Carnival Magic 8 Day Eastern Caribbean Ports of Call: St. Maarten, St. Kitts, San Juan, Grand Turk

February 2022

Some of the ports on our cruise itinerary had paused cruise ship visitors before our cruise, so we were not 100% sure if any of our port stops would be changed. Locations were starting to reopen right when we left on our cruise, and Carnival Magic ended up stopping at all the original ports.

St. Maarten from Carnival Magic spa cabin 12038

St. Maarten 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

We love this island! The people are great, and the beach within walking distance is beautiful. You can take a water taxi ride to the beach area for $7 roundtrip, if you prefer. We wanted to walk through the shops first, so we did that, and then continued out of the cruise terminal, then down the sidewalk to the beach, which is an easy walk of about 1 mile, one-way. 

Beach in St. Maarten in front of Kalua Bar & Restaurant

We rented our chairs from a friendly guy with chairs in front of Kalua Beach Bar & Restaurant. We paid $15 for 2 chairs, and an umbrella right by the water. You could also rent chairs that came with rum punch (I do not know if it was unlimited, as we did not purchase that). The beach and water in this area is beautiful! When you walk farther down the beach, toward the shopping pier and downtown shops, the sand becomes more like the beach near the cruise port in Grand Turk with crushed shells. It is still a nice beach; the sand is just not as soft as it was where we were seated. You can enlarge any photo in this post by clicking on it.

Above: some of the crushed shells on the beach near the west end
Below: looking east from in front of our seat in front of Kalua

With the chairs we rented, we were also allowed to use the bathroom in the bar, and the wifi code. The wifi signal was not strong enough to use by the water. There are benches along the sidewalk by the bar, so we used it there before we left for the day. A bucket of 5 beers with ice from Kalua cost $12, and the guys renting chairs were eager to please. 

View while on our walk back to the cruise port in St. Maarten

We stopped at Amsterdam Cheese & Liquor Store on our way back to the ship for complimentary tastings. This store is just outside the cruise terminal, so it is not far to carry purchases back. There is a public restroom outside at this location. Everyone on this island is extremely friendly, and the prices are fair. Payment was not expected to use any of the restrooms. When we politely declined sales by people on the beach and when leaving the cruise terminal, we were not resolicited.

Two of the ships docked in St. Kitts February 2022

Photos and Activity Schedules from Carnival Magic Cruise: 8-day Exotic Eastern Caribbean from Port Canaveral

February 2022

The photos and activity schedules in this post go along with the previous cruise post.

Additional food and beverage photos 

Above: Breakfast Board (breakfast)
Below: Eggs Benedict with Salmon & side of hash browns (Sea Day brunch)

Above: Signature tower tuna and salmon, side of cheese grits (Sea Day brunch)
Below: Prime rib dinner, ordered medium, second elegant evening (dining room)

Above: Turkey dinner in dining room
Below: Ceviche appetizer in dining room (dinner)

Above: Lobster bisque in steakhouse - delicious!
Below: Australian wagyu in steakhouse (the one cold entree)

Above: Risotto appetizer in steakhouse
Below: Cheese plate in steakhouse 

Although the steakhouse said our reservation had been cancelled,
we each received a confirmed reservation in the cabin

Misc. photos

Above: Main pool on Carnival Magic
Below: spa tepidarium and aroma steam room against back wall 

Carnival Magic Cruise: 8-day Exotic Eastern Caribbean from Port Canaveral

February 2022

Carnival Magic in Grand Turk February 18, 2022.

We went on a 7-day western Caribbean cruise on Carnival Magic from this cruise port in 2018. You can find additional info about the Magic in that post, and more photos in the 2018 Carnival Magic Facebook album. 

Booking and pre-cruise

This is the first cruise we have been on that we booked after the pandemic started. We had two cruises that cancelled, and Carnival was giving on board credits for rebooking a cancelled cruise. I was not initially interested in booking a replacement cruise, as we still had two B2B cruises in November and December 2021 that did not cancel. My husband talked me into it because he could not give up the $600 on board credit! We did let the first cancellation, of the four cruises we had booked prior to COVID-19, go by the wayside when that one cancelled. I was also not excited about this cruise because it was replacing our trip on the newly upgraded Radiance (which we did not get to go on), and we had already been on the Magic a few years ago. The itinerary was a plus though, as it was pretty much the same as the one on the cancelled Radiance cruise.

