For a first cruise this was perfect; ship size, cabin and ports. There was always something scheduled onboard but, we really don't need the types of fun and games Carnival specializes in to enjoy a relaxing cruise. We enjoyed the Sunshine, especially the Cloud 9 Spa and Serenity deck. The staff was awesome!
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Very confusing and long lines. We shuttled from Newark Airport, our bus was directed closer to the Norweign ship. When disembarked everyone just grabbed their luggage and we totally missed the porters. Consequently we had to lug our suitcases through all the lines and onto the ship. Finally got to the counter and there were no Sign and Sail cards for us; wait some more for cards to be printed. A long 2-1/2 plus hours waiting in line.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Food was good in the Main Dining Room. We ate at the Steakhouse on our first night out to take advantage of the complimentary bottle of wine. Presentation was beautiful, food very good but this was not fine dining service. Guy's Burger Joint had excellent burgers and great fries; ate there twice. BlueIguana cantina burritos were good, but I thought there were tortillas and salsa which I never saw or never saw others eating them either. Breakfast at the Lido buffet was always very good. Loved the croissants, Eggs Benedict and the omlete bar.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We both enjoyed the Cloud 9 Spa and Serenity Deck. The spa therapists were all excellent. I had the best pedicure I have ever had on the Sunshine, with Keisha. Stone massage was sooo relaxing. Aileen gave me a wonderful facial and some recommendations to switch up my skin care routine. Products were presented and recommended but not high pressure.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
We selected 8:15 dining so unfortunately missed the shows, sorry past our bed time. The musical entertainment was all very good. The Dive in Movies were all very current, but the weather was chilly. Wish we could also see these in our cabins on nights that it is rainy, foggy or cold.
Children's Programs
No children I would
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
All of our service professionals were good and personable. Each one was interesting and we enjoyed talking with them. The senior officers including the captain were not present throughout the ship, except for the first formal night when they were introduced.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
I liked the layout except that there were only 2 elevators that went up to the 11th deck where our cabin was located. I enjoyed the Spa Interior design and colors. The ship wasn't too big, we stayed mainly on the Lido deck and Serenity Decks.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
This was a Cloud9 Spa cabin, with spa decor in the room, Elemis spa products, pool towel, Terry bath robes and unlimited access to the Thermal suites in the spa. The cabin was a perfect sizeexample for two people with ample storage space. The temperature was perfect. The bed wasn't the most comfortable. All was clean and we'll attended to by Capuano, our steward.
Ship tip
I would recommend booking one of the Cloud9 Spa cabins.
Eat breakfast in the Havana Bar area or JJ Asian Kitchen area both right behind the Marketplace buffet. It's a little less crowded here and you can enjoy the omlete bar as well as the buffet.
Did a hop on hop off trolley tour, that was good. Had lunch at a local pub, nothing special. Went to Faneuil Hall, tourist central with lots of souvenirs and shops that are in every other shopping area in the US.
We were able to do a lot in the cruise port area. Took the Casco Bay Ferry out to a few islands and learned a bit about the area. Had a great Lobster lunch at the Portland Lobster Company and walked around the streets, looking in a few art shops.
My favorite port on the Cruise - welcoming cruise port with a local marketplace set up in the adjacent lot. We walked up a few streets to an awesome pub, Cask and Kettle. Our shore excursion took us around the highlights of the city, ending at the reversing rapids.
Sunshine was docked at an outlying pier and we had to shuttle to the main cruise terminal. We couldn't find our shore excursions and walked around in the rain so started off on the wrong foot. Shore Excursions to Peggy's Cove was a little to rainy to enjoy, but scenery was beautiful.
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