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Carnival Magic

Carnival Sunshine

Carnival Splendor

Sete

Chose this cruise because departure port was close to home. Overall very satisfied. Excursion was cancelled because of wind, but we did get on another excursion.The cabin stewards and buffet area tables cleaning staff work extremely hard with barely a minutes break and did a fantastic job. This time cruising I was not too impressed with the lunch or dinner buffet. We did use other choices available for meals. Main complaint was witnessing total disregard for passengers luggage by the staff baggage handlers on the ship at elevator on 7th floor where our cabin was. While waiting for the elevator my daughter and I watched them completely flip full carts of luggage on the floor and proceed to throw piece by piece into various piles on the floor. It is one thing if they do this when no one is looking but I was appalled it was being done with us standing there watching them. I will be carrying my luggage on next time.

Mother/Daughter Cruise

We have traveled out of norfolk, va many times on carnival ships, we are platinum cruisers and have had much fun. Another couple came up from  charlotte to go with us in a different cabin. This is their 4th time with us. The time for boarding  was great however were were told to be on board by 3pm to leave at 4,but it was almost 5:30 pm when we left. People dont pay attention, they should be left on the pier, if not on time unless a major life and death emergency occurred. The cabin was great we had a suite watched all ,kinds of stuff from the balcony, especially people on the pier at locations the neighbor was loud but i think she forgot her hearing aid.    the food was cruise food. Up on the leado deck at the buffet ,the staff would  walk by soiled tables,ignore them and go to talk to other staff. I watched 2 tables be full of  dirty dished,   people waiting to eat for 10 minutes, people just turned their head  other way.

The 2 main problems on this cruise was kids running wild all day, all  knocking into people, one kit told a female cruiser to f---- off-b-----. You are in my way. He was about 14 yrs old. The second was smoking on the balcony's of cigarettes, and cigars, one  person was dropping his cigar ashed on the  fuel barge below.. You could smell it in the passage ways but staff did nothing about kit the cigarette  smoking was about 3 days . Debarking was good and the staff wonderful. the cruise director wad EXCELLENT             bob

NORFOLK, AND BACK IN 5 DAYS

Sailed from Hometown for the First time, I must say it was great and also very convenient .

Downtown Norfolk, just 20 minuted from home,

The Sunshine was a nice Ship..... I sailed in an Ocean Suite.  in the AFT of the ship..

The balcony was a little small, overall the room was nice. Two wrap sofas, one was a sleeper, Seperate bedroom that led out onto the balcony, bathroom had a tub with shower.

I was not happy with the Boarding Process. I had priorty boarding, yet still lines..my luggage did not get to my cabin until 2hrs after i boarded.

I found the late night entertainment to be great..  Comedy Club and the Disco was Hot!!! Music to Dye for......

Guys Burgers was the best. the Pizzas , Always the Best Pizza.....

I spent a lot of time out on the balcony... Did a one day pass at Breezes ALL Inclusive.

Had a FUN Time!!!

Fun Time from My Hometown

I chose this cruise because it was perfect timing for my wonderful wife's birthday and it was leaving from Norfolk only 1 hour from our home in Gloucester. It was also affordable. The cabin was beautiful and comfortable.The huge picture window showcasing the open ocean and beautiful ports of call. I just spent the better half an hour detailing all the wonderful experiences of our wonderful trip and my computer some how lost my writings. So I will not rewrite all of that again. So let me summarize in saying our Cabin Stewart Puji was remarkable. Our restaurant staff team Macedon, Jeffrey, and Zafar were wonderful in their service and pleasant personable demeanor making our dining experience especially the night we all shared dinner with the Captain who also was very engaging with the guest. Emma is phenomenal. How can one person harness and dispense such amounts of energy. We all were her Lovelies. The entertainment was fantastic Everyone was so friendly and most accommodating and gracious. It was a totally wonderful time for both my wife Lourdes and I. Thank you.

Wonderful Birthday Celebration Cruise for My Wife in the Bahamas

Embarkation and disembarkation went very smooth!

The safety/security drill that occurred aboard the ship took an extended about of time.  It was held outside on the deck in humid weather and limited about of space.  Many of the elderly people standing near me had a very difficult time standing for the period of time.

The ship was very clean, the cabin was clean, prepared and ready for us every time we returned.  I have traveled and stayed at many resorts, been on a couple of cruises and stayed at several hotels but I have never encountered the level of customer service like Mr. Gusti provided!!!!! I know he worked long hours but he also greeted you with a smile and a delightful approach.  He is the BEST!!!  Mr. Sombari was great also.