Many folks in the Facebook group for this sailing said they received wonderful upgrade offers for minimal cost, although we did not receive any offers. Online check-in for diamond and platinum guests opened up 16 days before the cruise, and boarding zones went quickly. We checked in before 8:00 AM, and received boarding zone A03.

View of Port Canaveral from Carnival Magic spa cabin 12038.

Arrival and check-in at Port Canaveral

Our arrival appointment was for 10:00 - 10:30 AM. We arrived about five minutes after 10:00, and the terminal area was quite full. It only took us a few minutes to complete check-in, and then we were directed to the general waiting area. It appeared that there was a VIP waiting area in this terminal that became full right before we completed check-in. An agent walked behind the person completing our last check-in step right before we finished, and told everyone, "No more diamond and platinum." When the boarding process started, guests were called in the following order: guests with suites, diamond guests, and then zone A01. We did not see anyone move toward the boarding area until zone A01 was called. The agent had told us all to board when zone A01 was called (our son had boarding zone A01). We were on board around 11:00 AM. 

Departing Port Canaveral; view from Carnival Magic spa cabin 12038.

Spa balcony cabin 12038

Our son's room steward on deck 6 was just finishing his cabin after we boarded, although our cabin was not ready until after 12:30 PM. 

Carnival Magic spa cabin 12038.

This is a typical spa balcony cabin; however, there are a couple of things worth noting. Deck 12 is the first floor under serenity deck, and there is no roof over the balconies on this floor. I suppose this is nice if you want lots of sun, and the view is better without the roof. However, without a roof, there is no shade, and you cannot sit outside when it is raining. If the balcony door is open when it rains, the floor and foot of the bed will get wet. It rained at least three different times (for only a short period) during our cruise. 

This cabin is not in a quiet area like we expected for a spa floor. We could hear noise from lido deck when on the balcony, or if the balcony door was open, and the overall noise in this room seemed much noisier than we usually experience. We could hear our neighbor's phone ring, commotion inside their rooms, and one day they blared their music on the outside balcony when apparently everyone was inside the cabin (we could not hear any voices). The music in the video above is much quieter than the volume had been right before I started recording.

Dining room breakfast: Corned Beef Hash above,
Masala Dosa below.

Food and beverages

Again, check out my previous blog posts for more details about dining options. Following are a few things that were new on the Magic since 2018, or that I did not write about before.

Breakfast

• Dining room breakfast is still my favorite meal! Corned Beef Hash and Egg was different, and I tried a new item; Masala Dosa. Although Masala Dosa was flavorful, mine did not look anything like the photo posted on John Heald's page. The photo John posted looks more appetizing than what I received (my photo above).

• Sea Day Brunch was extremely packed every morning, and the check-in app was not working correctly two of the days. The salad tower continues to come out differently every time, and the bagels and tomato portion are not included unless you request it. Pancetta Scrambled had good flavor, except I could only eat a small portion of it because it was extremely salty.

Pancetta Scrambled at Sea Day Brunch on Carnival Magic.

One negative about the breakfast foods on this ship, is that the eggs were always undercooked unless they were scrambled. Although I do not like overcooked eggs, I do not like the whites runny either. The Broken Egg Sandwich ran out while eating, as the inside was not cooked. Egg whites were runny in all of the following dishes: Breakfast Board (supposed to be soft boiled), eggs-over-easy, Breakfast Bowl, and Eggs Benedict (at breakfast and brunch).

Lunch

• Guys Pig and Anchor was only open on sea days, and on the day we boarded. The least busy time was right after we boarded, and when we went through a patch of rain one afternoon.
• Cucina del Capitano was open almost every day at noon (no charge for lunch).
• Guys' Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, Carnival Deli, Seafood Shack (extra charge), Pizzeria, and Lido buffet were open every day.
• Sushi (extra charge) and Light Lunch in Ocean Plaza were not open every day. You can check location hours for each day in the app, if you want to plan your meals. I tried to visit Ocean Plaza for lunch the day we were in St. Kitts, and neither location was open.  
• Tandoor, which I loved in 2018, is no longer on this ship.

