Mykonos Magic

The 2004-built (as Costa Magica) cruise ship Mykonos Magic is the fifth/last Destiny-class vessel owned by Carnival Corporation and operated by its subsidiary Costa Cruises until 2023. The same-designed sisterships are Costa Fortuna and the CCL-Carnival Cruise Lines' boats Triumph-Sunrise, Victory-Radiance and Destiny-Sunshine.

The vessel Mykonos Magic (IMO number 9239795) is currently Bermuda-flagged (MMSI 310834000) and registered in Hamilton. Costa Magica was Italy-flagged (MMSI 247113300) having Genoa as a port of registry.

History - construction and ownership

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.

In February 2023, CCL announced that Costa Magica has been sold to Seajets Ferries and renamed "Mykonos Magic". Costa's remaining skeleton crew disembarked the ship on February 8th, in Brindisi. With the acquisition of the 19-year-old Costa Magica in 2023, SeaJets' cruise fleet totaled 7x secondhand ships, some of which were resold to other companies or scrapped.

When the announcement was made, Costa Magica had a total of 29x voyages scheduled for the period December 18, 2022, thru May 5, 2023, all of which were canceled.

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, the Costa ship Magica didn't restart passenger services and remained out of service. Most of the time (2020-2021-2022) the boat was docked at La Spezia Italy.

SEAJETS Greece (1989-founded) is a Cyprus-based shipping company that specializes in passenger and cargo ferry services exclusively in the Eastern Mediterranean (Aegean Sea). Seajets' fleet includes mainly fast-ferries (14x high-speed catamarans, max capacity 2100 passengers + 600 cars) plus 3x conventional Ro-Pax vessels (max capacity 1300 passengers + 400 cars). Seajets operates from homeports Piraeus-Athens, Lavrion and Crete (Heraklion and Rethymno) interconnecting 26 Cyclades Islands (Crete including) with 260 connections.

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 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.

Itineraries

Costa Magica itinerary program was based on seasonal deployment in Europe (Mediterranean) with voyages departing roundtrip from homeports in Italy (Savona), Spain (Barcelona), and France (Marseille). During summer, the ship was in the Caribbean and homeported in La Romana (Dominicana). On seasonal relocation, Costa Magica offered Transatlantic crossings between Europe and the Caribbean.

Shipboard facilities and amenities (dining, entertainment)

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

Next are listed Costa Magica's restaurants and food bars.

Ristorante Portofino (complimentary forward Dining Room, operates with open seating Breakfast and Lunch, plus two assigned seatings for Dinner (at 6:30 pm and 9 pm)

Ristorante Costa Smeralda (complimentary 2-level Aft Dining Room with two fixed dinner seatings)

Club Vicenza (dinner-only, specialty a-la-carte-priced restaurant with a Steakhouse menu and an extensive wine list; reservations required)

Ristorante Buffet Bellagio (self-service buffet restaurant, complimentary; offers breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea at 4-5 pm, and dinner. In the evenings, the Lido buffet transforms into Pizzeria (complimentary, with waiter service).

The ship provides Casino (gaming lounge), Theater (main show lounge), two show lounges, Library, 3 swimming pools, 5 Jacuzzies/outdoor hot tubs, wellness complex (Spa and Fitness). Club Squok is the kids' facility. Teens have their own area next door. Club Squok's counselors involve children in various supervised activities.

Next are listed Costa Magica's 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 its 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 (Art Gallery)
• Sala Carte (cards room)
• Casino Sicilia
• Atrio Italia Magica/Atrium (multi-deck, 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-logoed 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).