Carnival has perfected the quality of food and level of service it provides on its cruises. We will definitely be going on another Carnival cruise soon.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Our embarkation went very smoothly. Dropping our luggage off with porters was quick. When boarding commenced and they began calling Zones, they moved through the Zones quickly. From the time we checked in (assigned time was 12:30pm) to the time we got on the ship (1:10pm), everything went smoothly.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Service and the quality of the food in the Main Dining Room was great. Our dedicated wait team, led by Richard, was outstanding. Carnival has perfected the dining experience and it showed. My wife and I have had service in restaurants back home that don't come close to the high level of service we received on Sunrise.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We spent a lot of time at the pool people watching and listening to the music (and of course enjoying the sun). The new miniature golf course was lots of fun as were the water slides. I wish there was a dedicated pool for adults only, but we managed.
We also checked out a couple of the comedy shows. They were an 8 on a 1-10 scale. The Love and Marriage show was a hoot (as always) and The Flying Scotsman's show (Chris is the CD) was really outstanding. He is one of the most talented we have seen on our Carnival cruises.
We didn't have time to check out the fitness center, but heard it was great. Also had hoped to try the ropes course, but that seemed to be a very popular activity and could never time it just right so there wasn't a long wait.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Musicians were exceptionally talented; however, sadly, our experience with the piano player (in the Piano Bar) was very displeasing. His name is Scott. He only catered to those cruisers who paid to have their songs played. He called those "requests" where those who did not pay, he called them "suggestions." I provided feedback to Carnival on my survey about my belief that entertainment is part of what you pay for in your cruise cost. I also pointed out that additional "tipping" should not be a requirement of getting the full enjoyment of the wide variety of entertainment offered.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
This is what really made our cruise experience exceptional. The MDR staff that we were assigned to (and requested every night) as well as the Bar Staff were outstanding in their service and making us feel special. They would always refer to us by name and ask how our cruise was going including how our days in port went. Our cabin steward also did this and was always asking if we needed anything. With such a large number of passengers on board, it was amazing the "personalized" service we received. Well done, Carnival. These Ambassadors for your brand are what keep people coming back.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Crew was constantly cleaning - even after rain showers. They would squeegee the deck of standing water and towel dry the deck chairs. Really outstanding service and always with a smile.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Ample space in our cabin. Temperature was perfect. We had one issue where the toilet would not flush one morning. Guest Services sent someone to our cabin within five minutes and the problem was resolved quickly. Other than the ship cameras not being viewable on our television (and the GPS map), everything was great. We loved having a mini fridge in our cabin to keep our wine and water chilled.
Ship tip
Bring walkie talkies. They will help you stay in touch with your party - especially if you don't want to pay extra for the chat feature through the Carnival Hub app.
We rented a Jeep for half a day and drove around the island to see sites that were important to us. We felt rushed since we didn't arrive until 1:00pm and had to have the Jeep back by 5:00pm. Even though we were in port until 9:00pm, we were back on board by 6:30pm after doing some shopping near the port.
Great beach, beautiful water and decent food (provided by Carnival). Wish we would have seen more bar service staff. When going, be prepared for large numbers of people. Bring your patience and you will have a blast like we did.
We did a private excursion to an All-Inclusive Resort (Viva Wyndham). We arrived in Freeport at 7:00am and after having coffee got off the ship and headed to the resort where they had breakfast provided (full service buffet). We then headed to the beach and starting enjoying the water and unlimited alcohol. This was by far the best port for us. We met lots of people not cruising and most definitely would consider going back to stay at the resort for several days.
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