Detailed Photo Review of Carnival Sunshine 12-Night Mediterranean Cruise 9/8/13

[isismommy]

Hope your unpacking is going smoothly! Looking forward to more reading.:D

[deladane]

Love your review and beautiful pictures! Looks like an amazing trip, thanks so much for posting!

 

thanks for reading along! :)

 

 

Was just here about two months ago, these pictures are bringing me back. AMAZING review, Can't wait to read more! (:

 

Oh wow, that's awesome that you were just there! Glad you're enjoying the review :) More coming soon (hopefully later today!!)

[deladane]

Hope your unpacking is going smoothly! Looking forward to more reading.:D

 

The unpacking is moving slower than I'd like, but we'll get it done eventually :) We cheated and took a weekend getaway to Monterey/Carmel this weekend, but now that we're home, we can resume unpacking and I can get back to posting this review again. Hopefully more to come after work today!

[deladane]

Friday, September 13 - Izmir, Turkey

 

Uh oh! It's Friday the 13th!! Good thing nothing scary happened today. I woke up to my alarm at 6:15am, got dressed and went up to Lido for my usual breakfast. When I got to the omelet line, it was way too long for my limited patience, so I went in search of an alternative and found the breakfast burrito bar just as it was opening at 7am! I am very happy to have found it because this was the first of many mornings when I ate here.

 

 

 

 

There was another beautiful sunrise this morning as I ate.

 

 

Like yesterday, we booked a private tour with 11 people from our Cruise Critic roll call. We met the group at 7:45 in the lobby and exited the ship together by 8am. As we got off the ship, they handed us a paper from customs which we had to return when we got back to the ship that afternoon. Everyone was unsure of how things would work because Turkey is not part of the European Union like most of our other ports were, but it turned out that we did NOT need our passports to get on or off the ship. However, the form did ask for our passport numbers, so it was a good thing we had them in our purses! We actually opted to always carry our passports hidden in a secure pocket of our bags when we were off the ship, just in case we ever did not get back in time (which luckily never happened and we never needed our passports during the cruise).

 

Anyway, back to the tour... We met our tour guide Bill in the cruise terminal. Bill spoke English well and was very informative and funny, although he had a tough act to follow as Kali was so great yesterday in Athens. We were unsure if we would even be able to dock in Turkey because of the crisis and the travel alerts for the Eastern side of the country, but I was glad we went because I never felt unsafe in the touristy areas of the West coast.

 

We drove 1 hour on the highway in our large air conditioned van through the countryside to Ephesus. Bill talked a lot about the history of Turkey and the current political and religious situations. We passed the ruins of Ephesus a little after 9am and noticed hardly anyone was there. I kind of wished we just stopped there because it would have been nice to see it when it wasn't crowded and hot outside yet, but Bill said our first stop would be the House of the Virgin Mary.

 

[deladane]

Several big tour buses were already there when we arrived, so there was a 30 minute wait to enter the house. The ladies went to use the restroom while the men waited in line... they had possibly the best restroom sign I've ever seen. Notice her facial expression...

 

 

We spent some more time waiting in line, and then finally got to walk through the house. It was small and quaint, but no photos were allowed inside so I only got to take photos on the grounds.

 

 

 

 

 

[deladane]

 

After we walked through the house, we had 15 minutes to shop at the little stores on the grounds.

 

 

 

 

 

We met up with Bill at 10am and got back in the van to head back to Ephesus.

 

[deladane]

By the time we got back to Ancient Ephesus, it was much more crowded. Bill did a good job of finding a tree where we could stand in the shade while he explained the history, but most of the time we were just out in the 90+ degree direct sunlight.

 

 

We spent about an hour and a half walking around, taking photos, and avoiding the heat in the sun.

 

 

 

 

Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory... notice the 'swoosh'?

 

As the morning went on, it got more and more crowded and hot (notice the people carrying umbrellas for shade?)

