Live! Brilliantseas on the Carnival Sunrise - February 12-17, 2022

brilliantseas · February 14, 2022

7 hours ago, Pellaz said:

Thanks for the continuing updates!

A bit disappointing that chairs and loungers were hard to find. I'm wondering what it's like by the aft pool, and whether it is adults-only or open to all. (On Conquest-class ships it used to be adults-only, but on the Victory and presumably the Triumph it was open to all....)

Aft pool is open to all, but Serenity has an adults-only hot tub.

brilliantseas · February 14, 2022

I could wake up to this view every morning!

Arrival in Amber Cove, Dominican Republic. HAL Nieuw Amsterdam was first into Port this morning.

brilliantseas · February 14, 2022

Valentines Day Breakfast on Lido before heading out to explore Amber Cove.

jerseyjjs · February 14, 2022

On 2/11/2022 at 10:45 AM, brilliantseas said:

The port schedules show HAL Nieuw Amsterdam in port with Carnival Sunrise at Amber Cove, and no other ships in port with us at Grand Turk. Both ports are only equipped with two berth piers, so a third ship would require tendering. Where did you see four ships in port at Amber Cove?

According to CruiseTimesTables, the RCCL Anthem, Norwegian Escape, and HAL Nieuw Amsterdam are scheduled for Amber Cove today. That site has been wrong in the past though.

brilliantseas · February 14, 2022

5 hours ago, jerseyjjs said:

According to CruiseTimesTables, the RCCL Anthem, Norwegian Escape, and HAL Nieuw Amsterdam are scheduled for Amber Cove today. That site has been wrong in the past though.

It is just Nieuw Amsterdam and Sunrise at Amber Cove. I believe the other two are at Puerto Plata.

kellogg99 · February 15, 2022

Thank you for all your updates! I’m going to be leaving on the Sunrise on Monday and this is a great preview! Thanks so much for sharing!

brilliantseas · February 15, 2022

Amber Cove, Dominican Republic

brilliantseas · February 15, 2022

There is no beach within the port facility at Amber Cove. The closest beach is located at the Playabachata Beach Resort next door. They have a day pass available at the resort or through Carnival shore excursions, called Playa Bachata All Inclusive Resort Day Pass for $64.99.

The beach itself (circled in yellow below) appears very small from the port. The Amber Cove sign is just to the right of the beach, but is separated by the port's perimeter wall.

brilliantseas · February 15, 2022

We were in port with Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam, which appeared to be on an Irish-themed charter.

brilliantseas · February 15, 2022

Amber Cove, Dominican Republic

brilliantseas · February 15, 2022

Coco Cana Lounge is the pool bar and restaurant in the Amber Cove port area. There is another Coco Cana at the opposite end of the shopping area, overlooking the Amber Cove sign and the ships. We did not see many people at that location.

The poolside cabanas are actually elevated on the side of the hill, with a hammock and four reserved loungers at pool level, and a deck with shaded and air conditioned cabana on the second level. The cabanas further up are the hillside cabanas, and the larger structure in the upper right is the zip line platform.

brilliantseas · February 15, 2022

The zipline at Amber Cove is a single run with parallel cables so two people can ride at the same time. It starts near the top of the hill and runs directly over the pool before landing on the far side of the sun deck.

If you are a beginner and questioning whether ziplines are for you, this might be a great place to try it as the line isn't too high or too steep, and it is only $20 for unlimited rides all day.

The zipline proved to be popular, with a steady steam of riders into the mid afternoon.

brilliantseas · February 15, 2022

The pool area is the main attraction for most passengers stopping in Amber Cove who do not have an excursion booked. It is a great option for those who do not want to spend any extra money on shore excursions. The lounge chairs, pool, and water slides are free to use. Umbrellas are available for rent for $20 at the rentals counter. Be aware that there is not much shade for those who do not rent an umbrellas, so if you are looking for free shade, be sure to claim your spot under one of the trees early.

Jeni99 · February 15, 2022

Oh my gosh! Thank you for sharing your cruise with us! I will be on the sailabration cruise on the Sunrise March 5th so enjoying this!!!

cdpeffer · February 15, 2022

This is great! Thanks!

Lem_On_Ade · February 16, 2022

I have a friend on board the Sunrise currently and she was wondering how many people were on board. Have you heard a total number of passengers or at what percentage full the ship is?

brilliantseas · February 16, 2022

3 hours ago, Lem_On_Ade said:

I have a friend on board the Sunrise currently and she was wondering how many people were on board. Have you heard a total number of passengers or at what percentage full the ship is?

I've heard second-hand that we are sailing with around 1,900 / 64% lower berth capacity. I'd estimate maybe 20 children onboard.

Lido deck ans Serenity are crowded on sea days, and the buffet was very crowded for embarkation.

To my knowledge, none of the shows have hit capacity, and the YTD dining room on the upper level of Sunshine Restaurant has been about 1/4 full all week. We've never had a wait to check in for YTD.

We're having a great time, but both of us agree that we would not want to sail on a Sunshine class ship when it is sailing at or near capacity.

brilliantseas · February 16, 2022

More photos from Amber Cove. I'm a bit behind on this "live" due to the slow internet connection on the ship. I have the premium package, but it is about the slowest connection I've experienced in recent years. It is so slow that some of my app log ins are timing out due to the connection speed.

brilliantseas · February 16, 2022

VIP packages, including front row cushioned loungers, umbrellas, and chairside drink service are available from the rentals building. I believe they start at $70 per person?

brilliantseas · February 16, 2022

The over water cabanas are the only ones that were not sold out in advance of our visit to Amber Cove. Although there is no beach at Amber Cove, the over water cabanas are equipped with swim ladders for the daring. The water in the cove area appears to be brown with silt and not attractive for swimming. I would recommend the poolside or hillside cabanas if you are looking to rent a private space in Amber Cove.