Dinning was delicious and service was great.....Ms. Ausrine!

Entertainment and Activities were plentiful and fun!!  Mr Leigh, Cruise Director is great at what he does!!

I plan to book another cruise on Carnival Sunshine!

Wonderful!!

We chose this cruise for the location, time and price. That was a mistake. Customer service shouldn't be in their vocabulary bc they have zero. We had no ac in our stateroom for 3 full days after saying something to the attendant within several minutes of boarding. My husband has medical issues and had we not brought a fan from home, it would have been miserable. I fell on the pool deck in a huge puddle of water 20 feet from the pool, and they had the nerve to tell me they wouldn't charge me for my visit to the medical bay. My feet flew out from under me, I was not drinking, fully dressed. My doctor told me I pulled every muscle in my back, sprained my ankle and bruise my elbow. I'm on steroids and muscle relaxers now. Had I not gone to the medical bay, there would have been no incident report noted. 

I ordered cranberry juice at dinner and was charged $2.69 for it and it was watered down. Guest services did nothing but take off $45 in charges for all our complaints and said they couldn't do more. There was no in room refrigerator, the smoking area is on the same deck and side as entrance to camp carnival. There's an up charge for everything, from food, to activities, to juice apparently. The force gratuity on drinks with alcohol content. The slides hurt your back bc you can feel every seam. The hot tubs were full of kids under 13 talking and behaving inappropriately. The Dr. Seuss stuff was forced into an hour and half on one day, trivia, parade, story time. Then no more characters until the uncharged breakfast which was one of the best meals I had all 5 days. My husband sent several dinners back and he never does that on royal Caribbean. Captains night included zero filet or lobster tail unless you paid an extra $20, not on royal Caribbean, its included on that line. After calling customer service after my doctor visit, I was told she couldn't do anything but pass the info along and I have to wait 24-72 hours for someone who can to call me back, they had better hope I don't have to call back. I will never cruise with them again!!! I could continue but it's not worth my time and effort. Will always choose Royal Caribbean from here forward.

Never again

Overly pleased with my cruise experience with Carnivel out of Norfolk Virgina .Boarding was orderly and my luggage was at my storeroom in a reasonable time. Plenty of food morning noon and night. Anything you wanted to eat was available The wait staff in dining room and the buffet were more than outstanding. They were friendly and helpful to your needs.

 Entertainment and activities were nonstop. Needed 48 hours in the day to attend ,there was something for all ages. The casino had adequate amount of machines and enough tables to win money.

Inside storeroom  room had adequate room. The linens were clean, plenty and plenty of towels and wash cloths.  I found the bed comfortable enough 

Embarking at Nassau and Freeport we had amble enough time to explore the island. I cannot find any complaints with my sailing with Carnival, even though I have tried.  I give Carnival Sunshine an A+

Returning back to port everything went smoothly.

AMAZING

This was my second time cruising with the sunshine from Norfolk va.  The first time last year was so nice and I had a ball.  I wanted to take my sisters because they never cruised before and I was so excited to share this with them.  The weather was horrible but that's wasn't carnival fault.  The clean up staff was fantastic.  Very friendly.  The bartenders was friendly.  That's the good news.  The food was horrible..  the quality was horrible.   Powered eggs really.  Absolutely nothing was hot for breakfast.  It wasn't even warm.  They had pancakes and waffles but they were cold.  The pastries tasted week old.. and oh my God the hash browns was so greasy and seasonless. I may never eat hash browns again. The dinner at the sunrise restaurant was horrible.  It was hot but tasteless.  The manager we talked to was rude..  never again will  I cruise carnival.   Little more dance clubs that catered to a older crowd would be nice.  I felt like I didn't get my money worth this time..

Horrible food

value and close to home. the ship is set up well.it has the nicest serenity decks that we have seen on carnival.the whole staff wasvery nice.lee was a great cruise director.the five day itenarary isto rushed.if they decide to come back to norfolk it should be changed back to a sixday cruise.you have to cruise to fast both ways,which makes it uncomfortable when the seas are rough.the balcony on our room was in rough shape.it had blue paint smudges on the glass,and blue and white paint chips on the floor.the safe in our room did not work after the first day.they should bring back the steel drums by the pool deck and las vegas type costume style shows.they let people in the dinning room for dinner wearing what ever they want,jean shorts ball caps flip flops etc. it is un professional on thelr behalf. if people want to dress like that they should have go to the buffet. that attire is okay for breakfast and lunch but not for dinner.they have taken away the table cloths.whats next the napkins.

