Just Returned From Our Cruise (Sunrise) Likes and Dislikes

[Lee Cruiser]

We just returned yesterday from our cruise on the Sunrise.  For reference only, we are Platinum.  We had a great trip and can't wait for our next cruise on the Mardi Gras in April, though we may book another shorter cruise for January.  Here are some things we liked and didn't like:

 

Likes:

1. Check In and boarding was very quick. We arrived at the port shortly after 10 for our 10:30 check-in time.  After showing our boarding passes outside, we went inside to check in where there wasn't really  much of a line.  We showed our boarding passes, passports, vaccine cards, and test results.  They glanced over the paperwork and sent us on our way through the security.  I was surprised they didn't spend more time examining our cards and testing paperwork.  Our FNP had included a detailed report as the cover report only showed the date and test result.  It didn't show the time and specifics about the type of test.  They never looked at anything but that first page.  Once we went through security we went to an agent inside to scan a picture of our passports.  We were in our seats waiting to board by 10:15.  Boarding was supposed to start around 11, but our Zone (A1) was called at 10:40.  We weren't able to access our rooms until 1:30.  Our checked luggage was waiting when we got to our room.

 

2. Muster Drill was awesome!  After boarding at 10:40 we went straight to our rooms to drop off our carry on bags and left immediately as the rooms were nowhere near ready.  We then went up to our muster station to completed the in person requirement.  There was a small group of us there (maybe 7 or 8).  They did a demonstration of how to put on our life jackets, checked our names and sent us on our way.  It took all of three minutes. At the previous normal time for muster drill they did go through more detailed information through the PA system, but it still was as long as before. I certainly hope they continue this process, but I'm not positive they will.  They were constantly announcing for people to go up to complete the drill, so there must have been a lot who were not doing it.  Hopefully, that won't keep happening and be something that causes Carnival to go back to the old way.

 

3.  The crowds, or lack thereof.  Having decreased capacity is wonderful.  I have been on the Sunshine a couple of times.  The Sunrise is very similar with the redesign.  We decided we wouldn't cruise on the Sunshine again because it always seemed crowed in public spaces wherever you went.  This was not the case on this reduced capacity cruise.  For instance, I love omelets for breakfast.  I would go every morning to the omelet station in the aft where the seafood shack is the rest of the day.  There was never over a couple of people waiting.  Two of the days there was no one waiting  when I went.  Lines were just not a problem on this cruise.  Too bad that will not always be the case.

 

4. Dining Room Service was very good.  Two nights we were finished in about 50 minutes.  On one of those nights I ordered a steak from the steakhouse menu which normally takes a while, but didn't that night.  We did not have dessert those nights, as nothing really appealed to us.  One night we ate at Cucina Del Capitano.  The other two nights (including elegant night) we were out in just over an hour.  We always choose YTD and typically go as soon as the dining room opens.  We love being able to use the app to check in.  Check in started at 5:25 every night and we had our table assignments before the dining room opened at 5:30.

 

5. Sunshine rock band was very entertaining.  We spent a lot of time in the Red Frog Pub listening to them.

 

6.  Ports, with the exception of Nassau, were very good.  We had Half Moon Cay, which is always a great beach day.  This was our first trip to Bimini, which we ended up liking about as much as Grand Turk that it replaced.  If you like beaches, Bimini is beautiful!

 

7.  Debarkation was also amazingly smooth.  Again,  I'm sure the lower capacity had some to do with this.  Our flight wasn't until 2, so we opted not to do priority debarkation on this cruise.  Instead, we decided to sleep an extra 30 minutes or so and chose zone 16 luggage tags.  The meeting time for priority checked luggage wasn't until 8 am, but I'm guessing they were off before then if they went to the waiting area earlier.  With zone 16, we were off the ship around 9 am.  The new facial recognition used by customs is great.  If you have a passport, you don't even have to show it.  They scan your face and you are good to go.  Much simpler and faster process.

