Well beyond expectations...impressed an old pro.

Carnival Sunshine Cruise Review

Cruises: 7+ cruises
Reviews: 9
Helpful Votes: 131

Overall rating:

4.3 out of 5
Carnival Sunshine

5 Night Bahamas (Charleston Roundtrip)

Sail date: July 04, 2022

Ship: Carnival Sunshine

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 1 year ago

Review summary

Extremely relaxing. Avoided the crowds. Food was some of the best ever in the MDR. Half moon cay, if done correctly, is hard to beat. Much less kids than I expected and unusually behaved. My 24th cruise across 6 different cruise lines and the whole cruise exceeded expectations.

Embarkation

5 out of 5
Of course Charleston could never earn 5 stars because of its strange multi location checkin, but the process was quick enough and the staff was friendly. One bonus is we got to see someone get busted for trying to sneak booze in in a tampered wine bottle. They confiscated all their liquids at that point. Nice try.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5
160 nights cruising its hard to get my attention with food, but this cruise did. The new additions on the menu were outstanding and the flavors on everything was wonderful. The capitano selections available every night were so good I had the bavette, albeit with at least one more entree, every night. The salmon in the puff pastry was fantastic. The gravy when provided with an entree was the best we've ever had. Service was super fast and friendly. The only disappointment was the steakhouse, but perhaps I didn't order the best option.

Onboard Activities

4 out of 5
The casino was VERY generous. Hit $4,999.40 and $979 jackpots on minimum bets. Considering the cruise was a free comp from the casino, that was a nice bonus.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

4 out of 5
The three level serenity is always nice. We were able to get a perfectly positioned clamshell every day with no problem.

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5

Ship tip

Enjoy the wonderful food and relaxation. Dont try to battle the crowds for the comedy shows, the lines and crowds will harsh your vibe. Just enjoy the lower key venues, the dive in movies, the thermal spas, the serenity deck and you can have a wonderful time.

Ports of call

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (Private Island)

5 out of 5
As long as you prepare, its paradise. We bring two inflatable floating loungers and a folding beach tent, and a thermos full of rum punch...then walk way past the crowds and cabanas... sweet perfection every time.

Nassau, Bahamas

3 out of 5
Atlantis is the only great thing about this port. We have unlimited access thanks to the casino and the grounds and not so lazy river are always a treat.

Charleston, South Carolina

4 out of 5

Disembarkation

4 out of 5
Again, Charleston is weird, but still super fast. In the car 25 minutes after leaving the cabin.
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