It was a wonderful cruise with only a few minor glitches. All in all the ports we went to and toured were fun and inviting.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Considering the number of Diamond and Platinum rewards members on this cruise, the process for embarkation went very smoothly and very orderly. We were on board and in our cabins earlier than we expected.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The food was typical cruise food. The biscuits at the morning buffet were HORRIBLE! They had the texture of hockey pucks and the gravy was even worse! We ate in Cucina del Capitano Italian specialty restaurant, and it was wonderful! Well worth the extra money for dinner. Service for your time dining in the main dining room was extremely slow. It took us over 2 hours to be served and eat. There did not appear to be the variety we have seen on cruises on the past, but this could have been due to the length of the cruise and the amount of supplies needed. The wait staff in all venues were excellent.
Cucina Del Capitano
5 out of 5
We had eaten some of this restaurant's offerings at the noon Lido option, and made the decision to give the dinner time a try. We were not disappointed. The service was wonderful. The menu had so many options it was difficult to make a choice. We settled on an appetizer of meatballs, and dinner of chicken parmesan. Both were definitely noteworthy! then we topped it of with a wonderful lemon gelato. We will most certainly eat there again.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
The small size of the Sunshine restricts the activities available. The waterworks is quite large, and appeared to be widely used.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The stage shows and variety of entertainment were excellent. The music on this ship is always the best. A violin duo played in various locations on the ship. They played everything from Classical to rock and were truly enjoyed. The best group, however, was Syzygy, and band that played mainly in the Ocean Plaza. The musicians in this group were extremely talented and the singers were the best we have heard in a while. They played every genre of music. Another duo was Music and Magic who were also very good.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The staff and crew on this ship are amazing! Service is top notch at every level.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The Sunshine is one of the cleanest ships we have sailed on. Our ONLY complaint with this ship is the layout and size. When it was refurbed many cabins were added without increasing the size of the footprint of the ship. That means more people in the same space. It is always crowded. Larger ships allow for space where a person can sit down, relax and find a quiet place. This ship does not have the space to provide for that. And the smoke from the casino is very very bad!
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The cabin was spotless and the same size as most balcony cabins. This cabin has an aft balcony that is much larger than regular balconies and because it is on the back of the ship, there was very little wind. We enjoyed the chairs and the chaise lounge that were provided. Drawback was, it was sunny most of the time and it was much more subject to the rock and roll of the ship. very quiet though, and close to Lido buffet.
Ship tip
Be prepared to have a hard time finding a chair on the open decks. There are too many people and not enough chairs!
We grabbed a taxi and went to the beach at Copacabana Beach Club. The beach was beautiful and the food and drinks were priced fairly. Our bad experience came once we returned to the cruise port and went in search of souvenirs and t-shirts. The people working in the port shops were rude, indifferent, and generally made it perfectly clear that if you left without buying anything they would be more than happy. So, that is exactly what we did. Will not go back to Barbados and will avoid any cruise that does.
We took a spice and rum tour. It was very interesting and we learned a lot about this "warring' island. It is a beautiful island. The people there were excited to see our ship and showed it in every way.
St. Maarten took a direct hit from a hurricane in the fall of 2017. It is still recovering, and the devastation was wide spread. That being said, the water is still the bluest ever, the beaches still have the softest sand, and the people are still welcoming! We took the water taxi and went to the downtown boardwalk and spent the day at NuLove, a restaurant and beach front bar in Phillipsburg. It was wonderful! Alibaba took care of us and set us up with chairs and an umbrella. Was one of the best days of the cruise. The stores and bars are still in repair mode and the people are obviously suffering PTSD after the storm and are apprehensive of another storm. But their resiliency is amazing and they were thankful for us to come back. Many of the resorts were destroyed but the amazing beaches are as beautiful as ever and the guavaberry coladas are delightful and refreshing. We will be back next year to see their progress in recovery and spend another wonderful day in paradise.
We walked out of the port and were met by J. Wilson who gave an island tour. We never visit San Juan without going to Quatro Sombras for coffee, Genesis for fried corn sticks and Los Mojitos for fried cheese. As always, the people appreciate the ships coming to town!
We booked a beach getaway with Annie's Caribbean Tours to go to Reggae Beach Bar and Grill. Spoony picked us up and off we went over the mountains to the other end of the island. We love this bar! Warm water, wonderful food, we had chicken strips, cold beer and rum punch that will knock you on you kiester! Hated to leave after a day of snorkeling, swimming and relaxing.
Great review!!!! You had a few complaints BUT you did not let them ruin your vacation. I might add that the Havana Bar is my favorite bar and area on the ship. Plenty of seating and great staff😎😎
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