Carnival Sunshine - March 9th Review

[XCruiseMe17]

Carnival Sunshine Review - March 9th

Western Caribbean - Spring Break.

 

 

This was a girl's trip to celebrate my 30th birthday. This was my 11th cruise and my friends 5th. All with CCL. We are from Chicago. This was our first time on the Sunshine. Everything is based on our opinion and past experiences. We understand that everyone cruises for different reasons. What is important to us might not be someone else's cup of tea. Please be patient with me, I am not experienced with the writing reviews.

 

We flew in a day early and stayed at the Drury Inn & Suites. It was nice enough. Everyone was extremely pleasant. It was very clean, and not far from Bourbon St/French Quarter. We walked every place we went with no issues. The hotel wasn't far from the Port. It was a $7 per person cab ride.

 

Embarkation process in NOLA is kinda slower than I am used to. I personally felt that things would have gone faster if I didn't utilize my priority boarding option. I took over an hour to board the ship.

 

Our room - We had a Category 1A - Room 2106. It was very clean. It seemed slightly cramped. There was no mirror in the closet, nor were there shelves. You never realize how much you utilize certain things until they are available to you. We are definitely not live out of the suitcase kinda gals, but with the lack of shelves and minimal hangers, we didn't have a choice. It was annoying, but we got over it, sort of. J The bathroom was smaller than we have had on other ships, but that really wasn't an issue. The TV in the room is NOT interactive, meaning you can’t check your S&S account, you can’t view the dinner menus, nor can you book excursions or order room service. We missed being able to order movies when we come in from a long day in the sun. Make sure you pay attention to the GOOD TO KNOW paper that you get the first night of the cruise; it has the room service menu on it as well as the week’s big activities on the other side.

 

Dining - We had late dining in the Sunrise Dining room. The Maitre'd was Ken Byrne. He is absolutely amazing. He could sing to me any time! The dinner service was extremely slow. I don't know if that was because of our team of waiters or not. One the first day you could clearly see that they overbooked people at tables. We had a little situation at our table, made for uncomfortable dining for a few days. We only went to the main dining room 3 nights. The other nights we went to the specialty restaurants.

 

Room Service – Besides not being able to order off the TV, the room service was pretty great. They never took a long time, the people who brought the food were always friendly and we enjoyed talking with them.

 

Cucina Del Capitano – They do lunch a little different that the Magic or the Breeze. The hostess lady was kinda rude, but I didn’t see again after the first day. The pasta at lunch tasted great! Dinner in Cucina is such an awesome experience no matter which ship you are on. The staff was absolutely amazing. The food was incredible, but you have to go hungry since the portions are huge. So worth the $12 per person charge, I highly recommend anyone to have dinner here. It’s quiet, beautiful and you get a very homey feeling there.

 

Fahrenheit 555 - We had dinner there to celebrate my 30th birthday. We chose to eat there on the second formal night. Although we were seated next to a very rude couple, we enjoyed our time. The staff was amazing there as well. You aren't just served by one or two people, it's as if everyone in the restaurant comes and helps you in one way or another before the dinner is over. We both had the Surf and Turf, PERFECTION! I would have had pictures, but the people seated next to us were offended that we were taking pictures. Rather than say something to us, they just talked about us, loud enough for us to hear. I wouldn't go to the steakhouse every time I cruise, but this was a welcomed treat! I like that the dining area isn’t over done in regards to interior design, it’s very classy and upscale.

 

Ji Ji's Asian Kitchen - I really wish that every ship had this as a dining option. It was a totally different experience than I have ever had. It is family style dining. Pending on how many people you have, you will be able to pick a certain amount of appetizers, main courses, sides and deserts. The food was excellent. The atmosphere is very chill. The hostess was so friendly and easy going. We really enjoyed talking to her. Everyone that came to our table brought something new to the experience. We didn't try any Sake, but they had some different options. The Rose Crème Brule Desert was amazing. The menu shows which region each food selection is from. They explain everything to you. They have little traditional things they teach you. Very happy with Ji Ji's Asian Kitchen.

 

Guy’s Burgers – Either you love it, or you hate it. We personally LOVE it. The lines never seemed long on the Sunshine considering how many people were on the ship. The servers always had smiles on their faces and were very pleasant.

 

Blue Iguana Cantina – We also liked this dining option and again the lines never were long. I just wish they had tortilla chips to go with the Salsa bar area.

