3 Generations on the Sunshine! Feb 2017 Review

[heath7767]

Just wanted to update that we just got off the Sunshine today. We had a great cruise and the kids loved it. Thank you again for your review!

 

Yay!! So glad that you all had a great time! :)

[heath7767]

St. Kitts

This day got off to a bit of a rough start, but it ended up being our favorite stop of the cruise! We were scheduled to be in port from 10-8, so it was a nice long scheduled stop.

This was the one island that we did a lot of research and scheduled an all-day excursion because none of us had visited it before. A few months before we sailed, I booked the Grand Island Tour with Thenford Grey. The company's communication was excellent, and I received a confirmation right away. I also got quick answers to my questions via email. Loved that no deposit was required!

We woke up early that morning, grabbed breakfast, packed our bags, and got ready to explore St. Kitts. The views pulling into this island are incredible! Well, 10 AM came and went, and no one was getting off the ship. We noticed that we weren't parked at the main port, but at a place that looked like a shipping area. It was a busy day in St. Kitts with multiple ships docking. I hoped that the Thenford Grey company would know where to find us, and we were relieved to be able to see employees holding Thenford Grey signs waiting for us as we stood on the deck. Unfortunately, we still couldn't get off the boat!

Emma did a great job of keeping us informed about the delay, and they finally opened the ship around 10:30, but only for those going on Carnival-sponsored excursions. It was probably at least 10:45 before we were able to get off the ship, so that was an annoying way to start the day, especially because our tour was scheduled to leave at 10:30.

Fortunately, the Thenford Grey team was waiting for us with a smile, and they had us organized and on our tour bus within 10 minutes. He divided the group into several vehicles: my party of 8 joined another party of 4 with a young child in a small tour bus.

The vehicle was clean and comfortable, but it didn't have the Wifi that was advertised online and in their confirmation email. Not a big deal since we didn't visit St. Kitts to get online!

Our guide, Calvin, did a great job taking care of us. He was really good with children, and made sure that they were entertained and engaged at every stop by pointing out wildlife, letting them taste a raw almond, showing them how water came out of palm trees, etc. He was also extremely knowledgeable about St. Kitts and able to answer all of our questions. It was easy to hear what he was saying through the bus's PA system.

We had a great day exploring St. Kitts, and it really was a full day! The Batik Factory and gardens were beautiful, and this was my parents' favorite place to pick up souvenirs and gifts. Our favorite stops were the Brimstone Hill Fortress and the Timothy Hill overlook. St. Kitts is blessed with abundant natural beauty, and we enjoyed clear weather and perfect skies on our day.

I wondered if the Fortress would seem anti-climatic after our fort day in San Juan, but this wasn't the case at all. The drive up to the fort was an adventure on narrow roads, but the view was worth it once we got to the top. My only regret was that we had just an hour to explore, because we probably could have happily spent at least a half day there. Just a note if you are visiting with young kids: please keep them within arms' reach! I love letting my kids explore, but this isn't like some Disney attraction in the States. There were many steep drops right onto concrete or worse, and I about had a heart attack watching a two year-old ALMOST fall off probably a 20-foot drop while her parents were texting and snapping selfies nearby. I'm not saying this to keep people from visiting. I think this is the perfect place to visit with young kids and mine loved it, but parents just need to watch their kids!

To end our day, we were scheduled for a beach stop at Shipwreck Bar. My kids were really excited about this part and clamoring to hop in the ocean. When we arrived, we were surprised when Calvin asked if the group wanted to stay at the beach and swim. We were saying an enthusiastic "Yes!" right when the other family was saying no because they wanted to go back to the port. This family said they wanted to shop instead, but being dropped off at the shopping area and picked up later wasn't an option because our ship was parked at the alternate pier. When he explained this, they still said they wanted to leave.This was a little awkward, but Calvin said we would shorten the beach time to one hour instead of 2 as a compromise.

We all loved swimming in the water and soaking in the beautiful views at that beach, so my husband went to talk to the guide at the end of our quick hour to see if there was any way we could be picked up later. He made a quick call and offered for us to could go back to port with another Thenford Grey group so we could enjoy another hour of beach time.

This wasn't a big deal at all, but the whole situation was very awkward. Since the tour confirmation we received stated it included beach time at the end, I wish he wouldn't have asked the other group whether or not they wanted to finish the tour. They didn't look too happy that we chose to stay instead of letting them end the tour 2 hours early. It all worked out well though, and I'm thankful the company worked with us to allow us to enjoy the beach fully.