Complimentary house wine in steakhouse first evening.

Orlando, Florida: Fairfield Inn Orlando Airport, MCO, public transportation

 February 2022, weekday/weekend, 1-night

Arrival and check-in

We arrived at MCO in the evening, and called for the shuttle bus to the hotel. The airport was extremely chaotic, and we waited about 30 minutes for the shuttle. We observed other passengers waiting longer than us for shuttles from other hotels, so our experience was apparently not unusual. Our son arrived about an hour after us and had the same experience when he arrived. Check-in was quick, although as a gold member, I did not receive an upgraded room or even the guestroom floor location I had requested.

Above: actual photo taken of our guestroom 310 with tiny single chair only
Two photos below: from Marriott website of guestrooms with two queen beds

Two queen beds, guestroom 310

This is a basic guestroom with two queen beds. We did not have a sofa in our room, as pictured on the Marriott website. We paid for three adults when making this reservation, and only received amenities in the guestroom for two: 2 washcloths, 2 coffees, etc. You would think that an elite guest paying for three adults would at least receive the bare minimum, if not also, a larger room with sofa.

Guestroom 310 at Fairfield Inn Orland Airport
View from tiny chair next to beds

Birch Run, Michigan: Best Western Plus of Birch Run/Frankenmuth

January 2022, weekday, 1-night 

I do not typically stay in Best Western hotels, and after this stay, I am even more convinced to avoid them. Last year, I traveled to a remote city for work. My lodging choices were either Best Western in the area, or I would need to add about two hours drive time to each day, if I wanted to stay in a Hampton Inn or SpringHill Suites (I also checked all the local hotels, including Bed & Breakfasts, Airbnb, etc.). I decided to see if I could get a status match at Best Western, and then I chose that hotel. With the status match and promotions Best Western had last year, I ended up with $75 in lodging credits to use before the end of March 2022. We had a few days with no plans after Christmas, so I looked at all the Best Western hotels in Michigan, to try and see which one looked best. Unfortunately, this hotel turned out to be a poor choice.

Diamond perks and check-in

The front desk agent asked if I wanted a ground floor room, or the top floor. I told her top floor. I had written top floor in my reservation requests, and I assume she had not read that. She said there is no elevator, and we said that was okay. She said something about depositing my 500 points, although she did not actually recognize my status, and she did not offer bottled water. The front desk area smelled musty damp, and I hoped our guestroom would not smell like the check-in area. 

Whirlpool suite 5 in Best Western in Birch Run, Michigan 

King whirlpool suite 5 in Best Western Plus

This guestroom is across the outside drive from the lobby and check-in desk. The employee had said she was putting us in the "tower building," which did not sound like a bad thing. The guestroom was awful, and I would never stay in this hotel again. It was after dark when we arrived, and the room lighting was extremely dim, so everything was not evident when we first arrived. The photo above was taken with every working light in the room turned on. The bed sheets looked clean, the room did not have an odor like the lobby, and it had been snowing a lot, so we settled in to make the best of it.

The bed comfort was okay; however, every pillow on the bed belonged in the trash. I have never slept with such lumpy old pillows in any hotel room--ever. The cover on the bed was thin, and not warm enough for cold winter nights.

Bathroom in whirlpool suite 5 in Best Western in Birch Run, Michigan 

The bathroom was spacious. The toilet is located behind the door on the left. It took a long time for the shower water to get hot, and there were hairs in the shower stall (not observed until the next day). Soap, shampoo, and conditioner were provided.

Whirlpool suite 5 in Best Western in Birch Run, Michigan 

The fireplace did not work well. It made an extreme amount of noise, and it did not give off any heat. The ratty looking chairs in front of the fireplace were okay comfort wise. It was extremely dark where the chairs are located, as well as above the tub.