 

Brunch in the Dining Room – That was a good time. We were seated right away. It wasn’t rushed or hectic. We had an awesome server, her name was ANA. We totally wish we would have had her in the main dining room as our wait staff. We might have gone to dinner more often.

 

Lido Dining- LIDO never seemed like they had long lines or anything, but finding a place to sit was an issue, the lido food was the usual. Everything was clean and it looked appealing. The little stations are cute.

 

Pizza – I think the pizza has totally been improved. It tasted way better than it ever has before. They only have one person working late at night and I felt bad for him. All everyone did was yell at him. This was after after spot!

 

Serenity – Serenity on the Sunshine is awesome, IF you can find a spot to sit. You really have to wake up early to reserve your spot or you will just walk around and stalk the area. The waterfall pool is sooo relaxing. It had a little too much chlorine, but we were just so excited it wasn’t salt water. The pool itself never seemed full or crowded. It was kinda sweet to see all the couples by the waterfall. Any spot by Serenity is a good spot. They actually have tons of waiters in this area taking drink orders. The bar itself is pretty big. We spent a lot of time there.

 

Waterworks- Slides never went down them, but they were awesome! The lines never looked long and everyone looked like they were having a great time.

 

Overall Bar Service – HORRIBLE. In all 11 of my cruises this was by far the worst service I have ever received. They seem extremely short staffed in the bar tender/waiter area. We had the Cheers program, but that has never affected our service before.

 

Liquid - So as most of you know the show lounge converts to the Club at night. Well that is all fine and dandy, but apparently Carnival didn’t take into consideration the rooms above and below the lounge. The lounge itself is very beautiful. Once they change it into the “Club” it is a nice atmosphere. I wish the bar itself was bigger, or that they had two. Good luck finding a waiter in the club; I practically had to harass one of em to make sure he came to us often. Once we got past the harassment we became great friends. (Shout out to Bogdan) ;) My biggest issue with Liquid was that it closed early due to the noise complaints. I am used to the clubs on Carnival to stay open as late as 4:30am. Not the case on the Sunshine it was closed before 2:00am every time it was open. AND it is not open every night of the cruise. On the nights that liquid is closed they have the DJs transition over to Havana Bar – more on that later. Not only were we celebrating my birthday, but we wanted to party, so to have the club close so early was pretty crappy in our opinion. It was almost like well what am I supposed to do now. You can only gamble so much. Did I mention this ship had the BEST DJs. DJ Fever and DJ JBLENZ were the best DJs I have ever seen on a cruise or in general for that matter. They were killin’ it and then they have to close. Carnival is definitely not utilizing there talent on the Sunshine. They need to be on the bigger ships like the Breeze. Also the Club is NOT open on the last night, I repeat NOT open! All passengers retreat to Havana Bar.

 

Casino – Most people ended up hanging at the Casino bar after liquid closed because besides Pizza that was the only thing open. The Casino bar wasn’t so bad. Great bartender (MADE). He was super friendly. The Casino itself was pretty nice. Not as busy as I’ve seen on other ships, but people seemed to be enjoying themselves. We didn’t do so badly on the machines. We don’t play the tables, but they were full, lots of emotions flowing. The casino never seemed to be busy past 3am.

 

Havana Bar – Havana Bar is an awesome concept. I just don’t think the location of the bar on the Sunshine did it any justice. In the daytime when you are eating on LIDO, it is a great spot to go and sit, it is never full, and it’s clean and pretty quiet. The nights the DJ was there, they were only scheduled again till about 1:30am. They played awesome music, American and Latin. The problem is, there wasn’t anyone there! They need to come up with a new plan for this place, because it is a FAILURE right now. At least for our sailing it was. I felt bad for the DJs and Bartenders, the music is bumpin’ the bartenders are ready to serve drinks, the atmosphere is chill, the place is gorgeous, it is like they are wasting their time. It should be closer to the middle of ocean plaza.

 

Piano Bar – We never went and enjoyed the Piano Bar, BUT the night we wanted to go, it was NOT open. Again I have never seen the Piano Bar not open at night on a cruise. It too was in an awkward spot on the ship, but I hope that it had good traffic when it as open. It looked nice.

 

Limelight – Now that is in a weird location, and can NOT accommodate the amount of people that want to enjoy a comedy show. Once one show finishes there is already a line outside the door for the next one and more than likely not all those people will get a seat so no point in getting in line for another show.

 

Red Frog Pub – So sad that this one does not have a kitchen. We were looking forward to the little snacks they had. It too is in a weird position on the ship, if you didn’t know the ship had one, you might not notice it. It was always packed and the singer his name was Andy he was pretty great.

