Sunshine in January! - cruise review

[saleaway99]

Let me start by saying that this is my first cruise review – and my first go at posting a review to this site so we may experience some technical difficulties - but I wanted to try to offer infomation to future Sunshine guests because I certainly referred to this site a lot as I prepared to go on my cruise. (Thanks to all of you who post here - your insight is very appreciated!!)

 

So you get an idea of my perspective, this was my third cruise. My prior cruises were on Carnival and Royal Caribbean. I think that I have a bit of experience under my belt to know what to expect - but I haven't cruised so much that I can't "see the forest for the trees."

 

I traveled with a large group of extended family - all meeting in Orlando from across the country. It was so nice to see everyone and know we would have a rare week together, under one "roof". All of our rooms were adjacent to each other on Deck 6.

 

Before traveling, I had purchased a carnival gift card for each family member - even the kids. I found them at Kroger. I wasn't sure how they would work, but it was a late holiday gift for them. More on how the cards worked out later...

 

Embarkation:

So I flew into Orlando with my immediate family and we utilized Super Shuttle to get to the port. It was about a 40-minute drive and we were able to have a van to ourselves (which actually turned out to be a Lincoln Navigator rather than the usual blue van) for $115 each way. The vehicle seats six. They were a bit late meeting us - we had gathered our luggage and were seated in the baggage claim area before the driver showed up. However, once you make a reservation with them you are provided with the dispatch phone number in case you have any issues. Our delay was minimal and not a big deal.

 

We were dropped off right at the port - and we walked right in. We didn't have FTTF or anything. The process is down to a science in that place and everything moved quickly. It felt a lot more chaotic when I cruised out of New Orleans a couple of years ago.

 

Yay - we're headed onto Sunshine!

 

Well... lets see if this post works before I go any further, photos and all!

[ginka]

Can't wait for the rest!! We are sailing on her Feb. 20th!!

 

What time to you arrive at the port?

[saleaway99]

We were on board in time for lunch! Thanks to you kind people on cruise critic, I knew that was the perfect time to bypass Lido and head towards the Havana bar for a burrito, pasta, or stir fry!

 

So, I fearlessly led my group past the buffet, promising them something better awaited them in the back of the ship. I had the stir fry - shrimp, pasta and some veggies. They had 3 different sauces to choose from - mild, medium or hot. I chose medium. I sat down to eat - and it was spicier than I thought it would be. Overall, stir fry was ok - not bad, not great. I never got it again. Maybe another sauce would have been better - or maybe I hyped it up in my mind more that I should have. I also ate a few other things from the buffet which left me full and happy.

 

I had brought a bottle of wine onboard with me in my carryon bag. And - again thanks to this site - I knew that Sunshine didn't have refrigerators or ice buckets, so I purchased this beauty:

 

It was perfect - once inflated it held a couple of bottles of wine in addition to 3-4 water bottles. When it was time to go home, I let the air out and packed it up. It took up little space in my already bulging luggage. Our room steward kept it full of ice for us.

 

 

I'd also picked up lanyards/sleeves from a local office supply store and gave them to everyone in my group. (That is actually how I presented the gift cards to them). It was definitely cheaper then purchasing them onboard. Again, Royal Caribbean handed those out for free - with Carnival apparently you are on your own to get them. I'd heard that you could go into the casino upon arrival to get one, but I brought them anyway.

[saleaway99]

Can't remember exactly what time we arrived at the port - around noon or so.

[hhalliv]

Thanks for writing a review! Can't wait to hear all about your trip

[pirate4me2]

Awesome, a Sunshine review! We sail her Feb 28 and are psyched!

[sjcruiser]

We sailed on the Sunshine last summer, and will be back on her this summer. Can't wait to read the rest of your review.

[sjcruiser]

We were on board in time for lunch! Thanks to you kind people on cruise critic, I knew that was the perfect time to bypass Lido and head towards the Havana bar for a burrito, pasta, or stir fry!

