BSQ

ohhhh it's a little slice of heaven. :)

Yes they have tastings and a mixology class. the tastings are 4 mini martinis, you pick from a list of several popular ones.

As for the cocktails... siiiiigh. None better on a Carnival Ship.

Post 28 forward are about my Alchemy Cocktails on my last cruise

Liberty, Glory, Sunshine - all have been excellent.

Suggested drinks ... hmmm my favorite on the menu is a 40 is the new 20. I noticed the Cucumber Sunrise and Deal Closer were both very popular. It really just depends on what you are in the mood to have. Sweet, Spicy, Gin, Vodka, etc.

In all I enjoyed sailing on the Sunshine. The few things I didn't like about the ship were far from deal breakers. I came to relax and forget about the hectic pace of the office.

Debarkation went smoothly in my opinion. Zones 1&2 were platinum and diamond guests. I went down just as zone 2 was finishing up. From the time I stepped out of the elevator in the lobby, debarked, collected my luggage, cleared customs and unlocked my door - 20 minutes had past.

happy, relaxed, quite possibly slightly hung over, I was on the road and back in North Carolina 7 hours later. I hope you have enjoyed reading my version of a cruise vacation.

and finally my Therapist, Miro. :D

Where the magic begins

I kept forgetting to take a picture before taking sips, yes that's black pepper in my drink. I don't like cracked pepper on my food, but I trust Miro. This added a new dimension to my cocktail.

a simple dry vodka martini, slightly dirty

Gabriel doing a fancy pour on a martini tasting.

The most popular drinks I saw being ordered were the Deal Closer and the Cucumber Sunrise.

a cross being a mint julep and an invigorating mint martini

oops. told ya I kept forgetting to take pictures before I took sips.

Thank you for your review. I can hardly wait for the Sunshine cruise. You have really started me thinking about a quick pack-n-go cruise to tide me over until January. I'm going to go and check right now. :)

You're welcome! Living fairly close to ports gives us some great get away options. I was having a difficult time figuring out what to do for my much needed vacation, and everything fell into place with this Sunshine sailing. Although sailing the Fascination would have been closer, and I liked that ship just fine, this was the perfect choice to relax and recharge.

And finally, my favorite place to relax. The Alchemy Bar. deck 5 Aft. What I did not like about this location was being right off ocean plaza. Why? Karaoke and a Band played here. The band was good, but it took away from the intimate ambiance that the Alchemy Bar has on other ships. I generally like the quiet of it, where you can have an easy conversations with your mixologists and fellow travelers.

I haven't ordered off the menu since the first cruise I took with the 2.0 upgrades (Liberty January 2012), and this time was no different. Our Master Mixologists this cruise were Miro and Gabriel. If you think you aren't a Martini drinker, step on up and let one of these guys prepare you a cocktail. You will return time and again.

Retailer Therapy is now in session:

"something spicy, with tequila, not too sweet." (similar to menu item Spicy Chipotle Martini)

"I do like pomegranate, but sometimes it's too sour. Not too sweet please. Vodka." Gabriel had to tell me the other ingredient was mango. (closet menu item would be 40 is the new 20)

"how about your take on the restorative basil drop"

"I think I'd like a Moscow Mule. Oh sure, a little different is fine. Yes, I do like grape."

turns out I don't like I grape. I like grapes as in the table fruit, but this grape flavored vodka was fake grape like blue grape soda. Miro tried to make me something different, but I kept this one as there was something in it that intrigued my palate. I think this would have been awesome with some strong fresh ginger.

I didn't attend any of the production shows, but did enjoy the Punchliner Comedy Club. One of our comic fell ill, so the other, Tony Esposito, stepped in and did extra shows. IU went to both a family show and an adult show. Both were good and had me laughing hard.

The comedy club itself has an odd layout. Some of the seats are behind the stage so you are watching the comic on a TV. The tip is obviously to get there early. I didn't experience a line to get in, and was able to get a seat without problems even at the show I arrived just as the doors were closed. Since these things are important to note, Drink service was good here.

The location is the Lime Light Lounge Deck 4 aft. For me, the mezzanine was the place where things went to be forgotten. I totally forgot to go to the piano bar because it was down here out of the way. The steak house and sushi place are down here as well. I did check out the Library bar, which if I enjoyed wine more than Martinis, I might have checked out more. I did visit for a late night cognac pour once.

What I thought there was a lack of on board was quiet comfortable spots to sit and relax or read. Not rely any sofas to speak of along promenade deck or the lobby area, which made me use my balcony more than I ever have in the past (ok so I've only had a balcony room one other time).

welcome to Freeport!

