deck 2.

We've only cruise on a "big" ship once and it was only for three nights, so I can't really do a "crowd" comparison. But, we frequently found ourselves to be the only people walking down hallways, using the stairs, etc. The adult pool was quite crowded, especially on the "at sea" days. It would have been difficult to find a lounger. The hot tubs were also always packed. We managed to get into the pool itself without too many issues (other than the people who would attempt to do laps in a crowded pool. I understand the desire to get in some exercise, but the adult pool, when filled with another 20+ people doesn't seem like the best place to do laps).

We enjoyed all the shows, but Twice Charmed was our favourite as it was a "new" story. We've seen Dreams before and we've seen the Tangled film at least a couple of times. We thought Tangled was a little ... rough. It seemed as though it still needed polishing and there were quite a few mistakes during the show with costumes, wigs, etc. To be fair, we normally sit in the second or third row, so those "small" mistakes are magnified when up close. The shows in the Tangled-themed restaurant seemed a fair bit more polished, despite all the issues created by having to perform them in a working restaurant.

We ate in the MDR for lunch on embarkation day. There were no issues. Barely anyone seems to like eating in the MDR, which we personally find strange. We can't wait to be waited on hand and foot!

 

[Dug720]

I cruised her in 2017, but I would go back on the Magic in a heartbeat. Fabulous ship, amazing shows, fantastic dining rooms.

(I know she is the sister of the Wonder, but for some reason - maybe that I am not a Princess and the Frog fan OR a fan of New Orleans music/food/etc.? - I just waver any time I've been booked to sail on her or consider it. I just can't seem to pull the trigger for the Wonder. But I'd do the Magic in a heartbeat.)

 

[mrsgthatsme]

Thanks SO much to everyone for the extremely helpful and detailed reviews. That helps enormously! However, it is complicating our decision of whether to repeat a 4 night on the Dream (which we did love) or try the 4 night on the Magic. After reading your reports, I would be 100% on board for trying the Magic.... my only hesitation is giving up the few days at a Disney World resort that we like to tack on the front end of our vacation! Your great reviews will help us weigh whether a different ship, shows, dining room, etc... make it worth giving up our Disneyworld days by sailing out of Miami! Thanks again!

 

[slindamood]

I got off the Magic about a week ago (September 20) following an 11 night WBTA cruise. I sailed on the Dream in March of 2018, so timewise have a close comparison. I affirm what others have said, but one other major advantage of the Magic is the distance between tables in the MDRs. There is so much more space and fewer people per every 100 square feet that the noise level is down and it is easier for servers and guests to move around. It is just more pleasant in terms of crowds. There were always deck chairs available, no lines or short lines for ice cream and deck 9 food , uncrowded deck shows, being able to stand nearby without pushing and shoving, good seats in the theatre close to show time, etc.

Amazingly, she does not show age. Early mornings I would walk deck 10 and there were always people out painting, staining teak, etc. There is no chance for rust. The carpets and furnishings are new and maintained, no smells, etc.

We ate in the MDR on both ships when embarking, and the experience that day is similar - quiet elegance on both ships.

Both ships provide a great experience, so take which fits in your schedule. But the Magic certainly is not a lesser experience.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Thanks SO much to everyone for the extremely helpful and detailed reviews. That helps enormously! However, it is complicating our decision of whether to repeat a 4 night on the Dream (which we did love) or try the 4 night on the Magic. After reading your reports, I would be 100% on board for trying the Magic.... my only hesitation is giving up the few days at a Disney World resort that we like to tack on the front end of our vacation! Your great reviews will help us weigh whether a different ship, shows, dining room, etc... make it worth giving up our Disneyworld days by sailing out of Miami! Thanks again!

We did a couple of days at WDW, followed by a Wednesday 4 night out of Miami on the Magic. We made the mind numbingly boring 3 1/2 hour drive on Tuesday. Best of both worlds! So you don't have to give up WDW if you don't want to...