SOLVED. Middle Grade book. Magicians or illusionists on a ship with children. Read 1990-1995. [s]

[Jennifer]

I read a book when I was little (1990-1995 probably?) and it was about magicians or illusionists or something and I swear they were on a ship. I think it took place in the olden days? Like early 1900s maybe. It’s driving me CRAZY. I’ve aleays thought the word illusion was in the title but google keeps coming up empty.

[Jennifer]

I also feel like the cover had a ball on it. Like a crystal ball? But not a crystal ball.

[Kate]

Jennifer ~~
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Good luck!

[Capn]

The Magician's Trap? (Are you still looking?) :)

[[deleted user]]

Definitely not The Magician's Trap with that description, I've read it many times and it bears no resemblance!

[Capn]

Polly wrote: "Definitely not The Magician's Trap with that description, I've read it many times and it bears no resemblance!"

So have I, Polly. But it's helpful to suggest books that might trigger either new memories, or to help guide the OP. Oftentimes people remember two similar books and have conflated the plots or covers.

In the interest of helping OP Jennifer, assuming she's still active and this thread doesn't need to be moved to 'Abandoned', there's a crystal ball cover list: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...
..only as Jennifer says in message 2, it was a crystal ball but not a crystal ball. Hence my suggestion ...

Also in the interest of assisting, had Jennifer replied, I'd have also given these links:

Stage Magic: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Magicians in Historical Fiction: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...
YA Cruise Ships: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...

(In the interest of anyone else who may have come across this thread by the search of "not a crystal ball" and "cover", there's also William Mayne's The Glass Ball, which takes place on a Greek island and has cruise ships as well, though it largely takes place between the monastery and the harbour).

[Capn]

Anyhoo.... I think it's probably:

Floating Illusions 1986

[Jennifer]

It’s floating illusions!!! Thank you thank you thank you!! I can’t believe it!!!

[Capn]

Ha ha, my pleasure. ;)

[Kris]

Great! Glad you found your book, Jennifer. Thanks for the update.

[Capn]

(Just in case someone finds this thread searching for "crystal ball, not a crystal ball on the cover", there's another 90s YA book worth mentioning that doesn't quite make the 'crystal ball' cover list cut:
Out of the Blue)