One of the perks of being the co-host of an online radio program dedicated to cruising is being given the opportunity to experience a range of cruises around the world.

Doug Parker was part of the media contingent aboard the inaugural voyage and shared his experience with e-Travel Blackboard on his return to Florida last week.

Having travelled extensively on Carnival ships previously, Doug was keen to experience what was being dubbed as the ‘best funship ever’. Heading over to Europe for the first time was just a bonus.

Red Frog Pub

Perusing social media sites since the inaugural voyage has made it clear that one of the most popular features of Carnival Magic was, without a doubt, Red Frog Pub.

Complete with its very own brew, Thirsty Frog Red, this pub offers live acoustic sets and a generous happy hour, the ‘Sunset Festival’.

At US$6.33 including gratuities, the home brew was affordable even outside of happy hour and both Doug and onboard comedian Steve Caouette professed that the new venue was exactly what every ship needs.

Running out of beer on the first night didn’t slow down the popularity of the venue with an emergency restock in Croatia…just in time for the ‘Sunset Festival’.

Love Thy Neighbour…

One of the best things about cruising is meeting people, but perhaps there is a limit as to how much you need (or indeed want) to know about your neighbour.

Passengers who were allocated rooms with adjoining doors got quite a shock when they discovered they could hear absolutely every sound uttered in the cabin next to them.

Luckily for Doug, he was located in a Junior Suite (pictured left) on Vista Deck on level 9 aft and didn’t have this issue but did spend some time on Deck 9 forward and experienced it firsthand.

By all accounts, passengers were very good humoured about the experience and Carnival are expected to be looking into a solution moving forward.

The Ports

Having never travelled to Europe before at all, let alone on a cruise, Doug was keen to see the difference in pulling into such historic and picturesque ports as Dubrovnik, Livorno and Venice to the Caribbean or Bahamas that he’s so regularly traversed.

The bonus of only needing to unpack once was not lost on passengers…after all it’s one of the best things about cruising, especially with such a jam packed itinerary!

Civitavecchia and Naples were listed as his favourite ports with the former “quaint town” easy to navigate and filled with pubs, restaurants and cafes.

Dining

With so many dining options, passengers aboard the inaugural cruise were spoilt for choice when selecting where to eat.

The Oceanside Barbeque offers hamburgers, hotdogs and similar casual fare which can be enjoyed in the open air on Deck 5 just outside Ocean Plaza.

With so many new choices for cruisers, specialty restaurant favourites include ‘Cucina del Capitano’ and ‘Prime Steakhouse’.

‘Cucina del Capitano’ offers unlimited traditional Italian dining for only $10 but with servings so big any Nonna would be impressed!

‘Prime Steakhouse’ was Doug’s preferred choice with reportedly “amazing” meals like the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail (pictured left), salads and carnivorous options from a 6 oz. fillet to a 20 oz. porterhouse. For only $30 the selection was varied and the servings…once again…huge!

For those wishing to take advantage of the meals that are included in their cruise fare, the options were endless and the main dining room was well received by passengers.

“The quality of food is always awesome on Carnival,” Doug raved.

Entertainment & Bars

What cruise would be complete without nightclubs pumping popular music, breathtaking shows and cocktails consumed before performing karaoke?

Carnival realized this and then increased the offering immensely with their newest ‘funship’!

The entertainment offering has been widely promoted in the lead up to the inaugural cruise and I was keen to hear about whether they delivered on their promises.

It seemed they did…

From ‘Punchliners Comedy Club’ which offered a range of comedians to the production show ‘Destination Unknown’, passengers were privy to a myriad of options nightly.

“I have no idea how he did what he did, it was an amazing production…like something out of Vegas,” Doug said of ‘Destination Unknown’.

‘Superstar Live Karaoke’ was a huge hit with passengers able to perform their fave tunes with a live band behind them instead of tinny karaoke machine backing.

With ‘Thirsty Frog Red’ closing at 1am and ‘Vibe Nightclub’ around 3am, those keen to party into the wee hours of the morning are well accommodated for.

Outdoor Entertainment

Their first at-sea ropes course for Carnival was reportedly a hit among passengers on board the inaugural voyage and Doug  surprised everyone by completing the course in an impressive 55 seconds!

“It's awesome to see a cruise line giving you more endurance type activities. Everyone is worried about gaining weight on a cruise and with the SportsSquare on the Magic, there's no excuse,” Doug said.

The Carnival Waterworks were a favourite among children and adults alike with no lines reported even though the ship was sailing at capacity.

Click below to listen to the second Cruise Radio episode recorded live from Carnival Magic’s inaugural voyage.