Carnival Sunshine Cruise Reviews - Reviews

We were fond of the Sunshine and are looking at future itineraries .... The ship is a nice size, wonderful crew, great food and the Serenity area is large enough to always find a place to sit.

This cruise went to 4 ports that were new to us:  St Kitts, Barbados, St Lucia and St Maartin.  We had a great time, we spent most of our daytime sea days on the Serenity deck. 

It was a fantastic check in process. I don't think that it is a good idea to charge gratuity charges for children in the room. They don't order anything. I was disappointed with that.

This is a good value destination and ship for a quick 5 day trip. The ship is crowded

And lots of Kids. Reasonably priced. You will not get an extravagant buffet.  However, you can also have pizza. Burgers and 3 specialty restaurant choices for a additional charge on the specialty.  The night sit down dinners were very good and service was great. The nightly outdoor movies were nice. The loungers were hard to find due to the large number of people. On board pools were packed.

Entertainment was fair, I wish they had more on board programs. Overall, you will enjoy the cruise.

I went on my first cruise my senior year of high school and from the second I got off the first one, I wanted to go on another one. So now that I just finished with college and found a job that allowed me to take a much needed vacation after 4 years of college, I went on this cruise with a friend and we had THE BEST time!! The remodel of the Carnival Sunshine is absolutely beautiful. There are so many good things to say about it that I could sit here and type all day. The things I, personally, loved the most were:

- The variety of Dive-In Movies and availability of blankets to snuggle up with during the film! How cozy and cute!

- ALL of the food. Whether it was in Lido or the Dining Rooms it was delicious.

- Your Time Dining. This option is so convenient because it allows you to go to dinner when you're ready and won't interfere with any activities you want to do. It was the perfect option for us. The first night was a little confusing because you have to go to the Ocean Plaza on the 5th floor to check in then to the Sunrise Dining Room on the 3rd floor to eat, but once you figured it out it was no hassle at all.

- Guy's Burger Joint. It was awesome that these burgers were included in the price (and delicious!)

- The Carnival HUB App. IT'S FREE TO USE ONBOARD!!! Most people didn't realize that. While I didn't want to use my cell phone much (other than for music) during vacation, this app was extremely useful and didn't make me lose the "I'm on vacation" vibe. It was so easy to view the schedule for each day and favorite the activities you were interested in. There's a favorites tab, so once you've gone through all the events, click over to that and BOOM, there's your schedule for the day! You don't have to worry about charges from your cell phone carrier either because the app works through the ship's Wi-Fi (for free) while your phone is on Airplane Mode. Love, love, love!

- Half Moon Cay. Out of all the ports, this was my favorite. It was absolutely stunning. The water was so clear that when we swam out as far as we were allowed (probably 15 feet deep), we could still see the bottom. Insane. The day was so relaxing and since it's Carnival's island, they had food for you so you didn't have to get back on the ship. Loved everything about it.

- Epic Rock Show- This is the top rated show in the Carnival fleet--and for good reason. It was spectacular!! They sing songs you'll know and they sing them well! The technology is amazing, too! All of the shows onboard were good, but this one blew me away.

- Cruise Director Donkey- he's awesome, Australian and did an amazing job!

I hope that gives you enough to go on because I really could type all day. Definitely recommend this cruise to anyone looking to get away. I would hands down do this exact cruise again.

This was first cruise and I was totally impressed with how large the ship was and how comfortable it was during the times at sea.  expecting it to cause motion sickness but I was completely surprised that there was no turbulence.  So much to do on-board and so much food available, deck area could use some more shaded areas around the pool areas.

We had an amazing time once again on the Carnival Fun Ships.  We were on the Sunshine April 16-April 24.   From the minute we got on the ship until the minute we got off we had an amazing experience.  Our dining staff, our room stewards, our bartenders, the cleanliness of the ship, the entertainment staff, the dancers, the food prep guys at all the smaller food places, the Chefs, AND DONKEY - all were amazing!

I would be very mindful about booking through a travel agent when booking a cruise only because, in my case, Carnival will not speak to you about your cruise if you have booked through an agent--it is frustrating and time consuming having to call the travel agent and wait on hold while an uninterested 3rd party handles your business for you.  (It is so easy for them to say that they tried to get something done for you and the cruise line would not do it)   When booking our cruise, we were traveling with a group of 10, travel agent said yes, we were at the same dinner table and we requested early dining seating.  When we arrived onboard, none of us were at the same table and we were scheduled for late dining (which in turn caused us to miss all of the shows).  Carnival would not accommodate our request to be seated together, nor would they accommodate the request for an early seating arrangement.  The impression that I got was that Carnival resented that we had gone through a travel agent and would make no concessions for us.

