Just Back From Sunshine Cruise

I just did a 5 day quick getaway on the Sunshine. I won't be doing a review, but I thought I'd share a few thoughts.

First of all, I've never had a really bad cruise and this was no exception. We had a very good time and I really did like the ship overall.

The food in the MDR (late seating) was always good and came to us piping hot - every time. Our wait staff were friendly and worked hard. I enjoyed the Havana Bar area and even at peak times could easily find a table. I ate lunch at the Cucina (Italian Restaurant) two times and I believe it was by far better than the other ships I've been on - lots of sauce & pasta cooked very nicely. All of the venues I ate at were good - although the one time I had dinner at the Lido it was just okay.

I thought that the staff (including officers) were exceptionally friendly and helpful, even when passengers were rude. There were two occasions when I saw over the top nasty passengers - one time in the casino when a husband and wife both jumped all over the casino staff and manager because they couldn't redeem their VIFP drink coupon at the bar. Hello, not the casino's procedure, but that didn't stop them from yelling about how they had been on so many cruises and this was a bunch of crap, yada, yada, yada. The staff handled them very politely and thankfully did not cave in (I don't think - unless it was done later and out of sight).

The next jerk jumped all over one of the entertainment staff just because he asked her not to block the door to the dining room with her luggage during debarkation - he too handled it very well - although he later let her leave with us Platinum instead of waiting to disembark with the FTTF - but I can't blame him for giving in to her as she & her entire group were indeed blocking the door with their luggage.

Now my only complaint about the ship. For those of you who have read anything about the Sunshine, I'm betting you can guess what I'm going to say. The dreaded crowding issue. Now, let me say that I didn't find this everywhere - the only place that I thought it was seriously bad was on the decks anytime the ship was moving - whether at sea, coming into port, or leaving port - it was unbelievable. Now, this didn't ruin my cruise as I don't spend all day out there, and I also didn't get off the ship at all in Grand Turk (been there several times) and only for a short time in Amber Cove (wasn't feeling the best that day), so I was able to enjoy the Sunshine's wonderful Serenity area on those two days. However, I'm an early riser - out and about by 8:00 at the latest - and no way, no how were you getting a lounger on any of the 3 decks of Serenity if you showed up at 8:00 on a sea day.

Though it didn't ruin my cruise - really if being out on deck was important to me and this was my first CCL cruise, I'd certainly be disappointed and would have serious doubts about cruising CCL again. I'm use to chair hogs and crowded sea day decks, but this was way beyond anything I've experienced in my almost 20 CCL cruises. It's a design issue added to the chair hogs - who were totally out of control. I'm not sure how CCL could do anything about this issue, but I have to admit that the people complaining about this particular issue are not wrong.

Again, other than the overly crowded decks, I liked the Sunshine and would not hesitate to sail on her again. I totally love sailing out of Port Canaveral so if she sticks around, I hope to spend more time on her in the future - 5 days just isn't long enough for me.

Hope this might help someone who may be questioning whether the Sunshine is for them - you'll love her as long as you get a lounger before 7:00 a.m. or if laying around outside doesn't interest you.

I saw the same thing on her back in April on Serenity.

We sailed Sunshine twice in 2016 and enjoyed the ship very much.

What we found with regard to finding a spot at Serenity is to not even bother going early. We would show up mid afternoon and always found a place. I think the "early birds" had already come and gone.

I actually expected the Serenity to be really crowded - what surprised me was the fact that all the decks were crazy-crowded. Honestly on the last sea day, all the way around Deck 10 there were no loungers available by 9:00, except a few right in the middle of the Splash Zone. My sister & I were up there by 8:00, so we found a couple - but seriously, by 8:30 people were pulling chairs off the stacks they had tied down and placing them anywhere they could find a space (whether anyone could walk past them or not).

Like I said, I've been on enough cruises to know that it's difficult to find chairs in the primo areas around the pool for example (and in the Serenity area), but I've never seen anything like this. I think it's because there just isn't any room - the small area around the pool & then just the one other deck (deck 10).

I don't think there's a solution - and it won't stop me from sailing the Sunshine - I really did like the ship a lot.

We leave on the Sunshine in about 2 weeks and appreciate your review. Wasn't the Sunshine refurbished a few years ago and more cabins installed, which obviously puts more strain on the common areas.

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We leave on the Sunshine in about 2 weeks and appreciate your review. Wasn't the Sunshine refurbished a few years ago and more cabins installed, which obviously puts more strain on the common areas.

 

 

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Yes, it was originally the Destiny & they did add more cabins. I think you'll love the ship - it's the only one that I've been on (haven't been on the Vista yet) that has the Havana Bar, which I really enjoyed. I didn't get the chance to go to JiJi's Chinese Restaurant (I think it was only a $15 charge at night), but I heard it was really good. Unfortunately, I was with someone who doesn't really like Chinese & didn't want to go alone. I'll get back soon & it's on my list of things I didn't get to try.

It really has all the bells and whistles - more than most of the newer ships. I liked everything about the ship with the exception of the crowded outside decks - but that wasn't a deal breaker for me.

I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time!! Remember to come back & let us know what you thought.

Thanks for the report!

I travel solo and couldn't wrap my head around ordering in JiJi's. I guess next time I'll just let them decide for me.

The "Cuban" sandwich at Havana bar was really, really bad. There was a guy at the omelet station who made my easy scrambled eggs perfectly.

There is an easy solution to the CHOG's but they do not have the crew move peoples stuff off chairs if they are gone for 30 minutes.

If they did that and have signs this will happen problem solved.

There is an easy solution to the CHOG's but they do not have the crew move peoples stuff off chairs if they are gone for 30 minutes.

 

If they did that and have signs this will happen problem solved.

It just amazes me every time I cruise that so many people just refuse to follow the rules - but I guess it shouldn't surprise me that there are so many "special" people out there that are above rules. I mean there are signs everywhere telling people not to save chairs. The ones that really burn me are the ones that blatantly save 5-10 loungers and can not be shamed.

From what I hear (though I've not seen the use of stickers yet) when a crewmember does put a sticker on the chair, the person saving the chair will just remove the sticker. I'm not sure how to solve the problem, but I sure wish someone would come up with something.

Are ALL chairs gone by 8:00? We always want chairs in the shade which we usually have no problem finding. I think the only way to fix the problem is to have the staff remove their things from the chairs. But I do think it's fine to get up and get something to eat at the buffet and return to your chair. Or go to the waterslides, etc...

No. I have never seen ALL chairs on a ship taken by 8:00. Chairs will be available, especially ones in the shade.

I too was surprised at just how crowded it was, but I'm telling you by 9:00 on the last sea day, I did not see any available loungers on Deck 10 other than a few in the Kid's area. We got our chairs at 8:00, but I checked the rest of the deck to see if there was a better location, and I did not see 2 empty chair together anywhere. Deck 10 is one up from the Lido pool which was obviously packed.

The problem may have been due to not having all the loungers out - because just after 9:00 many people started getting chairs off a stack near us that was tied down. We gave up our loungers at 10:00 and at that time two crew members were taking the rest of the chairs down. The problem was where people were placing the lounge chairs, making it difficult to walk through.

My suggestion would be to look for the stacked loungers and see if you can get a crew member to get you one if you can't find any available. Or, you could just try untying them yourself - others certainly did.

Now, mind you, less than a third of the loungers actually had a person sitting in them. Two thirds were being "saved" with towels, flip flops, etc.

Thanks for the feedback.