My kiddos loved seeing the monkeys (cute!) and the mongoose (yikes!) at Shipwreck, so that was a fun touch.

I highly recommend this tour, and it was a great value for a full day of activities and all admission fees included. He also gave us a nice discount for our older kids and didn't charge for the youngest. Just a note--BRING SNACKS! Our guide provided a bottle of water, but it was after 2 PM before we arrived at the Shipwreck stop where food was available. There were small snack bars at the Batik factory and the Fortress, but they were both so busy and packed with tourists that we would've spent our whole time waiting in line. Thankfully, we had brought plenty of snacks along, so it was a non-issue, but I think I would have been dealing with grouchy kids if I hadn't.

Being docked at the alternate pier was a bit of a bummer since we didn't get to do any shopping in St. Kitts. There were a couple of vendor tables set up at our pier, but that was it.

We loved, loved, LOVED St. Kitts and highly recommend the Thenford Grey Grand Island Tour. I think that it's my favorite cruise port I've ever visited. It was another place that we would be more than happy to go back and spend a week visiting.

[mississauga]

We were also in this cruise. We love the Sunshine and have already spent 50 days on her over the cruise of 5 cruises. Next year we will be on her for 28 days. B2B2B. Our version of being snowbirds. Since we love the Sunshine and the itineraries, why not? Our middle cruise is a journey cruise.

 

You are doing a great job with your review. Very informative, straightforward and honest.

 

 

Sorry you did not know about the free shuttle to the other pier with the shopping. The hotel director was outside informing passengers. I think they got caught off guard that we were porting where we did but did a quick organization of securing shuttles to take us back and forth. They did start a little late but by the time we debarked, they were up and running all day.

 

 

It was not planned so I believe that's why Emma did not announce it when we first ported there. We found out when we went to ask about transportation to the other pier and learned about the free shuttle Carnival had arranged.

[momin05]

Loving your review! Thank you especially for the review on Thenford Grey. We are booked with him in April (Sunshine, same itinerary) and I had read such wonderful reviews but then got concerned when he actually didn't respond for several emails. And someone on our same sailing said he gave them a different meet time than us. Now I won't worry! We also know there will be many ships in port when we are in St. Kitts, so I appreciate the heads up on the alternate pier. So glad to hear Thenford found you.

[heath7767]

Loving your review! Thank you especially for the review on Thenford Grey. We are booked with him in April (Sunshine, same itinerary) and I had read such wonderful reviews but then got concerned when he actually didn't respond for several emails. And someone on our same sailing said he gave them a different meet time than us. Now I won't worry! We also know there will be many ships in port when we are in St. Kitts, so I appreciate the heads up on the alternate pier. So glad to hear Thenford found you.

 

Yes, there were several different Thenford Grey employees and groups leaving from our pier that morning, so I wouldn't be concerned about a different meeting time. I was impressed that they were already there and holding their signs up right when we docked. I forgot to mention that there are a few vendors set up at the Timothy Hill overlook, so that's a good place to pick up small souvenir items at good prices if you're docked at the alternate port. I'm sure his team will take good care of you, and you are going to love St. Kitts! :)

[heath7767]

We were also in this cruise. We love the Sunshine and have already spent 50 days on her over the cruise of 5 cruises. Next year we will be on her for 28 days. B2B2B. Our version of being snowbirds. Since we love the Sunshine and the itineraries, why not? Our middle cruise is a journey cruise.

 

You are doing a great job with your review. Very informative, straightforward and honest.

 

 

Sorry you did not know about the free shuttle to the other pier with the shopping. The hotel director was outside informing passengers. I think they got caught off guard that we were porting where we did but did a quick organization of securing shuttles to take us back and forth. They did start a little late but by the time we debarked, they were up and running all day.

 

 

It was not planned so I believe that's why Emma did not announce it when we first ported there. We found out when we went to ask about transportation to the other pier and learned about the free shuttle Carnival had arranged.

 

That's good to know about the shuttles! We were one of the first groups off the ship once they finally opened it up, so I don't think it was quite running yet at that point. And I am jealous of all of your days on the Sunshine. I was wondering if an 8-day cruise would seem too long for my family, but it didn't at all. I'd love to do a longer Journeys one some day!

[momin05]

Yes, there were several different Thenford Grey employees and groups leaving from our pier that morning, so I wouldn't be concerned about a different meeting time. I was impressed that they were already there and holding their signs up right when we docked. I forgot to mention that there are a few vendors set up at the Timothy Hill overlook, so that's a good place to pick up small souvenir items at good prices if you're docked at the alternate port. I'm sure his team will take good care of you, and you are going to love St. Kitts! :)

 

Thank you for the advice! I read somewhere about being able to buy pure sugar cane and my daughter got very excited about that. Did you see that for sale anywhere during your tour?