 

Alchemy Bar – The Bartenders name that I don’t know was probably one of the hottest guys I’ve ever seen anywhere. Reason enough to go there!

 

ESPN Bar – The bartender Daniel was super nice. They didn’t have a lot of business in there either. But it was a nice place to relax and get away from the masses.

 

Spa – I never went to the Spa, but we hung out with the Spa girls in Liquid they were super nice and lots of fun. Also they were very beautiful; hopefully they are good at their jobs

 

The Fun Shops – They had the usual stuff, their staff was not friendly or engaging at all, they might as well have not even been there. The Cherry On Top is smaller than on the ships, but totally cute, they always had a lot of people in there. Also the stuff that is online to purchase that says online only, they have the stuff in Cherry On Top!

 

Excursions – SOLD OUT! We had to get the ones that didn’t sell from the Carnival Liberty to sell on the Sunshine. People were looking for stuff to do.

 

Cruise Director – We had Butch. He is wonderful at his job. People love him. He is great with everyone. He entertains and does it well.

 

Photographers – Normally in my previous experience we are like harassed each time we pass a photographer to take a picture. Not one single time were we asked to have our picture taken. The photographers stood around talked with each other. They seemed bored and disinterested in the people. They did have some nice backgrounds though.

 

Favorite Things – DJ Fever and DJ JBLENDZ Loved Them! I would cruise on a ship, just because they were there! Serenity Pool/waterfall, loved the chlorine. Cucina and Ji Ji’s were a good addition to our trip. The Alchemy bartender and the really buff security guard were good additions to the trip.

 

Least favorite things – Service – It lacked in a lot of areas on this ship. The Liquid Lounge, they really should have thought about that some more. Our stateroom needed shelves and a mirror, no lie.

 

Overall – We had a good time. I don’t think either of us would choose the Sunshine again. We are night people. This ship did nothing for us. Don’t get me wrong it is beautiful and clean. The concept is there, they just fell short on a lot of things. We felt there was nothing really for us to do and left a lot to be desired. I came back from vacation feeling like I still needed one, and not in a good way.

 

Okay so this was way longer than I wanted it to be. I am sorry. I stated in the beginning I am not really good at this review stuff. I know it was all over the place, but if you are still reading, thank you!

 

If you have any questions, let me know and I will try to answer them. Again this was all based on my own preferences and style. I`ll try to add some pics, we didn’t take very many.

 

I’m ending this with, I really miss DJ FEVER!

[reerun25]

Nice review, I enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing...

[lara_lox]

Hi Pamela,

 

Thanks so much for doing this, it was really helpful for me because I'm the same age as you and sailing the Sunshine in the same cabin next month! It's disappointing to hear that there isn't much nightlife, as I like to end my nights dancing away in the club. But at least the DJs were good, on my last cruise there wasn't one because of 'unexpected circumstances' :eek: so although the club was open all night, no-one went!

[XCruiseMe17]

Hi Pamela,

 

Thanks so much for doing this, it was really helpful for me because I'm the same age as you and sailing the Sunshine in the same cabin next month! It's disappointing to hear that there isn't much nightlife, as I like to end my nights dancing away in the club. But at least the DJs were good, on my last cruise there wasn't one because of 'unexpected circumstances' :eek: so although the club was open all night, no-one went!

 

I'd like to think that the club thing was just on my sailing, but I highly doubt it. It was Spring Break and there were TONS of Spring Breakers ready to PARTY! I do suggest you go to Havana Bar to see the DJs, they wont disappoint, the vibe is good, just need others to go too! I don't know if you are into Latin music, but FEVER played the best songs! The time that you do spend in the club, you will enjoy yourself. I just needed more!!! Say hi to Abbas at Pizza he will hook you up! I hope you enjoy yourself, I can't wait to hear your thoughts on everything.

[tandemcruzr]

Thanks for the review. Would love to see your pics. We are doing a B2B on her next November.

[XCruiseMe17]

Thanks for the review. Would love to see your pics. We are doing a B2B on her next November.

 

We weren't snap happy on this cruise, but I do have some beautiful ones of the waterfall at night! I have a new laptop and new camera, so once I figure this all out I will upload them! ) Windows 8 and I are not friends.

[sjcruiser]

Carnival Sunshine Review - March 9th

Western Caribbean - Spring Break.

