Costa Magica

The 2004-built Costa Magica cruise ship is the fifth (last) Destiny-class ship, together with Costa Fortuna and the CCL-Carnival Cruise Lines ships Triumph-Sunrise, Victory-Radiance and Destiny-Sunshine.

The vessel (IMO number 9239795) is currently Italy-flagged (MMSI 247113300) and registered in Genoa.

NEWS: On June 23, 2021, CCL-Carnival announced plans to add two additional ships to its fleet by 2023. The vessels include an EXCEL-class newbuild 2023 (Carnival Jubilee/originally assigned to AIDA) and Costa Magica. The Costa boat was to be drydock refitted and refurbished, Carnival-named, and to join CCL by mid-2022.

However, on June 15, 2022, CCL announced that Costa Luminosa (renamed Carnival Luminosa) will be transferred from Costa to CCL in September 2022 while Costa will keep Costa Magica in the fleet.

History - construction and ownership

Costa Cruises is a Genoa-headquartered subsidiary company owned by Carnival Corporation. Costa is Europe's second-largest cruise line (after MSC) with year-round operations in the Mediterranean. Costa was founded in 1854 as a cargo shipping company. It started passenger shipping services in 1947, with regular Transatlantic crossings between Europe (Italy) and South America. In 2000, Costa Cruises was acquired by Carnival Corporation (shipowner).

The 2700-passenger ship Costa Magica features “Cruising Italian Style” with a new meaning. The interior theme is Italian holiday spots with posters like impressionist paintings. The Alps line the walls and center the Magica theme in the atrium. All public spaces are called after the famous holiday places, so guests must be sure that the vessel is really Italian in substance and style.

Besides the ship's staff and crew, Costa cruise passengers are also served by Peper robots - the latest cyborg technology implemented fleetwide in 2016. These humanoid robots greet and guide passengers upon embarkation. They also assist them throughout the cruise by providing information and tips on onboard dining, entertainment, enrichment program (workshops, pre-scheduled events), casino and shopping promotions, shore excursions and tours. Pepper robots are mobile and communicate in 3 languages (English, German, Italian). They can also interpret human emotions by analyzing voice tones and facial expressions.

Decks and Cabins

Costa Magica staterooms (1354 total, in 9 grades) include 53x Suites, 464x Balcony, 321x Oceanview, 511 Inside cabins. Most cabins are sized 185 ft2 (17 m2) and nearly 40% of all have private step-out balconies. Wheelchair-accessible cabins are 27, single cabins are 14. The largest accommodations are the Grand Suites (345 ft2 / 32 m2, with 85 ft2 / 8 m2 terrace).

The boat has 13 passenger decks, of which 8 are with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Mealtimes on Magica generally follow the traditions rather than set the pace for innovations. At breakfast, there is casual fare in ship's Restaurant Buffet Colombo 1954, including omelets to order, along with cold cheeses and cuts. At lunch expect the addition of an outdoor grill by the pool, where you can get grilled chicken, French fries and twice-cooked burgers. Lunch in either of the restaurants offers daily specials. There is also a daily "tea time" at the buffet. Dinner is the big event onboard Costa Magica. Most of the attention is focused on a formal-style meal that can last 3 hours. Alternatives are limited to Restaurant Buffet Cristoforo Colombo 1954, transformed into a pizzeria from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m., and Club Grand Conte 1927, at top of the ship, for a romantic experience (with EUR 23 service charge). Costa Magica also offers complimentary 24-Hour Room-Service

Follows the complete list of Costa Magica restaurants and food bars.

