Day 1 of Our Cruise on the Carnival Magic
The time finally arrived for us to head to the port and we were definitely excited for day 1 of our cruise on the Carnival Magic. We checked out of the Harbor House and walked the short distance to the cruise port. At this point we could check our bags with the porter or take them with us and we opted to bring our own bags onboard with us. Although we initially thought we would walk into the first set of doors at the cruise port, we had to walk the length of the building to get to the entrance. Luckily, since we had printed out our paperwork in advance, we were able to take advantage of our VIP status to bypass the long lines and enter through a side door.
Once inside, we were pretty much the only ones in the VIP line. I presented our passports and paperwork and went through security, which involved putting our bags through the conveyor belt and declaring any liquids we had on us, which included a bottle of water and two bottles of wine. They took our word for what we were declaring and simply checked the seal on the bottles to make sure they were not open. From there, we took the VIP escalator up for our VIP check in, which was fast and effortless. We were given our cabin cards and we were able to fly past all the other people who were in a somewhat long line waiting to check in. Carnival doesn’t really reward suite guests with many amenities, but this was one I most definitely appreciated having. From here we entered the regular line for our security photo, which was taken in front of a green screen and then had them placed into the security terminal for verification. Some people mistook the green screen for family photos, but don’t worry — those come up after you pass through the security area. It was then time for the walk onto the ship and that couldn’t happen quickly enough.
Excited to get our vacation started and to officially begin day 1 of our cruise on the Carnival Magic, we hoped we would be able to get right to our cabin, but cabins were not open until 1:30 pm. Deciding it was time for lunch, we walked over to Cucina del Capitano on deck 11 to avoid all of the crowds at the buffet line and I think we made the best choice possible. We were able to park our bags and sit and relax. Our server brought us a pasta sheet to complete, which allowed us to choose our pasta, sauce, add ins like meat or vegetables, salad, and bread. My son chose the meat lasagna and linguini with Bolognese sauce and sausage, onions, and peppers. My husband and I each ordered pasta with vegetables and Caesar salad and garlic bread, but this is where I started to panic. My first bite of the salad and I knew we had a problem as it distinctly tasted strange as in yes, there were anchovies in this salad. I moved to the pasta and we were talking and eating and then it happened. I put what I thought was a piece of mushroom in my mouth only to nearly choke. They put a piece of meat, pork or sausage of some kind, in my pasta. Having not eaten meat in more years than I care to remember, I thought I was going to cry. This was an incredibly careless mistake on the part of the kitchen and I was horribly upset that they could let this happen. Not sure that I will eat here again after that after that unforgivable mistake.
My husband wanted to get a drink with lunch and we initially ordered off the menu with our server only to have a bar server come and tell us that while we were still in port we could not order off that menu. There was a different Texas menu that we could choose from, which we did and I’m glad to see that the regular menu is far more diverse than what was offered while in port. I get that they can’t offer the same beverages due to the liquor laws so I was fine with that.
After lunch we now found ourselves back on deck 7 and our Ocean Suite 7279 where our cabin steward, Jeny from Peru, asked us to let her finish up in the cabin before we got too comfortable. Our cabin is identical to the one we just had on the Carnival Glory so we felt familiar with the layout and where everything was. It has two large closets, lots of drawers and storage, a room safe, a mini bar, a desk, and the sofa was already made up as the second bed in our cabin. The dressing area is a nice addition because you can get ready in there while someone uses the shower or if someone is sleeping. Overall it is a nice, large cabin with a large balcony with two chairs and a lounge chair. From our balcony we can look down onto deck five with the extended balcony where there are hot tubs and lounge chairs.
Deciding to get a lay of the land, we walked around and tried to figure out what was where before the muster drill. One area I was looking forward to seeing was deck 12, the Spa and Sport deck where the fitness center and spa are, but also WaterWorks. Here is where the two big slides are, but also the water pail that dumps water down below and splashes everyone who is around. Nothing could be better than staying cool by staying wet! I will definitely get further acquainted with this area sometime during my stay on the ship.
For our muster drill we had to go to deck four and the main dining room. Instead of going outside, we were sent here to find a chair and listen for instructions. I’m not sure how terribly successful this was as we noticed many people nodding off during the extremely long drill. They actually did a head count and talked about the importance of safety, but unfortunately if people aren’t listening or tuning into all that you are saying, I’m not sure how they will be able to follow along during an actual emergency.
It was then time for sail off and sailed quietly out of the port of Galveston and out to sea. There were many people who headed immediately to the casino where they were told that they would have to wait until we were three miles out before they could play. After dinner when we stopped by the casino, anger was the main theme as the slot machines were not operational at all. Apparently, they had to download an update to the machines or something like that and it caused some issues that they were trying to work on, but it never went back up while we were in the area. That seems like a huge loss of revenue for Carnival.
We decided to try the Red Frog Pub and my husband immediately went for the Thirsty Frog Ale. I tried the Hurricane and we were happy campers listening to music and enjoying our time away from home. With dinner only a short time away, we wanted to not cut it short and so we drank up reluctantly to meet up with our son. He had made plans to try and meet up with some people his age so we were trying to be accommodating parents. Easy on Sunday, but maybe not so easy by Friday, you know? So off to dinner we went in the Northern Lights dining room on the lower level on deck 3.
Upon our arrival to the dining room, my husband was presented with an item that I purchased on the Carnival gift web site, which was a few drink coupons. Strange that they had to give it to him there, but at least they gave it to him, right? Usually they simply leave them in your cabin and you get them on the first day of the cruise, but he got them and he was happy so that is all that matters. The hostess escorted us to our table and we had the chance to relax and enjoy our family dinner. My son enjoyed his Grilled Flat Iron Steak from the Every Day menu, but I have to say that it was slim pickings for the two of us. I ordered the gazpacho as a starter and a baked potato and vegetables for my dinner while my husband ordered the salad as his starter and the potato and tomato soup for his entrée. We were burned on the Carnival Glory with the Indian fare and not quite sure we wanted to try it again although the Tandoor section near the Lido buffet might just entice enough to try it.
Before they brought the dessert menu over, our waiter along with a few others came over and sang “Happy Birthday” to me and brought a slice of cake with a few candles in it. That was very sweet and I certainly appreciated the sentiment. Apparently, August 5th is a super special day to be born on because there were several people celebrating their birthday besides me. Go Leo’s! On the Carnival Magic espresso and cappuccino are extra at dinner, but don’t worry, you can always have regular coffee or tea along with Carnival’s famous chocolate melting cake.
After dinner our son went off in search of some friends and we headed back to our cabin to catch the sunset. It was an amazing sunset full of pinks and blues and like no other I have ever seen. It was mystical, magical, and completely an original. You can have plenty of activities on your daily planner and fill your day up, but I love the ability to sit back, relax, and take in the rhythmic ocean sounds and the beautiful colors of the sunset any day of the week.
With day 1 of our cruise on the Carnival Magic complete, we’re looking forward to tomorrow and day 2 of our cruise so come back and stay tuned for more fun and excitement onboard the Carnival Magic. You can see all of the Carnival Magic posts here. We are still hoping that Ernesto moves out of the way and lets us enjoy our vacation!