 

 

This was a girl's trip to celebrate my 30th birthday. This was my 11th cruise and my friends 5th. All with CCL. We are from Chicago. This was our first time on the Sunshine. Everything is based on our opinion and past experiences. We understand that everyone cruises for different reasons. What is important to us might not be someone else's cup of tea. Please be patient with me, I am not experienced with the writing reviews.

 

We flew in a day early and stayed at the Drury Inn & Suites. It was nice enough. Everyone was extremely pleasant. It was very clean, and not far from Bourbon St/French Quarter. We walked every place we went with no issues. The hotel wasn't far from the Port. It was a $7 per person cab ride.

 

Embarkation process in NOLA is kinda slower than I am used to. I personally felt that things would have gone faster if I didn't utilize my priority boarding option. I took over an hour to board the ship.

 

Our room - We had a Category 1A - Room 2106. It was very clean. It seemed slightly cramped. There was no mirror in the closet, nor were there shelves. You never realize how much you utilize certain things until they are available to you. We are definitely not live out of the suitcase kinda gals, but with the lack of shelves and minimal hangers, we didn't have a choice. It was annoying, but we got over it, sort of. J The bathroom was smaller than we have had on other ships, but that really wasn't an issue. The TV in the room is NOT interactive, meaning you can’t check your S&S account, you can’t view the dinner menus, nor can you book excursions or order room service. We missed being able to order movies when we come in from a long day in the sun. Make sure you pay attention to the GOOD TO KNOW paper that you get the first night of the cruise; it has the room service menu on it as well as the week’s big activities on the other side.

 

Dining - We had late dining in the Sunrise Dining room. The Maitre'd was Ken Byrne. He is absolutely amazing. He could sing to me any time! The dinner service was extremely slow. I don't know if that was because of our team of waiters or not. One the first day you could clearly see that they overbooked people at tables. We had a little situation at our table, made for uncomfortable dining for a few days. We only went to the main dining room 3 nights. The other nights we went to the specialty restaurants.

 

Room Service – Besides not being able to order off the TV, the room service was pretty great. They never took a long time, the people who brought the food were always friendly and we enjoyed talking with them.

 

Cucina Del Capitano – They do lunch a little different that the Magic or the Breeze. The hostess lady was kinda rude, but I didn’t see again after the first day. The pasta at lunch tasted great! Dinner in Cucina is such an awesome experience no matter which ship you are on. The staff was absolutely amazing. The food was incredible, but you have to go hungry since the portions are huge. So worth the $12 per person charge, I highly recommend anyone to have dinner here. It’s quiet, beautiful and you get a very homey feeling there.

 

Fahrenheit 555 - We had dinner there to celebrate my 30th birthday. We chose to eat there on the second formal night. Although we were seated next to a very rude couple, we enjoyed our time. The staff was amazing there as well. You aren't just served by one or two people, it's as if everyone in the restaurant comes and helps you in one way or another before the dinner is over. We both had the Surf and Turf, PERFECTION! I would have had pictures, but the people seated next to us were offended that we were taking pictures. Rather than say something to us, they just talked about us, loud enough for us to hear. I wouldn't go to the steakhouse every time I cruise, but this was a welcomed treat! I like that the dining area isn’t over done in regards to interior design, it’s very classy and upscale.

 

Ji Ji's Asian Kitchen - I really wish that every ship had this as a dining option. It was a totally different experience than I have ever had. It is family style dining. Pending on how many people you have, you will be able to pick a certain amount of appetizers, main courses, sides and deserts. The food was excellent. The atmosphere is very chill. The hostess was so friendly and easy going. We really enjoyed talking to her. Everyone that came to our table brought something new to the experience. We didn't try any Sake, but they had some different options. The Rose Crème Brule Desert was amazing. The menu shows which region each food selection is from. They explain everything to you. They have little traditional things they teach you. Very happy with Ji Ji's Asian Kitchen.

 

Guy’s Burgers – Either you love it, or you hate it. We personally LOVE it. The lines never seemed long on the Sunshine considering how many people were on the ship. The servers always had smiles on their faces and were very pleasant.

 

Blue Iguana Cantina – We also liked this dining option and again the lines never were long. I just wish they had tortilla chips to go with the Salsa bar area.

 

Brunch in the Dining Room – That was a good time. We were seated right away. It wasn’t rushed or hectic. We had an awesome server, her name was ANA. We totally wish we would have had her in the main dining room as our wait staff. We might have gone to dinner more often.

 

Lido Dining- LIDO never seemed like they had long lines or anything, but finding a place to sit was an issue, the lido food was the usual. Everything was clean and it looked appealing. The little stations are cute.