Desk chair in whirlpool suite 5 in Best Western in Birch Run, Michigan 

Grand Rapids, Michigan: Downtown Dining, Breweries, Happy Hour

December 2021 4-days

Bloody Mary special at Slows Bar-B-Q downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan

We visited Grand Rapids Downtown Market a couple of times this week. The market is less than half a mile from Canopy by Hilton, where we stayed for two nights. Local foods for sale included things like bakery items, seasonings, cheeses, meats, beverages, and more. The market opens at 11 AM, and was fairly busy both days we visited. Although all of the food looked amazing, we did not make any purchases in the market. We had Bloody Mary specials ($6 each!) at Slows Bar-B-Q in the market during one visit. The beverages were made with their own mix, which, unfortunately is not bottled for sale. Slows Bar-B-Q opens at noon.

East West Brewing Company in Eastown Grand Rapids, Michigan
Vegetable Pakoras and beers (below) from East West Brewing Company

We visited Elk Brewing Company (opens 2PM) and East West Brewing Company (opens 3PM) in eastown. This is an easy 4-mile walk roundtrip from Canopy by Hilton, if you do not mind walking. If you prefer public transportation, The Rapid has a couple of stops close to both breweries. Elk Brewing Company is listed in the HopPassport. This brewery honored the half price discount on tier 1 and 2 beers. East West is in The Reel Craft Pass, and they honored the discount on any draft beer. Their food is delicious, although we thought the beers were a bit odd.

Both foods from New Holland Brewing - The Knickerbocker

Grand Rapids, Michigan: Canopy by Hilton Downtown

December 2021, 2-nights between Christmas and New Years

This was another new Hilton hotel for us; our first stay at Canopy by Hilton. Although we had some miss-communication about our perks, overall, this was a fabulous stay. 

Check-in, diamond and AmEx perks

Hilton says they are now allowing diamond members to see available upgrades three days prior to stays; however, my reservation did not show any upgraded rooms to choose from when I looked at the app to check-in the day before our arrival. I called the hotel to ask about checking in beforehand, as I did not want to lose any possible upgrade opportunities. After a brief hold, I was told we had been upgraded to a suite. The agent said our suite would be ready any time after 12:30 PM. 

Umbrella from gift shop in Canopy by Hilton Grand Rapids.

I made this reservation through American Express travel, in order to take advantage of a promo they were offering with a pre-paid rate booked through them. The promo included an on-property credit, which the front desk agent did not mention when we arrived at the hotel. Instead, she told us about all the great places to eat nearby. After I told her we had planned to eat in the hotel, since we had a food and beverage credit, she then briefly mentioned this. When I asked about my diamond breakfast perk, she said I would not receive that in addition to the AmEx credit. The on-property credit we received in the end was generous, so we did not really need the breakfast perk, also. During the stay, however, I was confused about what I was supposed to receive. Three different front desk agents told me three different credit amounts. When I checked out, the manager clearly explained the credit. He then gifted me a Canopy umbrella, since I still had funds left. Nice, I thought! He added that as a diamond member, I would have received a room upgrade, without having to book through AmEx, and also my breakfast credits. We are already thinking about visiting this hotel again on our next overnight stay downtown Grand Rapids.

View from desk in suite 832 Canopy by Hilton Downtown Grand Rapids.

Suite 832

This is an wonderful top floor corner suite! The view is amazing. Unfortunately, we did not get a sunrise or sunset from our room, as the dreary weather did not cooperate. 

View from living room toward bedroom in suite 832 Canopy by Hilton Downtown Grand Rapids.

This suite has a large entry, two bathrooms, a kitchen area, living room, hallway, and bedroom. The main bathroom is huge.

Second bathroom from entry hall in suite 832 Canopy by Hilton Downtown Grand Rapids.

There is a connecting room door to suite 830 in the entry hall across from the second bathroom. This is on the wall to the left, just outside the photo above. I could hear guests in that room through the door, when we were in the entry or second bathroom; however, this was not bothersome, as we could not hear anything when in the living room or bedroom.

Kitchen area in suite 832 Canopy by Hilton Downtown Grand Rapids.

I thought the kitchen area was perfect! It included a Nespresso machine with supplies, stainless steel ice bucket, glasses, ceramic coffee mugs, fresh water decanter, sink, and fridge drawer. There were hooks to hang our coats on the wall across from the kitchen counter.

Nespresso machine and glass water bottle in suite 832 Canopy by Hilton Downtown
Grand Rapids. Ceramic mugs and glasses were in the cupboards above the counter.