My Mom's Bday cruise on Sunshine May 8-13!!

[ninjacat123]

I booked this cruise a while back to celebrate my Mom’s 85th birthday with my 2 DDs making this a wild and crazy GIRLS CRUISE!!  My DH stayed home (somebody had to watch the animals) and we all missed him the whole five days.

[ninjacat123]

We know who the favorite child is!! 

Are you ready to go?  Get in the car and we are off!

Embarkation Day: I had secured check in times of 10 to 10:30am for the four of us.  I’m Platinum and Mom and DDs are Gold so I was happy we were together. I wanted to be on board early because I wanted to select my Princess Cay cabana and well, my vacation starts when I’m on the ship!  We drove the three hours to Charleston, picked up my DD who lives there and made our way to the port.  We love Charleston (my oldest DD graduated from College of Charleston) and we will be sad to see Carnival Sunshine leave this port at the end of this year.  The weather was sunny and warm as we dropped our luggage with the porters.  My DDs helped Mom to the wheelchair pick up area as I parked the car. By the time I got through the check in process, I was lucky to join them on the same shuttle over to the terminal. Mom got another wheelchair pusher (all super nice pushers, which Mom tipped each one) and Mom and I went through the wheelchair entrance while the DDs went the usual gangway entrance.  We met at the Adventures Desk where I signed up for cabana 8, close to the bar, restroom and snorkeling cove. We dropped off my carry on with the bottles of peach bellini in our spa interior rooms, met our stateroom attendant Windu and left for lunch at Mongolian Wok.  JiJi’s is located in the aft on 9 and during the day it is used for Mongolian Wok.  I’m used to standing in a 45 minute long line on other ships, passing my bowl of selected veggies and noodles to a chef.  On Sunshine, you fill out a slip of paper, the hostess gives you a table number and you find a table.  Very quick and easy.  Mom and I had the rice noodles with shrimp and the DDs had the linguini like noodles with the combo of steak, shrimp and chicken.  A light and tasty lunch! I checked on our MDR table with our charming maître d’ and it was perfect.  Table 133 was a table for four and close to the front door.  Easy access for Mom and us three walking her through to her seat. My mom needs an arm for support when walking and this table was great.  Since it was around 1:00 and Windu said we could access the rooms, Mom and I changed into swimwear and hung out on Serenity on 14 in a clamshell. Sorry the pic is on it's side.

 

[ninjacat123]

The DDs took a nap in their room and we all got what we wanted.

Sail away was quiet with just a brief horn toot.  Charleston likes it quiet.  My DDs had fun throughout the cruise checking out “cute boys”.  It became a running joke with us, how many times we would see certain “cute boys” kind of like “where’s Waldo”. Mom and I shared an Aperol Spritz as we watched the clouds go by.  Mom and I decided to use our Spa access for the tile chairs.  Nice warm tile chairs with a view of the ocean. 

 

[ninjacat123]

Soon it was time to get cleaned up for the evening activities.  First stop, Alchemy Bar!  I ordered drinks and we sat at a table near Alchemy and listened to karaoke from Ocean Plaza.  It took a while to get my drinks but they were delicious as usual. We decided to check out a comedy show at 7:30 before our 8:15 MDR late dinner.  The comic BT was great and we were not expecting to laugh so hard since it was a PG show. We were lucky to get seats.  After his 30 minute set, we made our way to our MDR table.  Our waitstaff was professional, personable and a lot of fun! Team Lead Server I Made, Team Server Anjaya and Asst. Team Server Yasa made our MDR dinners memorable! During “showtime” I got up and danced with our waitstaff.  Very fun!! I had purchased the wine package (5 bottles premium) and it worked out to a bottle per dinner. 

[ninjacat123]

We were tired and thought to call it an evening but my DDs decided to put on swimsuits and hit the hot tubs.  They found one not too full (not Serenity, that was people soup) and wrapped it up around 11:30.

 

First Day at Sea:

I woke early and walked 1.5 miles on the outdoor track.  Beautiful day with a fairly quiet ship.  Set up camp at Serenity on the waterfall level.  Went and brought breakfast for my mom.  We got on our swimsuits and enjoyed the peaceful waterfall sound.  I went in the waterfall pool (very brisk) and stood under the waterfall.  Love the sensation of water cascading over me!

[ninjacat123]

!  Eventually the DDs showed up and we all got some sun.  Serenity was getting crowded and we decided to go to Sea Day brunch.

[ninjacat123]

We put on shorts and shirts and proceeded to the MDR when the app said our table was ready.  We had a table for four near a window and service was quick.  I ordered a side of corned beef hash with two poached eggs (a favorite of mine) and an order of 6 beignets for the table.  We loved the hot, fluffy squares of beignet dipped in either chocolate or berry sauce! After brunch, we made our way back to Serenity for more sun.  Before we could burst into flame, we decided to relax in the spa.  We relaxed on the tile chairs and my DDs cooked a bit in the steam room.

