This was a great family vacation on the Carnival Sunshine!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
This embarkation experience was different than what I've had in the past. After checking in, you are transported to the security check and ship by bus. It's an extra step but Charleston handled it flawlessly. The process was quick, efficient, and the staff was friendly and welcoming.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
We ate at two specialty restaurants, Fahrenheit 555 and Cucina del Capitano. Both specialty restaurants were excellent. There were only a few items in the MDR that weren't quite what we were expecting; however, our wait staff was superb and took great care of us to swap out anything that we didn't like.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
There was something for everyone on this ship! You can be as active or inactive as you want. With younger kids, we spent a lot of time on the sports deck and in the waterworks...both so much fun!
Entertainment
5 out of 5
This was probably the best group of Playlist Performers I have seen...the whole family loved EPIC Rock. The acoustic performers in the lobby were also excellent.
Children's Programs
Our children didn't participate.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
This was hands down the best staff of any Carnival ship I have been on. Our waiters were excellent and very attentive, knowing our preferences and having our soda order ready and sitting on the table when we arrived to dinner on day two! Our room steward was also awesome, towel animals and ice refilled every night. Our CD Adam really knew how to get the crowd excited and hosted excellent parties; however, I never saw him outside these events...this didn't detract from our experience though.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The crew worked hard to keep the ship nice and clean. As others have said, the layout is a little different, but I still found the ship very easy to navigate. This ship does carry more passengers than others its size and I did notice that it was a little more crowded at times; however, this was only at times like embarkation and lunchtime on Lido. Otherwise, this was not noticeable and the traffic was well dispersed within the ship.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
This trip we had two connecting spa balcony rooms. I absolutely loved the location...easy access to all the activities on the top decks and easy access to elevators for lobby/dining room access. We were able to hear the music from the pool deck when the balcony/room doors were open, but once these were closed, it was very quiet. This is also a very quiet part of the ship at night as there are not many cabins located in this area.
Ship tip
As with any vacation, do your research and know what to expect!
Came in the evening before and ate dinner at Halls Chophouse. This was an exceptional dining experience...wonderful food! Charleston is a lovely city and I would love to visit again.
Used a third party website for tickets to Aquaventure at Atlantis. Took a taxi over to Paradise Island and was able to experience the waterpark at our leisure. What a beautiful place and great park! We were very fortunate to be the only ship in port so lines were very short. Overall, a great day with family!
The most beautiful beach I have ever been to...absolute paradise! We walked past the pirate ship and found loungers in the shade...the beach is also less crowded there. We brought blow up noodles and they worked great. Overall, a very relaxing beach day!
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