Thoughts on Carnival Sunrise 2/17 - 2/21; a mixed bag of plusses and deltas

[Pellaz]

At my work we've been told to avoid negativity and use the concepts of "plusses" -- for good points -- and "deltas," which are "opportunities to improve."  So, here are some observations on my really cheap (initially $35/person) cruise.   🙂 

 

So, here are the "deltas":

 

• The internet service was atrocious.  I pre-purchased the Value plan and it worked okay for a while, then slowed down.  There was an upgrade offer to Premium for $16 and I took it...and if anything, it got worse.  I went to Guest Services and asked to be returned to the Value plan with a refund, which they did, and still, the only site that pulled up -- slowly -- was Facebook.  Another visit to Guest Services and they refunded the entire charge, and according to the people in our group on that other site, dozens of others did, too.   The actual wireless signal was fine and the app worked great locally, but the throughput up and down to the satellites was terrible.  
• Embark at PortMiami was a bit slower and less convenient than at Port Canaveral, and they took my photo...whereas elsewhere they've used the passport photo.  
• The fridges in the rooms are the weak, don't-get-stuff-too-cold models.  When I asked my steward about it, he apologized and confirmed they were designed mostly for people to keep medications cold.  I'd brought some Diet Coke cans onboard and they got chilled, but not really cold.  
• The ship was CROWDED.  One report said that there were 2,600 folks on board.  Loungers were in short supply on our sole sea-day and post-port-visit afternoons, the buffet was sometimes crowded, etc.  This might help explain the really abysmal internet service.  
• My stateroom, 6396, a standard balcony, was pretty loud.   Near the aft elevator bank and across the hall from a steward service area.  Oh, well.  It was a $95 total upgrade via my PVP and she said it was the last one available, so....   I will note that I didn't hear anything from the Red Frog Pub in my cabin, although I could hear some noise further down the corridor in the evening.  
• I was startled that there was almost no pull-out drawer storage in the room, just shelves and closet space (with some shelves).  I was solo on this cruise so it wasn't a problem, but for 3 or 4 people I could see it being an issue.  

 

But wait, here are the plusses:  

 

• I thought the food was really good, despite dire predictions.  My pasta bowl on embark day upstairs at the Cucina helped set the stage, and I wasn't really disappointed with anything I had the rest of the cruise.  I am not a foodie or an epicure, so I'm sure there would be room for improvement to make it truly "gourmet" in the eyes of those folks, but I had no complaints.  I had dinner in the buffet one night (I just didn't feel up to the MDR) and it was pretty much as I remembered from before COVID.  Nice to be able to make a good salad to MY specs, too.   (Although they COULD add green olives to the salad bar area; I mean, they have decorative jars of them right THERE behind the trays. 🙂 )  
• Night-time dining options were great!...compared to the Mardi Gras.  As on most ships in the fleet excepting Mardi Gras, the Sunrise had Late Night Snacks in the Lido buffet area as well as an omelet station, both open from 11 pm to 12:30 am.  
• My room was really stuffy and kinda warm when I first got there.  I mentioned it to the steward and he put in a call.  A guy from Engineering showed up and was able to get the damper open, and the room was fine thereafter -- almost too cold, in fact.  So I call this a win or a "plus."  
• Like the other older ships, there is only one room lighting circuit (plus the vanity mirror), but there is a switch by the bed as well as one by the door and they added USB outlets to the bed switchplate.  There are also two USB ports next to the room-phone connector.  Still only two 120V AC plugs, though.  
• Finally had a chance to try a Guys Breakfast Burger and it was pretty good.  I like how Carnival has been adding more and more breakfast options.
• Sea-Day Brunch was awesome...but y'all knew that already.  🙂  
• Two-Reef Snorkel By Boat excursion at Nassau was great, in sharp contrast to my snuba experience with the same company (Stuart's Cove) back in November.  The crew was competent and able to handle a sizeable crowd, maybe up to 40 folks from Sunrise and Conquest.  Another boat dropped anchor right ON the first reef 😮 , and a catamaran came up right on top of us and almost hit one of our snorkelers, but that's another issue.
• I had Cabana #9 at Half Moon Cay and we were able to make port there...so I am now 4-for-7 in actually getting to HMC when scheduled.  I shared the cabana with two other folks from our group.  Of course, it was awesome.  

 

Our weather was good for most of the trip and the seas weren't too bad, although some folks DID complain.  (The consensus:  "just wait 'til you're in a REAL storm!")   

I flew down the day before and stayed at Comfort Suites Miami Airport North; it was a 50-minute wait for their shuttle.  😮   Their free shuttle to the pier broke down with an overheat issue, but we were able to limp to the terminal at 10-20 mph.  We all cheered and applauded when we finally climbed out of the tunnel and onto Dodge Island where the terminals are.  🙂  

 

And to top it all off, as I was heading back to my stateroom on the final night, I slid my card and put in $10 in the "cash cube" machine in the casino.  On the fourth try, the little "S" thingie went through the backdrop, and out dropped a "cash cube" marked $2,500.  😄     Side note:  you might be temped to just walk off with the money -- I was! -- but not only would they probably "find you" (for tax reporting purposes), but you'd be robbing yourself:  When I went to the cage to get smaller bills, I learned that the "cube of cash" only contains $1,000 in singles, so yeah.  Don't cheat yourself out of $150.  🙂      

 

If you have any questions about the Sunrise, I'll try to answer them.  

