Random thoughts about Carnival Sunshine

Sailed on Carnival Sunshine Dec 9-17. Overall had a nice cruise even with the hurricane damage forced port changes. This was our 6th Carnival cruise, but first time on the Sunshine. There were a few things about the ship we really liked, such as the Havana bar. The Cuban bites there at lunchtime were really quite good, as was the Cuban coffee. Lido was easy to navigate and the food was usually hot and really good.

Now for the weird stuff......We like to walk and thought it odd that apart from the sunny windy track on the sport deck, there wasn't anywhere to walk a lap around the ship. On the inappropriately named promenade deck, big sections of the bow and stern are blocked off, so you can really only walk less than half of the length of the ship before you're forced to about face.

Kind of along the same line was the weird layout of the interior decks. Other than the purely cabin passageways, there really was no deck to walk from stem to stern without an obstacle course other than deck 5. This was OK as a lot of points of interest were on 5, but it seemed odd that everyone was channeled on this thoroughfare.

Casino was SUPER smoky. Not trying to open a can of worms as I'm a former smoker myself, but it was terrible. I usually game every night for hours on end, but I didn't play at all on our cruise it was so bad. Even the casino bar which is half "non smoking" was intolerable to me. They really need to work on a ventilation solution to this, as I'm sure I'm not the only gamer who was chased out by the smoke.

Also, although the serenity area was nice, quiet and kid free, it has only one spa and one very small pool which I can only assume is fed by a glacier given its temperature. Much prefer the water slide at the bow with an aft pool for adults like the Dream.

Anyway, just a heads up.

Appreciate the feedback!

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Thank you for your report/comments.

Keith

Thank-you for your report/review.

Also, although the serenity area was nice, quiet and kid free, it has only one spa and one very small pool which I can only assume is fed by a glacier given its temperature. Much prefer the water slide at the bow with an aft pool for adults like the Dream.

(Bold my emphasis)

Why is there no smiley for :spit coffee: ?

Thanks for the heads up on that - we sail on the Sunshine at a similar time of year in late 2018.

And thanks for the overall review, very good stuff!

Thanks for your feedback on the ship! You sound a lot like us...we try to walk 5+ miles per day (Fitbit goals) even on Sea Days and that would be impossible on this ship. I thought that is what it looked like on the floorplans online, and you have confirmed that the ship wouldn't work for exercise walks. Ditto the casino...smoke is a no-no for me as it gives me a lung irritation, cough, then bronchitis. So I have to walk quickly thru the casino to keep from getting sick by the end of a cruise. Sunshine is definitely off our list now as you are just confirming what everyone else has said. Too many other great ships.

Thank you for the review as we are trying to get as much info as we can since we sail on her in Nov 2018.

Casino was SUPER smoky. Not trying to open a can of worms as I'm a former smoker myself, but it was terrible. I usually game every night for hours on end, but I didn't play at all on our cruise it was so bad. Even the casino bar which is half "non smoking" was intolerable to me. They really need to work on a ventilation solution to this, as I'm sure I'm not the only gamer who was chased out by the smoke.

Vista was touted as going to have the best air/smoke filtration systems for their casino at sea, so the smoke would not be an issue. It was one of the reasons that we chose to sail Vista last April.

We quickly discovered once onboard that the casino was more smokey than any other cruise ship we were on and, for us, it completely cut out using deck 4. We didn't even venture into the little bar next door where they do karaoke (I usually sing at least once), because of the proximity of the bar to the smoke-filled casino.

Vista was touted as going to have the best air/smoke filtration systems for their casino at sea, so the smoke would not be an issue. It was one of the reasons that we chose to sail Vista last April.

 

We quickly discovered once onboard that the casino was more smokey than any other cruise ship we were on and, for us, it completely cut out using deck 4. We didn't even venture into the little bar next door where they do karaoke (I usually sing at least once), because of the proximity of the bar to the smoke-filled casino.

Vista was one of the less smoke filled Casino's?? Yes you could smoke at the inside part of the bar and in a section near the cashier area....But thats the only area inside the ship where smoking is allowed and I felt it was less smokey than other inside areas on other ships.

Vista was one of the less smoke filled Casino's?? Yes you could smoke at the inside part of the bar and in a section near the cashier area....But thats the only area inside the ship where smoking is allowed and I felt it was less smokey than other inside areas on other ships.

YMMV. We felt Vista had by far one of the smokiest Casino's.

YMMV. We felt Vista had by far one of the smokiest Casino's.

Well, not to be Captain Obvious, but perhaps there just happened to be more smokers than usual, or smokers indulging more than usual, in one case, and the reverse for the other case?

I hang out at pubs and dive-bars, and sometimes a place will be so smoke-filled you can't see across the room, and other times it's like there hasn't been a smoker there for days and the Febreze Fairies came out.

Well, not to be Captain Obvious, but perhaps there just happened to be more smokers than usual, or smokers indulging more than usual, in one case, and the reverse for the other case?

 

I hang out at pubs and dive-bars, and sometimes a place will be so smoke-filled you can't see across the room, and other times it's like there hasn't been a smoker there for days and the Febreze Fairies came out.

True!!!! I can vouch for one thing about Vista...The design has definitely limited the smell of smoke to other areas.... Does not travel throughout the same floor as on other Carnival ships

Also, although the serenity area was nice, quiet and kid free, it has only one spa and one very small pool which I can only assume is fed by a glacier given its temperature. Much prefer the water slide at the bow with an aft pool for adults like the Dream.

 

 

 

Anyway, just a heads up.

We just booked Sunshine for Nov. and got a Spa room mostly so we could be right outside of serenity. Did you feel like that area was crowded? Just got off the Triumph Sat and my #1 problem was no adult area. However, we were on the Dream Sept 16’ and it’s serenity area was packed all the time. I’m torn on my decision now.

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I was on Sunshine 3X (sailed from NY)

I like the cabins on Deck 5. Close to the casino that I like as well.

Also like the "mini" breakfast setup in the AM (between the cabins and the casino) so I didn't have to go to Lido to get a cup of coffee and a bite to eat! Deck 5 is pretty close to everything I like.

I was never bothered by smoke in the casino.

I leave on her in 5 more days. Very excited. I'm platinum, but I'm bringing 3 first timers with me, so i am hoping they will enjoy themselves. we don't smoke or gamble but if most thing are centralized on deck 5, I am hoping the smoke won't bother us too much.

We just booked Sunshine for Nov. and got a Spa room mostly so we could be right outside of serenity. Did you feel like that area was crowded? Just got off the Triumph Sat and my #1 problem was no adult area. However, we were on the Dream Sept 16’ and it’s serenity area was packed all the time. I’m torn on my decision now.

 

 

 

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Serenity on Sunshine is one of the largest on all the ships...It actually covers 3 decks....but 1 of the deck areas are small. You should have plenty of room.

I leave on her in 5 more days. Very excited. I'm platinum, but I'm bringing 3 first timers with me, so i am hoping they will enjoy themselves. we don't smoke or gamble but if most thing are centralized on deck 5, I am hoping the smoke won't bother us too much.

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Thanks for your thoughts.

We liked the aesthetics of the ship but will not sail the sunshine again due to the overcrowding. The pinch points from the lido pool to the buffet were crazy. Standing in line to get through the doorway was crazy. The ship added cabins and the it cant handle the crowds comfortably.