 

DISLIKES:

1.  Not being able to have priority embarkation and access to our rooms. Yes, we were able to check in two days earlier and were able to drop off our carry on bags.  But, it is just not the same.  We typically drop off our bags and then head to lunch. Our bags are normally waiting when we get back from lunch and we are normally unpacked by noon or shortly after.  The thing that bothers me the most about this is that it probably really has nothing to do with "extra cleaning" due to Covid, but rather less room stewards doing more work.  We talked with our room steward, who was amazing.  He said that he had many more rooms than before the shutdown occurred.  Hopefully, this will just be a temporary thing and not be the norm going forward.

 

2. Carnival not enforcing policies.  I know this is not a new thing.  Two specifics include the check in process and mask requirements in theaters.  At check in, we were seated next to a family that was already there before we got seated.  I saw one of their boarding passes which had a check in time of 12:30.  Keep in mind this was 10:15, so they were not even supposed to be able to check in for over two hours.  I'm guessing they still had to wait a while to board since they had a high zone letter and number.  Carnival did check that as we were boarding.  Not sure if that continued later or not.

 

Masks were "required" at numerous time during the cruise including in theaters and while in the Lido area, elevators and such.  They did have someone stationed at the entrance to the Lido reminding folks to put on their masks and giving them one if they didn't have it.  They also used the phrase "sip and cover" in the theaters quite a bit.  However, they didn't actively enforce that.  Before the shows started there were numerous people (15+) sitting near us one night without  wearing their masks.  Again, this was before the shows started with the lights up.  They would make announcements, but I never saw them ask anyone to put on a mask.

 

These are just some of the highlights.  There were other things that we liked and probably some that we didn't.  Overall the cruise was great!  We were glad to finally be cruising again.  Though I can't answer any Casino or cheers related questions, if you have some other specific questions, I will try to answer them if I can.

 

 

[80sGal]

Do you know which deck parties were offered?  80s?  White night?  Thanks!

[mondello]

One of the boarding passes was 12:30; could it have been possible they had 2 cabins and was sneaking past on the other cabin's 10:30 slot?

Bummer when they don't enforce policy but, I knew the crew wouldn't want to be the mask police.

Have fun on Mardi Gras. I hope it doesn't spoil you for all the other ships.

[Lee Cruiser]

9 hours ago, 80sGal said:

Do you know which deck parties were offered?  80s?  White night?  Thanks!

They did the mega deck party and an 80's and 90's music party. These are the only two that I know of.  The 80's and 90's party was up on the Lido as well, not in the grand atrium as before. 

[2wheelin]

9 hours ago, Lee Cruiser said:

  At check in, we were seated next to a family that was already there before we got seated.  I saw one of their boarding passes which had a check in time of 12:30.  Keep in mind this was 10:15, so they were not even supposed to be able to check in for over two hours.  I'm guessing they still had to wait a while to board since they had a high zone letter and number.  Carnival did check that as we were boarding.  Not sure if that continued later or not.

Sounds likes the employees were using their heads and thinking rather than blindly following the guidelines. You were also seated before your checkin time so obviously there was no holdup created by this family. If people arrive early and there is no line, why not get them in and prevent longer lines later? If there is a line, ask them to wait. Common sense.

[Lee Cruiser]

1 minute ago, 2wheelin said:

Sounds likes the employees were using their heads and thinking rather than blindly following the guidelines. You were also seated before your checkin time so obviously there was no holdup created by this family. If people arrive early and there is no line, why not get them in and prevent longer lines later? If there is a line, ask them to wait. Common sense.

You are correct, we were there a little early as well. We were shooting for about 10:15, but our Uber driver was early and he sped all the way. The family didn't cause us to have to wait, but they did create more of a crowd while waiting. The waiting area was pretty crowded, but they supposedly don't offer the priority waiting area because of crowds.

[mchelle77]

What other port(s) did you visit?

[ZoeyVictoria]

Thank you for the info!  We have been on the Magic and the Mardi Gras so far and also especially enjoyed the decreased capacity and the new muster process.  We are on the Horizon (for the first time) next week, and aren’t sure how Bimini will work out.  We plan to use the free shuttle to see some of the area, wearing bathing suits and taking a small bag with microfiber towels and blowup noodles.  Can you please give me some details of your visit there?