 

So, I fearlessly led my group past the buffet, promising them something better awaited them in the back of the ship. I had the stir fry - shrimp, pasta and some veggies. They had 3 different sauces to choose from - mild, medium or hot. I chose medium. I sat down to eat - and it was spicier than I thought it would be. Overall, stir fry was ok - not bad, not great. I never got it again. Maybe another sauce would have been better - or maybe I hyped it up in my mind more that I should have. I also ate a few other things from the buffet which left me full and happy.

 

I had brought a bottle of wine onboard with me in my carryon bag. And - again thanks to this site - I knew that Sunshine didn't have refrigerators or ice buckets, so I purchased this beauty:

 

It was perfect - once inflated it held a couple of bottles of wine in addition to 3-4 water bottles. When it was time to go home, I let the air out and packed it up. It took up little space in my already bulging luggage. Our room steward kept it full of ice for us.

 

 

Love this!!! Just ordered a few from eBay!!!

[CanadianDee]

Following. We board the Sunshine next week. :)

[daniella1279]

Sunshine has no ice buckets? Glad I saw this maybe I should order one of those.

 

 

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[rooster1961]

nice review so far,waiting on the rest. great pic of the aft of sunshine,just where my room is

[saleaway99]

The Room:

We had a balcony room on Deck 6. First I'll address the bathroom because it seems to be a source of complaint around here. The shower was HUGE compared to the "time capsule" shower I had on Royal Caribbean. It was about the size of a typical shower at your house.

 

If you are facing the shower head, the drain is at the top right corner of the shower floor. So, the water has to travel to that point before draining out, which may be why people feel the shower had standing water. Now, the division between the shower floor and the rest of the bathroom floor is about 1 inch high. So, if you are a splasher, yes - water will be in the floor of the bathroom. There is another drain, adjacent to the first drain but on the outside of the 1-inch divider, that catches that water. We had a minimal problem with wet floors. We kept the towel/rug down and things worked out fine. There were shower gel and shampoo dispensers in the shower.

 

The toilet sits at an angle. I tried to take a photo:

 

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There were 3 closets, and plenty of other shelves and cabinets. There were three of us in the room and some spaces went unused. They did a good job utilizing the space. Here is the closet with the safe in it (sorry it came out sideways!). The other 2 closets don't have shelves so you can hang clothes. We had brought hangers - but there were several in there for you to use.

 

[Fla Senior]

Sunshine has no ice buckets? Glad I saw this maybe I should order one of those.

 

Ice Buckets are available upon request. Just ask Room Steward and he'll keep it full for you. In the past they gave all cabins ice, but there was a lot of waste since a lot of people didn't use it.

[daniella1279]

Sunshine has no ice buckets? Glad I saw this maybe I should order one of those.

 

 

 

Ice Buckets are available upon request. Just ask Room Steward and he'll keep it full for you. In the past they gave all cabins ice, but there was a lot of waste since a lot of people didn't use it.

 

 

Oh good! I thought that was odd. Look up inflatable one but wasn't going to pay the $9-14 for one...LOL

 

 

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[saleaway99]

Bed was comfy and my son (age 6) slept on the sofa bed and loved it. It was a perfect size for him, but not so much for an adult unless you sleep curled up. I napped on there one day and it was ok, but I definitely preferred the regular bed. Here is a photo with an adult laying on the bed, just so you have perspective on the size.

 

 

The TV in our room had horrible reception. Wasn't a big deal, we didn't watch it much anyway but if that matters to you, check on that early. While rooms next door could see the morning news program or ESPN, our TV was constantly pixelated and choppy.

 

 

The balcony had two small chairs and a small table. My older kid and another relative were in the room next door to us, so we had the room steward open the divider between the balconies - which was awesome! We originally wanted joining rooms but none were available when we booked, so that was a nice alternative. We affectionately called the balcony doors our "back doors" and the main entrance to the cabin our "front doors." We used the back doors a lot go get to each other's rooms.

 

 

I'd never had a balcony before, and now I'm not sure I can cruise without one. Once you go balc - you never go back! :) We used it a lot.

