This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase or book a cruise through one of my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. I paid for the spa treatments in this review, and all opinions are based on my own experience.
Apparently, this Carnival Magic cruise turned into a spa cruise.
I already knew I was a spa girl. Give me a thermal suite, a heated lounger and somewhere quiet to disappear for a few hours, and I'm happy.
Mary and I were staying in a Cloud 9 Spa interior cabin, so thermal-suite access was already included with our cabin.
Apparently, that wasn't enough for me. 😂
I also booked two treatments: a Fire & Ice Mani/Pedi and a 75-minute massage with hot stones. Those were separate purchases and weren't included with our spa cabin.
Neither was planned before the cruise.
One happened because Celebration Key was a bit of a bust thanks to cool, windy weather.
The other happened because Mary looked entirely too relaxed getting a teaser massage.
And honestly?
Both were fabulous decisions.
Even better, I didn't pay the first prices I saw:
Fire & Ice Mani/Pedi: $159 → $127
75-minute massage: $229 → $159
Total difference: $102
Planning a Carnival Cruise?
If you're considering Carnival for your next cruise, you can check current Carnival cruises, pricing and itineraries here → Cruises.com
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A quick note about prices: These are the prices I personally saw and paid during my sailing. Spa prices, promotions, treatment options and appointment availability can vary.
Yes, I Am a Spa Girl
If you've been around No Point Left Behind for approximately five minutes, this will surprise exactly no one.
I love cruise spas.
Sometimes I'm there for an actual treatment. Sometimes I'm perfectly content sitting in a thermal suite doing absolutely nothing.
Frankly, doing absolutely nothing may be one of my greatest vacation skills.
Having thermal-suite access included with our Cloud 9 Spa cabin meant I could wander over whenever I wanted.
And wander over I did. 😂
If you're my kind of cruiser, you can find all of my spa adventures in my Cruise Spa & Thermal Suite Guide.
But this cruise gave me something new to review.
When Celebration Key Was a Bust, I Went to the Spa
Yes, it can be cool and windy in the Caribbean.
And on our Celebration Key day, that's exactly what happened.
The weather wasn't cooperating, and the port day wasn't turning out the way I'd envisioned.
So I did what any self-respecting Lazy Girl would do:
I decided to get a mani/pedi.
Technically, I needed one anyway.
Getting my nails done is one of those things I always intend to do at home and then somehow never actually get around to doing.
Then I checked the Carnival app while we were at Celebration Key.
And there it was.
My Fire & Ice Mani/Pedi Dropped From $159 to $127
I'd already been thinking about trying the Fire & Ice Mani/Pedi, and the first price I'd seen was $159.
At Celebration Key, I saw it offered for $127.
That was apparently all the encouragement I needed.
Booked.
My Fire & Ice Mani/Pedi Experience
Fire and Ice Pedicure
This wasn't just a quick polish change and out the door.
It felt like an actual spa treatment.
There were warm towels, massage and wonderful Elemis oils used on my hands and legs. I especially loved the blue muscle oil they used. I'm already an Elemis fan, so this was very much speaking my language.
And Jamona was lovely.
The entire experience felt relaxing instead of rushed.
After our disappointing weather at Celebration Key, spending the afternoon being pampered aboard Carnival Magic turned out to be a pretty great backup plan.
Yes, I came away with my nails done.
But honestly?
The pampering was what made the $127 worth it to me.
Would I book it again?
Absolutely.
At $127, I was very happy with my decision.
Then Mary Accidentally Sold Me a Massage
Apparently one spa treatment wasn't enough.
Later in the cruise, Mary was getting one of those teaser massages near our room.
I watched her for approximately five seconds.
She looked VERY relaxed.
I didn't even need the teaser.
Just sign me up for the real thing. 😂
My 75-Minute Hot Stone Massage
My 75-Minute Hot Stone Massage
Earlier in the cruise, I'd seen the 75-minute massage priced at $229.
At $229?
I hadn't booked it.
When Mary was getting her teaser massage, they offered her a 75-minute massage with hot stones for $159.
She hesitated.
I did not. 😂
I'd already seen that same massage priced at $229 earlier in the cruise, so the second I heard $159?
I'll take it.
More importantly?
The massage was fabulous.
It was exactly what I wanted for our last sea day. If you are on the Carnival Magic definitely ask for Kameih. I was not disappointed!
So...Do Carnival Spa Prices Change During a Cruise?
On my sailing, they did.
That's as far as I'm willing to take that statement.
I'm not going to tell you:
"Wait until Day 4 at 2:17 PM and Carnival will slash its massage prices!"
Nope. 😂
But I did notice a pattern on my sailing.
I saw better spa pricing on our port day, and later in the cruise, when the spa still had appointments to fill, I was offered another deal directly at the spa.
That's actually how I ended up with the massage. Mary was getting her teaser massage when they offered her the $159 deal. She hesitated.
I did not. 😂
I'd already seen that massage for $229, so $159 was enough to get me to book.
That doesn't mean every Carnival sailing will work the same way, and if there's a treatment or appointment time you absolutely want, I wouldn't risk losing it just to chase a possible discount.
But for me, neither treatment was a must-do. I kept an eye on the offers and booked when something I wanted reached a price that felt worth paying.
The mani/pedi dropped by $32.
The massage dropped by $70.
That's a $102 difference between the first prices I saw and what I ultimately paid.
