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Magic Arrives in Texas

If you haven’t heard, Texas now has a magic vacation option – Carnival Magic, that is.

The newest Carnival cruise ship arrived at its year-round homeport of Galveston on November 13^th. The arrival of the 3,690 passenger ship brought thousands to Galveston for a celebration party,
including a free concert on the pier by famous rock group Maroon 5.  Invited guests including cruise industry executives, media, and top producing travel professionals were also invited to
spend one night onboard to continue the celebration of the largest ship ever built in the Carnival fleet. .

Among the invited guests, I was able to experience the new Carnival Magic and all her glory.  I must say that after seeing most of Carnival’s other ships, the Carnival Magic is impressive.  Carnival has definitely stepped up this ship by a couple of notches compared to any other ship they offer.

Unlike most of their other ships, the décor on the Magic is more subdued, and overall more sophisticated than anything else I’ve seen on Carnival.  With contemporary and natural tones, and less ‘flash and brass’, this ship is an obvious contrast to the previous ships sailing from Galveston.  And, because this is the largest ship Carnival has ever built, everything is slightly bigger and more spacious than ever before – more lounge chairs, wider walkways, larger dining rooms and buffet areas just to name a few.

Three areas onboard really captured my attention:

First, the adult-only area “Serenity” is magnificent.  With plenty of lounge chairs, cabanas, a few hammocks and hot tubs, and even its own bar, Serenity is a retreat that is free of charge and open to only those ages 21 and over. Located forward on Deck 15 (Sky Deck), this adult-only haven is set apart from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the ship and proves to be a perfect hideaway for those not traveling with kids or who want to escape from the masses.

The second area that captured my attention is the RedFrog Pub.  For the one night I was onboard,
this pub was consistently the most happening place on the ship.  As a Caribbean-inspired bar, the RedFrog Pub felt more like a bar at a popular all-inclusive resort than onboard a ship.  Live music, a full bar with drinks constantly flowing, as well as an outside patio, this pub is a fun place to kick back and relax with friends.   Featuring Carnival’s own private-label draft beer, ThirstyFrog Red, beer-lovers will be pleased – I’m not a beer-drinker, but everyone was in agreement that their beer is delicious.  (This pub was so popular during the Magic’s summer in the Mediterranean, that Carnival announced a new RedFrog Rum Bar to be introduced poolside on six other Carnival ships over the next year.)

Finally, the third area that impressed me was the ‘Fun Hubs’.  Understanding that people want to stay
connected while on vacation, Carnival has created these internet café-style Fun Hubs in multiple areas of the ship instead of being tucked away in hard-to-find locations as was the case with the ships previously based in Galveston.  Not only do these hubs offer online access, they are the online, shipboard community giving passengers the ability to connect with others onboard, get shore excursion information and ship
announcements, as well as check news, weather, and other ‘funtastic’ activities on the ship.  Introduced on the Carnival Dream in 2009, the Fun Hubs are a great addition to the Carnival fleet.

As always, Carnival doesn’t disappoint when it comes to food and entertainment.  Their famous
Chocolate Melting Cake alone is worth booking a Carnival cruise.  On the flip side, with Carnival Magic being a larger ship, there are more crowds and longer lines for certain items such as the buffet and the guest relations desk.

Luckily, for those of us within driving distance of Galveston, the success Carnival has had with cruises from here are making other cruise lines take notice. Royal Caribbean has a newer ship, Mariner of the Seas, that just started sailing from Galveston through mid-April 2012, and both Disney Cruise Line and Princess Cruise Line will have ships sailing here for a few months each in late 2012.

Carnival is the only cruise line that sails year-round from Galveston and also the only line offering two ships: Carnival Magic offers 7 night cruises to the Western Caribbean with one week per month sailing to the Bahamas and the Carnival Triumph offers 4 and 5 night cruises to Mexico (this is the only option from Galveston that is shorter than 7 nights).

Overall, Carnival Magic is a great addition for cruise options from Galveston.  For those who think that Carnival isn’t for them, I beg to differ – even the most discriminating traveler will be pleasantly surprised with the Magic and all it has to offer.