Carnival Sunshine - April 16th - Diary and Review

[5Hawkeyes]

What a great review!!! And you were so gracious about the whole bathroom issues. I was just curious if they ever came back with additional compensation? I know you didn't expect it but the way you handled the situation I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't give you something more.

 

Thanks for taking the time to write such a thorough review!!!

[Catrin]

Catrin as always I really enjoy your review , after 23 cruises I am still learning and get so much information from you, we will be on the conquest next week and I already have the sunshine booked for next August . I seem to be a year behind you on ships lol... I did get a respond from the Marriott in St. Kitts which is something I never would have known about, so again thank you, he is excepting day passes for the day we will be arriving. Good luck with your family and I will be looking for you hopefully again next April

 

Gail

 

Gail, it is always such a great feeling that my experiences helped another family! I am glad you got a response from the Marriott. It was such a GREAT day there, and I am glad you are taking advantage of a nice place to go.

 

Hope you enjoy your trip next week and let me know how you made out!!

Catrin

[Catrin]

Hi Catrin:

 

Let me start by saying what great reviews. I started reading you reviews from the most recent to the last couple of years. Just want to tell you that you guys have done great work with weight watchers. Must be so proud of yourself. Just wanted to congratulate you guys for all the hard work. Your husband looks great as do you. Keep it up I know how hard it is to lose the weight..

 

Thank you so much for saying so!

It has certainly been a long haul. I started in 2009, and did really well... then had a relapse in 2013. Started again with Steve in Dec 2014. He has done amazingly well!

We weighed in on the Saturday after we got home from our cruise. I lost 1.6 and Steve gained only .4. I should have had a few more cones of ice cream!!

 

Thank you once again for the encouragement. It is very much appreciated

Catrin

[Catrin]

What a great review!!! And you were so gracious about the whole bathroom issues. I was just curious if they ever came back with additional compensation? I know you didn't expect it but the way you handled the situation I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't give you something more.

 

Thanks for taking the time to write such a thorough review!!!

 

Hello.. thank you for reading!

Well, yes, they did compensate us. They gave us 50% off one day and 20% off another two days. For one cabin. That totaled about a little over $200 in onboard credit, which we were VERY grateful for. I think it was a FAIR reimbursement considering they paid for my Mom's internet service and gave Steve several drink coupons too.

 

The worse part was certainly that first day, when the plumber left us high and dry and housekeeping never arrived. That entire scenario made our blood boil, but once Steve went down to Guest Services and demanded someone come to our room and check out the mess, they responded immediately. When the issues continued, response was immediate and they were sincerely apologetic for the interruption of our day.

 

We came home with a little extra money this cruise, because of that credit and drink coupons. Do you know what we did with it? Put it in the Cruise Fund jar for the next one.

 

Catrin

[Catrin]

FINAL THOUGHTS>>>>>

 

We have been home for almost two weeks now, and its good to really stop and think about our week, relflect on the positives, but also make some general comments on the week.

 

Camp Carnival

This was the first year, they did not hold a formal orientation or Welcome Aboard Party. Although this was getting old for us, I think it was too bad not to include the kids in a welcome celebration and dancing fun. I wonder what families of kids did the first night?

Allison LOVED the 9-11 year old group. And this was her third and final cruise in that group. I think that age group is the BEST for camp. The activities are age appropriate. They have a sense of freedom during scavenger hunts, but I always felt she was supervised and had a blast.

 

Food in General

Yes, we were disappointed in the quality of food at dinner. Often undercooked and sometime luke warm... but was it awful? NO!! We still enjoy going to dinner in the main dining room, but as Carnival leans towards alternative dining option, I see they want to make the main dining room not as Special as the paid options. My new favorites? Key Lime Mousse, Cranberry Bread, and the Granola offered at breakfast.

We went to the Deli once, pizza twice, Blue Iguana once, Mongolian Wok once, Guys Once. Matt went to the pasta bar for lunch once as well.

 

Smoke

Casino? just awful. I am not a huge Anti Smoking person. Meaning, I tolerate the fact that folks smoke in the Casino and in the designated Lido Deck area. BUT... wow. No ventilation and you have to walk through a THICK CLOUD of smoke just to get to the other side of Deck 5. I hope they revisit this.

 

Chair Hogs - out in full force. All I am saying there. Were there chairs way in the back of Deck 10? Yes. But doesn't forgive the person saving 5 chairs all day at the pool or the people in Serenity with the flip flops. (Do people buy $1.99 flip flops just to use for chair savers?).

 

Cabins - Ok.. despite the toilet issue and the drain issue.... we loved our cabin. Location was great .. aft elevator on Deck 2. Connecting rooms are the way to go if you have a larger family. LARGE Shower. Good Lighting, comfortable temperature, plenty of storage. Overall, great choice for us.