Edited February 24, 2022 by Pellaz
minor typo

[Guest BasicSailor]

Thats a fair review👍!

[Pellaz]

Here are a few pre-cruise photos.   

Trying to pack with my ever-curious cat "overseeing" things;

My room at the Comfort Suites MIA North,

The ADA bathroom in the room (I didn't ask for one, and thought it was kinda cool until the floor flooded);

--And then three photos of my DoorDash dinner from Maggiano's Classic Kitchen:  mozzarella "slabs," chicken fettuccini alfredo, and a house salad, add grilled chicken.   

Those mozzarella "slabs" were big and heavy!   I had some of each dish that night and some the following morning for breakfast although the hotel offered a good, hot, free breakfast too.  

 

[Pellaz]

Here are a few departure pics from PortMiami. 

I was among the first customers at the Cucina for free pasta-bowl lunch.  Glad  it was open on embark day since it is NOT open on the Mardi Gras for embark. 

We had parked facing inward so we had to head west to the turn-basin and spin around.  Carnival Ecstasy and Carnival Sensation were parked next to us but were not loading passengers and were not in revenue service.  I think Ecstasy is going to fill in temporarily somewhere and Sensation is being sent to the breakers.  😞   

Also some photos of Virgin Voyages' new terminal at the west end of Dodge Island, which saw its first passengers just about a week and a half ago.  

Edited February 25, 2022 by Pellaz
minor typo

[Pellaz]

 

Here are a few pics taken during our turn in the basin and sailaway.  

Some shots of nifty buildings in Miami and a weird face sculpture looking out at us.  🙂  

Also, the police boat keeping the little ducklings away from us as we spin around, and a shot of "Fountainhead," Mark Cuban's surprisingly nondescript yacht.   

And...a floating school bus.  😄  

Edited February 25, 2022 by Pellaz

[Pellaz]

Some more pics taken as we traverse Government Cut and out into the open Atlantic.  

 

Norwegian Star was also not embarking passengers and was not in revenue service (note also the FLIR sensor in the second photo, which is an aft-mounted "man overboard" sensor).  

Also some photos of the marina, the Fisher Island ferries (they have at least four in service), USCG Station Miami, South Beach and Fisher Island.  

And at the end, the wake left behind as we made a really tight starboard turn.  

 

 

[Pellaz]

First night's towel animal....  

 

You know you're going slow when a freighter catches up and passes you!  (Taken from the restaurant during SeaDay Brunch)  

 

Shipbuilder commemorative plaque mentioning some ship called "M/S Carnival Triumph"  🙂  

 

Second night's towel animal....

 

 

--And a bunch of pics from Cabana #9 at Half Moon Cay.  There was a yacht anchored off the beach but no-one knew who it was.  I asked and was told they were not allowed to come ashore from the yacht.  

 

 

 

[Pellaz]

And here are photos from the last day, at Nassau.  

 

These first few pics of the ships at dock were taken from the Stuart Cove dive-boat "Floridanus" as we returned to the pier.   In port:  Sunrise, Conquest, Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Millenium, and Independence of the Seas.

 

 

These were taken a bit later from Deck 10.  We were at the closest pier location and it's a forest of funnels and superstructure looking out:   

 

 

 

 

This is the Indy's last cruise before repositioning across the Atlantic, I think.  

 

 

Long views looking east, taken from the "secret decks" forward.  The Indy and Celebrity Apex have departed. 

You can see some of the new pier construction taking place...eventually they want to be able to host 12 cruise ships at Nassau at once.  😮   

 

 

Continuing to spin around so we can head out to sea....  

 

 

Colonial Hilton resort, I think: 

 

 

Junkanoo Beach: 

 

The lonely lighthouse at the western tip of Paradise Island:  

 

And finally two pics of Ssssshowtime! in the MDR which included the flaming Baked Alaska parade and, of course, "Leaving On a FunShip"...  

 

 

...and the traditional final night towel heart.  ❤️   

 

 

 

All in all, it was a fun cruise...and now I'm getting Players Club offers to take a new one.   🙂  

 

 

 

Edited February 25, 2022 by Pellaz
clarifying photo locations

[Joe817]

Great review! Loved the pics! Good job! 👍

[peteandpris]

Great review thank you.

[mz-s]

Thanks for the write-up! It seems that those wanting a near-empty ship have missed the boat, if you'll pardon the pun. But it means things are getting closer and closer to normal which is what we've all wanted for...well...years now!

 

I guess they are emptying Sensation of whatever they can use on other vessels before she is sent to the breakers. She will be missed!

