Ahhh, the Prime Steakhouse. How do you want your meat cooked? The chefs are exact.
You say rare, and they do it rare.
The atmosphere is quite intimate, but the lighting is not photogenic.
I started with ahi tartare, then Lamb Chops, and THEN chocolate.
A morning pull of the drapes and we are in Cozumel.
Seven ships are in port today, and those only the ones I can see.
Figure from 15 to 20 thousand passengers hitting the shops. For most wants, the pier stores will provide. If you go into town, the merchants will be more persuasive and may get on your nerves. Most tourists think with the amount of people buying, negotiating will be a wasted effort. Not so. Remember, at the moment you are the customer; the merchant wants an on the spot sale like now. Bargain!
I have no idea how many VW taxis are in Cozumel, there must be hundreds, but this is must more fun.
On Magic, inspection is an every day duty.
By the way, talking about inspection this ship got 100% perfect before we sailed.
Not all left the ship for town. The splash area still dumped water on one and all.
There is a lookout stationed at the bottom of the slides. He radios when the slider splashes down to let the top sentry know the next can get in the tube.
Deck service is prompt and the Carnival marketing team has come up with a unique drink container.
Some caught up on the news and weather on the big screen which features movies at night. One thing I’ve noticed is a number of people paste or hang things on their cabin door. It’s kind of fun to see what’s along the hall, nevertheless, I wonder if its not so much a want for decoration, but a way of location where they live.
I’ve tried hard to find something to whine about on Magic. It’s the sovereign duty of a travel writer to tell about the bad as well as the good. I finally did.
At the beginning of each cruise, Carnival provides tooth paste, body wash, deodorant, etc. all are samples of retail products. On Magic there are about 8 or 9 different items. Included is a small plastic envelope of Q-tips; not a retail sample. They are not full size and “Q” is probably too far along in the alphabet to properly describe them.
When they were used up, I asked my room steward Ovi for a replacement envelope.
“I can’t give them to you. You have to buy them at the store.”
OK, I tried that and couldn’t find any Q-Tips.
As we docked in Cozumel, I asked Ovi again, making it clear, that I really wanted them and he should get them for me.
“You get them first day and no more.” Ovi emphasized.
I went off a bit and doubted that Carnival was so frugal that they couldn’t part with another envelope of 6 mini-tips.
Ovi, scowling, pulled out his phone.
“I’ll have to make a call.”
When I returned to my cleaned cabin there was a tray of goods,
but no Q-tips.
Oh no, here I had been overly stern with Ovi, and it was a miscommunication. I found him, apologized profusely, and explained to him what I meant. I gestured showing cotton at two ends connected by a skinny thingy.
“Yes”, Ovi said, “Q-tips. They won’t let me have any.”
OK, I mean, with the amount Carnival buys, those must cost a few pennies. But factor this in.
A Margarita on the rocks costs $10.06. But, of course, that includes salt.
Finally I got a chance to get to the Punchliner comedy club. It was the early show, open to all, including children. Out came John Wesley Austin and blew me away.
Charming, funny, kids and parents and me laughing. Except for the woman next to me. Not even a smile. She probably thought it was supposed to be the art auction.
The Carnival Magic is an amazing ship. Next is the Destiny, amazing plus. When you compare cruise prices, and what you get for your money, there is an easy choice. Carnival Magic.
Geoff Edwards is a veteran radio and television broadcaster. He has an Emmy for best talk show host, and an Emmy nomination for best Game Show Host. Besides hosting network game shows, he has appeared as an actor in numerous television shows and movies. In radio, he was top rated in Los Angeles on both KMPC and KFI.
With all of this, Geoff never lost his thirst for travel. He has been cruising since 1969 and has twice cruised around the world. From Morocco, to the Marshall Islands, and even to Branson, Geoff ‘s wit adds a special flavor to his travel commentary. Michael, Geoff’s wife, travels with him and records all on film.
Today, Geoff writes for several national magazines, currently broadcasts a weekly travel report to Monterey’s KION morning show, and does on “location” special travel broadcasts for CRN, the Cable Radio Network.
