I am headed for Venice, Italy, today to see the new Carnival Magic. The inaugural cruise from Venice to Barcelona starts Sunday, May 1. All new ships are exciting, with new designs and accoutrements. But what has me pumped about the Magic is Carnival Cruise line’s first pub.
And not just a pub. But a pub with its own private label beer. After several tastings, I will let you know what’s on tap in the Red Frog Pub. Preview info from Carnival says the draught beer is called Thirsty Frog Red.
While the 3,690-passenger Magic is a sister ship to the Carnival Dream (2009) that cruises to the Caribbean out of Port Canaveral, the new ship will include a host of new stuff.
You can expect a report on the new Italian restaurant (Cucina del Capitano, which means The Captains’ Kitchen), on new water adventures on deck, and new entertainment options.
I suppose that I will also test Carnival’s first ropes course, which is advertised to include rope bridges and swinging steps suspended above the top deck.
But I’m more enthusiastic about tasting the beer.
Carnival Magic will offer cruises in Europe through October from Barcelona, stopping at ports that include Monte Carlo, Rome, Naples, Messina, Marseilles, Venice and Dubrovnik. Then, the ship will head to Galveston, Texas, for cruises to the Caribbean.
A toast to Carnival
The Magic is Carnival Corporation's 100th ship. And today, all passengers sailing on any of the ships operated by Carnival's 10 different brands -- from Costa to Seabourn -- will toast the achievement with champagne, a toast that Carnival estimates at 227,000 people, all over the world.
David Molyneaux is editor of TheTravelMavens.
