Absolute worst experience I’ve ever had. I will never cruise again. As expensive as these cruises are, the continued hounding for tips and the upselling everything ruined the cruise.
Embarkation
1 out of 5
The moment we arrived on board, we were met with the first upsale and the first “gimme more money experience.”
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
1 out of 5
The food wasn’t bad but the experience was terrible.
Everything we ordered, we were hounded for tips. We were nickeled and dimed around every single corner. We prepaid gratuities and had bottomless bubbles but were still met with either people being frustrated that we asked for soda for breakfast and dinner and people begging for tips.
We couldn’t enjoy dinner because people were constantly at our table asking to take photos that they could charge us for later or hounding us to buy alcohol.
Onboard Activities
1 out of 5
Same song and dance. Order a drink by the pool? Hounded for a tip. Performers begging for tips. This trip cost us over $2500. To be asked for more money is infuriating. The whole experience was a money grab by Carnival.
Entertainment
1 out of 5
Sub par and begging for tips.
Children's Programs
1 out of 5
We didn’t use them but I guarantee you they wanted a tip.
Service and Staff
1 out of 5
Complained about bringing out sodas for breakfast and lunch even though we paid for the bottomless bubbles package.
Ship Quality
1 out of 5
Old ship, rust in areas.
18 person pool for 3900 people on the serenity deck and 8 person hot tub…for 3900 people. Not enough seating for people to attend shows or stay by the pool.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The only thing that was great. Our steward was awesome and she didn’t beg us for a tip every single time we saw here.
Ship tip
Do not do it. It was an absolute waste of money. Everything was a money grab and an upsale. The Bahamas was just as bad. A huge money grab.
Worst possible place to take anyone. Begging for money. Can’t even walk through the markets and just look without being hounded. People begging you to pay $20 for a beach chair. Can’t relax because every 5 minutes someone shows up to try and sell you something.
This review is crazy. I’m platinum and have never been hounded for a tip on any of the ships I have ever been on. As for the pics they take at dinner, you don’t have to take them and even if you do, you don’t have to buy them. A simple no thank you would have fixed that complaint. As for the Bahamas begging for tips. This is normal of any Caribbean island. Again, a simple no thank you or just keep on moving is literally all you have to do. Tipping your driver is pretty standard anywhere. Like you tip your Uber driver or a tour guide. Pretty normal unless you live under a rock. I have no idea where this person is from but they need to stay home! Cruising isn’t for you and traveling probably isn’t either.
Sounds like you need to skip cruises! We have been on 8 cruises and never had this experience. I am going on this ship(Sunshine) in November. I know this ship will be just a great as all the others we have been on. Plus the cruise director is from my home town too. Can't wait to meet him.
Wow. Never have I heard any Carnival employee ask for a tip or even put their hand out looking for something extra. I call BS on this review. I think the staff would get in trouble for doing that.
Nobody hounded you for a tip. You saw a tip line on a receipt that is all nobody forced you to leave an additional tip. If you paid 2500 for the sunshine you did something wrong. I can book an 8 day in September on the sunshine for less than $2000 for two people.
My wife and I have sailed on Sunshine twice and have never once felt pressured for tips from the crew. Most recent this past April 2024. We had a great time on board and even won a few hundred at the casino. I do not believe the crew should be given such a review.
This month I passed 7 months at sea, 6 months on various Carnival ships. Not once have I ever been asked for a tip other than an optional line on a receipt.
I've been on the Sunshine a few times and i have no idea as to who are the ones on board "begging for tips". $20 for a beach chair is going rate in Nassau.
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