Carnival Sunshine - Loved The Captain's Suite - Won't Be Back!

[atlanta_living]

What an excellent review Jim. I really enjoyed reading it and seeing your pictures.

 

~Helen~

[sheltry]

Heading out on her in March. Great writing and tips - I appreciate you!

[Laurin612]

Just off the Sunshine today and totally agree with you on all counts, good and bad. I never did find the elusive omelette station. :/ Thanks for posting your review and pictures. Sorry to hear you got sick!

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I577 using Tapatalk

Edited December 30, 2013 by Laurin612

[gck1249]

Wow, thanks, excellent review, so nice to read a well balanced one, the good and the bad. The ugly being that steak, I would have sent it right back to the kitchen.

 

I totally agree with you about Jaime, she is our favorite CD, she is just the best. We are sailing on the 11 night cruise bringing the ship home to Port Canaveral in April and can't wait, i know she will make it another fun cruise.

 

Also agree about the comedy club, it was put in the smallest strangest area they could have found, it just doesn't work. The only way to see the shows is to go the the early Family shows, they aren't as crowded. We tried to stay for the Adult show but they clear out the room so that isn't possible.

 

As far as serenity, it is true if you go higher up you can find all the peace and quiet you want without hearing the music or the movies.

 

We found some issues on the Sunshine not to our liking but all in all we really enjoyed the ship enough to sail her again. The Breeze is a great ship, will have to read your review on her also, enjoyed this one so much,

[shoppingfever]

Great review! Do you mind sharing what type camera you are using for these great pics, as well as what camera you used for your videos and for your underwater pictures?

 

Thank you!

[pirate4me2]

Thank you for taking the time to post a review. Glad you had a good cruise. That cabin looks fantastic!

[JustCruiseMe]

That was a great review. Thank you. I definitely can see where, if one were seeking solitude there would be a better option. I loved your pics and I agree that steak was terrible! I think I would send that pic to someone at Carnival, it's a disgrace.

[Aldeya]

 

 

 

We had our lunch served at this table under the palm trees, with a view of the ocean

 

 

 

 

 

Ironic, isn't it? With all the "tablecloth or not tablecloth" discussion all over Carnival board.... The simple lunch under the tree on a tablecloth looks like a fine dining.

 

The food might taste the same on a table without it but the experience would be different IMO.

 

Thank a for a great review and amazing pictures!

Edited December 30, 2013 by Aldeya

[ZRC1MLC2]

Grand Cayman

 

Our second port of call was Grand Cayman island. We've been there many times before. It is, as you know, a classic Caribbean destination for cruise ships. In fact, when we arrived, there were four other ships that had arrived before us! The Norwegian Jewel was there, which was no surprise, as she seemed to be doing the exact same itinerary that we were. The other ships that were there that day were the Island Princess, Carnival Liberty, and Norwegian Pearl.

 

 

I was a little surprised to see that Island Princess seemed to be in need of a paint job. You don't normally see that many rusty spots on a cruise ship. Cruise ship crews usually take great pride in the ship's appearance and paint over any rusty blemishes.

 

Norwegian Pearl and Carnival Liberty

 

 

Norwegian Pearl

 

I mentioned earlier that we had done a cruise with NCL back in 2008, and that it had compared poorly to the Carnival experience. I've actually got my eye on the Norwegian Pearl and am thinking about giving NCL another try in 2015. The Norwegian Pearl has a feature called "The Haven" which intrigues me. It's a little bit like the Serenity Retreat on Carnival, except there's limited access... and it's actually serene. This idea appeals to me. Check out

and see if the idea of "The Haven" sounds as interesting to you as it does to me.

 

Grand Cayman is one of those unusual cruise ship destinations where you have to use a tender (small boat) to get ashore. Grand Cayman doesn't have a pier large enough to accommodate cruise ships... at least, not yet. If you take a look at this article, you can see that they're in the beginning stages of planning not just one, but two cruise ship piers for the future. I look forward to seeing the day when a visit to Grand Cayman doesn't involve tendering.

 

Grand Cayman tender

 

I shot a video of the tender ride from the dock in Grand Cayman, back to the ship. I think it's kind of fun to see the ship getting bigger and bigger as we approach it. To watch the video,

!

 

Glad to hear you are considering trying NCL again, particularly the Pearl. We took the Pearl a couple years back and took her again a year later. We enjoyed those two cruises more than any we have ever taken on any line. It was a fabulous ship and an equally fabulous time. Definitely a more "grown up" atmosphere than Carnival tends to be, though we enjoy both cruiselines. We will be on the Sunshine for spring break 2014 and really do appreciate the candid review from your recent experience. Thank you for the tips and photos as well.