We were pleasantly surprised with our Cabin size and decor (outside..deck 2).  Had cruised several years ago on Carnival and over the years they have continually made improvements with passenger comfort in mind. Cabin bedding was amazing, never slept better. Plenty of seating available in sun or shade even though ship was completely booked. Plenty of food choices and very friendly staff. Also found ship to be clean and welcoming.  Will definitely stick to the Carnival line for vacation value.

Carnival really sacrificed the comfort and customer service for their bottom line. Service was terrible due to ship overcrowding and not enough space. Food suffered, their staff was grouchy, and the space to enjoy the sun on deck was non existent. Won't ever go on this ship again. 

the ports and the tours we took at each was the highlight

the Lido Buffet was warm did have -The sunshine for sit down breakfast was a BUST - cold breakfast and we didn't return for future breakfast - anytime dinning we liked but the 2 best meals out of 8 was the Lobster tail and steak other than that the other meals chewy - the specialty Italian restaurant for lunch and dinner  was excellent and recommend going there - the burgers and pizza stations very good

The kids had the run of the ship felt like we were at day care the pool supervisors had threatened to close the pool - jumping, running and also thru the ship on more than one occasion we saw security return the kids to the parents with some discussion

William our cabin attendant was excellent even tipped him extra after the original - but friends had issues with their cabin attendant

the dinning and other crew very good and pleasant

Have seen much better theater shows on other cruises -  the comedians good - both guitar players at the different pubs could use another lesson 

Our cruise on the Carnival Sunshine was fabulous.    We have been on 14 cruises and this was the very best.     The staff, our room and the food was wonderful.    Thank you for helping us plan this cruise.    The Port Canaveral port is so easy to get in and out.

This is the second cruise I have taken, both have been with carnival. The first was on the Glory on which we had a balcony. Between the two, I felt the Glory was better. This time we stayed in an inside cabin. I traveled with my husband and 3 children (10, 7 and 1). The rooms were actually more spacious than I anticipated whereas I was travelling in a group of 5 (still very cozy, but they do a good job of fitting 5 people in a small room).

One night, our toilet did overflow into our room. Upon calling housekeeping, it only took a few minutes for someone to respond and be in our room, but it was too late. Toilet water had already began flooding into our room and soaked the carpet. For the whole night we were trudging through water to use our restroom. We also had to put up with a lot of loud banging outside our cabin while they fixed the issue throughout the night. The next day (luckily we were visiting an island so didn't spend much time in our room) they had a huge fan obstructing the entry way to the room.

The ship seemed a bit crowded at times (one pool for all the children to use, long lines getting on and off the ship, lines at the buffet, not enough seats at comedy clubs, etc)

 The kids had a great time taking advantage of camp carnival. I would like to see more options for children under 2. Currently they are very limited to the hours they can attend camp. Although the Waterpark was closed at some points due to the weather condtions, the kids really enjoyed that. The staff were very courteous and attentive.

Overall, we had a great time and cannot wait to book our next cruise.

IN GENERAL THE CRUISE HAD GREAT WEATHER AND DECOR. PLEASANT.

A CRUISE DIRECTOR IS NAMED 'DONKEY' IT IS A GOOD NAME FOR A PERSON WHO DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO CONDUCT  A FIRE DRILL OR A DEBARKATION BOTH THESE WERE A TOTAL DISASTER.I CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY THAT AN EMERGENCY DID NOT OCCUR BECAUSE ME AND THOUSAND OF PEOPLE WOULD BE DEAD OR INJURED.ALSO THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH WAITERS IN EARLY DINING 6 PM IT TOOK 1 1/2 HOURS TO GET MY MEAL.NIGHT 1 AND 2 THEREAFTER I WENT TO THE LIDO REST. I WILL NEVER GO ON SUNSHINE AGAIN.THERE IS MORE BUT I WILL NOT WASTE MY TIME!!!!!! CAB 7248

I was very pleased with this cruise. There were more days at sea than ports of call so I was truly able to relax and catch up on some rest. The upgrades done to the boat were great and we had plenty of options for food, drink, and entertainment. Would highly recommend for those that are looking for a little R&R.

I read a lot of reviews before going on the cruise but I still approached it with an open mind. We were in an Ocean Suite on the 7th deck and I can tell you that our room stewards were the best I have ever had on a cruise. The rooms were nice, but a little dated. There was plenty of food choices on the cruise and we never went hungry. As far as the main dining, we only ate there one night and it wasn't that the food was bad, rather our wait staff was very rude and seemed overwhelmed. One of them grabbed our toddler and tried to put him in a high chair which completely set him off and he had not desire to go near the restaurant for the rest of the cruise. This was probably our only bad experience. The bartenders were great for the most part and I highly recommend the Alchemy bar in the evenings. They have the the best bartenders hands down! The ship was clean and safe. I would offer one piece of advice. Be very careful with young children around the granite headboards in the rooms. Our toddler fell and split his lip. We later heard from other parents with similar experiences. This was the first time I have ever had to visit the doctor on the ship and I will tell you the experience was much better than going to any ER here in the states. The doctor was great and he did a wonderful job gluing our toddlers lip back together. Overall, it was a great cruise and like any other cruise it is what you make of it. 