Having just been here a few months ago, I didn't get off the ship this time. Today was about relaxing and sitting in the sun (I actually don't like sand, so we'll call this a beach day). Since most of the ship was down below at Sr. Frogs, plenty of places on all levels of the Serenity Deck. I found a sunny, partially shaded spot with a cool breeze and called it home for a few hours.

How ever, first thing in the morning, I found this out on deck ...

Here I am hanging out with one of my iguana peeps

And my frog peeps at Red's

Seriously, do not anger the crocodilly!

Next, welcome to Nassau! I was here a few months ago so this trip I planned to be a beach day. I booked a day pass at the British Colonial Hilton. It's a short walk from the pier. With 4 ships in port, I thought it would be more crowded.

sorry people in the picture, even though it wasn't crowded I could not get shots without people in them.

The beach is not as close to the ships as it appears in this picture. You can just feel the relaxation happening, right? This deal included use of the non-motorized beach toys (ocean kayaks), pool and beach area, chairs and towels, changing room, and a resort credit of $40. I had the mahi mahi wrap, and while the portion was big, it was just OK. Drink service was slow, but the snack bar was close enough to just get up and get my own soda or beer. Prices were reasonable. I ended up not using my entire credit. I would probably come back here again if I was looking for a relaxing beach day. Oh, the downside, the water isn't really very deep. It was good for cooling off, swimming and general enjoyment. (except the shouty family. dang they were loud).

Seriously, by now you must be thinking "did this girl EVER go get a drink?" patience mon petits. Let's check out the ports first!

Welcome to Key West!

I used City View Trolly to get around Key West, I precooked it just before I boarded the ship. There is a slight discount for doing so. It's a totally walkable town, but I'm on an injured foot at the moment (and probably walked more than I should have).

What's Key West with out a bite of Key Lime Pie? My selection is from Kermit's

We had one sea day. Since I couldn't find a spot on the Serenity deck, I made do with some other shippy things.

Like Wine tasting at the steakhouse. ($17.25 inclusive of tax). The sommelier did an excellent job, and yes, I was the nerd taking notes. I was surprised how little attended this was. I was also surprised at how buzzed I was afterwards. :o

If you enjoy wine, and food pairings with wine, you may enjoy this little event.

Shortly after wine tasting was tea time (free). Again, very little attended.

um so, if memory serves me correctly, next was nap time.

On to deck 10, the beginning of the Serenity Deck. This shot taken from Deck 11.

I really liked the expanded serenity deck. Unfortunately the one and only sea day, by 10am every chair and lounger were taken by either a body or towels with their owners MIA. Since I had just spent a day at the beach I wasn't totally crushed. My balcony was a fine substitute. (again, thank you Carnival).

Other days locating a chair wasn't that difficult. Having a pool available is a nice addition to the Serenity deck.

So speaking of pools, I thought it was odd that the main pool was not open embarkation day. On the last night of the cruise they opened the serenity pool up to families since the main pool had been drained due to an "accident":eek:

This was a nice gesture and all, but it's not that big a pool. Am i wrong to think heading up to waterworks might have been more fun?

Since I'm on Lido deck, let's continue roaming around here.

I never saw anyone using the beer station, but then again I didn't hang out all day waiting and watching the thing. Some comments about the Market Place.

The aisles leading in from the pool, where you walk past either the Cantina or Burger Joint, seemed too narrow for the flow of traffic. embarkation day in general things felt really crowded and I had fleeting moments of worry thinking it would be like this all week.

Anyway, this particular comment comes when there was a line for the cantina, and a person in front of me was on a scooter. Flow of traffic could only be one way (with or without the scooter).

Up till now, I have not mentioned the decor on the Sunshine. I really liked it. She is quite nicely done. I liked the seating in the Marketplace having booths along the side that were higher up so you could look out the windows and enjoy the view over the tables & people in front of the windows. I also liked that there were some very long tables set in an area that seemed like they would be nice for people traveling in large family groups.

The flow of traffic around the food however, was confusing. On every station there were plates & napkin/flatware rolls on both sides of the line. Which way was in? I'm not sure, but a few times I met with some mean grouchy people in the middle. Relax people, it's vacation.

So I ask you, does one start from the right or the left?

The stations in the center of the room were square and had plates & flatware on each corner. To me, it didn't look like there was a wrong place to start. Others, obviously, felt differently.

Beyond where you think the marketplace ends are the Havana Bar, Cucina del Captaino and Ji Ji, all free at lunch, and extra at dinner. I didn't try any of them, though embarkation day I was sitting back there as it was the little hidden gem uncrowded spot. This area is open on other ships. I missed the openness back here, the seagulls in Nassau probably did too.

