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As previously mentioned, beginning in 2025, the vessel will move to its new home port of Norfolk, Virginia. From there, it will offer six-night Bahamas and Bermuda sailings, as well as eight-night Eastern Caribbean itineraries. Throughout 2024, Carnival Sunshine will sail year-round four-, five-, six- and eight-night Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean voyages from Charleston. Depending on the itinerary, stops might include Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, San Juan and the cruise line's private island, Half Moon Cay. I've cruised with Carnival several times, and I'm always impressed with the caliber of talent.
Other Carnival Cruise Line cruise ships
I'm a gin and lavender fan, and our bartender, Tatiana, created an amazing cocktail with gin, lavender, St. Germain, elderflower and lime juice. The Alchemy Bar is a cocktail bar designed to resemble an apothecary, offering "elixirs" and "remedies." It's one of the venues I look forward to the most when cruising with Carnival. My husband ordered the "Straight Up" burger with all the fixings, and it was almost on par with others he's eaten on previous cruises. There were ample towel racks and three hooks on the back of the door. The bathroom was stocked with bath and hand towels, washcloths and a bar of soap. A large desk/vanity with a lighted mirror and flat-screen TV was on the opposite wall.
Interior with Picture Window (Walkway View)
Any time you're in your room, you're just steps away from your own personal outdoor oasis, featuring the sort of sea view you can also feel. Other in-cabin amenities include a safe, robes, a phone and a hair dryer (hidden away in a drawer by the vanity). The Sunshine ship's interior design was done by Partner Design (Hamburg-based company).
Dress code
Beach attire is the norm for sea days, and if you plan to spend your day on the top deck, plan to dress in T-shirts, shorts and bathing suits (with a cover-up to go inside). The Sunshine Casino on Deck 5 midship was popular with passengers on my sailing. Every time I walked through, it was buzzing with activity (although, as previously mentioned, I didn't spend a lot of time there). The venue is a maze of slot machines, with a collection of poker tables, a craps table, two roulette tables and several blackjack tables. Throughout our cruise, the casino hosted organized poker tournaments, raffles and other ways to test Lady Luck.
Captain's Suite
I'd never stayed in an aft cabin, so I looked forward to having uninterrupted ocean views over the ship's wake. I particularly enjoyed our view as we plied through rough waters during a storm. It was a fantastic reminder of the strength and endurance of cruise ships.
Where does Carnival Sunshine sail to?
CCL has the Corporation's largest fleet as number of vessels and GT-tonnage (ship sizes/volumes and passenger capacities). In 2023, CCL had ~9% (by revenue) and ~19% (passengers) share of the cruise industry's worldwide market. In 2024, the parent company (Carnival Corporation) had ~51% stake in the US$64+ billion industry.
What I didn't love about Carnival Sunshine
I ordered the shrimp dumplings, sweet and sour shrimp, and the Chinese broccoli. We closed out our dinner with the rose creme brulee with ginger cream and caramelized crepes served with citrus ice cream. Also, other than the night of the storm, I didn't encounter any extensive rocking or shifting that was out of the ordinary for a cruise ship. Perhaps the most moving example of staff personalizing an experience for guests was during the military appreciation event, which is held every Carnival sailing and hosted by the cruise director.
Cobranded Cards
Unfortunately, the wall came out a bit to the left of the TV, which made it impossible to swivel the TV to the left and view it from the bed. It had about 10 channels of news, movies and children's programming, and several Carnival-sponsored channels. It was basic, with neutral walls and blue patterned carpeting. No cutting-edge designs here, but I wouldn't expect that from an older ship. The bed was cozy, the pillows were soft, the room temperature remained comfortable, and I had ample storage for a long weekend's worth of clothing. Smoking can be a divisive issue on cruise ships, and it's banned nearly everywhere on board.
Carnival Sunshine cruise ship review: What to expect on board - The Points Guy
Carnival Sunshine cruise ship review: What to expect on board.
Posted: Sat, 16 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
At the time of publication, prices started from $374 per person for a four-night Bahamas sailing in an inside cabin (excluding taxes and fees). During this sailing, many families seemed to hang out together during the day — spending time at the pool, watching karaoke and participating in other activities. Tweens and teens have their own hangouts and activity schedules. Circle C is for cruisers ages 12 to 14, with events like dance parties, outdoor movies and group games. The Circle C space had a futuristic vibe with metal walls and a minimalist design. The pianist/singer was top-notch and had a great rapport with the guests.
Each launderette has washing machines, dryers, irons and ironing boards. The laundrettes also have vending machines stocked with small boxes of detergent and fabric softener at $1.50 per box. Nonalcoholic drinks in glass or plastic bottles are not allowed. If you want to bring the wine or Champagne to an onboard restaurant or bar to drink, you'll incur a $15 corkage fee. Drinks brought on board must be carried in your carry-on luggage. A slightly more expensive "value" plan, at $17 per day, adds access to email and most websites.
Of the other eateries on board, Guy's Burgers, the burrito place, and Deli were all great options to eat at. A Cloud 9 Spa Suite is the ultimate in both stateroom and spa accommodations. There's room for you and your things — with a large room and balcony — and a walk-in closet. The soothing in-room whirlpool tub will help you stay relaxed after your relaxing spa treatment. And like all suites, a Cloud 9 Spa Suite features VIP check-in, which lets you easily get right up to your amazing stateroom. This is the best room you can get… without bunking up with the guy himself.
It's not a shiny, new vessel, so don't expect flawless cabins and the latest attractions. What you can expect, though, is to have nonstop fun thanks to a variety of diversions and an enthusiastic group of like-minded shipmates. Whether you're looking for an affordable Caribbean cruise for the whole family or want to escape with your besties, Carnival Sunshine is a solid bet if having a fun time is a priority. However, the ship operates on a "cashless system," so any onboard purchases you make will automatically post to your onboard account. You'll receive a Sail & Sign card that you can use to make charges. Self-service launderettes are on decks 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 and 9 (midship) on Carnival Sunshine.
Various treatments and therapies are available — from deep tissue and stone massages to acupuncture and other traditional Chinese techniques. Additionally, the spa offers hair and nail services, facials and medispa treatments. Club O2 is for the 15-to-17 set and offers a chance for older teens to hang out together, play sports and games, and interact during group activities. The modern atmosphere extended to Club 02 with a bold red and black pattern on the floor, sleek red chairs and metal accents. The pan-Asian menu features dishes from Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, China and Mongolia served family style.
Traditionally, a recording of "Taps" is played during a moment of silence. Our cruise director, James, is also a trumpet player, so he plays "Taps" live for the ceremony. Although Carnival reduced cabin cleaning service to just once a day from twice a day in 2022, our room steward was always close by and checking in on us. Our cabin was well-kept and clean, and we had fresh towels when we needed them.
There were two shelves on both sides of the mirror for toiletry storage and a decent amount of counter space for such a small area. The shower included pump dispensers for shampoo and body wash, as well as a retractable clothesline for drying swimwear. Our cabin's TV was installed on the wall to the left of the desk mirror.
The new ship now features modern amenities, new venues, more dining options, new onboard entertainment program (3 new grand show productions). Guy's Burger Joint is a walk-up counter restaurant at the back of the pool area on the Lido Deck. My husband is a huge Guy's Burger fan, so that is always our first meal on embarkation day. Judging from the lines, the majority of Sunshine cruisers had the same idea. Even my special-order veggie burger took under five minutes to make (though it was my least favorite dish on the ship).
