Carnival Sunshine thumbs up or thumbs down

[Dukesmith95]

Just looking for some feedback on this ship. I'm looking at booking a cruise and she is in my final 3 selections.

[riclop]

Just looking for some feedback on this ship. I'm looking at booking a cruise and she is in my final 3 selections.

What are the 3?

[rok233]

What are the 3?

 

I was thinking the same thing.

[Dukesmith95]

Looking at the pride out of Tampa, Fantasy out of Charleston, and the Sunshine out of Port Canaveral. I have cruised the Fantasy before and was very pleased, and I've cruised out of Port Canaveral aswell. Just curious about the Sunshine being over crowded.

[smeck]

I've read many reports of overcrowding. During her drydock they added more cabins making a one time crowded Destiny a even more crowded Sunshine.

[Dukesmith95]

That's what I was afraid of.

[b_cruise]

I just was on sunshine out of bacrcelona but I would not book her for port canaveral as sea days were so so so crowded on pool deck!! Everything else was great though so if u don't care about a deck chair on sea days, sunshine is great!! I honestly did not run into lines anywhere else. Get to the shows a bit early and it is good. Although in European ports people are tired therefore there may be more crowding in other areas. This ship should just stay in Europe!! I would be there for 2014!!!

[Star1]

I too am looking at the Sunshine for next year. So many are saying the Sunshine is a great ship. WOOHOOO!!!!!!!!! But I am not understanding why???? Is it that they added more bars??? Better Serenity area????? Better shows??????

I am looking at the Valor against the Sunshine. I just can not picture the layout of the Sunshine ship. I see the adult Serenity area is 3 decks high. The pool looks smaller than other pools. Am I correct? Also is the lido deck food near this area??? My family is worried they have to walk to the other side of the ship for food. Poor things to have to walk off some of the last meal! I don't have children and we don't use the dance clubs at night. Please can someone tell me why this ship is so great.

Thanks for your help.

Relax and enjoy life.

[dolphin2012]

we were on the sunshine this past june in europe... it was our 4th carnival cruise and we loved her!! the ports kept getting better day by day so maybe this was part of the excitment! we actually didnt get to "use" the ship much because the tours/ports were from morning to nite.. one thing for sure is an european cruise is very tiring and wonderful. I also felt the pool area was very crowded because it seems like serenity area was so large and took up the space.. all the other areas were never crowded.. anytime dining went well as well as the shows.. we didnt have time to do all the dining places cause of the extensive port times.. my family loved the slides and that area was not crowded... all the sportsdeck areas were fun and no crowds... the staff was very helpful and friendly.. we enjoyed it alot... the ports were our decison to book this cruise.....

[Sargent_Schultz]

Just looking for some feedback on this ship. I'm looking at booking a cruise and she is in my final 3 selections.

 

I have actually cruised on Carnival Sunshine. I have no reason to avoid the ship.

 

We have another cruise booked on her.

[cjknox]

From what I've heard all the "kinks" have been worked out and that she is a very nice ship. Out of the three options I'd go with the Sunshine.

[MrPete]

I just read a very extensive review on another site.

 

This ship is still having problems, and is overcrowded. I found her overcrowded BEFORE they added all the cabins and took two pools away.

 

The reviews should be interesting if and when she comes to the states.

[fermgirl]

I'm about to do a review after getting off last Sunday but in short, i LOVED the sunshine! The longest line i waited in was for a sandwich one day and that was maybe less than 5 mins.

The only day it felt even slightly busy was on the sea day but i was able to get a couple of chairs just before lunch without walking too far!

I loved the ship, as did my kids :)

[unfdoug]

Just looking for some feedback on this ship. I'm looking at booking a cruise and she is in my final 3 selections.

 

If you're interested in any of videos, i taped some of the public areas and did a couple of walk throughs on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/cruiseandblog

 

I just got back off her on Sunday and I agree with what past guests say. A little crowded on sea days both in serenity and lido. No lines for food because they have a bunch of options to choose from, including taste bar on deck 5 which turns into a light lunch area.

 

One thing I wish is that red frog pub served bar food but there wasn't a kitchen space on Sunshine.

 

There wasn't any technical issues that I saw or was made aware of. Everything seems flawless and the overall reaction of the ship was excellent.

 

Good luck in your choice!