 

Ports and Excursions - as you can see, we did not explore at all this cruise. We stayed close to the ship and we were happy. St. Kitts was the highlight of our week. Total cost? St. Martin $35 Taxi, $25 Chairs = $60. St. Kitts? $24 Taxi $175 Marriott with Food - $199. San Juan = FREE Grand Turk = $30 Flow Rider $30 Margaritaville Drinks = $60. Total Excursions? $319 for five of us!!

 

TIPS - Kept them on our S&S Card. Enough Said. The crew work so hard and we met so many friendly folks. Did anyone blow us away? I cannot say anyone was over the top outstanding. Because we did Anytime Dining, I feel this is the only way to go.

 

Gift Cards - we had some and applied them to S&S Card. So easy to do. These make great Christmas Gifts!!

 

Sunshine Itself - yes, I did feel crowded at times. But, there were other times, when I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of crowds, lack of lines, and overall good flow of traffic on this ship I think Carnival made the right decision regarding the Liquid Lounge and reducing space here. Fact is, with Comedy Clubs, Lido Deck Movies, etc, people don't go to the shows like they used to, and the lounge was big enough to house everyone who wanted to attend. Getting on and off the ships was the easiest in all the ports we visited. Hardly any lines.

The ship does need some work... obvious leakings, many of the elevator lights that signify what floor the elevator was on were not working, and elevators were often down for maintenance.

 

What did I wish I did??

I wish I woke up early and had a Serenity Day. Would have loved to have parked my butt in one of those round chaise lounges with the cover!! Maybe Next Time!!

 

I wish I ate at JiJi. We just never took the time to do it.

 

I wish I won trivia... 2 Second Places.. first time EVER with No Trophy!!

 

I wish I went to Tea. I missed this both Sea Days. No reason really, just forgot!!

 

but mostly, I wish I did not have to get off!!

 

Do we have another cruise planned? No. With Matt going to college in August, I will now have two kids in college next year. Time to start saving for the next one, but it may be a year or two before we can start thinking about planning again. By that time, the Vista will be a few years old, and we will probably look towards the Vista or Breeze for our next Cruise.

 

Thank you all for taking the time to read!

 

Until Next Time,

Catrin

[carolinagalcruise2011]

I enjoyed your review of the Sunshine. I cannot wait to sail her again in 23 days! :)

[13cheermom]

So I just finished your review and thoroughly enjoyed all of your details! We were also on this sailing and must say we had a great time also. We were so surprised at the difference an hour makes with boarding, we arrived about 11:45 from our shuttle and literally walked right in at the platinum doors with no one waiting outside. Of course the delayed boarding probably factored in greatly with that whole situation. We totally understood the crowding at serenity also, first seaday we just found a chair on deck 10 and relaxed until the wind blew us away. But the other two seadays we just walked around until we saw someone getting ready to leave and got lucky and found 2 chairs near the serenity pool. That place is just like heaven. We also went to the gymn everyday probably were in there the same time some mornings, and it does help with the weight issue, lol. But so glad your family had a great time as well and thanks for all the input from your trip. We also found ourselves in a couple of serenity pics you took.:D

[Catrin]

So I just finished your review and thoroughly enjoyed all of your details! We were also on this sailing and must say we had a great time also. We were so surprised at the difference an hour makes with boarding, we arrived about 11:45 from our shuttle and literally walked right in at the platinum doors with no one waiting outside. Of course the delayed boarding probably factored in greatly with that whole situation. We totally understood the crowding at serenity also, first seaday we just found a chair on deck 10 and relaxed until the wind blew us away. But the other two seadays we just walked around until we saw someone getting ready to leave and got lucky and found 2 chairs near the serenity pool. That place is just like heaven. We also went to the gymn everyday probably were in there the same time some mornings, and it does help with the weight issue, lol. But so glad your family had a great time as well and thanks for all the input from your trip. We also found ourselves in a couple of serenity pics you took.:D

 

Thanks for reading! Glad you had a good time. Sounds like you arrived just in time! Once they started letting folks on, we did hear the lines moved quickly! You are right about Serenity. Next cruise, I am certainly planning a day here, start to finish!

 

Catrin

[CruiseHealing]

We were on this cruise. We were one of two couples dancing on the stage at the end of the Diamond and Platinum Party. If you have a photo of us dancing we would love to see it. I showed DW your MCO photo and it was very depressing.

Edited May 9, 2016 by CruiseHealing

[Catrin]

We were on this cruise. We were one of two couples dancing on the stage at the end of the Diamond and Platinum Party. If you have a photo of us dancing we would love to see it. I showed DW your MCO photo and it was very depressing.

 

 

Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of people dancing at the party. Hope you had a nice time!!

 

 

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[cruzin Phillis]

Well, Hello!

