Monday, April 1, 2024

Carnival Sunshine cruise ship review: What to expect on board

carnival.sunshine cruise

Likewise, specialty Premium Vista balcony staterooms are situated on the aft corners of the ship, offering panoramic views from wrap-around balconies. The Serenity deck is unique in the sense that it has a split personality, which is a good thing. Its vastness spanning three decks allows you to tailor your Serenity experience to your liking. Part of the Serenity area offers a view of the Lido deck, where you can hear all the music and fun happening around the pool.

Carnival Sunshine Itineraries Cruises

If you pay for a plan prior to sailing, you'll receive a discount. Carnival adds an automatic service gratuity of $14.50 to $16.50 per person, per day to final bills, depending on the cabin category. As previously mentioned, beginning in 2025, the vessel will move to its new home port of Norfolk, Virginia. From there, it will offer six-night Bahamas and Bermuda sailings, as well as eight-night Eastern Caribbean itineraries. The Alchemy Bar is a cocktail bar designed to resemble an apothecary, offering "elixirs" and "remedies." It's one of the venues I look forward to the most when cruising with Carnival. My room had two twin beds pushed together into a queen-size bed that was flanked by bedside lamps and two one-drawer, one-shelf nightstands.

Carnival Sunshine®

Sure, you'll spot signs of wear and tear befitting an older ship, but the dings in my cabin furnishings were easy to overlook. What you come away with is the distinct feeling that there has been a quiet revolution going on, with a triumph of style over tack. In fact, there are certain areas of the ship, such as the Library Bar, Java Blue, Havana Bar, Fahrenheit 555 and Ji Ji, where you'd be hard pressed to tell this was even a Carnival ship. Even if you’ve been on a cruise to The Bahamas, the Caribbean or Bermuda before, you’ll want to experience the uniqueness of Carnival Sunshine. It’s a whole new cruise experience, with plenty of new memories to make and share with friends, family and loved ones.

ONBOARD DINING

For now, though, if you take a Carnival Sunshine cruise, here’s what you can expect. If you’re a foodie (or are traveling with one), this is a must. You didn’t hear it from us, but we’ve been told the best way to do so is by putting two bottles in your bag, two in your travel partner’s… and then going through separate security lines. A reader recently told me about how they’d been looking forward to dining at the steakhouse all week… only to find out on the last day that the place was booked solid. The towels on the Serenity deck are big and fluffy and great to wrap yourself in… which is probably why they make you sign them out.

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Ocean Suites are akin to junior suites, expanded versions of balcony cabins. I've sailed with Carnival on several occasions, and the food has always been great. I was able to sample most included and added-fee restaurants — including Asian favorites at JiJi's and Bonsai Sushi, and the poolside Guy's Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina (more below on each of these). The ship's age is starting to show, with a few nicks and marks here and there and visible rust spots on the exterior. The need for a fresh coat of paint was more prominent when we were docked beside two newer Royal Caribbean ships in Nassau — so much so that the comedian referenced it in his show that night.

If you like fresh air with your morning walk or run, head to the top deck and hit the jogging track. Carnival's Cloud 9 Spa on Deck 10 is the place to go for vacation pampering. Various treatments and therapies are available — from deep tissue and stone massages to acupuncture and other traditional Chinese techniques. Additionally, the spa offers hair and nail services, facials and medispa treatments. During this sailing, many families seemed to hang out together during the day — spending time at the pool, watching karaoke and participating in other activities.

Those in the know, however, can dodge the buffet scrum by heading to the BlueIguana Cantina, which offers made-to-order breakfast burritos with savory fillings like chicken sausage, ham and hash browns. Enjoy old time favorites like a hot pastrami on rye, grilled Reuben, or roasted turkey breast on a country roll. Our sandwiches and wraps are always hand-carved and served fresh with cole slaw or relish. Come by, satisfy your craving for a great sandwich and make sure you don’t forget the kosher dill.

carnival.sunshine cruise

There are designated times when little ones can use the facilities if supervised by their parents. Children who are not toilet trained cannot use Sunshine's WaterWorks facilities, pools or hot tubs. The ship's library, which doubles as the Library Bar, has a small selection of bestsellers and travel books, as well as a good selection of Hasbro-branded games (e.g. Monopoly and Battleship). All can be checked out with the help of a librarian (who doubles as the lobby bar bartender on Deck 3). Tabs on book borrowers are kept via their Sail and Sign cards. The atrium -- the midship space that typically is one of Carnival's defining elements -- has soft orange decor with a stylish, shiny metal-ball centerpiece, overhanging the main bar.

These staterooms are great for a pair of cruisers on a budget, creatively maximizing space with a different layout — featuring one Twin bed, and either an upper Pullman or sofa bed. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.

Do note, that there is a big difference between the porthole ocean-view staterooms and the ocean-view staterooms, so be sure to choose your stateroom accordingly. Finally, in 2022, Carnival Sunshine gained its status as the oldest ship in the Carnival family (if you consider the ship the Carnival Destiny), as Carnival Ecstasy retired. All of the above considered, you can expect a refreshed, modern feel on this Carnival ship, similar to what you might find on younger Carnival vessels.

The pianist/singer was top-notch and had a great rapport with the guests. The only thing that tainted our experience was that both times we visited, a family with younger kids monopolized the show with requests. The Carnival website lists the Piano Bar as a 21-plus venue, but no one challenged the family.

If you've sailed on a newer Carnival ship with ample outlets and USB ports in your cabin, you might be surprised by the lack of them on Sunshine. Updating the number of electrical outlets and adding USB ports to the cabins was not part of the 2013 renovation. Carnival Sunshine offers a nice variety of cuisine, so all palates will be satisfied.

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