 

Pizza – I think the pizza has totally been improved. It tasted way better than it ever has before. They only have one person working late at night and I felt bad for him. All everyone did was yell at him. This was after after spot!

 

Serenity – Serenity on the Sunshine is awesome, IF you can find a spot to sit. You really have to wake up early to reserve your spot or you will just walk around and stalk the area. The waterfall pool is sooo relaxing. It had a little too much chlorine, but we were just so excited it wasn’t salt water. The pool itself never seemed full or crowded. It was kinda sweet to see all the couples by the waterfall. Any spot by Serenity is a good spot. They actually have tons of waiters in this area taking drink orders. The bar itself is pretty big. We spent a lot of time there.

 

Waterworks- Slides never went down them, but they were awesome! The lines never looked long and everyone looked like they were having a great time.

 

Overall Bar Service – HORRIBLE. In all 11 of my cruises this was by far the worst service I have ever received. They seem extremely short staffed in the bar tender/waiter area. We had the Cheers program, but that has never affected our service before.

 

Liquid - So as most of you know the show lounge converts to the Club at night. Well that is all fine and dandy, but apparently Carnival didn’t take into consideration the rooms above and below the lounge. The lounge itself is very beautiful. Once they change it into the “Club” it is a nice atmosphere. I wish the bar itself was bigger, or that they had two. Good luck finding a waiter in the club; I practically had to harass one of em to make sure he came to us often. Once we got past the harassment we became great friends. (Shout out to Bogdan) ;) My biggest issue with Liquid was that it closed early due to the noise complaints. I am used to the clubs on Carnival to stay open as late as 4:30am. Not the case on the Sunshine it was closed before 2:00am every time it was open. AND it is not open every night of the cruise. On the nights that liquid is closed they have the DJs transition over to Havana Bar – more on that later. Not only were we celebrating my birthday, but we wanted to party, so to have the club close so early was pretty crappy in our opinion. It was almost like well what am I supposed to do now. You can only gamble so much. Did I mention this ship had the BEST DJs. DJ Fever and DJ JBLENZ were the best DJs I have ever seen on a cruise or in general for that matter. They were killin’ it and then they have to close. Carnival is definitely not utilizing there talent on the Sunshine. They need to be on the bigger ships like the Breeze. Also the Club is NOT open on the last night, I repeat NOT open! All passengers retreat to Havana Bar.

 

Casino – Most people ended up hanging at the Casino bar after liquid closed because besides Pizza that was the only thing open. The Casino bar wasn’t so bad. Great bartender (MADE). He was super friendly. The Casino itself was pretty nice. Not as busy as I’ve seen on other ships, but people seemed to be enjoying themselves. We didn’t do so badly on the machines. We don’t play the tables, but they were full, lots of emotions flowing. The casino never seemed to be busy past 3am.

 

Havana Bar – Havana Bar is an awesome concept. I just don’t think the location of the bar on the Sunshine did it any justice. In the daytime when you are eating on LIDO, it is a great spot to go and sit, it is never full, and it’s clean and pretty quiet. The nights the DJ was there, they were only scheduled again till about 1:30am. They played awesome music, American and Latin. The problem is, there wasn’t anyone there! They need to come up with a new plan for this place, because it is a FAILURE right now. At least for our sailing it was. I felt bad for the DJs and Bartenders, the music is bumpin’ the bartenders are ready to serve drinks, the atmosphere is chill, the place is gorgeous, it is like they are wasting their time. It should be closer to the middle of ocean plaza.

 

Piano Bar – We never went and enjoyed the Piano Bar, BUT the night we wanted to go, it was NOT open. Again I have never seen the Piano Bar not open at night on a cruise. It too was in an awkward spot on the ship, but I hope that it had good traffic when it as open. It looked nice.

 

Limelight – Now that is in a weird location, and can NOT accommodate the amount of people that want to enjoy a comedy show. Once one show finishes there is already a line outside the door for the next one and more than likely not all those people will get a seat so no point in getting in line for another show.

 

Red Frog Pub – So sad that this one does not have a kitchen. We were looking forward to the little snacks they had. It too is in a weird position on the ship, if you didn’t know the ship had one, you might not notice it. It was always packed and the singer his name was Andy he was pretty great.

 

Alchemy Bar – The Bartenders name that I don’t know was probably one of the hottest guys I’ve ever seen anywhere. Reason enough to go there!

 

ESPN Bar – The bartender Daniel was super nice. They didn’t have a lot of business in there either. But it was a nice place to relax and get away from the masses.

