Carnival Sunshine Review

Overcoming obstacles!

Review for the Southern Caribbean Cruise on Carnival Sunshine
User Avatar
Catdun326
2-5 Cruises • Age 50s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service

Additional details

Sail Date: Jan 2018
Cabin: Spa Interior

Having sailed before, I was very excited to share this experience with my husband. I should not have pumped things up so much as so much fell short of what I expected. The pre-sail Muster was a major cluster! We were able to switch to early seating but our service was so bad/slow we ended up eating on the Lido at the buffet. Food was adequate, staff had trouble keeping up with clearing off the tables. Spa experience was awesome although my husband was shocked that I fell for a $530 detox plan! The ship's Captain circled the ship around one sea day to investigate a homemade floating contraption (boat?) with a small sail to ascertain that the 3 men on board were not in peril and in need of assistance. Maritime Law and sort of a neat experience. Arrived to Aruba too late to make any of the shops we had visited previously and since we docked at the industrial pier we were limited in what we could do and see. Stop in Bonaire was AWESOME and my favorite out of the whole trip! Floating through the mangroves and learning about the eco system was great. At midnight prior to our scheduled stop in Grand Turk (which I had never been to and was looking forward to) we were awakened by an announcement on the PA system that we were detouring to Dominican Republic due to a couple of medical emergencies involving one guest and one crew member. Can't fault the cruise line for that as it turns out one of the events was life threatening and the crew member's life was saved as a result. We docked in Amber Cove which is nothing more that a resort area with pool and zip lines and of course shops. The local pharmacy was not opened while we were there and my husband needed some decongestant for a cold he was coming down with. We noticed several other passengers making their way to the pharmacy as well only to find it closed.

Debarkation went better that I expected and once everyone listened to the instructions given it was a breeze. We actually made it to the Orlando airport early enough to catch an earlier flight home! It is my understanding the Sunshine is due to go into dry dock for a couple of weeks and she sure does need some TLC. (launched in 1996). We had to call maintenance on a couple of minor issues in our cabin and we noticed throughout the ship the signs of wear and tear. I would sail Carnival again without a doubt but I will do my research on the vessel before I make any reservations.

Cabin Review

Spa Interior

Cabin 4S

Cabin was roomier that I expected and plenty of closet and shelves.

previous reviewnext review

Find a Carnival Sunshine Cruise from $369

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.