[Spaniel Lover]

The Valor has the 2.0 upgrades and the Guy Burgers? I am on the Valor in 2 weeks and I read that it was upgraded a few years back but I thought I read it doesn't have the Guy Burgers. I hope your right and I'm wrong because my kids loved those burgers on the Liberty. They weren't happy when I said the Valor didn't have them so if it does, I won't tell them so they can be surprised.

 

Oops... my mistake. That's what I get for shooting off a list like that from memory, rather than researching it. I stand corrected about the Valor... no Funship 2.0 features, yet. Sorry!

[Spaniel Lover]

Great review! Do you mind sharing what type camera you are using for these great pics, as well as what camera you used for your videos and for your underwater pictures?

 

It's complicated! Normally when I write up one of these reviews, I will mention that I use a Canon Digital Rebel to shoot the photos and videos. However, it's no longer the only camera I use! The photos you saw were actually from four different cameras.

 

The best looking photos, and all videos except the snuba video, were taken with my Canon Digital Rebel T5i digital SLR camera. I shoot in RAW mode, and do some sharpening before resizing and saving to .jpg format for posting on the Internet. So that explains why some of the photos look so good! For example, the photo of the waterfall (2nd picture on the 1st page of this topic) was taken with this camera. Also, I use a polarizing filter on the lens of the Digital Rebel to enhance the look of the sky and the ocean... which is why the shots of some of the other cruise ships (Island Princess, Norwegian Pearl) look pretty good.

 

The snuba video was taken with an Olympus TG-830 waterproof camera.

 

Sometimes I don't want to carry a camera around with me and just pack my cell phone. I recently upgraded my phone and picked one that happens to shoot really great quality pictures. So, a few of the photos you saw were just shot with the phone. It's an HTC One. The very first photo on the first page of this topic was shot with the HTC One phone, for example. That's the photo of the Carnival Sunshine at anchor off Grand Cayman.

 

Finally, you will notice that a few of the pictures look just absolutely horrible. For example, the picture of my son hugging the bartender from the Alchemy bar. That was shot with Jeff's iPhone. As highly praised as the iPhone is by so many people... I just have to say (as a photographer) that it has a really crappy camera built in to it!

[shoppingfever]

It's complicated! Normally when I write up one of these reviews, I will mention that I use a Canon Digital Rebel to shoot the photos and videos. However, it's no longer the only camera I use! The photos you saw were actually from four different cameras.

 

The best looking photos, and all videos except the snuba video, were taken with my Canon Digital Rebel T5i digital SLR camera. I shoot in RAW mode, and do some sharpening before resizing and saving to .jpg format for posting on the Internet. So that explains why some of the photos look so good! For example, the photo of the waterfall (2nd picture on the 1st page of this topic) was taken with this camera. Also, I use a polarizing filter on the lens of the Digital Rebel to enhance the look of the sky and the ocean... which is why the shots of some of the other cruise ships (Island Princess, Norwegian Pearl) look pretty good.

 

The snuba video was taken with an Olympus TG-830 waterproof camera.

 

Sometimes I don't want to carry a camera around with me and just pack my cell phone. I recently upgraded my phone and picked one that happens to shoot really great quality pictures. So, a few of the photos you saw were just shot with the phone. It's an HTC One. The very first photo on the first page of this topic was shot with the HTC One phone, for example. That's the photo of the Carnival Sunshine at anchor off Grand Cayman.

 

Finally, you will notice that a few of the pictures look just absolutely horrible. For example, the picture of my son hugging the bartender from the Alchemy bar. That was shot with Jeff's iPhone. As highly praised as the iPhone is by so many people... I just have to say (as a photographer) that it has a really crappy camera built in to it!

 

 

Thank you! I am pretty excited about getting some pictures and hope that the quality is only have as good as yours! I have a Canon Rebel T3i. We have an aft wrap in April so I am hoping to get some great pics sitting on our balcony during the day and evenings.

[Spaniel Lover]

I am interested in your opinion of your Montego Bay excursion. Do you think it was worth the money? We are considering this same one, but it will be pricey for 4 of us. I have 2 boys ages 5 & 8.

 

The tickets cost $110 for adults and $80 for children. So, for your family you would be looking at $380 to go to this resort. Seems a little pricey to me, but only you can make that decision.

 

Forgetting the money, for a minute...

You would all have a great time, I'm sure. There's a swimming pool that the kids would love, as well as that great beach. Unlimited drinks... so that's booze or soft drinks for the parents and just soft drinks, of course, for the kids. There's also two different food options: they have barbecued hot dogs and hamburgers, served with fries... and they also have a real nice sit-down buffet. You can take advantage of either or both, as little or as much as you want. That is a great way to go for the family... as everyone can have it their way.