 

Spa – I never went to the Spa, but we hung out with the Spa girls in Liquid they were super nice and lots of fun. Also they were very beautiful; hopefully they are good at their jobs

 

The Fun Shops – They had the usual stuff, their staff was not friendly or engaging at all, they might as well have not even been there. The Cherry On Top is smaller than on the ships, but totally cute, they always had a lot of people in there. Also the stuff that is online to purchase that says online only, they have the stuff in Cherry On Top!

 

Excursions – SOLD OUT! We had to get the ones that didn’t sell from the Carnival Liberty to sell on the Sunshine. People were looking for stuff to do.

 

Cruise Director – We had Butch. He is wonderful at his job. People love him. He is great with everyone. He entertains and does it well.

 

Photographers – Normally in my previous experience we are like harassed each time we pass a photographer to take a picture. Not one single time were we asked to have our picture taken. The photographers stood around talked with each other. They seemed bored and disinterested in the people. They did have some nice backgrounds though.

 

Favorite Things – DJ Fever and DJ JBLENDZ Loved Them! I would cruise on a ship, just because they were there! Serenity Pool/waterfall, loved the chlorine. Cucina and Ji Ji’s were a good addition to our trip. The Alchemy bartender and the really buff security guard were good additions to the trip.

 

Least favorite things – Service – It lacked in a lot of areas on this ship. The Liquid Lounge, they really should have thought about that some more. Our stateroom needed shelves and a mirror, no lie.

 

Overall – We had a good time. I don’t think either of us would choose the Sunshine again. We are night people. This ship did nothing for us. Don’t get me wrong it is beautiful and clean. The concept is there, they just fell short on a lot of things. We felt there was nothing really for us to do and left a lot to be desired. I came back from vacation feeling like I still needed one, and not in a good way.

 

Okay so this was way longer than I wanted it to be. I am sorry. I stated in the beginning I am not really good at this review stuff. I know it was all over the place, but if you are still reading, thank you!

 

If you have any questions, let me know and I will try to answer them. Again this was all based on my own preferences and style. I`ll try to add some pics, we didn’t take very many.

 

I’m ending this with, I really miss DJ FEVER!

 

Great review and post. We are also Club Heads, and have between 9-12 going on the Sunshine in August, so this will be a major disappointment. Would it possible to share your thoughts on the Liquid with John Heald, Carnival Senior Cruise Director/Brand Ambassador on his FB page? He is very responsive to comments from passengers. Right now he' at Carnival Headquarters in Miami attending a big meeting with the bosses, and this upcoming week there's a meeting of all the Cruise Directors, so this would be the time the comments would get some attention or feedback. Thanks!!!!

[XCruiseMe17]

Great review and post. We are also Club Heads, and have between 9-12 going on the Sunshine in August, so this will be a major disappointment. Would it possible to share your thoughts on the Liquid with John Heald, Carnival Senior Cruise Director/Brand Ambassador on his FB page? He is very responsive to comments from passengers. Right now he' at Carnival Headquarters in Miami attending a big meeting with the bosses, and this upcoming week there's a meeting of all the Cruise Directors, so this would be the time the comments would get some attention or feedback. Thanks!!!!

 

I haven't seen anyone else mention this stuff about the club, that's why I was so shocked. My own friend keeps questioning me about it, like I am lying or something. I'm hoping someone else will chime in and share their liquid lounge experience. I will post on JH's FB page to see what he says. I am sure it won't be a straight forward answer, but what is the harm in trying. Thanks for the good idea!

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

Edited March 29, 2014 by XCruiseMe17

[XCruiseMe17]

I forgot to mention, I didn't get my Platinum Chocolate Delight stuff. We didn't have any of those laundry bags in our room either.

[gregg204]

Thanks for the review. We sailed on the Sunshine in Nov and pretty much agree with everything you wrote especially the Serenity deck(s) and the Red Frog Pub on deck 5. I know people that went the whole 7 days and never found the Red Frog Pub. Its a shame because this was a very nice place to have a drink (or 2). I also think the Serenity deck is 2nd to none. The difference for me is I'd sail on her again in a heartbeat. We are really not late night people. But I do understand your point if you do enjoy the nightlife. Again thanks!!:)

[XCruiseMe17]