Maybe I was a little spoiled by my last two Disney cruises, but I had also been on 2 previous Carnival cruises and several others that were better. The general condition of the ship was OK, but there were obvious things that needed paint or just simple cleaning. Our balcony cabin was cruise ship standard (tiny) with a decent TV, shampoo, 2 bottles of free water for being repeat customers, robes, a hair dryer and little else. We did not help the environment by using our dirty towels again as the ship burned tons of oil a day. The towel animals were lame and there were no chocolates on my pillow. Our cabin guy was polite, friendly and efficient.

The mandatory muster call was the most tortuous ever - over 1/2 hour standing on a very crowded deck while someone read to us intermittently and we were instructed to remain silent. Children cried. 

Internet on the ship varied wildly every day. I never got the basic "social media" package to work. The next step up gave me Facebook and a few web sites, but no email. I was sort of glad.

We were assigned late dining (wanted early); stood in line for 'flex dining' - every night thereafter,1st on line at the 5th deck Taste Lounge for a pager, then at the 3rd deck dining room. Dinners were my favorite- we met some great folks at our shared tables - the food was pretty good and there were some healthy and some interesting dishes. Main complaints were long waits and luke-warm foods (especially salads and breads and cheesecake and the always half-melted ice cream my wife got). Most food on the Lido deck was pretty awful - almost the same thing every day for breakfast and lunch, and none fresh, hot, or interesting. Some people said they liked the burgers and pizza - we weren't impressed - the made-while-you-wait deli sandwiches and burritos were by far the best to me. Try a Reuben.  'Pour your own Frog beer' was good the one day of four I tried to get one and there actually was some in the keg. We did not try the extra $$ specialty restaurants or talk to anyone who did though my wife liked the shakes at "Shakes".

The bars/bartenders were good - fast, accurate and generous. Tipping a little extra makes you feel good and is worth it. Try a 'Giddy Martini'. Take a couple of bottles of wine with you (you're allowed one each, carry on) to save some $$. The best I tried there was a $12 bottle of Kathy Gifford Red that they charge $25 for.

We attended a show or two every night. The 1st night Motown show was great! The same cast the 2nd and 3rd and 4th days... OK - pretty talented - but not as good. Sound system was loud but distorted vocals at times. The magician was lame - neither funny nor magical (beginner rope & card tricks). The comedians from George Lopez' troupe were both a welcome change - professional and funny. Movies on the deck were all for kids and we only saw snippets on a big screen with a few holes.

Kudos to cruise director "Donkey" - youngest we've seen - his energy, enthusiasm, and humor rescued several game show evenings and we were always glad to hear him.

The casino was too smoky for us to stay in more than 1/2 hour at a time. We did go home with $50.50 from the penny (actually 30 cent minimum) slots so I shouldn't complain. The Bingo lady hurried a lot and was completely un-entertaining compared to any we had before (and we lost, as usual).

We went on excursions every shore day - sadly, that was an expensive mistake. Those southern islands are not tropical paradises - more like poor desert suburbs of Phoenix. Curacao is a littered sand dune with a few ostriches; Grand Turk only slightly better but smaller with no litter and wild donkeys and a replica of Freedom 1. Aruba has some nice areas - resorts and casinos - but nothing that you actually did more at than go by and snap a pic. Bring a dollar to use the bathroom. Guests we talked to who went to the beach were satisfied, but we live in Central Florida so a beach isn't exactly an excursion for us.

Overall I was glad to get away and see something new, but I would go someplace else next time on a nicer ship for a few $ more.

PS - we're in our 60s and regular middle class folks - still working and taking our annual vacation.

Ship was so, so.  Room, etc very clean.  Ports were disappointing. Food was ok.  Dining situation confusing for "any time" dining...Staff friendly.   Entertainment was ok, they tried, but other ships have much better.

Ask for early dining, received late.  No one could/would help get this fixed.  Tried any time dining, but when you have early/late you can't go there.  Husband cut his arm on a door to the theater, crew member saw this, sorry, got him a band aid.  Cut his lip on a broken glass rim in our room, room steward said, sorry.  Mustered station took 45 mins. standing and 5 mins. to tell us what to do.  The cruise was over booked, VIP'S, maybe they were the only ones to be taken care of.  This was our 4th cruise with Carnival and our last!

The layout was not so great. Lots of stairs and the elevators on the serenity deck

Actually stopped working. The pool was tiny and COLD. The first day of embarkation was all fun and games BUT after that they never had another anything on deck. The food was mediocre. The sunset restaraunt was pretty good though. Webhad really good service. The room stewards were awesome and clean! However, felt really cramped in deck hard to find chairs. Kinda boring out on deck b/c they dont really play any music.. Other cruises the music is jamming...