[deladane]

 

The Terrace Houses were inside a tent/building to keep the moisture out, so it was shaded in there but still quite warm. Luckily, even though the forecast said the high temperature would be 95 degrees, it was not humid so it felt more comfortable than Athens yesterday (which was 95 degrees with high humidity!) The Terrace Houses charged an admission fee above that of the entrance to Ancient Ephesus, but it was included in the cost of our tour so it was nice to see Bill paying for all of these tickets and we didn't have to take out our wallets. Here are photos from the Terrace Houses...

 

 

 

 

 

[deladane]

When we exited the Terrace Houses, we spent some more time walking through Ephesus to see the Celsius Library, the marble streets, and the large amphitheater.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[deladane]

 

After we exited Ephesus, Bill gave us 15 minutes to shop. He told us the stores outside the exit gate were cheaper than those immediately inside the gate, so I took his advice and went out to the stores. I loved the lamps but was afraid of how to transport them back home, so I decided not to buy one.

 

 

I saw signs for "genuine fake watches" in several stores in Turkey and I thought it was pretty funny... but no, I did not go into those stores!

 

 

I ended up buying a purse and a trivet, and I was able to bargain them down to 8 Euros for the two so I was happy with that (I think it was originally 6 Euros for each item).

 

Next, we went for lunch. In planning this trip, I read many reviews complaining of terrible experiences at pushy carpet stores who forced you to buy rugs after you ate their lunch. I did not want that to happen to us and ruin our day, so I was hesitant about making a lunch stop. Luckily, we had a fantastic experience! Bill took us to a school where students learn to make rugs. It was in the countryside with pretty views, and they were waiting for us to arrive.

 

 

 

[deladane]

They set up tables outside under the shade of a canopy, and served very good food for lunch. Appetizers included an eggplant dish, 2 types of salads, a yogurt mint dip (which reminded me of Greek tzatiki sauce), and bread. That was served family style, then they brought out individual plates with our entree of grilled marinated chicken breasts, rice, french fries, fried cheese, and tomato. We could buy a can of soda for 2 Euros, or wine and beer for 4 Euros, but the food was included in our tour price.

 

 

After we ate, we spent half an hour learning how they make the rugs, starting with getting silk from the cocoons:

 

 

 

 

Next, they showed us how they dye the yarn to the correct colors:

 

 

[Foxlins]

Checking in here regularly to read your updates. Thank You for doing this one, I would love to do a Mediterranean Cruise one day. It is a long way from Australia though!

[deladane]

 

Finally, they showed us how they use a loom and a pattern grid sheet to tie a double knot and create the rug.

 

 

 

 

Next, they took us into a room and laid many different finished rugs on the floor for us to see the different patterns and levels of quality, ranging from 100 to 1200 knots per square inch! They encouraged us to touch the rugs and to walk on them. They said we could buy them if we wanted to, but I never felt pressure to buy anything, and we were free to exit whenever we wished.

 

 

 

[deladane]

Here are a few more photos from the grounds of the carpet school...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lizygirl3]

Going on the Sunshine in December. Wanted just to see the ship, but once I started reading your post I was hooked. Keep up the great review.

[NCTribeFan]

In the photos of Ephesus my DD took, there were hardly any other people there. I think it was mid-summer, so I don't imagine that many people wanted to deal with the heat. She said it was the hottest she'd ever been in her life.

 

It all looks so wonderful! The color of the sky is gorgeous!!

 

Sure would like one of those rugs, too!

[deladane]

Going on the Sunshine in December. Wanted just to see the ship, but once I started reading your post I was hooked. Keep up the great review.

 

haha I've had that happen when reading other reviews too. There are a few more Sunshine photos scattered throughout the review, but I'm glad you're enjoying the itinerary part as well!

[deladane]

In the photos of Ephesus my DD took, there were hardly any other people there. I think it was mid-summer, so I don't imagine that many people wanted to deal with the heat. She said it was the hottest she'd ever been in her life.

 

It all looks so wonderful! The color of the sky is gorgeous!!

 

Sure would like one of those rugs, too!