 

We have also never been on a cruise longer than 5 days and I am a bit worried about 8 days being too long, so I am glad to hear that even though you had the same concern, it did not turn out that way. I am hoping it will feel much more relaxing than our 4 and 5 day cruises.

[heath7767]

Entertainment--Part 1

I've already mentioned how much we loved the Sports Square and Waterworks area, and that was our main entertainment during the trip. Here's some additional info about activities and events we tried.

Main Theater Shows

My family really enjoyed both the illusionist show and the juggling show. I appreciated that they were family-friendly, and my kids are still talking about them.

However, I would say that our biggest disappointment on this ship was the main theater entertainment. I think you can tell from the rest of my review that I loved almost everything about the Sunshine, but the Playlist cast was just...BAD. I've sailed on the Paradise before and loved the shows with live music. Did the Pride a couple of years ago and thought the Playlist shows we entertaining enough, although we missed the band. We usually enjoy going to the shows every night, but we only made it through half of one show on this trip.

The dancing was fine, so the main issue was the singing. There was one female vocalist who was good, but the others were just NOT. I don't expect Broadway quality when I'm on a ship of course, but I do expect at least theme park quality. The singing was really off, the harmonies were bad, the voices were cracking on high notes.They did mention that this cast was finishing up their contract in a couple of weeks, so maybe that had something to do with the poor performance, I dunno.

To start our week, we were excited to go to the Welcome Aboard show, because, why not???, but it was just awkward. It involved Emma introducing herself and giving some basic info (fine), a game where couples threw velcro balls on each other (weird), and Emma reading a poem while a kid from the audience held up a big smiley face (hmmm.) The dancers also gave a quick dance lesson, and then the Playlist cast took the stage. Several people around us left during that part because the singing was so bad. The whole show was just such a random assortment of things that it made no sense! The shows as a whole were very disappointing except for the juggler and illusionist. Fortunately, there were plenty of other entertainment options in the evenings, but I don't think I'd even visit the showroom if I sailed again.

Deck Parties:

Really fun! We're not really dancers, but we all enjoyed watching and listening to the music during the Sail Away Party and the two evening deck parties. My kids' favorite parts was that Emma and the Fun Squad threw out lots of goodies. They accumulated a stash of glow sticks and light-up foam sticks, and they just loved running out and grabbing them. They showed the action on the movie screen on the Lido deck, so people really got a kick out of seeing themselves on the big screen.

Seaside Theater

Fun! My kids enjoyed watching a movie outdoors on the last night, and we appreciated the blankets. I will say, I wish they would have shown kids' movies more than just one night on an 8-day cruise. They showed 2 kids' movies back to back on that night, but that was it. It would have been nice if the earlier movie another night or two was family-friendly for little ones.

Camp Carnival

I had two kiddos in the 6-8 group and one in the younger group. Overall, they liked Camp Carnival. We were on this vacation for family time, so they didn't go very much--a few evenings after dinner and one afternoon for a little while.

I was a little disappointed by the schedule because it wasn't detailed at all. It was hard to get the kids excited about going when it just said basic stuff like:

11 AM--educational play

12 PM--active play

1 PM--craft

It would have been nice to have more details. A couple of the nights it even said stuff like 7-10: Themed evening programming, but didn't give the theme!

Not a huge deal since my kids had fun, but I think they would have wanted to go more if they provided more details in the schedule about what they were making or doing. A couple of the CC workers said they had just embarked that week, so maybe it's normally more organized. Also, the room for the 6-8 year olds was pretty small, so they really didn't have room to do many active games in there. Again, my kiddos had no complaints, but just sharing information.

I recommend having your kids go to Camp on the last night when they are scheduled to do T-shirt decorating. It makes a fun, free souvenir!

[heath7767]

Thank you for the advice! I read somewhere about being able to buy pure sugar cane and my daughter got very excited about that. Did you see that for sale anywhere during your tour?

 

We have also never been on a cruise longer than 5 days and I am a bit worried about 8 days being too long, so I am glad to hear that even though you had the same concern, it did not turn out that way. I am hoping it will feel much more relaxing than our 4 and 5 day cruises.

 

Sorry, but I didn't notice the sugar cane for sale, but we weren't looking for it. I would definitely ask your guide about it. And we loved the 8-day length! I'm not sure how your ports are scheduled, but we ended with 2 sea days in a row, and it was such a nice, relaxing way to end the trip.

