7/5/2015 back from 8 day s. Caribbean on sunshine today

[AmberTeka]

Remember meeting us in the Liquid Lounge? :)

We did enjoy the Sunshine. It was crowded by our experiences. Still, would sail her again, if the price is right. Public areas, specifically pool area and Serenity, were usually wall to wall bodies. We don't do pools and sunbaking, anyway.

The crew were very friendly and seemed happy to talk to us. Officers very visible. Kids were typical kids.

It was a bumpy voyage. We were far aft on deck 2, great 2 window odd shaped cabin, 2334. We love it rough, though! :)

We did eat breakfast most mornings on the Ocean Plaza, deck 5. Just so easy and quiet. Good coffee and windows. I love the oatmeal with all the trimmings and a couple of pieces crisp bacon. The crew manning the area were so friendly! Even brought me my coffee and refills each morning, after the first day. :)

 

 

I enjoyed meeting and talking to you so much. You have enough fun for me too, on that cruise to Hawaii. I looked for you at the Party, but we were way over on the left side. Did you and your husband like it? I did. I was surprised that I enjoyed it. It went so quickly. Good preparation. DID you hear them say that if you booked VISTA at that party you would get double OBC?

I am KICKING myself if that was the case.

Edited July 7, 2015 by AmberTeka

[AmberTeka]

bacon police................were not there.

 

My diet conscious husband.........must have eaten an entire pig by the time he got off of the ship. He is going through withdrawal now. Back to the heart healthy whole grain cereal.

[NCTribeFan]

My sailing is a Premier Casino sailing, which happened after I'd already booked. Sort of surprised me with so many port days (so casino won't be open a lot). Since I now mostly play Roulette, I wonder what the table limits will be. Most of my bets are over $5 anyway. It's easy to go over that when you cover a few numbers.

 

I'll try to remember about breakfast at the taste bar. I'm in an interior on Deck 1. I always take the stairs to help offset the caloric over-consumption, so I tend to take stairs up to Deck 5, walk aft, then take them on up to Lido. If I go straight up, I'll not pass the taste bar and will totally forget! Must write myself a note. :p

 

Must do some reading about JiJi's. Isn't there also a sushi restaurant? I do love sushi!

[cruizinisthebest]

Great review AmberTeka.

 

We'll be in the new cabins on Deck 5 when we sail.

[illinoisfive]

My sailing is a Premier Casino sailing, which happened after I'd already booked. Sort of surprised me with so many port days (so casino won't be open a lot). Since I now mostly play Roulette, I wonder what the table limits will be. Most of my bets are over $5 anyway. It's easy to go over that when you cover a few numbers.

 

I'll try to remember about breakfast at the taste bar. I'm in an interior on Deck 1. I always take the stairs to help offset the caloric over-consumption, so I tend to take stairs up to Deck 5, walk aft, then take them on up to Lido. If I go straight up, I'll not pass the taste bar and will totally forget! Must write myself a note. :p

 

Must do some reading about JiJi's. Isn't there also a sushi restaurant? I do love sushi!

 

I have read your reviews on this board previously and I know you typically book inside cabins. Have you every booked an inside on deck 1 before? Are they nice cabins?

[2Shoes2Go]

JiJi's is Asian Fusion. Bonsai Sushi is also onboard Sunshine. The Vista double OBC offer was good for the whole week, I believe, at the Future Cruise Desk. Owen, Loyalty Agent is very good and proficient at booking cruises. We booked two while onboard. The reduced deposit special was not combinable for the Vista OBC deal.

We booked Hawaii with 50% deposit Early Saver. The next day, while looking at checking for price drops on our others, I found that extended balconies were coming in at same price. So, used GS phone to call Miami and moved to an extended, same price. Then, a few hours later, "bowling alley" extended came available. Borrowed phone once more and grabbed it. Will be great for Hawaii!:)

Also, Owen booked a placeholder cruise for us. Just a three day in 2017, $150 deposit, past guest rate. This can be used for another cruise we want to book, while not on the ship. That gets you OBC. Of course, we will use it for a longer cruise and have to pay the additional deposit; still get the adjusted OBC.

