DiverGal

I've gotten lots of great perk gifts. Let's see... the journal and pen were wonderful and good quality. The beach bag backpack. Night light. There was a great cup one cruise. 

I've heard of some gifts I wish I'd gotten. Only a couple times have I gotten disappointing gifts. I will say that the really nice gifts make me feel "special." I think that's what Carnival wants the gifts/perks to do. 

We were on the 14 day Panama Canal cruise and enjoyed the Sunrise very much. It's natural to like some things and dislike others, but going with the flow is part of the cruise experience. We went early to shows in the Liquid Lounge because we were a group of four that wanted to sit together. In the Lido buffet, we staked out tables and went to the food spots in shifts, because the Lido was definitely crowded and had long lines. Check out the Capitano upstairs for breakfast and lunch. More room and very pleasant! We also enjoyed the Lucky Bowl for breakfast and lunch--quicker than the buffet and the food was good.

We talked with the Lido manager (really nice guy always there making sure things went smoothly) about some ways to speed up the lines (he did put the syrup next to the pancakes/French toast per suggestion, rather than having to wait behind people getting their omelets), and Carnival is definitely looking at ways to improve the lines.

Making people walk through the smoky, stinky casino is obnoxious, but I know that's going to be part of just about every Carnival cruise. It's possible to get around the casino walk by using passenger hallways  to go forward or aft first, then heading to the promenade deck, and we did that a lot. I miss some of the promenade seating they did away with from the older layout. There's some seating, but it's just not as... restful, I guess. The Red Frog Pub had some nice table seating for playing games, which we used a lot and which made up for losing the library (our former game-playing hangout). The aft area behind the Lido deck was another often nice place to sit and relax. We didn't find the serenity area to be serene at all; not sure why, just didn't cotton to it.

Sunrise is a nice ship with a great crew. It has good and better things about it, and any ship/cruise is what you make of it. The only truly bad thing I complained about to the company was the (to me occasional) smell of garbage in the aft elevators. It's a real thing and something they should fix.

We just got off the Sunrise on a 14 day Panama Canal itinerary. It’s a nice ship. The new color scheme is less garish than most Carnival ships. My sister-in-law said the new Lido look reminded her more of Norwegian.

The Lido buffet is often crowded with long lines. I liked Guys better; faster food and more likely to find a seat. Blue Iguana is also good. We enjoyed the steakhouse a lot! Same with the Italian restaurant. Recommended. The dining room menus were better some days than others, as is usual.

The public spaces are fine, though the seats in lounges like the Red Frog Pub and Sunrise Lobby were less comfortable than I’d have liked. Those who want good back support be on notice. Didn’t like the theater redesign, which made seating for shows a get-there-early (at least a half hour if you want a decent seat) affair. 

There was a slight (to me, but more noticeable to others in my party) smell of garbage in the aft elevator area at times. On one occasion the elevator reeked.

Staff was wonderful! 

Just got back from the Sunshine and really liked it. Not my favorite ship, but a very nice experience. The crew and staff were fantastic and the food was great, especially the Cucina deal Capitano. Love the Red Frog Pub as a music venue and Serenity was lovely, though I only used it for a bit while staying on ship at port.

Crowds? Yes, but no more so than other ships. Never had problems getting an elevator (I have bad knees, and use those elevators). Between the Lido restaurant and the Havana Club, we always found somewhere to sit--not always easy on other ships! So that was a plus.

My only complaints might not bother others. The Hub ap, which sounds so promising, did not ever work in our cabins, so the $5 chat feature was mostly useless for finding other family members, unless in public spaces. And the bathroom in our balcony cabin really annoyed me. I either had to sit sideways on the toilet, or put my feet in the shower to sit on it properly/comfortably. Having visited countries where I had to use a hole in the ground behind my accommodations, I can live with that toilet. But that design element is NOT an improvement!

In sum, would definitely sail on the Sunshine again. Oh, and I liked the decor. :)

Do you have any information about to the engine trouble that caused the late arrival into Boston?

 

I'm sailing on the Splendor next month. Hope it isn't anything major!!!

We were on that cruise also. The only thing we were told was that there was a propulsion problem that decreased the ship's speed, so we would get to Boston later than scheduled. A few hours later we were told the problem had been resolved, but strong winds still meant we would not get to Boston until 4 pm. We were not told the nature of the initial problem.

For what it's worth, Splendor was a great ship with an outstanding crew. :) One of our favorite itineraries and we would do her again!

A year and a half ago my husband's father needed gallbladder surgery six weeks prior to our cruise to Bermuda aboard the Star. No problem, we thought. Wrong. He developed complications and was in the hospital much longer than we'd thought. He came home two days before the cruise but was way too weak to go. For a while we thought we would have to stay behind with him, but ultimately we went and only he stayed. We were so thankful we had bought insurance.

He got all his money back. Norwegian told us we would have too had we not gone. Both the cruise line and the insurance company were pleasant and a dream to work with. I'm not sure if Norwegian uses the same company now, but then it was Berkely. It may even be Norwegian's company. The thing is, it was easy. There were a couple of forms to fill out. One was a trip cancellation form. The other was an attending physician's statement.

We did all of the paperwork after the cruise. But do call Norwegian and the insurance company before you go. Getting the answers to all your questions will put your mind at ease. You'll want that so you can put your energy instead into taking care of your daughter.

Sending good thoughts your way that all will go well!