So on future cruises? I'll absolutely be watching the port-day specials and keeping an eye on any offers the spa makes onboard.
No complicated strategy. Just paying attention.
Very Lazy Girl Approved. 😂.
The Biggest Spa Disappointment: The New Pool
Now we need to talk about what I didn't love.
The new pool.
I've experienced Carnival Magic's spa before, so I knew what the old pool was like.
And for me?
The new version is a major downgrade.
It's much smaller, and it doesn't have the real jets I loved about the previous pool.
I was disappointed.
And I wasn't the only person with opinions about it. I heard plenty of complaints about the change while I was there.
But here's where this gets funny.
My Parents LOVED It 😂
My parents never experienced the old pool.
They had absolutely nothing to compare this one to.
And they loved it.
Because it didn't seem nearly as popular during our sailing, I think my parents practically lived in that pool.
So we had two very different reactions.
My parents:
This is fantastic!
Me:
WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY POOL?! 😂
That's actually important context.
If this is your first Carnival Magic spa experience, you might think the new pool is perfectly nice.
I had something I liked much better to compare it with.
If you want to check out the old pool, check out my review from last year → Carnival Magic Thermal Spa review.
Spa Treatments vs. the Thermal Suite
One important distinction when looking at what I spent:
Thermal-suite access was included with our Cloud 9 Spa cabin. I did not purchase a separate thermal-suite pass.
The mani/pedi and massage were additional purchases.
They're two different types of spa experiences for me.
A treatment is an appointment.
The thermal suite is where I disappear for an unreasonable amount of time without accomplishing anything. 😂
If you're new to cruise spas and wondering what you're actually paying for, read What Is a Thermal Spa? Beginner's Guide.
Was It Worth the Money?
For me?
Yes, with an asterisk.
I also think where you live changes how those prices sound.
I live in the Nashville area, where spa and salon services aren't exactly cheap. So $127 for the full Fire & Ice experience and $159 for a 75-minute hot stone massage didn't feel outrageous to me.
Compared with what I'm accustomed to seeing around a big-city market, I felt good about what I paid.
That's one of the benefits, or maybe hazards 😂, of living near a big city.
Cruise-ship spa pricing doesn't automatically give me sticker shock.
That doesn't mean I'll pay anything.
Remember, I passed on the massage at $229.
At $159?
That was a price I was comfortable paying for something I genuinely wanted.
And that's basically my entire approach to travel spending:
Save where it doesn't matter to me so I have room to spend where it does.
Apparently, spa treatments mattered on this cruise. 😂
I loved both treatments.
I loved having thermal-suite access with our cabin.
I did not love the pool change.
And that's okay. An honest review doesn't have to be all good or all bad.
What I Pack for a Cruise Spa Day
Of course, being me, I bring a few spa-day extras of my own. Do you need them? Nope. But if I'm going to spend an unreasonable amount of time in the spa, I'm going to lean into it. 😂
What I Actually Bring for a Cruise Spa Day
The lightweight spa-day extras I actually pack for thermal-suite days - masks, skincare, and little luxuries that help me lean all the way into cruise spa mode.
That's basically peak Lazy Girl efficiency. 😂
Packing for Carnival? You can also shop my Carnival Cruise Packing List for the things I actually bring onboard for cabin life, pool days, spa time and everything in between.
My Carnival Magic Spa Verdict
Somehow Carnival Magic turned into my spa cruise.
And I'm not mad about it.
The Fire & Ice Mani/Pedi rescued a disappointing port day.
The 75-minute hot stone massage was a fabulous way to spend part of our final sea day.
The new pool was my biggest disappointment.
Meanwhile, my parents loved that very same pool and practically moved in.
Cruising is funny like that. 😂
My takeaway isn't that you should wait for a certain day to book the spa.
It's much simpler:
If you're interested in a spa treatment, keep an eye on the offers during your cruise.
I did, and I ultimately paid $102 less than the first prices I'd seen for the two treatments combined.
But that's not the only reason I'm happy I booked them.
I spent money on experiences that genuinely made my vacation better.
That's my kind of cruise math. 😂
No complicated strategy required.
Very Lazy Girl Approved.
Ready to Plan Your Own Carnival Cruise?
If Carnival is sounding like your kind of cruise, you can check current Carnival sailings, itineraries and pricing here → Cruises.com
I've sailed Carnival more than once, and while I don't love everything, there are things I genuinely enjoy about the experience. That's exactly why there's still room for Carnival in my cruise rotation.
This is an affiliate link. If you book through my link, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
More Cruise Spa Reviews & Guides
If you consider the spa an important part of vacation, welcome.
You're my people.
Carnival Magic Cloud 9 Spa & Thermal Suite Review
What Is a Thermal Spa? Beginner's Guide
About the Author
Hi, I'm Julie Davis, creator of No Point Left Behind.
I'm a frequent cruiser, points-and-miles enthusiast and unapologetic spa girl who would happily spend an unreasonable portion of a sea day rotating between thermal rooms, heated loungers and whatever quiet corner nobody else has discovered yet.
I share what I actually experienced, what I paid, what I'd do again and the occasional thing I'd definitely do differently.
My goal isn't to convince you there's one "right" way to cruise. It's to help you figure out what's worth your money and vacation time so you can save where it doesn't matter and have room to spend where it does.
And sometimes traveling smarter means abandoning a cold, windy port day and getting a mani/pedi instead.
No regrets.