 

 

This will be my yearly diary/review of our annual family Carnival Vacation. I have been writing these diaries for a few years now, and although they may be long and drawn out for some, we love going back a few years later and re-living our vacations.

 

PRE CRUISE - Choosing, Planning and Packing!

 

We last cruised last April on the Conquest. When choosing this cruise, we had a few things in mind... wanted to find somewhere we had not been, wanted a new ship, and .. yes, this is silly... but we looked for an 8 day, as Allison needed 8 days to hit her 75!!

 

Packing and Planning!!

This cruise, like so many recent ones, have been extremely laid back. Gone are the days where we wanted to DO IT ALL.. now we want to do NOTHING!! We discussed excursions, but decided we were just going to have a very low key week. So we did not book anything prior to the cruise.

Packing however, is a different story. I bring an entire CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens combined with me! Mesh Laundry Hamper, Tervis Tumbler, Sunscreen, Hats, etc etc. And TOO MANY CLOTHES.

 

Our goals this cruise...

Cathy - Read a book, swim in the pools, play trivia, just hang out.

Steve - Try the Ropes Course, Drink a few beers, relax.

Matt - find all the free internet, eat endless pasta

Allison - take advantage of all Camp Carnival has to offer, Ropes Course, and Guys french fries

Valerie - Play some slots, go shopping and try a few new fruity drinks!

 

 

Love the start already. i am one of those died hard reviewers so I appreciate the time you take to share there your experience. I too question going on this ship as well. I was set to book as part of a B2B but I end up booking the Magic again. I am hoping that my DS will enjoy this method of vacation.

 

 

I notice your DH hat. My DH is a diehard Pats fan. Everything in my closet is Pats and we are from TEXAS!!!:eek: Imagine the stares...

Again, thanks for doing this. I apprentice it!!

[Cr2zCr8zy]

Thank You for your review. I will be sailing on the Sunshine for the first time labor day week. Thanks for giving me a birds eye view of what I have to look forward to :)

[Catrin]

Love the start already. i am one of those died hard reviewers so I appreciate the time you take to share there your experience. I too question going on this ship as well. I was set to book as part of a B2B but I end up booking the Magic again. I am hoping that my DS will enjoy this method of vacation.

 

 

I notice your DH hat. My DH is a diehard Pats fan. Everything in my closet is Pats and we are from TEXAS!!!:eek: Imagine the stares...

Again, thanks for doing this. I apprentice it!!

 

When we went on the Magic out of Galveston two years ago, my husband sure did receive a lot of flack!! :) We have to say that the Magic has been our favorite ship to date, so we think you made a great choice!

 

Thank you for reading!!

Hope you enjoy the rest!

[Catrin]

Hi all. Update if anyone is interested.... We did get a check from Carnival today. That $108 is going in our cruise fund bucket for next time!!!

Looking back a month later - we are happy Carnival continues to be our choice.

 

 

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[jallsop]

Thanks for posting your review. We were on this same sailing and looking forward to reading your perspective. This was our first cruise as a family so I don't have anything to compare it to but I thought some things were amazing and some details were less than perfect :eek:

[apcci2]

I really enjoyed your review. We will be on the Sunshine in a few months.

[JohnGaltny]

Nicely done and valuable for me since we are on Sunshine out of NY in September. NO TSA or airport this time.:D

[firstlady@22]

Loved your review! We sail away on her in 26 days and cannot wait to get onboard. I noticed you mentioned a Facebook page several times. I have searched several times but have not had luck finding one for the Sunshine. Can you point me in the right direction?

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[euphio]

Thanks for the comprehensive review. We are considering a southern Caribbean itinerary and this is one of our options. Your grace in the face of the bathroom troubles is VERY admirable.

[crusinpsychRN]

How did they do muster?

[Catrin]

Thanks for the comprehensive review. We are considering a southern Caribbean itinerary and this is one of our options. Your grace in the face of the bathroom troubles is VERY admirable.

 

 

Thank you! Please see my conquest review from last year. Different ships - but some good pics of our time in Aruba, Curaçao and LaRomana. We want to go back to all three!!

 

 

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[Catrin]

How did they do muster?

 

 

Old style. Deck 4. No life jackets. Sardines. That was our station. Not sure about the entire ship.

 

 

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[Catrin]

Loved your review! We sail away on her in 26 days and cannot wait to get onboard. I noticed you mentioned a Facebook page several times. I have searched several times but have not had luck finding one for the Sunshine. Can you point me in the right direction?

 

 

I would just search Facebook for your ship and date. If someone has started a group it would be in there. Good luck and have fun!!

 

 

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[Catrin]

Nicely done and valuable for me since we are on Sunshine out of NY in September. NO TSA or airport this time.:D

 

 

John , we have sailed out of NY several times. Can't get any easier!! Parking is right there. In 2013 we did Platinum self assist. Off the ship and on the road by 7:30 am. Home by 11!!

 

 

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