[ninjacat123]

Tonight was elegant night so we got ourselves pretty and had pictures taken.

[ninjacat123]

Alchemy was busy as usual and I procured our usual selection of drinks. Mom and I love the Fiery Tropical Martini (Patron tequila, spicy Mango syrup and triple sec, I think) which we split one almost every night. That drink isn’t on Alchemy’s menu anymore but the mixologist looked it up for me. We decided to check out the other comic (name started with a D, sorry) who performed his PG show.  It was fun to see his show but we agreed, BT was our favorite. MDR dinner was great but the room was a bit chilly so my DDs ran back to the room to get a cover for my mom.  In the meantime, I made Mom a “napkin shawl” like one I wore on my dinner cruise on the Seine. 

[ninjacat123]

After dinner, we retired to our rooms.  My youngest DD wanted to watch the Dive In Movie so I changed into shorts and a top and we sat on the highest deck on Serenity.  This was a great location for movie watching and for “cute boy” watching. The movie finished and we called it a night.

 

Nassau and my mom’s bday:

Mom’s bday!!  We had already ported at Nassau and I could see the new and improved port terminal from the ship.  Very pretty! I grabbed some breakfast for Mom and coffee for me from Lido.  Our plan was to get a cab to John Watling’s Distillery for the best pina colada EVER!  My mom and I love JW and look forward to coming there anytime we are in Nassau.  The four of us made our way through the port and a cab was easily obtained.  I’m thinking there is a set rate enforced of $5 per person for close by travel.  On previous cruises, I have been quoted rates of $15 to $35 total to ride up to JW.  Our friendly cab driver whisked us up the hill and in no time we were enjoying pina coladas out on the patio.  I believe you can take a free tour of the distillery.

[ninjacat123]

Chickens and chicks roamed through the patio tables as we enjoyed the late morning breeze.  I saw a few food and drink tours trying rum flights and bites from the food truck there.  I had a birthday candle and a lighter for Mom’s pina colada  and we sang “happy birthday” to Mom. I bought a bottle of rum and we cabbed down the hill.  Walking to JW is about a 20 minute hike uphill which I could do but not my mom.  My DDs were happy that we cabbed it as well. 

[ninjacat123]

Back on board, Mom and I split a Guy’s burger and the DDs wanted to rest in their room.  I secured chairs at the spa and we relaxed till it was time to get ready for the Platinum & Diamond party.  Since I could bring a guest, I brought Mom the birthday girl.  I brought a handful of singles so I could tip out the circulating waiters with drinks.  Sam sang and played his guitar then we watched the video that always is played.  We enjoyed our drinks and went back to get ready for JiJi’s.  Mom and I had eaten at JiJi’s on a previous cruise so we were very excited for tonight.  JiJi’s is the best value for specialty dining in my opinion.  Delicious Asian dishes so good I wrapped up leftovers for potential snacking later.  Yes, I know that’s crazy on a cruise but it is that tasty!  Service was great and we had a bottle of rose sparkling wine from our wine package to celebrate Mom’s special day. Sorry again about the sideways pics.  I don't know why that happens on some of them.

[ninjacat123]

We changed into casual wear and decided to gamble a bit.  My DDs were introduced to roulette last cruise and had been looking forward to playing ever since.  We were able to get seats at a table which was a miracle unto itself. The casino was always busy!  I staked mom and my DDs $25 each and I busted rather quickly.  It was fun watching them win even if it wasn’t a huge amount of money.  A win is a win!  We decided to walk away while still ahead and call it a night.  Tomorrow is Princess Cay!

 

Princess Cay:

We all got up early (ok, early for the DDs) to get to the water shuttle by 9:00am. I had grabbed breakfast for Mom and coffee for me and had our beach bags ready.  We made it to shuttle and motored over to Princess Cay.  Shelley drove us to our cabana in her tram and we set up camp.  Our cabana, named Dilly was a lovely mint green.  The table inside was stocked with sliced fruit, chips, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, veggies and ranch dressing.  The A/C worked great.  Waters and sodas were in the mini fridge.  We were set!  I set up towels on the loungers and checked out the snorkeling cove in front of our cabana. 

[ninjacat123]

Water was cool but pleasant.  My youngest DD wanted to go for a walk so we did.  About 10 minutes later we were at the Craft Market gate.  Make sure you have your sign and sail for re-entry as well as cash or credit cards if you want to purchase anything.  We got a seat at George’s Bar & Grill, a rustic open air shack with a sideways view of the water.  We had drinks then bought a t shirt for DH (reward for feeding animals) and a t shirt for DD. 

