TOWELS AND DINNER

Item: Carnival Sunshine
Rating: 3
Author: patricianalaska

Carnival Sunshine Cruise Review to Canada, New England, New York

patricianalaska

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 12

Overall rating:

3 out of 5

Verified Review

4 Night Bermuda (New York Roundtrip)

Sail date: July 28, 2016

Ship: Carnival Sunshine

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 8255

Traveled as: Family (older children)

Reviewed: 8 years ago

Review summary

I HAVE CRUISED MANY TIMES. I WAS DISAPPOINTED ABOUT CHAIRS SAVED WITH TOWELS FOR AT LEAST 4 HOURS AT A TIME. NOONE CARED TO REMOVE THEM SO OTHERS CAN SIT. YOUR ON TIME DINING IS VERY DIFFUCULT TO DEAL WITH. THE LINES WERE LONG AND AFTER THE LINE I WAITED AS MUCH AS 45 MIN. TO DINE. I WILL NOT CHOSE THIS AGAIN. PATRICIA NATALE

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Ship tip

NO ONTIME DINING

Thumbs up

Ports of call

New York, New York

5 out of 5

Saint John, New Brunswick

5 out of 5

27 Comments

ginahickey 8 years ago

Your time dining is obviously going to be crowded when people can go at any time. You have the option to be seated at 6 or 8...

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kimberly318 8 years ago

The chair saving was seriously annoying .. Can't believe so many people were so unsympathetic and that the staff wasn't around to step in ... I agree also about the anytime dining .. I'll never choose this again .. It was the biggest mistake we made

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BonMike 8 years ago

I've seen crew members put notes on Lido deck chairs and then come back and remove the stuff when the time has expired, but I've also seen a family hold about 4 deck chairs right next to the pool about 7am, and they were still empty when I finished my 5km laps around the deck above the pool. The woman said to another passenger that they cruise all the time and this is the routine for them - claim several chairs and just use them sporadically throughout the day. How inconsiderate of others, I thought!

as for Your Time Dining - it is our preference. We usually go about 6 pm and haven't had to wait. We really enjoyed our waiter on the Miracle last spring so we asked to sit in his section for 5/7 nights.

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yukonner 8 years ago

Talk to crew members about three chair situation

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Kat18 8 years ago

Yes! 😂final offer. Take it or leave it😄

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jlcruzer2 8 years ago

Is that your final offer? Lol

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jlcruzer2 8 years ago

Ok......new rule is 30! Lol

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Kat18 8 years ago

It's really annoying when ppl hold chairs. Sometimes I get some food at the buffet and would like to sit next to the pool to watch the kids play while I have a snack but it's nearly impossible to find one because most of them are empty with towels. 😡 So yes they should enforce the rules and put a time on them 30 minutes should be the max!!!!

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Kat18 8 years ago

This happened to us on our first NCL's Gem cruise. We've been on her 2x. No problem the 2nd time. We don't go on the sunshine till June of next year but I know now to be more cautious, And bring my bag with me. Also we are traveling with around 20-25 ppl this time so someone will be around (hopefully)

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jlcruzer2 8 years ago

I know my wife at least asks around about spots saved like that and she finds ones that people say have been yhere for an hour or so and she takes it over. The breeze was bad about it as was conquest but glory last june for us was pretty good.

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courtneywills 8 years ago

See when I was on the breeze that one had more room so I guess will see what happens with this one we go on January 29

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Kat18 8 years ago

Yes it was definitely a PUNK or two. They weren't even there when we got back. No one was on the chairs.

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courtneywills 8 years ago

Lol ya I would have done the same

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jlcruzer2 8 years ago

I don't think damaging her messing around with other peoples items is cool either. That was just somebody being a flat-out punk and I wish I would have seen somebody do that cuz I would have probably thrown them in the pool!

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courtneywills 8 years ago

What is wrong with people they have no respect for people's things that's not right they threw your stuff on the ground

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Kat18 8 years ago

rolled up soaked and I mean soaked. Our bag was thrown on floor and it also got soaked, it was made out of fabric. I felt invaded and also felt as I should've just let my daughter poop in the pool. So wrong.

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jlcruzer2 8 years ago

Okay I correct my previous comment to a 22 minute rule! If somebody left a note saying be right back and a time that would be fun but the blatantly leave them for hours on end is not cool

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Kat18 8 years ago

It's definitely not right to hold chairs. But jlcruizer 15 minutes it's not right either! On one of our cruises my daughter had to use the bathroom and so I brought her! There was a line which we had to wait also my daughter is in the spectrum so it's a longer process so it took me about 20 minutes for the whole bathroom trip with her plus I used the bathroom too. When we got back our towels were.

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jlcruzer2 8 years ago

Use the 15 minute rule, if 15 minutes goes by, put the towel under the bench and the seat is yours! If they have an issue after several hours, blame it on someone else! Or.... remove the items and move the chair over a bit amd say someone took the whole chair! Lol

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sorca 8 years ago

After an hour move them.

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catzmumm14 8 years ago

In regards to your time dining. We always do this as we like the flexibility. If you want same dining team each night you can still have this. Just ask Maitre'D to seat you in their section. You may not get same table but will be served by same waiters each night.

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courtneywills 8 years ago

I think its bs that people save the chairs it's one thing if you have to get up to go to the bathroom but if ur swimming u shouldn't be able to do that an I think they should enforce that more to make it fair but oh well what are u going to do.

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Deniseg 8 years ago

This is true but I just don't want to get in a conflict when the other person gets angry when they see me in their chair :(

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rogerellenborland 8 years ago

All you need to do is tell a carnival worker and they put a note on the chair and If it's still there after a short time they remove the towels.

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bonzo63366 8 years ago

Plus you can ask a crew member to move it and deal with it.

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bonzo63366 8 years ago

I've read on Carnival once that there is a time limit for saving chairs. If it's a Carnival towel and it came from someone's room if it's not accounted for they get charged and you get a free towel. That would work for me.

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Deniseg 8 years ago

I have to agree with the chair saving. I don't like that at all. As for dining, you can go to early or late seating and you will get a table right away. We always pick early seating. Plus, that way it's nice to have the same waitstaff every night.

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