 

 

Deck 6 aft was a great location. One floor down was the Alchemy and Red Frog. Although we were one floor above (and somewhat down the hall) from those bars with live music, we commented on how we could not hear any music in our rooms which made for a good night's sleep!

 

 

Also, being one floor above the main corridor that got you from front to rear of the ship meant less time waiting on elevators.

 

The layout:

 

The layout of the Sunshine is choppy, but not impossible to figure out. Basically, the way to get from one end of the ship to the other is via deck 5. Yes, you have to go through the casino and it is a bit smoky. I am very sensitive to cigarette smoke and was very concerned about this. You could smell it, but it's not like there were plumes of smoke floating along the ceiling. Just walk through at a normal pace and you will be fine. If you plan to pull up to a table or slot machine and sit for awhile, you'll definitely smell it. Also, the sports bar opens up to the casino, so that area can be smoky as well. I hung out in the sports bar briefly during football games, but staying there too long became too smoky for me.

 

Speaking of smells.... I was also concerned about the infamous Sunshine Sewage Smell. Honestly, I think I went onboard prepared to be accosted by the foul odor. However, a few days into the cruise I hadn't smelled anything. Then one day, while waiting for an elevator, I caught a whiff of something. It was a faint, displeasing odor and I'm honestly not sure if that was the sewage smell I'd heard so much about, or whether one of the individuals next to me had passed gas. Well, that was the one and only very brief time I encountered a questionable smell.

 

Oh, and I never saw a bucket catching leaking water either.

 

The pool - oh, the pool. Boy, was that thing small. I never even bothered - it was full of kids. (And I had my kids with me, so it's not like I minded having children around.) They weren't necessarily misbehaving - just being kids on vacation. If that irritates you - just avoid the pool. Wait until you get to port and hit the beach.

 

I never saw the ropes course open, although I'd heard that they opened it a few times. My kids enjoyed the water slides and attended a few Camp Carnival activities. They built a volcano one day, and watched a movie another time.

 

 

The track used for jogging/walking was short – it took ten laps to make a mile. I lost count and just started guessing about how long I’d traveled the few times my guilt took over and caused me to try to get in some exercise.

 

 

There’s a hot dog stand on the sports deck, although I never saw it open. One secret – there are a couple of coke machines up there too. So, if you want a quick soft drink without paying gratuity for it, head to the sports deck.

 

 

Serenity looked really nice. I only got up there once, but enjoyed a few moments in one of the comfy clamshell seats. There is also a small pool in that area. Serenity does, however, face the pool area so if you are looking for quiet, that ain't the spot! You can, however, see the large movie screen from there so it would probably be a good place to take in one of the evening movies.

 

I found this ship to have fewer, outdoor, quiet reading areas than on the other ships I've been on. I'm glad we had a balcony, because if we didn't I would have been disappointed in that fact.

[JennN]

sounds great so far!!

 

Odd - we had the small ice bucket in out room on the Sunshine in December. Right under the safe area. Was it because we were in a spa balcony? The room steward brought us one of the bigger plastic ones once he saw the champagne though! And iced it every night until i drank it!

[saleaway99]

Dining

We had to sign up for Your Time dining because by the time we booked our cruise all the assigned times were full. We used the main dining room twice, and we had a large group. We lined up to get a number to eat on the 5th floor at 5:30 or 6:00 (lines weren't long then), and were seated right away both times. When we walked past that area later on the evening, the lines were longer, so I think we just timed it right. We were also seated at the same tables both times so we had the same staff. There is the taste bar right across from the YTD line, so you can have a snack and a drink. When the buzzer goes off, you head downstairs and you are seated. Basically works just like you were going to a restaurant without a reservation.

 

The food in the dining room was good. I ate the lobster one night, and braised beef on another night. No complaints - it was warm and tasty. The dining room experience was slow - the entire dinner took about 1 1/2 hours, but we didn't notice because we were having so much fun hanging out with family. Plus I kind of liked not feeling rushed so they could "turn over the table." We did get out in plenty of time to see the nighttime entertainment.