Most of my meals I enjoyed at the Marketplace. I tried to like the MDR, but my first two nights were there own mini disasters, and I just said "eh, screw it."

Here's an example. Notice anything missing?

Bread and butter were delivered to my table, so I figured plates, silverware and perhaps a napkin weren't far behind. I was mistaken. 30 minutes later someone finally asked me if everything was OK. (in that time I couldn't even flag down anyone to ask for at the very least a napkin).

shake it off, shake it off ....

a little breakfast ... sorry didn't take a picture once I unwrapped it.

Loving your review!

Thank you kindly!

I jumped up to deck 9. Bet you thought I was going to skip mentioning the Alchemy Bar. Seriously? I'll let that one slide since you don't really know me yet.

Somethings I write about for my own entertainment. This particular post is one of those times.

Don't worry, we'll be back here later on. This is a Retailer Therapy Cruise after all, and I have an appointment with my Therapist. :cool:

Red Frog Pub (deck 5 Aft)

Not to be confused with Red Frog Rum Bar (deck 9 Aft)

Blue Iguana Tequila Bar (deck 9 Aft)

Treat yourself and try something other than Patron. While Carnival doesn't have the high end tequilas, they have a nice assortment. Perhaps enjoy sipping a nice Don Julio Anejo. While I enjoy this bar, it could be over the top awesome with a little tweak of the bar menu. (IMHO/YMMV)

Snack time, Blue Iguana Cantina (deck 9 aft)

Guys Burger Joint (deck 9 aft)

I don't have a picture of my actual hamburger n fries. It was good, but not quite as good as I have had on some other ships. I figure there's enough pictures out there of a Guy's Burger, that we don't need one more, and it won't piss off my traveling bovine. :eek:

Time to check out all the places one can get a beverage or snack.

Liquid Lounge (Deck 4 & 5 Forward)

The blue was a bit hard on my eyes, but I survived.

EA Sports Bar (Deck 5 Forward)

Shake Shack & JavaBlue (Deck 5 Mid)

I do enjoy the Mexican Coffee on board from JavaBlue. To the left is one of the Fun Hubs. Internet service was quite s-l-o-w. Fortunately what I was looking at on the Carnival Site could wait until Key West.

Enough about cabins and neighbors, let’s take a walk around the ship!

Since I'm in a Spa Cabin, I decided to take a tour of the Spa and check into how to utilize the amenities that come with that booking.

We begin with a sample of each type of massage - hot stone, something else that smelled delightfully coconutty, and bamboo.

I didn't think these loungers would be comfortable, being cement, but I was wrong. The radiant heating was very relaxing, with a great view.

The tour took us through all the treatment rooms and highlights of services offered. Through out the sailing I utilized the inhalation steam room, the heated loungers, and I did book a fire and ice manicure later that evening. Due to our late sail away, we were pulling out from port while I was getting my nails done. That part sucked. I like to be on deck when we sail away from port.

I forget the polish they use, but the claim was it would last all week. I'm pretty hard on my nails (though on vacation not as much), and am happy to report that my manicure, except for the little spot I botched up, is still quite nice. The color, lime green, has grown on me.

For the Spa pass, I had to come back after 6pm (so umm yeah, after my manicure). I received my wrist band, and complimentary scrub. Later in the week when I would come back, it was a simple check in, and swap of my S&$ card for a VIP Spa access card. When I was done, we swapped the cards back.

Overall, good spa experiences.

Thanks for the info. Were you in Nassau that day? Probably won't be too many people there in the middle of a port stop.

Yes, it was our day in Nassau.

Nice upgrade/room assignment. Looking forward to the rest of your review.

Wasn't it? I felt like I should have sent Carnival a fruit basket. To say I was stunned is an understatement. :)

Looking forward to more of your review and pics. Do you mind me asking what cabin you were in? We are booked on deck 10 later this month.

Not at all, I was in 11017. It was a great location, even if only two elevators went up to this deck and beyond. :)

I have to apologize in advance for the blur. Shutter speed was a bit slow without the flash, and pics were too washed out with it.

I don’t know if the décor is the same in the regular cabins, or if this was unique to the Spa cabins, but I did like the way the cabin was appointed. The only negative was I had a sever hanger shortage. I had a total of 4 hangers, and the bathrobes were hogging two of those precious commodities.