• Ristorante Portofino (complimentary forward Dining Room, operates with open seating Breakfast and Lunch, 2 assigned seatings for Dinner - at 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.)
• Ristorante Costa Smeralda (complimentary 2-level aft Dining Room with 2 fixed Dinner seatings)
• Club Vicenza (specialty a la carte restaurant; Steakhouse menu and extensive wine list; dinner-only, reservations required)
• Ristorante Buffet Bellagio (self-service buffet restaurant, complimentary; offers breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea at 4-5:00 p.m., and dinner; in the evening is transformed into Pizzeria, complimentary, with waiter service).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Costa Magica ship provides, casino, theater, two show lounges, library, 3 swimming pools, and 5 jacuzzis plus SPA. For Europeans who love dancing there will be many possibilities to taste the ballroom floor. Brits, Americans, and Canadians were the only who tried standing in line for anything but finally gave up into the chaos. What passengers get is a pan-European voyage mixed with the comforts of the American style. Club Squok is the ship's kids' facility. Teens have their own area next door. Club Squok counselors involve kids in various events, so activities are wide-spread.

Follows the complete list of Costa Magica lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Teatro Urbino (3-tiered theatre and main show lounge; hosts grand scale show productions, musicals, classical concerts, ballet performances, circus, and laser light shows)
• Grand Bar Salento (with own dance floor and stage for live performances; hosts quiz games and fashion reviews)
• Bar Classico L’Aquila (Cigar Lounge and Bar; also selling cigars and fine liquor)
• Galleria d’Arte (Magica’s Art Gallery)
• Sala Carte (cards room)
• Casino Sicilia
• Magica Atrium (multi-deck “Atrio Italia Magica” - an open-floor area with live music and entertainment, served by Italia Magica Lobby Bar)
• Sala da Ballo Spoteto (lounge with dance floor and own bar)
• Piano Bar Capo Colonna (stage for cabaret performances, live music, own dance floor)
• Salone Capri (grand lounge with round-shaped bar and stage)
• Discoteca Grado (2-level Disco Nightclub, DJ program nightly); Discoteca Vulcania 1927
• Internet Point (Internet computers room); Biblioteca Bressanone (Library)
• Galleria Negozi Shops (duty and tax-free shops for brand watches, jewelry, perfumes, fashion clothes, Costa-logo merchandise, sportswear, gifts, tobacco, and liquor)
• Area Foto (Photo Gallery and Shop)
• Mondo Virtuale (Video Games Arcade)
• Cappella (Wedding Chapel, also used for religious services)
• Squok Club (kids lounge with Mini Club (3-6 yo) and Maxi Club (7-11 yo) playing rooms; with complimentary kids program and supervised activities; complimentary babysitting)
• Teen Zone (teenagers' lounge with Teen Junior (12-14 yo) and Teen Club (15-17 yo) rooms; complimentary supervised activities, themed parties, sports contests)
• Club Salute Saturnia Spa and Wellness Center (14,000 ft2 / 1,300 m2, with Venus Beauty Salon, Gym, Relaxation Room, Massage-Treatment Rooms, UVA Solarium, Sauna, Turkish Bath, Thermal Suites, spa pool; the Gym and the Sauna are complimentary)
• Lido Maratea pool area (lido pool with two Whirlpools, served by Maratea Bar)
• Lido Positano pool area (with two Whirlpools and with retractable glass roof; served by Positano Bar and Grill)
• Lido Palinuro pool area (one Whirlpool)
• Kids Pool (wading pool)
• Solarium (open-air relaxation area, served by Solarium Bar)
• Campo da Gioco (combined court for tennis and basketball); Pista da Jogging (Power Walking/Jogging Track).

Itineraries

Costa Magica itinerary program is based on cruises to the Adriatic sea with round-trip departures from Venice, Transatlantic crossings to the Dominican Republic and Caribbean voyages in winter.

Magica is of Costa's Destiny-Class liners, with sisterships Costa Fortuna and also the Carnival ships Destiny (Sunshine since 2013), Triumph (Sunrise since 2019), Victory (Radiance since 2020). Ship's interior design is themed "Italian Holiday Spots". Computer-manipulated posters resemble Impressionist-era paintings of places like the Alpes and Portofino. The ship carries 5500 artworks (many of which are from Brera Academy in Milano Italy).

Passengers are mainly Italians (~75%), the other 25% are a mix of Americans, Canadian, Portuguese, German, British, Baltic, Spanish, French.