 

Also, I didn't mention it in the review, but they also have kayaks that you can use (for free) and they also have a small sailboat that they will take you out on for free. Your kids would probably get a kick out of this. Either put the kids on together (the boat is sailed by a responsible resort employee, approximately 20 years old) or each parent takes turns going out on the boat with one kid.

 

So, forgetting the money, I think your family would have a lot of fun there. Be aware that because they do serve unlimited alcoholic beverages that it is possible that your kids will witness some too-drunk people. It could be a little awkward, but it could also be a great opportunity for a life lesson.

 

You'd have to decide whether it's worth $380. I know when I was raising my kids, I never would have spent $380 on a five-hour beach trip. But maybe your financial situation is different than mine was when my kids were that age!!!

Edited December 30, 2013 by Spaniel Lover

[Spaniel Lover]

Thank you! I am pretty excited about getting some pictures and hope that the quality is only have as good as yours! I have a Canon Rebel T3i. We have an aft wrap in April so I am hoping to get some great pics sitting on our balcony during the day and evenings.

 

Oh, yeah, you can get some great pictures with your T3i, for sure. I used to have a T2i, prior to upgrading to the T5i. All the Digital Rebels take excellent pictures.

 

There are two inexpensive accessories you could add on to improve the quality of your photos. The first would be a polarizing filter to attach to the front of the lens. Use this filter when shooting outdoor stuff that has either the sky or the ocean in it.

 

The other good accessory to have is a decent tripod. This is useful in several situations. Use it when shooting things in low light situations... or when shooting things at maximum zoom... or when shooting video. By having the camera on a tripod in those situations, you will eliminate camera shake, and that will help improve the focus quality (sharpness) of your photos. When shooting video, the end result will be so much more professional looking if shot with a tripod. You get an amateurish shaky camera look to your videos if you do not use a tripod.

 

I use this tripod... which is large enough to be very strong and sturdy... but small enough to be able to be packed INSIDE my largest suitcase. So, it's easy to bring along on an airplane flight as well as on the cruise.

 

If you are driving to the port rather than flying... you can simply stick a luggage tag on to a tripod and check it with the Carnival porters... and it will magically show up at your cabin later.

[russianmom]

Beautiful pictures! Especially the NCL Jewel which I'll be on in Feb. :)

 

I'd like to give Carnival another try on one of the newer/bigger ships.

 

Please seriously consider The Haven. It's a very special area, peaceful, with it's own butler, restaurant, pool and hot tub. We sail mostly is suites on NCL and the service and amenities can't be beat...

[Spaniel Lover]

Please seriously consider The Haven. It's a very special area, peaceful, with it's own butler, restaurant, pool and hot tub. We sail mostly is suites on NCL and the service and amenities can't be beat...

 

I'm definitely thinking about it! I've pretty well got my 2014 cruise schedule lined up... but a NCL Haven cruise is a definite possibility in late 2014 or beyond. I really like the idea of NCL's Haven, and I could definitely see myself there... as it does appear to be the quiet, non-crowded outdoor space of my fantasies.

 

I have to see what happens with the two upcoming Princess cruises, though. A particularly fantastic (or horrible!) experience with Princess could influence my future cruise planning, for sure.

 

Since Carnival's next new ship won't be here until 2016, I can do some experimentation in 2014 and 2015 to see if I'm still really a Carnival-only guy deep inside or not. I can tell you for sure that when the Carnival Vista comes to the USA, I will be truly looking forward to experiencing the latest Carnival innovations. I have very much enjoyed seeing the innovations on each new ship in the fleet.

Edited December 30, 2013 by Spaniel Lover

[themnms]

thanks for this great review!!

[russianmom]

I'm definitely thinking about it! I've pretty well got my 2014 cruise schedule lined up... but a NCL Haven cruise is a definite possibility in late 2014 or beyond. I really like the idea of NCL's Haven, and I could definitely see myself there... as it does appear to be the quiet, non-crowded outdoor space of my fantasies.

 

I have to see what happens with the two upcoming Princess cruises, though. A particularly fantastic (or horrible!) experience with Princess could influence my future cruise planning, for sure.

 

Since Carnival's next new ship won't be here until 2016, I can do some experimentation in 2014 and 2015 to see if I'm still really a Carnival-only guy deep inside or not. I can tell you for sure that when the Carnival Vista comes to the USA, I will be truly looking forward to experiencing the latest Carnival innovations. I have very much enjoyed seeing the innovations on each new ship in the fleet.

 

I'm not that into all the bells and whistles of the BIG ships (although Allure or Oasis certainly tempt me). NCL's Jewel class are my favorite (Gem, Jewel, Pearl, Jade) but if you like the new innovations book the Haven on Breakaway or Getaway.

