I have wanted to take a cruise for a long time so when Christmas rolled around last year, I asked my husband that instead of gifts would it would be OK to give each other a cruise for and he agreed. Now that the cruise is over, I have to say that this was the best present either one of use could imagine. From the moment we arrived at the port until we drove away we were treated with courtesy and respect by all parties and had nothing but FUN FUN FUN for 7 days. I had not done any type of research beforehand and so my rationale for choosing the Carnival Magic was simple: we chose Carnival because we wanted to leave from Galveston, which is driving distance and the Magic because it was a 7-day cruise to interesting ports. I booked just before the Triumph incident but I wasn't too concerned. Things happen in life and you just have to deal with them. After I booked, I spent a lot of time on CC. I joined the roll call and read everything that provided tips on cruising. By the time we left, I was well prepared.

Embarkation - We did not have any trouble but expect crowds and congestion. Not only are you boarding but also the previous group is debarking at the same time. My husband dropped me and the bags off at the curb and he parked the car across the street at the parking garage. A porter came by and took the bags so all we had was our carry-on (The porters are well worth the couple of dollars a bag you tip them). Since I had bought FTTF (faster to the fun), we didn't have to wait in line to go through customs or get our boarding pass. Probably no more than 5 minutes before we were sitting in a special area, waiting out turn. Going through security is easier than the airport. If you have soda or wine, they will inspect the bags and the contents. Don't expect to pass liquor off as water in a water bottle. They know what to check for. Once our zone was called, we quickly had a picture taken, which is embedded on your Sail and Sign card and our Bon Voyage pictures taken (which will be available for purchase later on). I want to mention that the walkway to the board has a slight incline so if you are in a wheelchair, crutches or even just carrying a bag, it might be strenuous. Once on board, we went to our room (FTTF again), dropped off our carry-on bags and headed for lunch.

Dining - I am easy to please so I did not find the dining too bad. The scrambled eggs on the buffet were not great but you can get Omelets if you like. The crowds were mostly during the peak dining times. Because I wanted to sit near a window to eat, my husband and I would take turns getting our food while the other one guarded the table. A few times I had to clean off the table, but again, it depends on the time of day and where you want to sit. There were plenty dining options. We both liked the Tandoori, which my husband had never tried before, and the Mongolian stir-fry. I thought the salads were great and enjoyed the traditional buffet. We ate hamburgers one night and they were good. For dinner, we chose the Main Dining Room (Southern Lights). I highly recommend this dining experience because it is more than just food. Our table companions were super-nice and even thought they were a group of six, the included everyone else in the conversation. Our table steward, Leslie, was absolute the best. He and his team were fun, attentive, and always there when you needed them. They often brought us extra entrees and desserts, just to try out. I also loved the singing and dancing each night. I was sad to say good-bye to our new friends. Read more