[Sargent_Schultz]

Most of the reports of crowds are hearsay by people who haven't been on the new ship.

 

A link to lots of my Sunshine pictures is here:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1845665

 

There are many features that are on Sunshine that aren't on the other ships mentioned and few on the other ships that aren't on Sunshine.

 

Some were predicting massive overcrowding before the construction was even complete. When the predictions didn't come true they have now shifted to wait until Sunshine starts doing Caribbean cruises. We'll have to wait until the ship repositions to New Orleans to find that out, but I think those predictions are exaggerated as well.

 

As for me, I give the ship a

 

[mitsugirly]

 

A link to lots of my Sunshine pictures is here:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1845665

 

 

As for me, I give the ship a

 

 

Thanks so much for posting the link to the pictures. Wow is all I can say. I already wanted to try out the Breeze and Magic, but now I'm adding Sunshine to my list. :D

[wrigley80]

We're going on the Sunshine on December 8th and we can't wait....so what if you have to wait a few minutes at lunch. I can't wait to explore the ship and check out the Serenity area....that looks amazing.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Thanks so much for posting the link to the pictures. Wow is all I can say. I already wanted to try out the Breeze and Magic, but now I'm adding Sunshine to my list. :D

 

You're welcome. The majority of the reviews are quite favorable.

[golfadj]

I would not do the ship until it does carib and we see how crowded it is on sea days.

 

Until than we do connquest class

[PaulMedik]

I would not do the ship until it does carib and we see how crowded it is on sea days.

 

 

Until than we do connquest class

 

 

I had planned to sail her in the new aft wrap suite on deck 5 and thus not worry about the other decks being crowded........I still plan to sail her, but on deck 6 instead. ;)

[pcvtmom]

Cruised on the Sunshine in June...and found her to be one of our favorite ships (out of 20 cruises!). The layout for all of the dining areas helped the flow. We never found it to be crowded. The Serenity area was awesome, but on sea days you will need to arrive early. However, there were LOTS of lounges available all over the ship, if you aren't set on the Serenity. Overall a GREAT ship, regardless of the negative "predictions" so many people have posted. I will definitely sail on her again!

[Tantra1]

The main reason we cruise on Carnival these days is because we can drive to Port Canaveral and book a Cloud 9 Spa package. Since the Dream is leaving and Sunshine is taking its place there is no Thallasotherapy pool and the Sunshine doesn't show the same spa features on the deck plans. Sunshine just doesn't have the attraction for us. Maybe if the price is really low then we may give her a chance. Otherwise we will start looking at other cruise lines. Too bad. We really did enjoy cruising on Carnival. Maybe a few years from now they will bring a ship to Port Canaveral with a T-pool and a decent Spa package.

 

Cheers!

[b_cruise]

I am reading there were loungers available on sunshine on sea days. Unless it was not sunny believe me there were NO chairs, not even singles available after 1030 am on sea days. I would get a lounge at 10 am way out on a top side (2) and by 1230 we would leave to have lunch and be nice, give up our chsirs ( people would be in them as we were putting our shirts on).

 

At 2 I'd try to get a single and walk the whole ship a couple times round and there were none... This was all three sea days but we had perfect weather and I heard our sailing was full. I ended up going to the library to play games, empty!

 

Other areas were great though!!

 

I ran into a couple who had sailed the destiny before and they said the sunshine was "ridiculously crowded" on the pool deck. If u are up by 10 though, u should be o k I think!

[gregg204]

These "crowded" comments crack me up. I've never been on any ship that wasn't crowded on sea days. On every cruise after 10am lido chairs were slim pickings. If you don't like crowds or waiting in line a little while for food on sea days then no cruise is right for you. Personally I'm looking forward to my Sunshine cruise in Nov and not concerned about crowds at all.

 

 

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[kybluecruiser]

These "crowded" comments crack me up. I've never been on any ship that wasn't crowded on sea days. On every cruise after 10am lido chairs were slim pickings. If you don't like crowds or waiting in line a little while for food on sea days then no cruise is right for you. Personally I'm looking forward to my Sunshine cruise in Nov and not concerned about crowds at all.

 

 

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Exactly! Every ship I've been on lido has been crowded on sea days, from the pride, elation, fantasy, dream, ncl pearl, and to the RCI enchantment of the seas.

 

Can't wait til sunshine gets to port Canaveral so I can sail on her.