Sorry, Amber, for any interruption. We are chatty!:)

[cessnabmw]

I'm having a hard time reading a lot of the posts in this thread. I need punctuation and paragraphs! ;)

 

OK, so I was a little confused when OP commented on the aft elevators being just a little way from the cabin on Deck 3. I had to pull up the deck plans and couldn't find any cabins aft on Deck 3. Re-read it (a couple of times) and decided you must have meant the forward elevators.

 

Was there another pool on the ship when she was Destiny? If not, I certainly cannot imagine using any public space to add one. And they did add one by putting one in the Serenity Deck area. I don't ever get in the pools myself and just don't see the attraction of laying out, frying/baking in the hot sun for endless hours. Yes, I like some sun but I get bored. I hope to find somewhere on Serenity that may actually be semi-serene, and sit and read.

 

Were there a lot of loungers out on the exterior of Deck 3? That is usually the only place I can find that's relatively quiet, but there are often just a few loungers.

 

As for motion/sea-sickness, there is lots and lots of info out there on the web (including the general pages here). I started taking Ginger Root capsules after I read about them when I first discovered CC. It's pretty much cured me. But I still ALWAYS have Bonine/meclizine with me and always take 1/2 on the first day just to get some in my system.

 

Tell me more about the "alternative" food options like back at the Havana bar. Did I read that there's an omelette station back there in the morning? That's my usual breakfast when I sail. And they have sides (I can have my omelette AND a pound of bacon)? If I can find a place that doesn't have a long line, that would be great. Lunch options? Any charge for the lunch items?

 

Looking forward to sailing Sunshine. I'm on the 11-night Journeys sailing on 11/28, 1 way from Port C to San Juan with EIGHT ports. We only have 2 sea days (1st and 3rd) so won't get much use of the public spaces.

 

We will be on the cruise right after you!

 

From San Juan and ending in Port Canaveral.

[NCTribeFan]

I sail in insides most of the time. Actually prefer them to "just" a window. I love how well I sleep in those nice, dark, usually-quiet cabins down in the bowels of the ship. :p

 

Basically, seen one inside cabin, seen them all, except for some 1As. But regular insides are pretty much all the same.

 

I'm mildly claustrophic, but I like the cabins. I'm much worse in crowds of humanity. I just turn on the deck cam channel when I get up. Or just get dressed and have a look outside when I reach Deck 3.

 

Being on a low deck, there's less movement. And I get a lot of exercise climbing those stairs! I didn't gain any weight on my last cruise. Convenient when getting off the ship in port, which I'll be doing a lot on this Sunshine cruise.

 

Don't mean to hijack OP's thread!

 

Excited about the sushi restaurant! Surcharge for dinner (which I won't do as I like my regular MDR late dining), but free at lunch, right? OP/anyone have the FunTimes and can tell me when they're open?

 

Very disappointing on last cruise to return to the ship from an excursion at 2:10 and find most of the venues closed! Of course, I could live on the deli sandwiches, but with so many dining options, it would be nice to take advantage of some of them!

[islandatsea]

We sail insides most of the time unless we get a great price on a balcony depending on the itinerary. Except on our Sunshine cruise, we booked an outside cabin because that cabin is 220 sq ft instead of 170 sq ft for an inside. Figured on a 13 day cruise, just wanted to have more space for that long of a cruise. Enjoying the reviews on the Sunshine. Thanks for your review!

[AmberTeka]

JiJi's is Asian Fusion. Bonsai Sushi is also onboard Sunshine. The Vista double OBC offer was good for the whole week, I believe, at the Future Cruise Desk. Owen, Loyalty Agent is very good and proficient at booking cruises. We booked two while onboard. The reduced deposit special was not combinable for the Vista OBC deal.