The weather was bad and the singers in the shows for the second year in a row wa

We thought of taking a Royal Caribbean cruise out of Baltimore, but doing so costs us a whole day at sea. I would rather take that day in a foreign port than at sea. Being from Tidewater, I truly appreciate the convenience of leaving from Norfolk. Plus, Grand Turk and Amber Cove, DR are new ports for us, another reason to take this cruise.

   We cruised last year on the Carnival Splendor so I would like to make some comparisons. One factor I noticed which was much different, in a very positive way, was that there was a marked decrease in the attempts to push liquor, jewelry and photographs. This created a more relaxed ambience. There was much less rowdiness on this ship, in fact, my fellow passengers seemed friendlier and more pleasant to be around. The engineering on this ship was much better as the Carnival Splendor had a sewer odor that could be quite pungent and unappealing. In fact, things like our showers and sinks, seemed to run perfectly. On the negative side, I really missed the live band and dedicated singers (  I think there were only five entertainers, as opposed to the twelve on the Splendor. Also, the service in the main dining room ( Sunset Restaurant) was good but not superior as it was on the Splendor. 

    No problem with embarkation. Smooth and friendly.

    QUARTERS: Our cabins was outside window, Oceanview. Carnival ergonomics are excellent and we had plenty of room. We lacked a refrigerator but that did not bother us. However, one is allowed to bring on 12 soda cans ( no water bottles or green tea), so it would have been helpful to have them cold. It was my birthday and the decorations were very nice. Plus, a wonderful couple I know, left us a bottle of sparkling cider. The cabin was kept immaculately by our Steward. He was friendly and helpful. Only complaint was that the outside window was a bit dirty and should be cleaned. 

     FOOD: Generally, I liked the food. I admit it is not nearly as good as it was 12 years ago when we took our first Carnival cruise, but there are highs and lows. Breakfast is fine The omelets are excellent, with short lines. Made to order. Oatmeal is well prepared. I love the soups, especially the cold soups. Their famed chocolate volcano melting cake is very good, though my wife does it better. I liked Guys burgers. Service is quick and friendly. The fries are similar to Five Guys, although appropriately about 1/5th as many since this is  only One Guys. Burgers a bit greasy but I like greasy burgers. The Deli is very good. Real, non-pressed turkey. They also serve bagels and lox there. Another tip is the 4 cheese pizza. There is 24 hour pizza and this was a favorite of mine. Tips I learned about late: the Mongolian Wok and Cucina del Capitano, serve excellent food and are free for lunch. The lobster was good and one could eat as many lobster tails as one wants. Some of the meats less so. The Indian food choice at dinner is below mediocre. The desserts rather bland except the tropical fruit plate. Be sure to order this early in the cruise. For some reason, the fruit is super for the first few nights and then becomes less generous and more over-ripe later. The sea bass is very good.

  ENTERTAINMENT: As mentioned earlier, I miss the live band and dedicated singers and dancers. The dancers are very good dancers but average singers. Also, the first two nights the production shows, Playlist Productions, were a repeat from two years ago when we sailed on the Carnival Glory. The performers were better and I liked their vibrancy and enthusiasm, but the shows are a bit short and I do not like repetition. The best show was the Studio VIP production. The Epic Rock show was very good, but since my wife is a former Disco Queen we liked the Studio VIP show more. The visuals on the Epic Rock show are imaginative and stunning. The other two shows were a Latin show and a Motown show, but since we had seen the same shows two years ago, we would rank these below the others. 

    I enjoyed the Cruise Director, Emma's enthusiasm and friendliness. Reading other reviews that found her "Hello lovlies" greetings  irritating, I found it quirky and airy. She was not all over the ship and as funny as the previous Cruise Director on the Splendor, Kevin, but I think she handled her chores well and did a very good job. 

    My wife and I like the trivia contests; if you like trivia contests this is the cruise for you.

    Musically, I think that the group Deja Vu was very good. Talented and a nice selection which matched the music of the Production show. A couple duo, Two of a Kind, was also very good.