[ninjacat123]

We walked back to our cabana and donned the provided snorkel mask and fins so we could check out the fish.  Many colorful fish darted in front of us and getting in a swim helped us work up an appetite for the bbq lunch.  The DDs and I stood in line and loaded up plates with jerk chicken, cheeseburgers, potato salad, broccoli salad and brownies.  We took our lunches back to the cabana where the four of us chowed down in the A/C.  After waiting the requisite time to digest, we positioned Mom on a floatie mat wearing a snorkel mask.  The DDs (competitive swimmers and lifeguards) guided Mom around the cove so she could see the fish.  I swam around them, pointing out more fish.  Mom was so happy and felt safe with her “mermaids” taking care of her.  We dried off at the cabana and decided to shuttle back to the ship.  Shelley and her tram picked us up and we were on the shuttle in short order.  Once on board, we decided we had enough sun and we would chill in the spa.  Later, we cleaned up and had drinks at Alchemy then dinner at Captain de Capitano.  Delicious Italian food with great service!  Mom’s burrata appetizer was divine! The Sauvignon Blanc from our wine package paired nicely with my Branzino Al Forno in Crosta Dorata entrée.  Mom was feeling tired so we all walked back to our rooms. 

The DDs wanted to gamble so we changed into shorts and shirts and hit the roulette table.  There was only room for two players so I let the lucky ones have at it.  They broke even so all went well. We listened to some karaoke then we called it a night.

[ninjacat123]

Last Day at Sea:

I think because I went to bed early, I woke up at 5:30am.  By 6:00am I realized that sleep was futile so I grabbed towels and my beach bag and headed to Serenity.  It was empty except for one person with a towel covering their head.  Did they spend the night in a clamshell?  I could think of worse places.  I set up camp in two clamshells then grabbed a couple of pastries and a coffee.  Great way to start the day! Then I had a peach margarita!

[ninjacat123]

A couple hours later, I brought Mom breakfast.  She was ready to go up to Serenity, so we hung out for a couple more hours.  How long can those DDs of mine, sleep?  I texted them to find out if 11:00am brunch was suitable, and they gave me a thumbs up.  We had a yummy brunch and Anjaya from our dinner wait staff came by our table to say hi.  The staff works so hard and still are so cheerful.  We said we’d see him tonight for dinner.  We spent some more time in the spa then cleaned up.  I told the DDs to prep their suitcases so all they needed to do was put them out in the hallway for pick up by 11:00pm. I was rolling off my carryon and planned on packing their jammies in it.  Drinks at Alchemy as usual, with the three Gold cards getting their after 5:00pm drink practically for free.  Dinner in the MDR was bittersweet, knowing this was the last night.  I had pre-paid my gratuities, but I always give out tip envelopes with more to show how much we appreciated their hard work. We hurried to get seats at BT’s 10:00pm show.  We knew it would be packed and we were correct.  Fortunately, we found seats and enjoyed 30 minutes of his 18 and up comedy.  Very funny!  We headed back to our rooms to set out our luggage and my youngest DD wanted to get some evening air.  I’m thinking this is code for looking for “cute boys” and I was right!  We went to the casino where she busted then we hung out on lido.  We finally called it and headed in for some sleep.

[ninjacat123]

Debarkation:

I saw our stateroom attendant Windu and handed him a tip envelope.  He was always professional, personable and kept our rooms very clean and tidy.  When I receive my survey, I will note all of our staff by name.  We had reservations for an early Mother’s Day brunch at one of our favorite restaurants in Charleston, 82 Queen for 10:00am.  We got to the theatre where we were quickly assigned a wheelchair for Mom and we proceeded off the ship.  The whole process went smoothly, and we made our way to 82 Queen.  As I stated previously, we will miss Sunshine!  I believe Sunshine will be sailing out of Norfolk, VA but we would rather drive south to warm weather for future cruises.  Thank you for reading and I’ll try to answer any questions but if I can’t, I’m sure someone on CC will chime in!

[Jamman54]

Great review!  Thanks for posting! 

[ObstructedView2]

Hi @ninjacat123🙂

 

Thank you for your review! Did you see any of the three Playlist Productions while on-board Sunshine?

 

Studio VIP

Latin Nights

Epic Rock

 

Happy 85th birthday to your mom!!

What a terrific way to celebrate!🥳🎉

 

 

 

🍹

[pcvtmom]

I so enjoyed your trip report! Sunshine (and Charleston) are favorites of ours.

[ninjacat123]

10 minutes ago, ObstructedView2 said:

Hi @ninjacat123🙂

 

Thank you for your review! Did you see any of the three Playlist Productions while on-board Sunshine?

 

Studio VIP

Latin Nights

Epic Rock

 

Happy 85th birthday to your mom!!

What a terrific way to celebrate!🥳🎉

 

 

 

🍹

I tried to but my DDs had other plans, like gambling 😅.  Plus, the four of us had seen these shows a couple of times.  When I did see these shows on past cruises, I enjoyed them!

[luvcruzing]

 Very nice review.  Thank you for taking the time to post.

[pinto18]

ok so your Mom looks AMAZING for 85!

[audcc77]

12 minutes ago, pinto18 said:

ok so your Mom looks AMAZING for 85!

I was thinking the same thing!

 

Glad you had a nice time with your mom and DDs.  

I will miss the sunshine when she leaves Charleston as well.  

 

I leave my DH with the cats too. 🙂