 

I very much enjoyed my cruise on Princess but now with young kids NCL's Freestyle works best for us.

[agc291]

For this cruise, we are also travelling with our 28-year-old son, Jeff.

Jeff and his favorite member of the Carnival Sunshine bar staff, Ioana, from the Alchemy bar

 

 

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I do believe she worked in the martini bar when we were on the Glory a few years back. She was great!

[Mtn2Sea]

I just realized that in writing up my review, I left off one story! I think all you cruise fanatics will appreciate this.

 

There I was... driving down the freeway to Los Angeles international airport to catch our flight to New Orleans. The minivan was loaded up with all of our luggage. Excitement was high. We had to leave the house at Zero-Dark-Thirty in order to be in Los Angeles for a 10 AM flight. We had a little bit of extra time built in to our schedule in case we ran in to bad rush hour freeway traffic, but only about an hour of extra time.

 

So... about two hours south of our house... we stop at a gas station / mini mart for some fuel and a snack. I reach in to my pocket to pull out some money for a snack and discover -- TO MY TOTAL HORROR!!! -- that I do not have my wallet with me! I quickly realize that it is at home, in a drawer.

 

I did have my passport with me, thank goodness. And my wife had her wallet which had credit cards and about $200 cash. But my wallet was at home, so I had no credit cards and no cash of my own. It would take a four hour drive (up and back) just to get them and return to my current location. I only had a one hour pad in the schedule, so that was definitely not going to happen!

 

So, we just decided to proceed on our merry way. We figured that since I had my passport, boarding pass, etc... I would have no problem getting on the airplane and the cruise ship. And since my wife had credit cards and some cash, we could pay for whatever we needed.

 

Indeed... it worked out fine... there were no disasters. But just imagine my horror at that instant when I realized that I didn't have my wallet!!!

 

I am so glad I'm not the only person who's done this. We stopped for lunch on our way to our port city for our cruise earlier this month and just as I was getting out of the car, I felt for my billfold before going into the restaurant. I was horrified to discover it was missing. I immediately realized where it was - back home 3 hours away! Fortunately, I keep my cash separately from my billfold and my wife had her credit cards. While waiting for our lunch to arrive, I was debating what to do, but then concluded that my passport would be enough to get me on the ship. Since my credit card had been pre-registered with the cruise line, I never had to show the card itself. Hopefully, next time I'll double check my billfold as I leave the house, not hours later!

[gapearl]

I loved your review! It was very fair and balanced. I would love to book the Sunshine one day. Sure do wish I could book that captain's suite but that's not likely to happen any time soon. LOL New Orleans is a great city. I spent 5 days there for my friend's wedding last month. Being a part of a second line through the French Quarter was one of the top 5 most awesome things I think I've ever experienced in my travels. Thanks for taking the time to post! :)

[girlscruise2011]

Oops... my mistake. That's what I get for shooting off a list like that from memory, rather than researching it. I stand corrected about the Valor... no Funship 2.0 features, yet. Sorry!

 

No apology needed. I appreciate the review and I'm sure its hard to get everything down and mistakes can be made.

 

I'm glad I asked though before I told my kids. I read its due for the upgrades in 2015 I think but this cruise in a few weeks is the last cruise that mommy & daddy are paying for so I'm thinking my kids won't be cruising much ;)

[ibcnusoon]

Thanks for posting your review! That Captain's Suite is gorgeous, I could sleep on the balcony all week!

 

I agree, that cut of meat from the $35 Steakhouse looked AWFUL! There is no way I'd pay $35 for that Steakhouse.

 

You definatley should try NCL, especially if the ship has multiple dining venues. When we cruised the Breakaway, NCL offered a Trio of Specialty Restaurants for $57 per person. It was the best money we spent, we dined REAL Italian, REAL French, and REAL Steakhouse (filet minon). The food was EXCELLENT!

 

We are trying different lines, next up is Celebrity and one of the perks to booking with Celebrity is FREE Alcoholic Beverage package - looking forward to a few new islands and ordering mixed drinks without worrying about a bar bill - can't beat that!

Edited December 30, 2013 by ibcnusoon

[gail811]

Thank you for the review and pictures! SO tempted for our July cruise!

[legion3]

Beautiful pictures! Especially the NCL Jewel which I'll be on in Feb. :)

 

I'd like to give Carnival another try on one of the newer/bigger ships.

 

Please seriously consider The Haven. It's a very special area, peaceful, with it's own butler, restaurant, pool and hot tub. We sail mostly is suites on NCL and the service and amenities can't be beat...

 

Did the haven have a resturant for dinner on the jewell class? Or is it Cagny's for breakfast and lunch only?

 

We did a suite on the Dawn with no haven so wondering the difference in eating.