Carnival Sunshine Review
Rating by category
Additional details
This was only my second cruise. First was on Carnival Conquest in February. We aren't avid cruisers (yet), but I know what I like and what to look for. After reading all the negative reviews about Sunshine, I have to admit I was second guessing my decision to book it. I made sure my mind was prepared for a less than ideal cruise. Fortunately Sunshine delivered an incredible vacation and put my worries to shame! The ship is beautiful, the staff was friendly, the shows were entertaining (don't miss Epic Rock), the Serenity Decks were amazing, the food was delicious (mostly), and the rooms were very comfy!
The only reason I didn't give Sunshine a five was for cleanliness. Our room still had dust and hair on a few of the shelves when we arrived that looked like they had been missed more than once. Also, since there aren't as many staff members onboard for the quantity of people (compared to other ships), dishes, cups, etc. sat around longer than they should have. Not a huge deal or problem, but something for Sunshine to work on. Our room was always kept clean after our arrival though and the service we got was very good.
The awkwardness of the ship's layout (which many people complain about) wasn't a big deal at all. We had Your Time Dining and checked in on Deck 5. There wasn't usually a wait before walking down to Deck 3 to be sat, but when there was, it was the perfect area to wait with Alchemy Bar, Taste Bar, and Red Frog's entertainment all there! VERY FUN!!
Cabin Review
Balcony
Cabin 9194 on Lido was very convenient and easy to run to regularly for any reason. A few doors down in either direction would have been more ideal though, because we were right across from the Atrium elevators and other elevator bank, which got noisy at night. You also hear the elevator bell a lot. I bring ear plugs for situations like that, but we were so tired we fell asleep without them and the bed was sooo comfortable. Good Snoozin'! :)
Port Reviews
Half Moon Cay
AMAZING!!! We've been to a lot of beautiful beaches and have never experienced one this perfect. Not a shell or rock in the sand by the lounge chairs or in the water. It was totally fun with DJ Spike, plus good food, drink service, and incredible beach and water... will make certain we go here again!
Nassau
Took a water taxi to Paradise Island. Walked around Atlantis and took pictures. Beautiful place... reminds me of hotels in Vegas. Walked to Cabbage Beach (public beach next to Atlantis). We weren't very impressed. Just not what we were expecting. It's a small area and lacks the look and feel of a nice beach that we're used to. I guess if you're used to Public beaches, it would be fine. There was a run down shack/bar, lots of people standing around to get you a chair/umbrella for rent, or beach massage for $35 for 30 minutes, or hair braided. Not our scene. We did some shopping instead and went back to the ship. I would book an excursion next time.
Freeport
We stayed on the ship and had a GREAT time! Very industrial area. You have to book an excursion or take a taxi for a decent drive (my understanding) in order to get to a beach. This was our last day, so we chose to just chill on the ship instead. Glad we did!
Port Canaveral (Orlando)
Not a favorite port due to the proximity of the port to the airport. We rented a car to the port and then took their shuttle to the ship. We got a ridiculous deal with Enterprise for $17 going there, but coming back Avis was less at $45 vs. Enterprise (around $50). We definitely saved money over the shuttle, but may consider that in the future. Next time I will also look at Hertz prices. They are closest to the port and had a couple of shuttles swing by for pick-ups before Avis even had one. We waited at least 30 min's and another couple had already been waiting for 30 min's before we got there. Both of us called Avis to see where they were. That wasn't a great experience, so the shuttle service might be a better choice there.