[Colorado Beach Bum]

We are platinum too and have sailed twice in the last month on Mardi Gras and Panorama.  Both times we were able to drop our bags off in our room right when we boarded, around 11 both times.  I guess this has been inconsistent from ship to ship but JH says that Diamond, Platinum and Suite guests still have this perk. 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

We have been diamond for a long time now. We usually board just after noon or a little later and our room has always ready. Diamond guests rooms are to be ready first. Maybe we have been lucky because we do not board earlier than noon.

[2wheelin]

2 hours ago, Lee Cruiser said:

You are correct, we were there a little early as well. We were shooting for about 10:15, but our Uber driver was early and he sped all the way. The family didn't cause us to have to wait, but they did create more of a crowd while waiting. The waiting area was pretty crowded, but they supposedly don't offer the priority waiting area because of crowds.

Gotta love Uber. Certainly better than a meter-running taxi in crowded port areas.

[Hockeydad1972]

I have to say if you’re on a cruise and mad about people not wearing masks then you shouldn’t be on a cruise imho.. Vaccinated/Negative test so I think everyone is good..

[Lee Cruiser]

56 minutes ago, Hockeydad1972 said:

I have to say if you’re on a cruise and mad about people not wearing masks then you shouldn’t be on a cruise imho.. Vaccinated/Negative test so I think everyone is good..

Certainly wasn't mad.  It obviously wasn't a deal breaker for me as I have two cruises booked next year and looking at another one in January.  I'm certainly not mad, but I do dislike having policies and not enforcing them.

[Lee Cruiser]

1 hour ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

We have been diamond for a long time now. We usually board just after noon or a little later and our room has always ready. Diamond guests rooms are to be ready first. Maybe we have been lucky because we do not board earlier than noon.

Yes sir, as diamond your room should normally be ready when you board.  I looked back at my notes from our last four platinum cruises, not including this one.  There was only one time out of those four that our room was not ready when we boarded.  On that one, it was ready by the time we got back from lunch.  We typically board early, 10:45-11:00 depending on the ship's process.

 

Thank you for your service!

[Lee Cruiser]

2 hours ago, mchelle77 said:

What other port(s) did you visit?

Our three ports were Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Bimini.  We are not fans of Nassau and have stayed on the ship there our last few times there.  This time, unless you booked an excursion in Nassau, then there wasn't much to do as the shops are now closed on Sundays due to Covid.  Not sure what Sunday has to do with Covid, unless it's just to give the workers a break.

[nybumpkin]

Thanks for a detailed review. Sunrise was our last cruise before the pandemic, and the lines - especially for breakfast - were awful. They did try to direct people to the omelet stations - they had one set up in Cucina as well as a few other places. I like what I've read about the current muster drill and hope that change stays.

[Lee Cruiser]

2 hours ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

Thank you for the info!  We have been on the Magic and the Mardi Gras so far and also especially enjoyed the decreased capacity and the new muster process.  We are on the Horizon (for the first time) next week, and aren’t sure how Bimini will work out.  We plan to use the free shuttle to see some of the area, wearing bathing suits and taking a small bag with microfiber towels and blowup noodles.  Can you please give me some details of your visit there?

We actually did the Beach 360 excursion there that included two chairs and an umbrella.  The beach is beautiful there. I've seen people say they just took the tram to Beach 360 and got those sames chairs.  But, I can say that on the day we were there the staff was checking armbands and asking people to leave the chair area if they didn't have them.  You can go down to the beach, put down a towel and lay there.  Many were doing just that.  The shuttle is simple to use.  You just walk to the shuttle area at the end of the pier.  You can take it to four different stops if I remember correctly. It is mostly beach areas, though they did stop to let someone off at the casino.

[DB2VA]

Thanks for such a helpful review. I have 2 questions...Are they making you wear a mask outside on the Lido deck and how did you know when and where to go for muster drill? Thank you.

[Lee Cruiser]

42 minutes ago, DB2VA said:

Thanks for such a helpful review. I have 2 questions...Are they making you wear a mask outside on the Lido deck and how did you know when and where to go for muster drill? Thank you.