   One major suggestion would be to PLAY CARIBBEAN MUSIC. If Carnival does not want to hire a reggae, soco or steel drum band, at least play this type of music when heading and traveling in the Caribbean music. We hear plenty of the usual American music back in the United States.

    I attended the Military Appreciation Gathering and thought this was very well down. There were a few WW II vets and it was interesting to see them. Some of the heart felt remarks by my fellow Vets were inspiring. 

    We went to a number of the shows in the Punchliner Comedy Club. Get your seats early as the club fills up fast, though there always seems to be a seat on the sides. But better to  see the comedian rather than view it on the TV's. Al Romero was our favorite and had my wife laughing hysterically. Chris Wiles and Spike Davis were also funny but not quite as funny as Mr. Romero. 

     Two other shows in the Liquid Lounge included a hypnotist, Rich Gazzi, and a singer Consuela Ivy. Mr. Gazzi, who will be performing at the Funnybone in Virginia Beach. Is very amusing and his show was a of fun. He got the participants to do some amusing things. Some of the subjects seemed to  be acting, and it seemed they really were not hypnotized, but otherwise, we enjoyed his show. Ms. Ivy is a dynamic and enjoyable singer with a great stage presence. We enjoyed her show. My only complaint , which is true with a number of entertainers, is the ceaseless efforts to get the audience involved.. I am a static sort of person, who comes to shows to be entertained; not to be a part of the show. She is immensely likable and and easy lady to listen to otherwise.

   My wife and I took a group dance class from Laura, one of the dancers. She taught us the cha-cha and was an excellent and friendly teacher, since I am not particularly graceful. 

   Since it was my birthday, I indulged myself in a spa treatment. I signed up for the men's only package ( 60 minutes). The spa staff was gracious. The treatment included a Deep Cleanse Facial,Scalp, Neck and Shoulder Massage, a double shave and a Pressure Point hand and arm message. I was somewhat taken aback when the masseuse was a male, but it turned out to be better than my initial reluctance justified. My skin felt like a baby's when he was finished with me. 

   The gym was more than adequate and never seemed crowded. However, it may take an effort to find a machine with a working television. Do not forget your headphones. 

    EXCURSIONS: We took three excursions. All three I would recommend. Since we had been to the Bahamas and Atlantis, we chose the Sea and See Tour. We boarded a van which took us past a number of sites in Nassau, and viewed Parliament, the Governor's Mansion, the Supreme Court, Heffer's  Sporting Good Store, and then to the famous Queen's Staircase, and  Fort Fincastle. We then boarded a boat for an interesting tour along Pleasure Island. The tour was informative and humorous. We were taken to the Seaworld Explorer. The coral formations and interesting and beautiful schools of fish were astounding. The windows could have been clearer and cleaner though.

    Our second excursion was the best. CRYSTAL CAVE EXPEDITION AND CABARETE BEACH WITH LUNCH.  We took an hour long trip to the Caves of Cabarete. The guide was excellent and re-assured my reluctant wife that she could descend into the cave. with a railing on one side and a rope on the other. The cave is small and difficult to navigate. Our flashlights helped us see some fascinating formations...our imaginations ran wild. We then were led on a tour of the flora of the area with a number of interesting medicinal trees. We then visited the world famous Cabarete Beach. The beach is gorgeous. The meal we enjoyed was the biggest surprise of the cruise. It was prepared gourmet style and far exceeded our expectations for lunch. I ordered sea bass which was a large and tasty portion. I would highly recommend this tour.

   The final excursion on Grand Turk, Coast to Coast Grand Turk Safari.This is a very thorough and enjoyable tour. However, though I regret not doing one of the snorkeling tours. ( My wife does not snorkel). There is a very nice free beach on both sides of the port. I noticed that many of the resorts were open but for sail. Grand Turk is a very nice island, the people are friendly so hopefully the economy will do better. It is English and is more like Bermuda than the other Caribbean islands. 

   DEBARKATION: The ship was already badly delayed. There was a medical emergency which necessitated that the ship return to Nassau rather than head directly back from Grand Turk. Debarkation was very slow. Perhaps, this was due to terrorist fears since Virginia, New York and Texas were dubbed as targets the day before elections. 

   All in all we enjoyed the cruise very much. We thought the ship seemed to be in good condition and we noticed the ship was constantly being cleaned. 

  We hope other lines will use Norfolk as a port to increase our choices, but until then, we will stick with Carnival.

Enjoyable as Usual

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