 

Ephesus was by far the hottest day of the cruise for us, and that was in mid-September. It was in the high 90's with lots of humidity both here and in Athens, but luckily it cooled off into the 70s for most of the rest of the cruise in Italy, France, and Spain. My next post actually mentions that it was so hot on the Ephesus day that I went down the water slide when I got back to the ship after the tour haha Despite the heat, it was still fairly crowded but I think that's because all the cruise passengers didn't want to skip the opportunity to tour the historic sites on their one day in port here.

 

And yes, the rugs were amazing! No one on our tour bus bought one, but it would have been nice to own one if I could afford it! I'm just glad they didn't pressure us at all into buying the rugs because that would have ruined an otherwise wonderful day :)

[deladane]

Next, we made a quick stop at the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and with views of a fort built by the Crusaders.

 

 

 

 

After that, we made the hour-long drive back to Izmir to get back on the ship. We hit a little bit of traffic on the way back, but arrived at the pier at 3:30, with a 4pm all aboard time. I did a little shopping at the pier and bought a small hand-painted bowel and a magnet for 6 Euros (of note, it was cheaper here than at the shops outside of Ephesus!)

 

When we were standing in line to get back on the ship, there was a crew member on line behind us and we overheard on her walkie talkie that 361 guests had not yet returned from their Carnival shore excursions at 3:45pm, but the ship waited for them because we ended up leaving port late, a little after 5pm.

 

I knew I wanted to ride the water slide at least once on this cruise, so I decided to do it now since I still had 2 hours before dinner, and I was hot and sweaty from touring in 95 degree heat and I wanted to cool off. I climbed all the way up to the top of the water slides and was shocked that not 1 other passenger was there! I rode down the "Twister" yellow slide. It was fun, but I didn't think it went fast enough. After that, I got showered and ready for dinner.

 

 

Pear and Buffalo Mozzarella Salad

 

Steamed Muscles

[deladane]

Prime Rib

 

Dessert Menu

 

Variations of strawberries

 

which went very well alongside the Variations of Chocolate!

 

After dinner, we went to the show Epic Rock. It is similar to Rock of Ages, with an 80's rock theme, and I LOVED it! They incorporated very cool visual effects with the video screens behind the actors, and I love 80's music so it was a lot of fun to watch.

 

After that, we went to the adult comedy show. We arrived 15 minutes before it was scheduled to start and the lounge was packed!! We ended up sitting on the windowsill because all the other seats were taken. It wasn't very comfortable, but it was better than standing the whole time. The comedian was okay, but not great. He had a few funny jokes, but I missed a few of them because he mumbled with a British accent, so I just didn't understand what he was saying.

 

After that, we went to the piano bar. At first, there were no seats, but people left eventually and we took their seats. Seth was very funny as the piano bar singer, but I wished he would play more upbeat songs and fewer ballads.

 

When we got back to the cabin, we saw a flyer telling us to change our clocks back 1 hour to get back to the Italy time zone.

 

 

Up next: our second and final sea day

[NCTribeFan]

I've never been on a water slide on a ship. Actually, the only ship pool I've ever been in is the one in the spa on Glory. I keep thinking I need to go on one some day, so Sunshine may be a good choice after one of our hot days in port.

 

I also have not had that day's menu! Longest Carnival cruises I've been on have been 8 nights. Looking forward to a few more menu choices. We were scheduled to get the new menus but that's been pushed back. My "problem" with the current menus are there are nights that I could order everything, and other nights that I'm underwhelmed. I would've been happy had they just reshuffled the existing menus, just to give frequent cruisers a little more variety!

 

Both the appetizer and the prime rib look great. I've pretty much given up on beef dishes as I've found the past few years that if the meat is tender, there's no flavor, and if it has flavor, it's stringy. :(

[deladane]

I've never been on a water slide on a ship. Actually, the only ship pool I've ever been in is the one in the spa on Glory. I keep thinking I need to go on one some day, so Sunshine may be a good choice after one of our hot days in port.

