Carnival Unveils the Magic

Carnival Magic is seen in this 3D composite rendering.

Illustration courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines.

On Wednesday, Carnival took the wraps off of its newest vessel, Carnival Magic, with a special website dedicated solely to the ship.

Sister ship to the 2009-built Carnival Dream, Carnival's latest and greatest promises to usher in a number of firsts for the line, not the least of which is Carnival's return to the European market after an almost four-year hiatus. 

In the late 1990's, smoking clubs or cigar bars were all the rage onboard cruise ships, and lines rushed to create a version of their own.  Fast forward eleven years and the current trend lies in shipboard pubs.  Queen Mary 2 has, naturally, one of the very best, but lines like Princess and NCL have also followed suit, offering up English pub-themed lunches complimented with a variety of malty delights, both bottled and on-tap.

 The Red Frog Pub aboard Carnival Magic.

Illustration courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines

Carnival Magic also offers a pub, marking Carnival's first foray into the arena.  The Red Frog Pub, as it will be known, promises to offer up a slice of "Key West-style fun."  The line even has a contest in place to let prospective passengers design the coasters that will grace the bar.  Come up with a clever saying, and you could be resting your frothy drink down on a coaster of your own creation. 

The Cloud 9 Spa is another evolution for Carnival.  Somewhat behind their competitors in the spa game until recently, the Cloud 9 Spa aboard Carnival Magic is set to be on-par with the kind of facilities you might expect to find on Holland America: Thermal Beds.  A relaxation room.  A hydrotherapy pool.  What could be better?  How about special Spa Staterooms that boast priority access to all spa facilities from a private lift and staircase.  Carnival has always been about giving passenger more bang for their buck, and these Spa staterooms are no exception. 

But perhaps the most interesting feature of this 130,000-tonne, 3,646-passenger ship lies in the interior decor created by master designer Joe Farcus.  While the 3D renderings of the ships public spaces still retain much of his whimsical (and at times downright bizarre) stylings, the overall feel of this ship is...different.  Based on early renderings, the Carnival Magic may be poised to give birth to a newer, more elegant Carnival.  To be sure, there's still plenty of unique textures and colors at work here, but it all seems to mesh in a way that may best be described as Queen Victoria meets Carnival Dream. 

Experience the magic for yourself by heading over to the brand-new Carnival Magic website.