I liked the sliding door to the balcony, but up to the last day could not figure out why (or how) people were slamming their doors. The things I did not like about my cabin were more to do with my fellow passengers than the cabin itself. The people on my left watched TV a lot, VERY LOUDLY. The guy below liked to sit out on his balcony in the wee hours of the morning and talk to his wife. Men, please be advised, your lower voices resonate and bounce off the balcony dividers. We can hear every word you are saying. Use your inside voice, even though you are outside my dears. The guy one deck below and forward one cabin, liked to smoke on his balcony. Spa Balconies are non-smoking. Tempted as I was to snap a picture of him cigarette in hand (cause yeah, I’m that kind of person), I didn’t (only cause I’m on vacation and figured karma would get him). To the cigar smoker I was down-wind of … dude, you suck!

Like I said, nothing to do with Carnival. The only cabin glitch was early the first morning, none of the toilets along my hallway flushed. It was fixed fairly quickly though. My balcony light randomly turned on the first night, and after that never turned on again. My phone had a 10PM wake up call every night, which I could not cancel out.

I did like having to put my sail n sign card in the slot by the door to turn on the cabin lights and power, though I was really worried I’d forget to grab it on my way out the door and end up locking myself out (I did not). Noisy neighbor did … karma baby, karma. :D

With the lack of hotel Wi-Fi, I was still scrambling to get a signal on my iPad to check my cabin and confirm it on a deck plan. I locate my cabin number and smile. I have been assigned a Spa Balcony cabin. Thank you Carnival for the very unexpected and nice surprise. I'm packed up, it's time to make our way to port.

The way I approach sailing day is, I wake up when I wake up and get to port whenever I happen to arrive. I had received a call from Carnival to not arrive before 1pm – I wasn’t in any hurry really, but I also don't wear a watch and don't have much concept of time.

Driving over from Cocoa Beach along A1A, there is a huge sign that says something like "Port Canaveral Cruise Parking". This is not the port parking, but rather an off site lot. While normally I look for bargain parking, my afore mentioned grouchy state left me with no desire to deal with shuttles to the port before and after the cruise. I parked at the actual port parking garage.

I got to port about 11:30 am. I think it took me longer to follow the signs around the port to park, than to actually check in. I prepaid my $90 for parking (Note they only take MC & VISA), and chatted briefly with the parking attendant because well, my car is a conversation starter, and now that I’ve been on vacation for 2 days, I am less grouchy and more inclined to chit chat with strangers. I was on the bottom level of the parking deck, and walked across the street to drop off my bag with a porter in the VIP section.

I do have a gripe with the porters. On past cruises, out of Canaveral or elsewhere, if I didn’t have a luggage tag or cabin assignment they looked it up and tagged my luggage accordingly. I pointed out that I didn’t have my tag with cabin assignment, and while they said they would take care of it, and I tipped accordingly, they did not. My luggage was MIA until I went on the hunt for it about 7pm.

Off to VIP check-in, and from there a quick walk onto the ship. They had just started calling Faster to Fun to queue up in the seats. Less than 15 minutes after arrival, I was on the deck of the Carnival Sunshine.

My DD and I are doing this same itinerary in Oct 2014. We are driving in from NC as well.

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review and your pics!

:)

sweet! I did like the timing of the cruise, it allowed me to take as much or as little time as I wanted to drive to and from the port. I was quite surprised I hit ZERO traffic both ways, even though I hit Jacksonville and Charlotte at 5:30 pm on Fridays.

Some point during the drive I decided to skip Savannah and head directly to Florida. Using the Hotel Tonight App, I booked a cocoa beach hotel for two nights. I don’t think I’d recommend the app – it gave me no way to designate non-smoking for the hotel I picked, and had the front desk clerk not asked, I would have been mighty miserable in a smoking room that I had supposedly booked.

I stayed at the International Palms Resort & Conference Center Cocoa Beach. I really wanted to like this place, but it was just so-so and I’m not sure I’d stay here for much more than a night. The staff was above and beyond friendly and nice, which made me feel really bad that I didn’t like the actual hotel very much. The walls were thin, the shower didn’t drain, and it’s an older beach motel with a prime beachfront location. The room was clean enough. If you go expecting a 2-star place, you’ll be fine. I am on the fence about staying here again. However, the Craft Brew Pub on site was nothing short of awesome. Fish n Chips to die for, and a nice selection of local and craft brews & Wines. The beachfront location was a win.

Port is a short 10-minute drive away, so it’s got that going for it. Although they boast free Wi-Fi, my room, #129, had zero Wi-Fi. The public spaces all had good connectivity, and that is how I got a glimpse of my guarantee being assigned. I almost couldn’t believe it. But then the Carnival site went down, and the doubt set in. “Did I see that correctly??” Unfortunately I could not print my luggage tags with my assigned room. This did pose a problem, but I’m jumping ahead of myself.