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Carnival Sunshine Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern
8 Night Eastern Caribbean (Port Canaveral Roundtrip)
Sail date: April 16, 2016
Ship: Carnival Sunshine
Cabin type: Inside
Cabin number: 2280
Traveled as: Large Group
Reviewed: 8 years ago
Review summary
I would be very mindful about booking through a travel agent when booking a cruise only because, in my case, Carnival will not speak to you about your cruise if you have booked through an agent--it is frustrating and time consuming having to call the travel agent and wait on hold while an uninterested 3rd party handles your business for you. (It is so easy for them to say that they tried to get something done for you and the cruise line would not do it) When booking our cruise, we were traveling with a group of 10, travel agent said yes, we were at the same dinner table and we requested early dining seating. When we arrived onboard, none of us were at the same table and we were scheduled for late dining (which in turn caused us to miss all of the shows). Carnival would not accommodate our request to be seated together, nor would they accommodate the request for an early seating arrangement. The impression that I got was that Carnival resented that we had gone through a travel agent and would make no concessions for us.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Children's Programs
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship tip
Make sure you double check the "new" rules, the website still says that you can take 12 bottles/cans with you onboard but my eight pack of diet mt. new was confiscated and loads of water was taken in the boarding terminal. The reason is still unclear.
Ports of call
23 Comments
yankandbrit 8 years ago
CrusinTim 8 years ago
jtnipper 8 years ago
You are right, possibly no room at early dining...but one of our groups (of 3) was seated at a table of 10--which no one showed for dinner except one night--that night a party of 2 sat with them but it was not worth the embarrassment of having to move if someone did show. Prior to the cruise, I checked and double checked with each rep every time I called about something new to make sure that all of us were linked and assigned to the same dinner table. The late dining was the worst part, there were children traveling with us that could not stay awake through dinner. I didn't understand the comment that was given about being "overbooked", I mean, I am not being ugly--but how does that happen? Where do you put those people when they show up? The travel agent told me that "there were ALWAYS people that don't show up and I should ask for an upgrade" so that is what I did and the lady at guest services smirked and said, "I am sure that your travel agent told you to ask for an upgrade, it makes us look like the bad guy" When I told her that I was told that sometimes people just don't show up, she said that that very rarely happens. What do you do? Just roll with it, you hear so much, believe it when you see it and have as much fun as you can in spite of it! LOL!
CrusinTim 8 years ago
And on the other hand, I have used the same cruise agency for 25 years and have ALWAYS gotten a great deal. And because we are frequent cruisers with them, They load us up with extras and OBC's that the cruise line doesn't offer. We have sailed with groups in the past too that our agent set up for us to dine together. All we had to do was provide the res. numbers of those in our party and we have always got to sit together at the requested time. Many cruise lines will discuss information about your cruise but to make changes, since you booked through an agent, those changes must be made by the agent. RCCL actually appreciates the use of agents. Don't believe me, just call and listen to their automated wait message where they state that! Travels agents a "Dinosaur", not in my eyes when they give extras the cruise line doesn't offer.
skeates 8 years ago