Sunshine Cruise Review 2/9/14-2/16/14 with pictures! (Western Caribbean)

[Ciardasully]

We're on the sunshine in May and have a aft cabin just above yours, next to the wrap around. Can't wait. Thanks for the pictures

 

Awesome! I hope you have a good time!

[Ciardasully]

We then decided to check out the Havana Bar.

 

 

 

 

Snacks!

 

 

Bryon's drink.

 

 

Mmmm. Cuban Coffee.

 

[Ciardasully]

Bryon and I went to Ocean Plaza for some welcome aboard trivia.

 

No luck. No Ship on a Stick for us.

 

Tip #2. The ocean plaza is freezing. If you are there for trivia, bring a sweater.

 

 

We went back to the room and our luggage finally arrived so we unpacked. Then we hung out in the EA sports bar until it was time for Muster Drill.

 

Tip #3.

 

Don't go right away to the Muster Drill, especially if you are claustrophobic. Last year on the Glory we went right away and I we had two rows assemble ahead of us and I almost had a panic attack. So this time, we arrived just in time and I was in the front and not panicking.

 

Muster Drill is important but we were so far in the corner we couldn't hear anything. Luckily nothing happened so all way good.

[Ciardasully]

After Muster, Bryon went back to EA Sports Bar and I went upstairs to our balcony for sail away.

 

We were in port with the Norwegian Jewel. Bryon and I took a one night cruise to nowhere out of New York on the Norwegian Gem which is in the same class. While we don't think it is fair to compare a one night cruise with Norwegian with one (at the time) seven night cruise on Carnival but I thought it was very similar to Carnival. Bryon did wonder how the front balcony's are on the Jewel. You must get air blown into your face?

 

Bye-Bye Jewel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ciardasully]

Now it was our turn! Or not. Butch, the cruise director was announcing the sail away party but we just sat there. I was getting antsy because we were going to go down to Alchemy for a drink at 5:15 and we had reservations at Ji-Ji's. It wasn't until almost five o'clock before we started moving. Finally!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ciardasully]

A few more pics of leaving New Orleans.

 

 

 

[Ciardasully]

We were excited to go Alchemy. We went there a lot on the Glory and met Ioana, the mixologist. We became friends and we learned a few months ago that she was heading over the Sunshine so we were ecstatic to see her again.

 

Bryon's old fashioned.

 

 

Ioana making drinks.

 

 

Mirro was the other bartender. He was a showman doing a lot of tricks while mixing drinks.

 

 

I went over to the taste bar where they were serving samples from Cucina del Capitano. I planned to go here each night it was open but this was the only night I ended up getting food there.

 

 

Then we were off to Ji-Ji's...

[Ciardasully]

On our last cruise, we had early dining and we liked it but it was booked on our trip. We were wait-listed even thought we booked a year ago. We don't like to eat late and we wanted to eat at three of the specialty restaurants so we went with anytime. Since we went with anytime dining, we didn't feel a need to be there first night so that is why we went to Ji-Ji's and it was practically empty. The chef even came out to chat with us.

 

Tip #4- If you plan to eat in a specialty restaurant and don't need to be in the dining room the first night, go on the first night.

 

Here are the menu's. Sorry for the glare.

 

 

 

 

 

The waitress told us that the food was meant to be shared. So we were to pick two appetizers, two entrees, two sides and two desserts. We asked for a third side and she said okay but I don't know if that was because the restaurant was empty.

 

Our order.

 

[Ciardasully]

We were given these rice wafers with four sauces which were compliments of the chef

 

 

 

Chicken Rolls

 

 

Pork Belly

 

The Pork Belly was amazing. It just melted in your mouth.

 

[Ciardasully]

Sauces for our food.

 

 

Kung Pao Chicken

 

Warning: this is spicy. Bryon said it was just the right amount of spicy but he is a high tolerance for spicy food. I could eat it but I definitely felt my mouth burn.

 

 

Jasmine Rice

 

 

Stock Pig (which was under the greens. Really good)

 

 

Hakka Noodles

 

 

Potato Fries.

 

[Ciardasully]

Creme Brule

 

 

Fried Wonton

 

I couldn't eat it. The texture of the coconut milk and tapioca made me want to gag. I can't eat things with with certain textures. It is why I can't eat sushi.

 

 

Fortune Cookies

 

 

We really loved this experience. Where we live, most Chinese food restaurants are takeout places and while I love those, this was such a different experience for us. And the food was so good.

[sailingwithfriends]

I'm so excited about your review. We will be on the Sunshine in May. I am with a group of people that has several rooms on Deck 6. We actually have the wrap (the one next to you) and all the cabins except one on the back. I have a question. Do you know if the partition can be opened between the wrap and your balcony? What about between your balcony and the cabin on the other side?

I'm glad to hear we have a great room steward. We have always been well taken care of on our cruises.

I can't wait to read the rest of your review.

[bmckim]

I'm so excited about your review. We will be on the Sunshine in May. I am with a group of people that has several rooms on Deck 6. We actually have the wrap (the one next to you) and all the cabins except one on the back. I have a question. Do you know if the partition can be opened between the wrap and your balcony? What about between your balcony and the cabin on the other side?

