My Picture Review of the Carnival Sunshine 12/6/14

[kelkel2]

Really loving your review! Looking forward to more!

Did you enjoy your hotel's location? I mean it was close to the beach so that is a given. But what about it's distance to the Port? How long did it take you to get there? Did you rent a car on the way in or take a shuttle. I am very interested in this hotel but am curious if the airport shuttles would service this hotel!

[KITKAT0229]

Thanks for the review! Can't wait to read more :-)

[ryanpatricksmom]

Hey, Maryland neighbor, thanks for posting! We're sailing on March 20th and it will be my first time on the Sunshine, but we have sailed the Destiny twice. I'm so looking forward to the Alchemy Bar, and the fact that we have a cabin on the Promenade deck that we can basically crawl to if need be.

[daniella1279]

Hey, Maryland neighbor, thanks for posting! We're sailing on March 20th and it will be my first time on the Sunshine, but we have sailed the Destiny twice. I'm so looking forward to the Alchemy Bar, and the fact that we have a cabin on the Promenade deck that we can basically crawl to if need be.

 

 

 

We have a promenade cabin too! I am SO excited! We sail in 4 weeks! Which cabin do you have booked?

 

Danielle

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[S.C.]

I hope you come back and finish the review. I'm enjoying it!

[jackpotter]

Hope to meet you on the ship. New to the forum and checking out the roll call for February 7 Carnival sunshine. Been on it recently and loved it. Do we need anything to show we are part of the roll call when we meet up on the ship? sorry, I'm sure it's on here somewhere.

[mackatty]

Jenn, please come back! :) I'm cruising on the same itinerary soon & am dying to see your experiences.

[CruisingwithAutism]

Can't wait to hear more! My Dad always cruises with us and we have the best time. Is your MIL single? We can hook them up so they can avoid that pesky single rate! ;)

Did y'all not have the Cheers package? I wonder if the drinks at Shake Spot or Alchemy would be included in that?

-Kelly

[smurfm69]

Awesome review so far! Enjoying the pics and copied the Alchemy bar menu so that I can show my peeps for our upcoming cruise on the Glory.

[mackatty]

Can't wait to hear more! My Dad always cruises with us and we have the best time. Is your MIL single? We can hook them up so they can avoid that pesky single rate! ;)

Did y'all not have the Cheers package? I wonder if the drinks at Shake Spot or Alchemy would be included in that?

-Kelly

 

I hope the OP won't mind me answering, but the Shake Spot spiked milkshakes are NOT included on Cheers. Unfortunately, there is a post on the Funville forums from a CCL employee stating they are but I asked John Heald on his FB page & he said they are not.

[CruisingwithAutism]

I hope the OP won't mind me answering, but the Shake Spot spiked milkshakes are NOT included on Cheers. Unfortunately, there is a post on the Funville forums from a CCL employee stating they are but I asked John Heald on his FB page & he said they are not.

 

 

Thanks for the info!

 

 

Feb '11 Carnival Elation

Nov '11 Carnival Fascination

Sep '12 Royal Monarch of the Seas

Nov '12 Royal Freedom of the Seas

Sep '13 Carnival Dream

Jan '14 Disney Dream

Mar '14 Disney Magic

Aug '14 Caribbean Princess

Oct '14 Carnival Dream

May '15 Carnival Sunshine

[firsttimecruiser9876]

Can you answer this for me- on the sunshine? Which deck do you get on and off the ship? Also, when embarking the ship - will I be able to take the stairs once on? Even though the rooms won't be ready? I do not prefer elavators.

[jackpotter]

Hi,

I believe we boarded on deck 3 near atrium, which is so pretty. You can use the steps when you first get on but you can't get into the hallways where the rooms are located until they open them. Usually not ready when you first board the ship and that is why they want you to go have lunch first. If you have a suite or FTF you can get into your room when you board.

[firsttimecruiser9876]

Ok thanks. Even though the doors to the hallways remained closed until rooms are ready, can I still take stairs anywhere that I may need to go until they are ready? (Lido, etc.) or are the stairs blocked off too?

[jackpotter]

yes, you can still take the stairs, great exercise but if you have any carry on or bags, it can be a long walk:;)

[LPGA Golfer Gal]

After a few Long Island Iced Teas, I got the bright idea to swim and while my MIL was down, my wife declined and headed up to bed. My MIL went for a dip in the very very windy pool!

 

After about an hour, we officially decided to end Day 1 and head to bed. We wanted to venture out to the ocean but it was scary out there so, me being me and not a morning person, promised my MIL I'd get up at 7am for a morning swim. And much to her shock, I did!