When you are outside you are not required to wear a mask. It is primarily inside the Lido buffet area and theaters.

 

The muster location is listed on your boarding pass. There are maps at all elevators and plenty of staff around to ask. You can go any time between boarding and the ship departure time. You are encouraged to go early and they will announce it frequently. We went as soon as we boarded and it was so much easier than before.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

3 hours ago, Lee Cruiser said:

Our three ports were Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Bimini.  We are not fans of Nassau and have stayed on the ship there our last few times there.  This time, unless you booked an excursion in Nassau, then there wasn't much to do as the shops are now closed on Sundays due to Covid.  Not sure what Sunday has to do with Covid, unless it's just to give the workers a break.

Were you required to get the Bahamas Health insurance because your ship was docking at Nassau?

Last time I checked you had to purchase it before your cruise.

[DGP1111]

59 minutes ago, Rg5220 said:

So one of your dislikes is Carnival letting people check in early?  But you checked in early…

The reviewer had the very first check-in time and zone offered by Carnival, and probably would have happily waited the fifteen minutes for the doors to open, and process to begin, but Carnival chose to advance that a wee bit.  The seating area assigned to the first group(s) is rather limited, and I think that may be where some of the concern it directed. 

 

Lee Cruiser:

Thanks for the recap of your recent Carnival Sunrise cruise. 🙂  I was on the 9/16 sailing, and pretty much agree with everything you wrote. I also applaud your replies to comments.

I was on Carnival Magic the following week, and had a really great time, but it was clear that on my particular cruises, Sunrise was far (Far!!) more organized than Magic.

I'll add one additional 'Plus' to the Sunrise experience, which would be CD Felipe being very clear with all announcements, and getting to the point without becoming just a 'voice through the speakers'. 

 

.

 

 

[Lee Cruiser]

58 minutes ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

Were you required to get the Bahamas Health insurance because your ship was docking at Nassau?

Last time I checked you had to purchase it before your cruise.

There was no insurance requirement.

[Lee Cruiser]

59 minutes ago, DGP1111 said:

I'll add one additional 'Plus' to the Sunrise experience, which would be CD Felipe being very clear with all announcements, and getting to the point without becoming just a 'voice through the speakers'. 

 

I'll agree with that. He did a good job with announcements. Some CDs can be so annoying with their announcements, but never got that feeling with him. I also think he handled debarkation remarkably well. 

[dolphfan]

If you will tell about the Sunrise, is the ship in good shape and was the food up to par? Most importantly does Carnival still have the shortbread cookies on the buffet? 

[Lee Cruiser]

13 minutes ago, dolphfan said:

If you will tell about the Sunrise, is the ship in good shape and was the food up to par? Most importantly does Carnival still have the shortbread cookies on the buffet? 

You can tell the ship is actually a refurbished one.  There are signs around of the actual age of the ship.  There was some type of leak around the atrium on level four the last night.  Not sure exactly what it was, but probably a/c or something. That being said, the staff is working hard to keep the ship clean.  I probably wouldn't hesitate to cruise it again if it is lower capacity.  I'm not sure I would want to be on it at full capacity.

 

I actually thought the food was very good on this cruise, especially in the dining room.  There were several good options each night.  One night I did use my OBC to purchase a steakhouse filet.  It was a wonderful steak.  The buffet was the typical Carnival buffet.  The salad bar was great.  Hot food options on the buffet were just so so.  Keep in mind, the Sunrise does offer several other options besides the buffet, especially at lunch.  We ate at Guys one day, Blue Iguana one day, and the Cucina Pasta Bar for lunch another day. The BBQ was only open on embarkation day and our one sea day, but we didn't eat there because that was the one place where there was a long line.  That was the last day.  The desserts on this cruise (buffet, not dining room) were some of the best I've had on a cruise. I found myself eating more of them than normal.

 

I'm sorry, I just don't know about the shortbread cookies as I'm not much of a cookie eater.  My wife did have chocolate chip cookies, but she couldn't remember about shortbread either.