Thanks for the review. We sailed on the Sunshine in Nov and pretty much agree with everything you wrote especially the Serenity deck(s) and the Red Frog Pub on deck 5. I know people that went the whole 7 days and never found the Red Frog Pub. Its a shame because this was a very nice place to have a drink (or 2). I also think the Serenity deck is 2nd to none. The difference for me is I'd sail on her again in a heartbeat. We are really not late night people. But I do understand your point if you do enjoy the nightlife. Again thanks!!:)

 

 

It is so sad with the Red Frog Pub! That is an awesome place to hangout when you are cruising. I have had some great memories there, but location is key. I think that if I was cruising for different reasons Id sail the Sunshine again. You only turn 30 once and I was ready to PARTY! haha. It is a nice ship for families! Thank you for reading my review! I was kinda nervous to post! :)

[cruizinisthebest]

I haven't seen anyone else mention this stuff about the club, that's why I was so shocked. My own friend keeps questioning me about it, like I am lying or something. I'm hoping someone else will chime in and share their liquid lounge experience. I will post on JH's FB page to see what he says. I am sure it won't be a straight forward answer, but what is the harm in trying. Thanks for the good idea!

 

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This is the second or third time I myself have seen it mentioned in the reviews about the nightclub closing early and not being open every night, etc. I agree with SJCruiser, we're all on the same roll call and I know several of us that would like to see this addressed by August. DH and I take turns hanging out since we have the kids but we both enjoy dancing and good music. I don't know why they don't sell those cabins as night owl staterooms.

 

Thanks for your review. Can't wait for our turn!

[XCruiseMe17]

This is the second or third time I myself have seen it mentioned in the reviews about the nightclub closing early and not being open every night, etc. I agree with SJCruiser, we're all on the same roll call and I know several of us that would like to see this addressed by August. DH and I take turns hanging out since we have the kids but we both enjoy dancing and good music. I don't know why they don't sell those cabins as night owl staterooms.

 

Thanks for your review. Can't wait for our turn!

 

Hopefully I will get a response, and once I do, I will post it here. Thanks for letting me know that I am not crazy! I am glad someone else someplace posted about the club. Honestly if we would have known, we might have changed our booking. I know to some people it might sound crazy, but we all like what we like! Thanks for checking out my review!

[lara_lox]

I'd like to think that the club thing was just on my sailing, but I highly doubt it. It was Spring Break and there were TONS of Spring Breakers ready to PARTY! I do suggest you go to Havana Bar to see the DJs, they wont disappoint, the vibe is good, just need others to go too! I don't know if you are into Latin music, but FEVER played the best songs! The time that you do spend in the club, you will enjoy yourself. I just needed more!!! Say hi to Abbas at Pizza he will hook you up! I hope you enjoy yourself, I can't wait to hear your thoughts on everything.

 

Thank you, I'm sure I will have a great time and I will make my own fun if I have to haha! I always write blog type reviews of my adventures so I will be sure to do my first Carnival one when I get back so everyone can see how it went.

[MarriedInStThomas1807]

When we were on our B2B on the Valor a couple of weeks ago I noticed a HUGE change in the type of people in each sailing. The first week people were a little boring and in bed early. The second week people were out late and it was packed in every bar (except the sports bar). The sports bar was never full. Each week brings a new experience.

[Sarapdot]

Great job Pamela! :)

 

Did y'all not try Bonsai Sushi? We ate there the first night and I loved it. Wishing the Magic had it for October.

 

For those that are asking, I have the same issues and comments regarding the liquid lounge. They really needed to have a dedicated disco/night club on the ship. It closed early or just wasn't open too often.

[XCruiseMe17]

Great job Pamela! :)

 

Did y'all not try Bonsai Sushi? We ate there the first night and I loved it. Wishing the Magic had it for October.

 

For those that are asking, I have the same issues and comments regarding the liquid lounge. They really needed to have a dedicated disco/night club on the ship. It closed early or just wasn't open too often.

 

Thanks Sara! I've done Bonsai Sushi on the Breeze, we just ran out of time to eat! lol There are a lot of good choices in that department on the Sunshine. I did like it alot when I tried it on the Breeze!

[Fla Senior]

Great review. We were on this same sailing and agree with most everything in your review. I was particularly surprised at how few lines (other than comedy club). Ken Byrne told us that this was the largest number of passengers ever on Sunshine. They did a good job with traffic patterns.

 

We also missed the grub in Red Frog Pub. Understand that there was no room for kitchen or to far away. Wings, grouper nuggets & conch fritters on Breeze were great.

 

Our favorite spot was Ocean Plaza with Swamp Thang, a great band.

