How to Avoid Crowds and Such on the Carnival Sunshine?

[brezzie26]

We will be on the Sunshine in April. We usually do the assigned late dining option but due to the long lines at the shows we decided to try the YTD.(Yes we are willing to take the chance) My question is can you request a table for two with YTD?

[Sea Raven]

Yes, it's easy to do. Just request a table for two at the check in station on Deck 5 by the taste bar. The hostess will log it in and when you get to the dining room, they will seat you as requested. At least that's the way it worked last May.

[Seany527]

The reason I mention it is that Jaime Dee will be there for most of June. She signs off on June 27th.

 

 

Do you know who will be the CD for the September 11th Cruise? I tried searching but couldn't come up with anything. I had read your Sunshine review a few months ago and it stuck out how highly you spoke of her.

[GZ113]

We were on the sunshine a few weeks ago it was fully booked the only time it's crowded is on Sea day, but it really wasn't that bad I kept wondering where all the people were all week lol

[The_ZOO]

We just got off the Sunshine on Sunday. We had ATD and I knew going into it that it was set up a little different than it normally is. There were folks waiting to check in for ATD dinner at 5:00 pm, the last night the line went way back into the casino. We were a family of 3 and sat by ourselves by our choice but we could have sat with other folks if we wanted too. Each night we had the same table except for the last night, we had a different table but were with the same wait staff. When you find great servers you keep them, we sat in the back on the port side, our waiters name was Edy and his right hand man was Franklin. Loved them and they took great care of us. I really only found crowds when it was time for meals, my husband is an early riser and we found that on this ship you could have continental breakfast at 6:30 but if you wanted to have something more than pastries, yogurt, or fruit you had to wait until 7:30 when the other breakfast options opened up and quite honestly by that time at home I am on my 2nd cup of coffee and on the way out the door to work. So plan ahead if you are an early riser.

[Spaniel Lover]

Do you know who will be the CD for the September 11th Cruise? I tried searching but couldn't come up with anything.

 

They must still be fine-tuning the Cruise Director schedule for 2015. Normally, you can find it posted to John Heald's blog. However, the current CD schedule posted there ran out at the end of January. I imagine they'll be posting a 2015 CD schedule very soon. If you want to look for it, go to John Heald's blog, and look for a link to the Cruise Director schedule in the section labeled "John's Help Desk"... which is located all the way down at the very bottom of the page, over on the right side.

[tip.n.ring]

Futurz, what's your exact sailing date on the Sunshine? I see in your signature that you'll be sailing in June, but it doesn't say the exact sailing date. The reason I mention it is that Jaime Dee will be there for most of June. She signs off on June 27th.

 

I hope you get to sail with Jaime... she is the best that Carnival has got! Introduce yourself to her early in the cruise and get to be friends. She's the friendliest person you will ever meet. She bought a round of drinks for my family when we cruised with her!

 

Regarding the crowding issue... a few things come to mind:

 

First, if you can afford it, get a balcony cabin or better. That way, if the crowds and all the noise and craziness on deck start to bug you, you can just retreat to the peace and quiet of your own private balcony.

 

Second, zig when everyone else zags. Think about what everyone does on a cruise ship, and do something different. Be the first guy in line for anytime dining when it opens. Or go the complete other way and use the pool or the Jacuzzis at 6 PM when everyone else is going to dinner... and wait to eat your dinner until much later after the rush.

 

Wear a swimsuit under your clothes on embarkation day, so you can use the pool when you first get onboard. Everyone else's swim suit will be in their luggage, which won't be delivered for hours.

 

Finally, bring a Kindle or a tablet for reading books. Show up WAY EARLY for shows so you can get the best seats, and then just relax and read a book until the show starts.

 

I hope that's helpful!

 

 

If you want to avoid crowds especially at dining then select early or late assigned. The only crowd there will be the queue in the stairwells and elevator areas before they open the doors to the restaurant. There is ALWAYS open loungers on-deck. If you can't find two take the aft {at the back end of the boat, room numbers go higher as you go aft) end elevators. There are two that say SPORTSSQUARE with an unusual triangle hat sort of light only on the port {left} side. When you look at the elevator buttons there are three at this station and three at the bow {forward} station. The topmost one calls the elevator that goes "all the way to the top" up calls one that cannot make it to the upper floors, and down, well you'll just figure that one alone.

 

Go to deck 10 and look around. You will have a commanding view of all available chairs and loungers.

 

Have fun, stay safe, and as Heald would say C U Onboard :D

[keith75]

Hi CC,

 

Got some questions. I've read a lot of troubling reviews about the Carnival Sunshine being crowded. Now, I absolutely HATE crowds, so how do I avoid them, and when is the prime time do go to certain places on the ship while avoiding them? And how do I make sure I don't run into the ATD* rush?

 

Thanks,

 

Futurz

 

PS: Sorry for the large amount of questions recently. Excited for my next cruise; first on a ship bigger than 100,000 GT'S!!

 

*Anytime Dining

 

We eat at the steak house to avoid crowds.