 

We tried the brunch in the main dining room once. I wasn't impressed with the food - I had an omelet. Those cereal-crusted French toast looked like cavities waiting to happen! I think they used cake instead of bread, but that was just based on my observation of other people’s plates. The wait staff was wonderful. They were great with the younger kids - one waiter even performed a few magic tricks to entertain them!

 

The Lido buffet layout was different - basically there are two of each station (2 salad bars, 2 entree bars, 2 dessert bars, etc). Everyone figures this out after their first visit to eat there. I think it cuts down on lines - I never waited to get food there and the ship was full. No complaints about that layout from me. During lunch or breakfast, just remember to head back towards Havana to find a wider selection of tables. (The short hallways to the Havana area are a bit narrow – so it almost looks as though you are headed towards an “employee only” area, but you’ll be glad you went back there once you arrive.)

 

It was definitely warmer in the Lido area, but I’m not sure what can be done about that since it opens up to the pool area, and there are warming plates under all the dishes so that you can have hot-ish food. That’s just gonna drive the temperature up a bit. It’s casual, wear your teeshirt and you’ll be fine.

 

The breakfast burrito was good - never tried a burrito for lunch. The salsa bar does not have chips – you can add salsa to your burrito, or just eat it plain (I guess). Guy's burgers was good - had long lines only during the times when the Lido was closed and there were fewer eating options. There is a bar adjacent to Guy’s with all the burger fixings – yummy! The empenadas at the Havana bar were tasty during lunch. I tried the pasta one day for lunch and enjoyed it.

 

The pizza was good and cooked quickly because it is thin. The guys working there seemed to try to constantly have pizzas ready to go, but sometimes a rush on pizza creates a bit of a wait as they make and cook fresh pizza right in front of you. The deli was good too - great sandwiches. I never tried room service.

 

We had popcorn one night during the movie - it's hidden behind the bar so keep your nose to the air and when you smell it head over there. If there is a line, don't worry - it moves quickly. I also tried the midnight buffet - that was ok. They had yummy chocolate brownies. One family member enjoyed the spicy chicken sandwiches they served only at the midnight buffet.

 

Here is the room service menu:

 

[saleaway99]

Sunshine offers the new internet packages. Here is the price sheet:

 

 

I’m happy to answer questions you have about this ship. If you are considering Sunshine, I’d say give her a try. It’s a lovely ship and the crew are amazing. I think the experience is what you make of it – if you’re looking for something to complain about, you’ll find it. I found the ship neat, clean and really fun. We had a wonderful family reunion.

[rdevine10]

subscribing! We sail in April!

Edited January 27, 2015 by rdevine10

[kenholt]

Sunshine has no ice buckets? Glad I saw this maybe I should order one of those.

 

 

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Wait no ice buckets or frig? please some confirm this for me,I need to keep my meds cold.

[A&Jfamily]

Can you tell me more about the Havana bar and how the food there works? What foods are available? Does it change daily? Do they post it somewhere? Is it more snack like as opposed to an entree like a burrito? Do you have to sit at the bar to get it? Basically anything you can tell me would be helpful!From reading the boards it appears a great place to hang out.:D

 

Also, I like the more private spots on the ship (as Havana bar appears to be). I could care less that there is only one pool and small because we only use the Lido when passing through or grabbing food to head to a more quiet spot. We have a great balcony so I know we will be spending a ton of time on it, but is there any place else you found to be less crowded?

[primadonut]

Wait no ice buckets or frig? please some confirm this for me,I need to keep my meds cold.

 

contact the special needs department now to request a fridge. and make sure to remind your steward that it MUST be plugged in, they left ours unplugged almost every day (they unplug it to vaccum). there was no ice bucket in our room.

[saleaway99]

Wait no ice buckets or frig? please some confirm this for me,I need to keep my meds cold.

 

No ice buckets upon entering the room - but it sounds as though they are available upon request. You may even be able to get a refrigerator if you have a medical need. We didn't need one so didn't ask.

