Carnival Sunshine First Timer

[aamiza]

Hi

 

Apologies if all these have been asked before but I am new to this forum and the cruising and going in February 2017!

 

Tips - Can this be paid prior to leaving or do you have to pay this once aboard - roughly how much is this, we are 2 adults and 2 children 13 and 9 years

 

Drinks - is it best to buy a drinks bundle my husband likes the beer and rum I am not a drinker. Do you get any drinks included?

 

Luggage - once on board how long does it take to get your luggage to your Cabin

 

Cabin - We have Cabin 5340 Ocean Suite - anyone here stayed in here? Also is it true we get VIP boarding and disembarking

 

Disembarking at Ports - can you leave any time or do you have to leave at set times

 

We have been to the Caribbean lots but not Cruising and I am excited but worried as there seems to be lots to know prior to going

 

Do you have to check in online prior to departing if so do you know how long in advance you can do this

 

Sorry to go on but any help would be greatly appreciate and apologies again if these have already been asked.

 

We are leaving Port Canaveral and doing the 8 nights eastern Caribbean Grand Turk, St Kitts, San Juan, St Maarten

 

Thanks again

[Clarea]

I would also post your questions in the Carnival forum here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=215

 

There would likely be more folks with direct experience on Carnival that would see your questions in that forum.

[Bonnie J.]

We have been on the Sunshine many times and she is a favorite ship of ours. Deck 5 is our favorite deck too! WE will be in the same cabin for the 5th & 6th times next November on our B2B! It is cabin 5307. This is the promenade deck with almost every thing on it. From the atrium elevator you pass the casino, coffee bar then come to the Ocean plaza with activities and a big dance floor. Next to this is the Red Frog pub- nightly music. Opposite the Ocean Plaza ia the Alchemy bar - a martini bar. Then the back elevators. Then comes all the cabins on deck 5! Your cabin is in the very back overlooking the wake.

 

You can pay your tips before you cruise or they will be on your final bill. We don't like giving our $$ away before we have to so pay with final bill. Contact your TA if you want to pay when final payment is due and what they are. I don't think kids pay less for tips than parents, they all pay the same.

 

I am not sure about Carnival but on some ships everyone over 21 MUST buy the package. Your husband can get a bucket of beer- I think its beer for less than buying each one. You are lucky because cabins on deck 5 have a refrigerator in your cabin, (these cabins are all new cabins when Carnival spent $155 million redoing the Destiny.) Our cruise buddy buys a bucket and takes what he doesn't drink back to his cabin and put beer un his fridge- his cabin was on deck 5.

 

If you buy the package, I've seen here, you must drink 8-9 drinks a day to make it worth while and it would be a lot more beer. No drinks are included and you will be charged for everything you use from you fridge which will have soda, beer & candy in it.

 

You should have your luggage by 5pm. If you check in earlier it will be sooner.

 

You should get priority boarding as a suite passenger. You won't get priority disembarking though unless you walk off.

 

They will announce when everyone can get off in ports. You get off and on when ever you want but make sure you are back well before the ship leaves port.

 

It is to your benefit to check in on line and print your boarding passes and take them with you. That makes checking in easier and faster. We put our boarding passes folded in our passports.

 

Do go to your Roll Call here and you will find others who will be on your cruise with you. We have planned tours with others we've met thru our Roll Call.

 

You should also check out the ports here and get an idea of what you might want to do in each port. You can then ask questions about what to do in each port.

 

You will Love the Sunshine!

[aamiza]

Thank you that's very helpful just panicking lots to know

[dctravel]

Hi

 

Tips - Can this be paid prior to leaving or do you have to pay this once aboard - roughly how much is this, we are 2 adults and 2 children 13 and 9 years

 

Drinks - is it best to buy a drinks bundle my husband likes the beer and rum I am not a drinker. Do you get any drinks included?

 

Luggage - once on board how long does it take to get your luggage to your Cabin.

 

Excellent answers to your questions so far. I thought I would provide some clarity (or maybe it will make it more confusing?) to the above questions.

 

Tips: Automatic tips are the same for each passenger. Age does not matter. For Carnival, they are $12 pp/pd (https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1123/~/service-gratuities-%28tips%29). The opposite of the other poster, we like to pay our gratuities up front so that they are not on the bill at the end of the cruise. It makes it feel more all-inclusive.

 

Drinks: Drink prices range from about $6 for some beers to $10+ for mixed drinks, wine, etc.... The drink package Carnival officers is $49 pp/pd if you buy ahead of time and $54 (I think), if you buy onboard. Either way, the other poster is 100% correct. All adults 21+ in a cabin must buy the drink package if one person in the cabin buys it. This means that in a cabin with 2 adults and 2 children, both adults would have to buy the package. The package covers all drinks up to $50 per drink for 15 alcoholic drinks per day. Recently, specialty coffees, and some other drinks that have charges (some juices, for example) are now included as well (https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1106). There are a ton of threads on the Carnival boars about this.

 

Luggage: Again, I agree that your luggage will generally come by 5 pm. On our last cruise, our luggage had not come yet when we went to our early seating dinner at 6 pm, but it came shortly after that.

 

I hope this help!

 

dctravel

[Skafos Phileo]

I'm going on the Sunshine too, and it just so happens that I just saw a good video of Cabin # 5340... here it is:

[Bonnie J.]

Deck 5 is our favorite deck. Have been in the same cabin 4 times and have it for our B2B in November. (Sailing out of Charleston, SC then.) We have been on deck 5 six times!

Our steward took us to show us cabin 5340. Most balconies only have two chairs. It is a nice cabin!

Deck 5 is the Promenade deck so almost everything is just past the back elevators. Also people go right to the elevators there and don't see that the taste bar has a simple breakfast and lunch. There is never a crowd there and tables are in the Alchemy Bar & Ocean Plaza right there next to the taste bar.

They call me the 'Toaster lady' there because I complained to the head chef they have eggs there but no toast. Next morning there was a toaster there!

Edited April 23, 2016 by Bonnie J.