 

It's disappointing that they closed liquid lounge so early. Didn't impact us as we retire around 1 am or so, but with all the young folks onboard, they should've been accommodated. That's a major design flaw to generate more revenue from extra cabins at the expense of a good night of entertainment. There should be a disclaimer with those cabins and then party all night!

Edited March 29, 2014 by Fla Senior

[XCruiseMe17]

Great review. We were on this same sailing and agree with most everything in your review. I was particularly surprised at how few lines (other than comedy club). Ken Byrne told us that this was the largest number of passengers ever on Sunshine. They did a good job with traffic patterns.

 

We also missed the grub in Red Frog Pub. Understand that there was no room for kitchen or to far away. Wings, grouper nuggets & conch fritters on Breeze were great.

 

Our favorite spot was Ocean Plaza with Swamp Thang, a great band.

 

It's disappointing that they closed liquid lounge so early. Didn't impact us as we retire around 1 am or so, but with all the young folks onboard, they should've been accommodated. That's a major design flaw to generate more revenue from extra cabins at the expense of a good night of entertainment. There should be a disclaimer with those cabins and then party all night!

 

They did do a good jobs with the lines. I impressed by that. I also think the Swamp Thang Band was great! I guess I only have myself to blame for not doing enough research. I just never thought about some things. It might be beneficial for Carnival to advertise the rooms around the lounge with a disclaimer. I wouldnt mind booking them if I was someone who would be apart of the noise.

 

Thanks for reading my review!

[XCruiseMe17]

John's FB response, pretty much what I expected him to say...

 

 

 

Pamela > John Heald

I just recently returned from a Spring Break cruise on the Carnival Sunshine, I was wondering what is the normal hours for the Liquid Lounge once it turns into the "club"? On my sailing it closed earlier than I have ever experienced on any other Carnival Ship. I just was wondering if there is a set time. We were definitely disappointed since the DJ's were amazing (DJ FEVER & DJ JBLENDZ) Hands down the best Ive ever had on any cruise. We were expecting to dance till the early morning hours and that certainly did not happen.

 

John Heald - Thanks Pamela for letting me know. Usually the nightclub closes based on how many people are in there and if it is just a few we close it. I will though investigate what has happened here and I thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. Your praise for the DJs is very kind indeed and I will make sure they see it. Thanks again and I hope we see you soon

 

Pamela - We were told that it was closing early due to noise complaints from the cabins above and below the lounge. I am not sure if that is true or not. But in my opinion there were a good amount of people in the club.

Edited March 30, 2014 by XCruiseMe17

[cruizinisthebest]

Thanks for trying. I don't get his explanation for days the club is closed all together. I mean people would go in there if it was open. lol.

[XCruiseMe17]

Thanks for trying. I don't get his explanation for days the club is closed all together. I mean people would go in there if it was open. lol.

 

That's what I'm saying. The club was definitely not open on at least 2 days of our cruise. I didn't expect a straight answer though. I still like JH, and I still will cruise Carnival.

[daledoe]

Sounds like a good time! No pics though???

[XCruiseMe17]

Sounds like a good time! No pics though???

 

We didn't take many. I am off of work today so I will work on adding some. There won't be many though! ;) Thank you for reading my review!

[sag1804]

When we were on our B2B on the Valor a couple of weeks ago I noticed a HUGE change in the type of people in each sailing. The first week people were a little boring and in bed early. The second week people were out late and it was packed in every bar (except the sports bar). The sports bar was never full. Each week brings a new experience.

 

 

 

First off thanks Pamela for the review...second off from talking to the DJ's and seeing your posts it does seem it is week to week. But I have ALWAYS heard 6 night cruises are more wild than 8...so we will probably do the Breeze with Pam next March instead of the Sunshine (even tho the itinerary for March 7 is absolutely amazing) we did that this year...and even though I love SEA days....4 to 2....there are things she has posted and then you tell me if you were in the 21-40 range how would it sway you?

this is my opinion and you can edit on your own

 

MIA before cruise > Orlando before cruise

MIA/FLL after cruise > Orlando after cruise

6 nights cheaper = Breeze than > 8 nights more expensive=Sunshine

Breeze > Sunshine....or so I think...but I will know more after April 17th... The breeze is bigger and I have experienced it before..

 

however for Sunshine

 

Redone > than new?

8 nights > 6

4 sea days > 2

 

 

and then there is the wash

Breeze goes to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Cozumel...all very fun

Sunshine goes to Aruba, Curacao, Grand Turk...all very fun (but we did those this year)