I'm glad to hear we have a great room steward. We have always been well taken care of on our cruises.

I can't wait to read the rest of your review.

 

I am almost positive it can. I know that the ones in between can because I saw the keyhole and hook for it. Have Fun!

[Ciardasully]

After dinner we went to the Welcome Aboard Show at the Liquid Lounge. I am not sure what I think of the Liquid Lounge. I understand the premise behind it but I didn't like that there were poles blocking from many of the views from upstairs.

 

 

This was Butch, our cruise director. He was nice enough but I felt like he was kind of mediocre. Now we have only been on one other Carnival Cruise but we don't remember being bored. We love trivia but you can only do so much of it. But there seemed like a lot of empty time on this cruise. And some things scheduled didn't make sense to us. Nothing was planning on Wednesday night, no show, no comedy, no piano bar. We went to bed early that night.

 

Also Bryon follows John Heald's blog and he knew that Carnival had the rights to the movie Cool Runnings. You would have thought they would have played it at some point during the week because of the Olympics especially since we were going to Jamaica but no. And they played Goonies on Valentine's Day when you would have thought they would have played a romantic movie.

 

Anyway, Butch was nice enough. I know some people that were part of a roll call on a "website that can not be mentioned" loved him so I guess it was all about preference. Bryon and I just felt that he was mediocre. It could have been because there were three sea days instead of one or two. It could be because they were preparing for the bloggers cruise which was the week immediately after ours. (If anyone doing a B2B is reading this, I would be curious if this was the case.)

 

Also, this in no way ruined out vacation. I remember someone saying that a bad cruise director doesn't ruin a vacation but a good one can really make it fun.

 

 

 

Then we went back to the room for an early night.

 

[Ciardasully]

Sunrise on the sea!

 

 

Some pre-breakfast. (Sorry it's sideways. I have tried twice to post it correctly from photobucket and it won't let me.)

 

 

We went down to the Havana Bar for some Cuban Coffee and it was delicious.

 

 

Breakfast Goodies at the Havana Bar

 

[Ciardasully]

We walked around on the Serenity Deck. It was quiet. It looks right over the lido deck and I can understand why people say the Serenity is loud. There are three decks so if you want quiet, I suggest moving to the back side.

 

 

 

 

Apparently these people did not get the memo on not reserving seats.

 

 

[Ciardasully]

We went to brunch at the Sunrise Dining Room. We had a table for two but we were seated so closely to other people that it was like we were sharing a table. It was good because we met a couple that could become our friends on the cruise and our trivia buddies.

 

Pastries

 

 

None of the breakfast foods appealed to me so I got the mac and cheese. It was good but I could only eat maybe half of it.

 

 

Bryon got the eggs benedict but I forgot to get a picture. :(

[Ciardasully]

Bryon played some Black Jack at the Casino and played the quarter push machine. We then went to 80's song trivia and did awful.

 

Bryon and I went to Red Frog Super Trivia which was a contest that spread over the three sea days. It was based more on luck. Each team rolled a large dice (Die? Dye?) and the color it lands on denotes the category. Next roll is for points. Then you pick a number and get your question. If you get it wrong, it goes to each team around the room until someone gets it right or it makes it around the room and no one gets points.

 

After that we went to lunch on the lido and they had macaroni cheese egg rolls which are awesome.

 

 

I never had cookies on my last cruise but read on cruise critic how good they were so I had to try them.

 

[sjcruiser]

Loving the review and photos, can't wait for the rest!!! Thanks for posting

[Ciardasully]

Bryon did some gambling and I read my kindle on our balcony. Then it was time for elegant night. We went drinks at Alchemy and then to meet the Captain.

 

 

We went to anytime dining and the person seating us had no clue where our table was. Bryon sees the number and locates it. We are seated right next to someone from our group on the "website that can't be named." We had discussed how we were supposed to have a meet and greet that day at 2 and it had never made into the funtimes. We had heard through the grapevine that it was moved to Tuesday and it was supposed to be in Tuesday's funtimes.

 

Rolls.

 

 

For an appetizer, Bryon and I had the spaghetti carbonara. I forgot to take a picture but I took a picture when I had it on the Glory last year.

 

 

Bryon ordered the Prime Rib

 

 

I had the ribs.

 

 

We wanted to see the 7:15 showing of Latin Nights so we skipped dessert.

[Ciardasully]

Loving the review and photos, can't wait for the rest!!! Thanks for posting

 

Thank you!

[Ciardasully]

We went to the Liquid Lounge to see Latin Nights. We never got to see it when we were on the Glory last year because of a mishap that involved Bryon and I wearing our beverages.

 

 

After that we went to Alchemy to have drinks and see Ioana

 

 

 

Then we went to see the comedian at the Limelight Lounge. Make sure to get there early. Seating is very limited.

 

 

[MarathonMama629]

Loving your report!!!

[smurf1635]

OMG, I am suddenly starving! Between this awesome review and the thread about "drinks" I am so anxious to get on board. I just hope 11 days is enough for all I want to drink and eat!

 

I cant wait to read and see more!

 

Robin

[Ciardasully]

Loving your report!!!

 

Thank you! I am glad you are enjoying it.