 

I also have not had that day's menu! Longest Carnival cruises I've been on have been 8 nights. Looking forward to a few more menu choices. We were scheduled to get the new menus but that's been pushed back. My "problem" with the current menus are there are nights that I could order everything, and other nights that I'm underwhelmed. I would've been happy had they just reshuffled the existing menus, just to give frequent cruisers a little more variety!

 

Both the appetizer and the prime rib look great. I've pretty much given up on beef dishes as I've found the past few years that if the meat is tender, there's no flavor, and if it has flavor, it's stringy. :(

 

I went on the water slide on my Victory cruise, but that was still the old aqua-colored slide, so it was fun to try the fancy new slide on Sunshine. I will warn you though- it is A LOT of stairs to climb to get up to the top of the slide (unlike on the older ships where you can take an elevator to Serenity or whatever deck has the top of the slide haha) If your knees are in good shape, you'll be fine, and it's worth the climb bc the slide was a fun way to cool off on a steamy hot day!

 

I agree about the old 7-day menus. I am surprised the Sunshine hasn't changed menus yet- I thought all the ships had changed by now. Guess not! It was fun having a totally random menu thrown into the mix every few days on this longer cruise, and I found that I loved several options on every new menu. In particular, the shellfish was more diverse and very good. I always order my steaks rare (or sometimes they make me pick medium-rare, depending on the cut of meat), and I was happy with what I was served. I am sure any dish can be hit or miss depending on the actual piece of meat you get. Back on my Victory cruise, my friend who I was traveling with ordered the salmon from the everyday menu a few nights, and half the time it was great while the other half the time, she got a very thin piece from the end of the fish that was totally overcooked and so inedible that we ended up going to the buffet for a second dinner after we finished in the MDR! But overall, I find that Carnival's food and menu options are to my liking :)

[deladane]

Saturday, September 14 - Sea Day

 

It was lovely being able to sleep in and wake up naturally without an alarm... unfortunately, I was up at 8:30am anyway because my body was getting used to all those early wake up times. I ate a light breakfast on Lido deck, then went down to the lobby and sat on a couch by the window to write in my trip journal.

 

 

We met our friends at the comedy brunch at noon, and redeemed our coupons for a free drink from being a past guest.

 

 

Cheers!

 

The Cruiser

 

Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Hash Browns, Turkey Bacon

 

Salted Caramel Cheesecake

[deladane]

Brunch took about an hour and a half, then we walked around the ship for a while. It was very windy outside and the temps were only in the 70s, so it was too cold to sit out on Lido deck. Instead, we sat at the tables near Blue Iguana because they were shaded from the wind. They had the chocolate buffet this day, but I was too full from brunch to enjoy it.

 

The Game of Love (formerly known as the Marriage Show haha) was scheduled for 3pm, so I was glad to have an excuse to be inside on this chilly day. They asked the same questions as on my last cruise, but it was still funny and entertaining. After that, we played 60's trivia and "all about nothing" trivia, and we won a ship on a stick!

 

 

This ended a little after 5pm, so we quickly got changed and ready for the second formal night.

 

 

langostino cocktail

 

Crepes filled with spinach and ricotta

 

beef carpaccio

 

lamb chops

[deladane]

Dessert Menu

 

Diet chocolate cake

 

After dinner, we went straight to the theater to wait in line for seats because we knew the line would be long. We were first in line downstairs and waited a half hour for them to open the doors. We were trampled by people when the doors finally opened, only to see that they opened the upstairs doors several minutes earlier and no good seats were left! We were rather annoyed to have wasted the half hour waiting in line for no reason, and we took seats on the sides of the theater with partially obstructed views from the columns. The theater was completely full by 8:10pm for the 8:30 show.

 

Tonight's show was Studio VIP. It was a fun 70's music disco-themed show with great dancing and costumes. They brought people up on stage from the audience to dance in several songs, so it was funny to watch and sing along. After that, I went straight to bed at 10pm because I had been coming down with a cold for the last two days and I wanted to rest up for Sicily.