[easyboy]

Enjoying your review.

[heath7767]

Entertainment--Part 2

Comedy:

I never made it to comedy, but some other members of my party did. They said one comedian was really bad and another was really funny. The reports of comedy lounge crowding are definitely true. If you're not in line about 20 minutes or so before the show during the busiest show times, you're probably not getting in.

Live Music:

We loved the live music options on the Sunshine! The groups were really a lot more entertaining than the main show lounge options. Eden in the piano bar was amazing, and he always drew a big crowd. I was surprised by how small the piano bar was on the Sunshine...they easily could've filled up double the space.

There was always plenty of live music in the evenings, and we especially enjoyed the Blended Soul band that often played in the Ocean Plaza and the Music and Magic duo that played in the atrium.

If they would just bring back the steel drums on the Lido, the music would've been perfect! :)

Dr. Seuss Breakfast

Fun! It's a really great value at $5 per person, especially when you compare it to the high cost of character breakfasts at theme parks here in FL.

Our Dr. Seuss Breakfast journey started out a little frustrating. We called a couple of days into our cruise to make reservations for the breakfast. There were 2 seatings, and we wanted to do the second since we knew we would have a late night the evening prior. Well, the employee on the phone told us the 2nd seating was full. We decided to do the early seating anyway, but said we would call later in the week to see if there were any openings for the later one.

Well, the day before the breakfast we called again, and the employee told us that there was not even a 2nd seating--they were only offering one early seating on our voyage. Carnival of course can schedule however they want--it was just annoying that the first employee told us that the 2nd seating was sold out when apparently it wasn't even an option.

Anyway, not a huge deal, and we all really enjoyed the breakfast! It was held in the smaller Sunset Dining room, and the decorations were great. There was even a Dr. Seuss-themed ice sculpture at the entrance. Our party of 5 was seated with another family of 5, and the service was attentive and quick. The food was delicious, and my kids enjoyed meeting all of the characters throughout the meal. It was very well-organized, and the Fun Staff brought the characters from table to table, so there was no waiting in lines. The characters had autograph "stamps" to add to the kids' menu booklets. Don't leave too early, because the waiters do a really cute song and dance around the dining room at the end of the breakfast.

Build a Bear at Sea:

Our voyage was the first time the Sunshine had switched over to the official Build a Bear at Sea program. My 6 year-old is a huge BAB lover, so we knew he wanted to do this for his big souvenir. Our event was held in the morning in the main show lounge, and it was really enjoyable. They had BAB decorated cookies for the kids, and they called them up in groups to build so it didn't get too crazy.

I was impressed with the huge assortment of animals and outfits. My little guy picked the Carnival-branded bear, and it is adorable and really good quality. The prices for the animals, clothing, and accessories are comparable to BAB on land, so that was nice, too.

After the kids go through all of the stations, they get their bears in a special backpack. They also have a cute photo station where you can snap pics of your kids and their new furry friends.

Atrium Parties:

These took place a couple of nights after main theater shows, and they were so much fun! Emma did a great job getting everyone involved and singing along. We especially enjoyed the Motown one.

Other random activities:

We did a couple of trivia contests, and they were fun with friendly hosts. The craft time was also surprisingly entertaining! One craft was rope bracelets, and I can't remember the other one. These are projects for all ages, not just kids, so it's a fun way to get a little free souvenir, too. Magic classes were also very popular and enjoyable.

The Cooking Demonstration in the Steakhouse was a lot of fun and really a lot of food! I think we were served at least 5 different items. and I couldn't even eat lunch after because I was so full. This venue is pretty small, and they ended up turning people away, so I'd recommend getting there at least 15 minutes early if you want to participate.

[momin05]

Thank you so much for your insights on all the ship activities! It really does help. In the old days of cruising, going to the main theater show after dinner was a given, but I think you are right that there are too many other better options these days. We tend to plan around the comedy shows, my daughter loves them.

 

Thanks again for sharing. We sail this exact itinerary in 3 weeks and are so excited!

[RTRMom]

I hear you on the comedy. We could only go to the earlier ones and we usually showed up about 30 mins early and sat down. It will fill up quickly. One of the comedians was funny and the other was a little too controversial and didn't get as many laughs.

[crusinpsychRN]

This is sad to hear. I always get the turkey on country roll as well. I hope the quality is better on our trip.

 

I agree the turkey was just gross.

[TeddysBabe]

Thank you very much. I appreciate all of the time you put into sharing this with everyone. And I love how detailed you were! We are considering this ship and itinerary for next February. Thanks again!