Carnival's European voyages take in some of the most beautiful sights on the Med, and although you might be tempted to stay on board and soak up the sun for the day, you won't want to miss out on the trips. We saved money by organising our own day trips to Capri, Pisa, Sicily, Monte Carlo and Rome, but if you want to cram as much as possible into your visits, it's worth splashing out on one or two of the organised tours.
But it rarely seems crowded. Despite the berths being fully booked on our voyage, there was always space for us on deck or by one of the pools.
The food is a joy. And it's available 24-7. Eat until you drop at the huge buffet breakfasts and lunches, where they'll rustle you up anything from a pancake to a Mongolian stir-fry if the mood takes you. Dine on top-notch nosh in the evenings at the la carte restaurant (your table is allocated at the beginning of your stay), or, if you fancy a change, join the chef's table at the Italian restaurant, the Cucina del Capitano, or gorge yourself silly at the steak house (both of which are well worth the small extra charge).
Luckily, Carnival's newest ship offers more ways of exercising than ever. For a start, you can swim in one of the two outdoor pools, try the high ropes course or the waterslides. There's also a huge gym and fitness hall and all sorts of classes too, from pilates to early morning boot camps on offer. All of which means that there's no excuse for blobbing out. The outdoor recreation area, Sky Fitness, includes a running track, a ropes course, sports court for volleyball, basketball and soccer, as well as a mini golf area.
The Piano Bar is great fun, and you can dance the night away at the Vibe til your heart's content. But if there's one absolute must, it's catching an evening show you'll get full-on West End style entertainment in the Showtime Theatre. For early evening sunsets or post-dinner drinks, the Red Frog pub gives a central meeting point with a laid back atmosphere and live music, and you can guarantee that the ship's very own brew, Red Frog beer, will be flowing.
Cabins have their own dedicated staff who look after you from dawn til dusk. Being an American company, Carnival adds $10 per day to your bill as a service charge. This may gripe with the Brits, but I can promise that you won’t resent a penny – by the end of the cruise we were so impressed that we gave a whole lot more on top of this to the staff who had looked after us in the cabins, restaurants and around the ship. We were very impressed.
From the corkscrew waterslides to the aqua park, the ropes course to the mini golf and the seaside theatre, the early evening family entertainment and the late night films, Carnival has plenty to offer kids. There's even Camp Carnival's thrilling activities and a teen-only zone which stays lively throughout the evening.
Sunsets, sunrises, starry skies, ancient cities, volcanic islands... photo opportunities abound. The captain sailed around Stromboli at sunset on our last evening - definitely a highlight of our whole trip!
Carnival Magic is a bit like a mini city on the sea. From the casino to the karaoke bar, the shopping mall to the cocktail lounge, there's so much going on on every deck that there were some places we didn't even get to explore.
This might sound strange on board a ship with more than 5,000 other people, but you will chill out within minutes of boarding - fact. The combination of sea air, scenery and the laid-back atmosphere onboard will calm the most jangled of nerves.