We booked Hawaii with 50% deposit Early Saver. The next day, while looking at checking for price drops on our others, I found that extended balconies were coming in at same price. So, used GS phone to call Miami and moved to an extended, same price. Then, a few hours later, "bowling alley" extended came available. Borrowed phone once more and grabbed it. Will be great for Hawaii!:)

Also, Owen booked a placeholder cruise for us. Just a three day in 2017, $150 deposit, past guest rate. This can be used for another cruise we want to book, while not on the ship. That gets you OBC. Of course, we will use it for a longer cruise and have to pay the additional deposit; still get the adjusted OBC.

Sorry, Amber, for any interruption. We are chatty!:)

 

 

I AM kicking myself. I went by the Future Cruise desk every day. We played Trivia in the Ocean Plaza every single day at least once. thank you for that information. In the future.....I will be more alert. That would have been $200 OBC for even a week cruise. nice. Other folks who will soon be on the Sunshine are reading this I hope. If they get the opportunity to book and get that much credit...........that is a good deal.

You have made them aware.

[AmberTeka]

SPECIALITY RESTAURANTS

 

We went to all of them. It was our 44th anniversary sailing. Plus I had gifted my husband with dinner in the Steak House for Father's Day.

On the first formal night, we ate in the Fahrenheit Steakhouse.

 

Stupidly we had gone up about 2 or so and had eaten chocolate chip cookies from the Marketplace. DON"T do that. they will still be with you when you dine.

 

We ate early at 5:30. I wanted to get to the early Show at 7:15.

 

My husband ordered the Shrimp cocktail. he thought it was very good

He also ordered the Caesar Salad. ditto

 

I ordered the Iceberg lettuce salad. I only ate half, knowing that I can fill up on those huge portions served in the Steakhouse. It was good. Cold,. Fresh. good dressing

 

My husband ordered lobster. He liked it a lot. they were bigger than those served in the MDR. My husband liked those too.

 

I ordered the filet .( well done.) they butter flied it. served it with the mushroom sauce. It was fork tender. Done to perfection. A delicious steak. the baked potato was good. I was not able to eat all of it.

 

For dessert I ordered the Apple Carmel flan. That was a disappointment. I have had that dessert in the Steak House on the Freedom. several times. the Dream. Several times. Etc. and loved it every time. But the crust was not flaky. it was soggy. Not good.

 

My husband took the chocolate delight sampler. It was wonderful. I thought he was going to lick the little glasses in which they are served.

 

I felt like I had swallowed two watermelons when we left.

 

Worth the money. But don't eat like we did a few hours out. Don't order the Apple Flan or consult others before you do.

 

 

JiJi.............we ate there on July 2. Again at five thirty. It is in the Havana Bar. At night it becomes JiJi. Or one side does. The other side becomes the Italian Restaurant

 

You order two of everything. Two appetizers. then you share. We ordered a soup and spring rolls. the soup was served in a large bowl and was very good. The spring rolls.......I didn't like so much.

 

you pick Two entrees and then share. We had Sweet and Sour Shrimp. it was divine. fresh little bits of vegetables. I could have licked that bowl. And we ordered the General Pao chicken dish, .with ..mild spices. I think we should have ordered more spices.

 

We ordered two fried rice dishes. I wish we had ordered one fried rice and one noodles.

Worth the money. We ordered a pot of hot tea..at....no extra charge. I enjoyed that hot green tea...........a lot

 

Dessert. again, you pickTwo of them. We had a cream Brule and wontons filled with sweet something's. both good. Then we had fortune cookies.

loved the staff

loved that place

 

Italian..Restaurant

on the other side of the Havana Bar

 

We ate there on July 3, again at 5:30.

 

We got into the bread with the creamy spread pre to the entrée. Don't do that. It fills you up and our entrees were worth waiting for....

 

We had minestrone soup. A lot of it is served. Again, it is easy to fill up as the soup was very good.

 

For our entrée we both had Chicken Parm. . It was excellent. for real. And the portions were huge. We could have ordered two entrees and sampled another one. If we go again, I think we will do that.

 

Dessert was Tiramisu. It was served in a large dessert glass. cream. lady fingers. whatever liquor they put on it. As full as I was, I ate it all.

OUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT on the Sunshine. BUT we enjoyed them all, and felt they were worth the extra money.

The food was good.

It was a quiet just for two dinner

we always sat by the window

 

If you sail and you are young and in love.............Dine in just one of them at least. It is so romantic. Even for the old codgers like us.

 

MENUS for all three specialty restaurants are posted on the Carnival web site. Study them. I wish I had done that.

Edited July 7, 2015 by AmberTeka

[Arzeena]

JiJi's is Asian Fusion. Bonsai Sushi is also onboard Sunshine. The Vista double OBC offer was good for the whole week, I believe, at the Future Cruise Desk. Owen, Loyalty Agent is very good and proficient at booking cruises. We booked two while onboard. The reduced deposit special was not combinable for the Vista OBC deal.

We booked Hawaii with 50% deposit Early Saver. The next day, while looking at checking for price drops on our others, I found that extended balconies were coming in at same price. So, used GS phone to call Miami and moved to an extended, same price. Then, a few hours later, "bowling alley" extended came available. Borrowed phone once more and grabbed it. Will be great for Hawaii!:)

Also, Owen booked a placeholder cruise for us. Just a three day in 2017, $150 deposit, past guest rate. This can be used for another cruise we want to book, while not on the ship. That gets you OBC. Of course, we will use it for a longer cruise and have to pay the additional deposit; still get the adjusted OBC.

Sorry, Amber, for any interruption. We are chatty!:)

 

Great information for us Carnival newbies!

Is a "place holder" booking like what is a future cruise booking on other lines?

[2Shoes2Go]

Not called this, or really acknowledged as the way Carnival wants bookings done. Owen said he does often do them. Make certain not to book Early Saver (we always use a Past Guest rate) and be careful about reduced deposit deals. When the booking is changed to what you really want, any reduced deposit difference will have to paid immediately. Also, keep an eye on final due dates, don't let it come due before changing the cruise.

Don't forget about it either; we have three open bookings on Royal I have to assign still, before long.

[buckeyefrank]

Great review so far AmberTeka! I agree with almost everything you wrote. I also thought this ship was no where near as crowded as the past reviews have stated. It was actually better in certain areas than other ships I've been on, like food lines.

We've never had YTD until this cruise and I was mad at first that we couldn't get it changed, but it ended up being a blessing. We loved it and are now big fans of YTD! We only waited for a table on 2 nights and no more than 15 mins at the most.

The only thing I disagree with you on is the kids. I did see many unruly kids and I overheard several people on different occasions complaining in the elevators about kids knocking on their cabin doors at 2:00 and 3:00 in the morning. It also drove me crazy how they would all sit on the stairs in in the hallways late at night and not move over for anyone to pass. Of course, I didn't let these kids make my cruise a bad experience. It was awesome overall!! I'm also curious what they did to the families involved in the fight. We were told they can ban them from any more Carnival cruises. My husband watched the fight and I say it transpire (I'm the one who informed him there was about to be a fight) and it appeared to be due because of one of the "unruly" kids. My son and friend who are 18 actually had words with this boy on the basketball court and he's only 10 or 11 at the most, so that tells you what kind of mouth/attitude he has...

 

We heard it started on the basketball court. I have a son who's 13 who didn't want to play because everyone was playing very rough. I'm really glad he didn't play. We saw one family getting off the ship in Grand Turk cursing out Carnival and a security guard sitting 24 / 7 outside a cabin at the back of deck 1. I would think both would be banned for a period of time from Carnival.

[Arzeena]

Not called this, or really acknowledged as the way Carnival wants bookings done. Owen said he does often do them. Make certain not to book Early Saver (we always use a Past Guest rate) and be careful about reduced deposit deals. When the booking is changed to what you really want, any reduced deposit difference will have to paid immediately. Also, keep an eye on final due dates, don't let it come due before changing the cruise.

Don't forget about it either; we have three open bookings on Royal I have to assign still, before long.

 

Thank you.

[Seany527]

DAY TWO....FIRST SEADAY--Sunday, June 30,2015

 

...Crème Brule for dessert. Very good...

