EMBARKATION:
Several days before boarding, we received an e-mail telling us boarding would not take place until 2 p.m. - 4 p.m., sailing at 5 p.m. The day before boarding, we received an e-mail telling us of the delays, due to traffic, in New Orleans, that would affect our CARNIVAL SUNSHINE cruise. This was immediately retracted, once they realized we weren’t going to be on the SUNSHINE! We arrived at the port at 10:30, thinking maybe we’d board before 2 p.m. Asked about boarding on the ground level, due to recent knee replacements & I was told, “all boarding is done with the ramps, that they’d have a wheelchair for me & someone from the ships staff would push it.” We were seated in an area that appeared we’d be one of the first to get on the ship. The area where they’d normally have drinks & cookies, etc., was covered over. There were water fountains, in the back of the room. There was no medical questionnaire, but at the desk when you checked in, they asked, “in the last 48 hrs. have you had vomiting or diarrhea?” In all honesty, I think most would say, “no” even if they had, for fear they wouldn’t get on the ship. Carnival has a program, where you can pay $50. Additional to board 2 hours before others. NOBODY boarded before 2 p.m. They had the priority boarding which, I guess, included those that paid additional, then wheelchair
passengers. I felt very uncomfortable, having someone push me in a wheelchair. She was a rather petite person, & I’m NOT! She had NO idea how to push a wheelchair & when we arrived at the area where she would have to push it up the ramp, she took 1 look at the ramp & said, “oh no, I’m not going to do that” & walked away, leaving me sitting in the wheelchair. My husband called to the security guard who came over & was RUDE, saying there was nothing he could do, that it was the only way to get on the ship. We mentioned that RCI boards people with handicaps, on the ground level. He explained Carnival didn’t do that. The girl returned with another wheelchair passenger being pushed by a male & they switched places. He had no problem getting me to the inside of the ship. We were boarded by 2:30 p.m. We immediately went to the MDR (main dinning room) to speak to the maitre’d, requesting being switched to Your Time dining, instead of late, which we’d been assigned, due to the late booking of the cruise. He could make no promise, but said he’d put a note in our room mailbox, just outside our room, by 5 p.m. We found our room, then went to the Mermaid Grill, for the buffet. When we returned, we were pleased to find the luggage was already delivered to our room. It was announced that the mandatory Muster Drill would take place at 4:20 p.m. When we went, I explained my problem & was instructed to sit in an area, with others, having the same problems. 4:20 came & went, no drill had started. A crew member arrived to the area, we were sitting, & about 4:45, they had the Muster Drill. No one recorded any names or room #’s, which led me to think they really didn’t know if everyone was in attendance. The ship was due to leave port, at 5 p.m.
We were pleasantly surprised to find our room was larger than expected, 185 sq. ft. The beds were together, forming a King bed. The beds were high enough off the floor that we were able to put the empty suitcases under the beds with no difficulty. There was ample closet & storage areas. The bathroom was small, but not too small. The shower was larger than expected & there was ample room to move around, without the shower curtain sticking to you. Our room service was exceptional. Foil wrapped chocolates were on our bed, for us, every night, which I thought had been discontinued, on all the cruise ships.