 

 

There were a few surfers out and I almost lost my flip-flops to the higher tide (which would have been tragic as they were one of only 2 pairs of shoes I was now down to), but I was glad to have woken up early to get out into the ocean. I've missed it!

 

We ate breakfast at the hotel and got in a van at 10:30am promptly to head out to port. It was a 15-minute drive and we were all hushed not to mention cruising because a family was surprising their kids with a Disney cruise. I was so excited and it sucked not to talk about it. Eventually the kids realized it though and after we dropped the family and another couple off at other ships, we headed to see The Sunshine up close!

 

We were like three little kids on Christmas morning! We decided to get on the Sunshine for mainly one reason: the Serenity area. My wife and I don't have kids and my MIL's are all grown. On every other ship, the slides and play area for the kids are right by the Serenity deck! I guess that's nice for people with kids to stay close to where they are playing but for us it stinks - how am I supposed to relax with tykes screaming their heads off??? We were excited to think that Carnival finally got it right!

 

I bought my MIL FTTF as a birthday gift and, of course, we had it too. I always think it's worth it - if not for having the room ready when you board as well as for the special line at the Guest Services desk.

 

Here are a few shots of us waiting to board:

 

 

 

Great review. Question about the hotel you stayed at- The Hilton CB... Was the breakfast included? Did you have to pay for the shuttle to the port?

Thanks in advance. We cannot wait to go on the Sunshine in June/July

[aquaman92]

I was on the same cruise I agree the Casino smoke was the worst of any cruise I have been on. But had a great time anyway. :D

[toesinthesand7]

loving the review! can't wait to read more! My fiance and I are booked on the Sunshine for our honeymoon in August :D:D:D

[curlygrljax]

Great review and pictures. Hope you come back with more soon :)

[CrimsonTideGal]

We love love love it when our muster station is indoors and we can sit! However, it does leave it to the imagination how we'd all muster in the lounge then get all the way to the boats in time not to drown and if we did get there, how we'd all fit (staff assured us that we would).

 

 

Me thinks some people showed up late!

 

After mustarding, hehe, we went back up to the rooms to find our luggage! My MIL, having an interior room and only one person (with the bunk in the ceiling - we joked that her ex was up there since we ran into a guy throughout the cruise that looked like him) was done first. So she came to hang out on our balcony as we unpacked and my wife distracted her so I could decorate her cabin door.

 

 

Then I came back and did our door:

 

I was out of tape and so we lost half of these and the penguin before the cruise was over! But my MIL was surprised and loved it!

 

If I remember correctly, we left a half an hour late (4:30) but we did sail away from our room:

 

 

 

Love the door decorations. Where did you find these?

[kelkel2]

Ok thanks. Even though the doors to the hallways remained closed until rooms are ready, can I still take stairs anywhere that I may need to go until they are ready? (Lido, etc.) or are the stairs blocked off too?

 

You should not have any trouble avoiding the elevators if you so choose. When you first embark on the ship, you will be right on deck 3 by the atrium/lobby. There will be the large atrium elevators, but right near them will be a large set of stairs. Use those. My husband and I often take the stairs all throughout our cruise just to get more exercise and because sometimes there's a wait for them, especially when the ship is docked early in the morning. Just about anywhere you find an elevator on the ship you will find a set of stairs too.

[cruizinisthebest]

I wonder if the OP is gonna come back and finish this review. This is one reason why I hesitate to start a comprehensive review after my trips. They are time consuming. I give props to folks that do them to the end. Alot of work.

Edited January 14, 2015 by cruizinisthebest

[sjn911]

Really enjoyed your pictures and review style..hope all is well and it just helped alot to see some of Sunshine,,Happy New Year and thanks.

[dane225]

Great review and pics! Can't wait to read the rest!! We loved the Sunshine!!

[JennN]

Did I think I finished this review??? OMG I never did...and now I have a broken dominant arm. Maybe another post tonight but typing with one hand is hard. So glad so many of you are reading/read!!!

 

Can't wait to hear more! My Dad always cruises with us and we have the best time. Is your MIL single? We can hook them up so they can avoid that pesky single rate! ;)

Did y'all not have the Cheers package? I wonder if the drinks at Shake Spot or Alchemy would be included in that?

-Kelly

 

She is single in fact and I am her wing woman!! lol

 

We didn't have cheers as normally we dont drink this much but Alchemy...lol. I dont think either were included but am not sure.