 

 

Whoa, how did you get Creme Brule two nights in a row??

[cruisetodayteachtomorrow]

I have read your reviews on this board previously and I know you typically book inside cabins. Have you every booked an inside on deck 1 before? Are they nice cabins?

 

 

We were on deck 1 with an jnside cabin 1436. No couch or nite stands, big shower, flat screen movable TV. We were very happy with our room and steward!

[webecruizin]

My family and I were on the same cruise. The only thing I would disagree with is the crowding. It might be the ship layout or the number of kids (1200) but on deck on sea days, it was packed! Back near the waterworks there were no chairs at all, none around the pool and I didn't see any available after 10am anywhere: at least not 2 together.

 

I may do a review myself but will wait until yours is completed.

 

By the way, do you know anything about the fight that occurred on deck 1 and what happened to the families involved?

 

We were on deck one and apparently thats where one of the families had a room down a few doors from us and security sat there the remainder of the cruise. The boy was never allowed to leave the room, room service was brought to him. other than that not sure about the final outcome.

Edited July 8, 2015 by webecruizin

[AmberTeka]

Whoa, how did you get Creme Brule two nights in a row??

 

 

It is one of the choices in JiJi. And it is very, very good. So was the Crème Brule served in the MDR.

[NCTribeFan]

I'm solo, so two choices of everything would not end up with a good result. :p

 

Did I miss pricing? These are all extra-cost venues, correct?

 

I'm not really a fan of paying for food when I'm perfectly happy with the meals in the MDR (I'll get to check out the "new" menus when I'm on Splendor in October).

 

Depends on the cost. And how I'm doing in the casino. ;)

[AmberTeka]

I'm solo, so two choices of everything would not end up with a good result. :p

 

Did I miss pricing? These are all extra-cost venues, correct?

 

I'm not really a fan of paying for food when I'm perfectly happy with the meals in the MDR (I'll get to check out the "new" menus when I'm on Splendor in October).

 

Depends on the cost. And how I'm doing in the casino. ;)

 

 

JiJi and the Latino restaurant are $15 pp

 

I respect your views. To me, it was worth it. the quiet. the time with my husband. Different menus. I also liked the food a lot. A drink costs almost that much. I don't drink. My husband does but one or two a day, when on vacation only, is his limit.

 

different choices for different people and all of them good.

Edited July 8, 2015 by AmberTeka

[NCTribeFan]

Oh, I like having options, which is why I'm looking forward to finally get the new menus.

 

I just rarely pay extra for things when I'm happy with what's included in the price. It's just a difference in priorities.

 

Did you have the sushi?

[AmberTeka]

MOVIES UNDER THE STARS. ON THE LIDO DECK

 

Sunday......June 29..........CINDERELLA at 8:15

 

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS at 10:30

 

Monday............June 30.........GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY at 7:00

 

 

Tuesday..............June 31............UNBROKEN at 8:15

 

INSURGENT at 10:45

 

Wednesday...........July 1 ............INTO THE WOODS at 8:15

 

TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION at 10:30

 

did not see any of them. Movies on TV. did not watch. Seemed to be old movies. The ones on the LIDO Deck did not play on room cabins or I missed them all. PRINCESS lets you get the movies shown under the stars on cabin demand. HINT. HINT. Carnival.

[AmberTeka]

Oh, I like having options, which is why I'm looking forward to finally get the new menus.

 

I just rarely pay extra for things when I'm happy with what's included in the price. It's just a difference in priorities.

 

Did you have the sushi?

 

No. but the price was $15pp too. That restaurant was right across from the Steakhouse on Deck Four. We passed it a couple of times. It was ALWAYS packed. MAKE a reservation before you sail if they take them.

 

I made all of our dining reservations before we sailed. I booked them at the Carnival site and received confirmations back quickly.

[cruzeluver]

Thank you so much for all of the great information. I gave really been enjoying your review! As a "foodie" I am so excited about the wide variety of dining options on Sunshine. We too will more than likely try them all.