[saleaway99]

Can you tell me more about the Havana bar and how the food there works? What foods are available? Does it change daily? Do they post it somewhere? Is it more snack like as opposed to an entree like a burrito? Do you have to sit at the bar to get it? Basically anything you can tell me would be helpful!From reading the boards it appears a great place to hang out.:D

 

Also, I like the more private spots on the ship (as Havana bar appears to be). I could care less that there is only one pool and small because we only use the Lido when passing through or grabbing food to head to a more quiet spot. We have a great balcony so I know we will be spending a ton of time on it, but is there any place else you found to be less crowded?

 

The Havana bar serves several purposes. At breakfast, you can dine at the tables surrounding the bar. There are quite a few tables as the area is adjacent to the area that is used for the restaurants at night. You can't buy cocktails their for breakfast, but at one corner of the bar is a small area with a few (4-5) snack-type foods that were essentially the same from day to day (ie the guava pastry may be replaced with a mango pastry). There were interesting pastries, and quiche-type things. You just walk up and grab them - as many as you want. The don't post the food items anywhere - it's really too small for them to do that. The egg/omelet station is positioned at the front of the Havana bar.

 

Lunch in the Havana bar is similar to breakfast - the egg/omelet station becomes the pasta/stir fry station. They again have a few snack-type foods on the bar for lunch like empenadas filled with chicken and/or cheese. I think you can purchase cocktails from the bartender at that point in the day.

 

During the dinner hours - the Havana bar is closed because that seating is reserved for guests eating in either of the restaurants.

 

At night, it is a bar with music, dancing and more cocktails. It is also used at certain times of the day for Zumba classes. (I didn't go but some people from our group did - I assume they move the tables aside.)

 

Not sure I'd call Havana a quiet place to hang out - but it is a nice place to have your breakfast and lunch.

 

I also like to find quiet places to read on the ship and that is one of Sunshine's shortcomings. There are a few lounge chairs on deck 3 if you go through the doors next to the excursion desk. Also, there are quiet areas if you go towards the front of deck 6 and 7 and walk out the doors and to the front of the ship - but there are no chairs there! You'll probably be spending a lot of time on the balcony.

[A&Jfamily]

The Havana bar serves several purposes. At breakfast, you can dine at the tables surrounding the bar. There are quite a few tables as the area is adjacent to the area that is used for the restaurants at night. You can't buy cocktails their for breakfast, but at one corner of the bar is a small area with a few (4-5) snack-type foods that were essentially the same from day to day (ie the guava pastry may be replaced with a mango pastry). There were interesting pastries, and quiche-type things. You just walk up and grab them - as many as you want. The don't post the food items anywhere - it's really too small for them to do that. The egg/omelet station is positioned at the front of the Havana bar.

 

Lunch in the Havana bar is similar to breakfast - the egg/omelet station becomes the pasta/stir fry station. They again have a few snack-type foods on the bar for lunch like empenadas filled with chicken and/or cheese. I think you can purchase cocktails from the bartender at that point in the day.

 

During the dinner hours - the Havana bar is closed because that seating is reserved for guests eating in either of the restaurants.

 

At night, it is a bar with music, dancing and more cocktails. It is also used at certain times of the day for Zumba classes. (I didn't go but some people from our group did - I assume they move the tables aside.)

 

Not sure I'd call Havana a quiet place to hang out - but it is a nice place to have your breakfast and lunch.

 

I also like to find quiet places to read on the ship and that is one of Sunshine's shortcomings. There are a few lounge chairs on deck 3 if you go through the doors next to the excursion desk. Also, there are quiet areas if you go towards the front of deck 6 and 7 and walk out the doors and to the front of the ship - but there are no chairs there! You'll probably be spending a lot of time on the balcony.

 

Thanks so much! Have a much better idea now.

 

And yes, we will probably be on hour balcony 6+ hours a day, assuming the weather is good.

 

I hope you have a great remainder of your vacation! Have a DOD for me, would ya? The thought of waiting a month is killing me!