Disney Magic 7-Day Southern Caribbean Cruise Review – Day 6: November 12, 2025

Today we arrived in St. John’s, Antigua. With a typical all-ashore time of 8:00 a.m. and all-aboard at 6:00 p.m., we had ample time to explore the island, paired with another beautiful day of 76–84° temperatures. We were joined in port by the Caribbean Princess and the Celebrity Reflection, which made things feel a bit more crowded around the pier.

Since we’ve visited this island twice before — and already enjoyed a few different excursions — we decided to skip the organized tours this time and explore the port area instead. We quickly realized this was a mistake.

Unlike the last two ports, which offered a variety of shopping and dining options beyond the immediate pier area, Antigua proved to be the stark opposite. While the first block of shops was about what you’d expect, things took a noticeable downturn the moment we stepped beyond it. Buildings shifted from vibrant tropical colors to faded, chipped, and unkept eyesores. The aroma of devil’s lettuce lingered everywhere, and nearly every storefront featured bars across the windows. Sidewalks and streets were littered with debris, as if a storm had rolled through the previous day. It was not exactly a warm-and-fuzzy welcome encouraging us to linger and browse.

After only a few blocks of this, we turned around and headed back toward the ship. Finding a taxi or guide was never an issue — we were hit with a steady barrage of “Taxi, sir?” every few steps. A polite “no thank you” usually worked… until the next person asked.

Once back in the more comfortable surroundings of the pier, we ducked in and out of a few shops to kill time before reboarding. In total, we were ashore for a little more than an hour. Lesson learned.

My advice if you’re visiting this port: book an excursion or plan to spend most of the day onboard.

The silver lining is that there is always plenty to keep you occupied onboard. Honestly, some of my favorite times to be on the ship are port days. With the majority of guests ashore, it almost feels like your own private space to enjoy.

Disney Magic Deck Areas

We’ve taken a look at the interior areas of the ship, so how about the pools and outdoor spaces? Much like what we discussed yesterday, the upper decks follow a layout very similar to the newer ships in the fleet — just in a more condensed footprint. Deck 9 is the place to be for family pools, food, and adults-only areas. We’ll break it down into those three categories.

Family Pools

Starting with Goofy’s Family Pool, located midship between the ship’s two funnels, you’ll find the primary area where families tend to congregate. The pool itself is on the smaller side but has the advantage of being situated directly beneath Funnel Vision, making it a prime spot for watching movies while you swim or lounge.

There’s plenty of seating — both around the pool for those wanting to soak up some sun and along the shaded sides beneath the Deck 10 overhang. Wrapping around the aft funnel, you’ll find the Aqualab, a splash pad and kiddie pool designed for younger cruisers.

The staircase for the AquaDunk begins on Deck 9 and winds its way up the side of the funnel for those brave enough to take the plunge.

Adult Spaces

While the kids are off playing in the clubs, you can head to the Quiet Cove Pool. This adults-only retreat features a small pool along with a few bacterial incubation pods — aka hot tubs — and a mix of sun and shaded padded loungers for maximum relaxation.

In the mood for a little pampering? Head to Deck 9 Forward to visit Senses Spa for massages or a mani-pedi.

Beverage service is available throughout the Quiet Cove area, either at Signals Bar for beer and cocktails or at Cove Café, where the baristas can whip up your favorite specialty coffee. Cove Café also serves as the primary location for the liquor tastings offered throughout the week.

Let’s Eat

For quick-service snacks or light lunches, you have plenty of options on Deck 9. From pizza to burgers and chicken tenders, breakfast and lunch buffets, salads and wraps — and let’s not forget the self-serve ice cream! — you can easily grab whatever you’re craving while wandering around the pools.

• Cabanas Buffet – A little bit of everything, including comfort food, carving stations, and of course the peel-and-eat shrimp and Jonah crab claws.
• Daisy’s De-Lites – Salads, wraps, and cold sandwiches.
• Duck-In Diner – Burgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders, and a rotating special of the day.
• Frozone Treats – Slushies, daiquiris, and Dole Whips (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic).
• Eye Scream – Soft-serve ice cream in cones or cups.
• Pinocchio’s Pizzeria – Pizza by the slice.

If you can’t find something to eat here… you’re just not that hungry!

Feeling Sporty?

If you’re looking to burn off some of those extra calories, head up to Deck 10 forward to the Wide World of Sports Deck. Featuring a net-enclosed half-court basketball area, it also offers a couple of ping-pong and foosball tables tucked under a covered section that overlooks the bow of the ship. It’s a great spot to get in a little movement… or at least pretend you tried.

How about some new digs?

We stayed in Concierge stateroom 8026, located on the port side between the midship and forward elevators. Concierge rooms on the Disney Magic aren’t any larger than a standard verandah category, but they do come dressed up with upgraded décor and a few elevated amenities that make the space feel more premium.

The room included a queen bed (no twins-pushed-together situation on Disney ships), a sleeper sofa, a pull-down bunk from the ceiling and a Murphy bed — allowing the room to comfortably sleep up to five passengers. Across from the sitting area you’ll find the typical desk and counter setup, complete with drawers, small cabinets and a concealed mini-fridge.

There were a few standard outlets and USB ports on the desk, and while the nightstand initially seemed to only offer standard outlets that require charging blocks, a closer look revealed hidden USB ports located underneath the bedside lamps. Sneaky little things, but very helpful.

The split bathroom setup was slightly smaller than what we’re used to and featured the dreaded clingy shower curtain. One notable quirk — the doors to both bathrooms opened inward, meaning you had to do a bit of a shuffle to get in and out. Thankfully, newer Disney ships corrected this long ago, with outward-opening doors that won’t require choreography.

Across from the bathrooms and lining the entryway are the split closets stocked with the Concierge bathrobes and a safe — exactly what you’d expect in a room at this level.

Dinner at Rapunzel’s Royal Table on Disney Magic

The conclusion of Rapunzel’s birthday celebration called for our second dinner in Rapunzel’s Royal Table, and this was one menu we’d never tried before. Totally worth the wait. I kicked things off with the Crisp Isle of Corona Shrimp — a lightly fried jumbo shrimp that was every bit as fantastic as it sounds — paired with a comforting bowl of Potato Cream Soup.

The real struggle came with the entrées. Skipping Prime Rib is never easy for me, but when a pasta loaded with scallops and a new-to-me fish option started calling my name, I knew I was in trouble. Thankfully on Disney Cruise Line, you don’t actually have to choose.

I went with the corvina fillet, which ended up being the perfect companion to the Prime Rib I refused to give up, and Cristiano — absolute legend — brought me a side plate of scallops to round things out. What can I say? The man gets me.

The desserts were just as enticing, and we couldn’t resist trying two of the standouts. First up was the signature Pan-Fried Sweet Bread, served in Rapunzel’s weapon of choice — yes, the frying pan — which made it both delicious and perfectly on theme. We also went for the Black Forest Tower, a rich, chocolatey treat that absolutely lived up to its name.

Once again we were serenaded by Rapunzel and the Snuggly Duckling gang — this time with Flynn Rider joining the fun. Songs, jokes and plenty of merriment filled the room as the floating lanterns rose overhead, creating that perfect storybook moment Disney does so well. The evening wrapped with a conga-style parade weaving through the dining room, kids and grown-ups alike happily joining in.

This has quickly become one of my absolute favorite dining experiences on Disney Cruise Line.

With another port on the horizon tomorrow in St. Kitts, it’s shaping up to be a fantastic conclusion to the week. Thanks for checking in — see you in the morning for one last island adventure.

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