[Pellaz]

On 2/25/2022 at 3:31 PM, mz-s said:

Thanks for the write-up! It seems that those wanting a near-empty ship have missed the boat, if you'll pardon the pun. But it means things are getting closer and closer to normal which is what we've all wanted for...well...years now!

 

Yep.  Two cheers -- but not three cheers -- for that.  🙂   

 

On 2/25/2022 at 3:31 PM, mz-s said:

 

I guess they are emptying Sensation of whatever they can use on other vessels before she is sent to the breakers. She will be missed!

 

My first Carnival cruise was also on a Fantasy-class, the Imagination, back in 2011.  I was sad to see she had been sent to the breakers a while back, and got teary-eyed when I found a video taken from the bridge as she was being beached in Turkey.  😭

[Crismess669]

On 2/24/2022 at 3:51 AM, Pellaz said:

So, here are the "deltas":

 

• The internet service was atrocious.  I slower and less convenient than at Port Canaveral, and they took my photo...whereas elsewhere they've used the passport photo.  
• The fridges in the rooms are the weak, don't-get-stuff-too-cold models. 

 

But wait, here are the plusses:  

 

• I thought the food was really good, despite dire predictions. 

We brought soda and put them in the fridge. They NEVER got below room temperature.

 

The top tier internet was so bad that I’m not falling for it again. Mid-tier going forward. The free WiFi at Pancho’s in Cozumel was like a miracle after days of barely loading Google.

 

The MDR dinners on our cruise were awful. There were some items (that pork tart comes to mind) that were inedible. I’m not sure if this is a Carnival thing, or a Sunrise thing. The buffet is the smallest one I’ve seen on a ship. 
 

The burgers, burritos and Cucina were awesome. I wish they’d open the first two for dinner. 

Edited February 27, 2022 by Crismess669

[brilliantseas]

34 minutes ago, Crismess669 said:

We brought soda and put them in the fridge. They NEVER got below room temperature.

 

The top tier internet was so bad that I’m not falling for it again. Mid-tier going forward. The free WiFi at Pancho’s in Cozumel was like a miracle after days of barely loading Google.

 

The MDR dinners on our cruise were awful. There were some items (that pork tart comes to mind) that were inedible. I’m not sure if this is a Carnival thing, or a Sunrise thing. The buffet is the smallest one I’ve seen on a ship. 
 

The burgers, burritos and Cucina were awesome. I wish they’d open the first two for dinner. 

 

Our fridge cooled to an extent, but not to normal refrigerator temperatures. 

 

Agree with you on the wifi on Sunrise, but this has not been my experience on all Carnival ships. I'm not sure what the issue is on Sunrise, but the satellite connection isn't up to standard. I've been able to stream YouTube TV at 720-1080 resolution on other ships, but Sunrise can barely handle email or CruiseCritic forums. 

 

Food was a mixed bag, bot the MDR didn't stand up to my expectations overall. BlueIguana, Guy's Fries, Deli all met expectations, and I don't have anything poor to say about the Lido Marketplace other than it is exceptionally crowded in certain places. 

 

I was onboard Sunrise a few weeks ago. Check out my review here for comparisons: 

 

[Crismess669]

On 2/27/2022 at 2:53 PM, brilliantseas said:

 

 

 

I was onboard Sunrise a few weeks ago. Check out my review here for comparisons: 

 

Nice review! Looks like you boarded the day we got off. Your food looks good. Clearly I was ordering the wrong things. No major complaints other than the food and weak drinks. The CD Adam was fantastic. All of the other hosts (trivia, bingo, deck party) were great. 

Edited March 1, 2022 by Crismess669

[Pellaz]

On 2/25/2022 at 3:31 PM, mz-s said:

Thanks for the write-up! It seems that those wanting a near-empty ship have missed the boat, if you'll pardon the pun. But it means things are getting closer and closer to normal which is what we've all wanted for...well...years now!

Don't be too sure.  My friends are aboard Sunrise now (and also Horizon) and both report that the ships are at most 60% full.  So, yay.  Kinda-sorta.  🙂  

 

On 2/27/2022 at 2:16 PM, Crismess669 said:

We brought soda and put them in the fridge. They NEVER got below room temperature.

 

By the end of the cruise my Diet Coke cans were sorta cold to the touch, but not as cold as in a regular fridge.  

On 2/27/2022 at 2:16 PM, Crismess669 said:

The top tier internet was so bad that I’m not falling for it again. Mid-tier going forward. The free WiFi at Pancho’s in Cozumel was like a miracle after days of barely loading Google.

I normally get mid-tier ("Value") and did this time, but I took the upgrade deal for $16 to Premium.  Silly me.  It got worse.  Got that charge refunded, and later the entire charge because the service was THAT slow.  

 

On 2/27/2022 at 2:16 PM, Crismess669 said:

The MDR dinners on our cruise were awful. There were some items (that pork tart comes to mind) that were inedible. I’m not sure if this is a Carnival thing, or a Sunrise thing. The buffet is the smallest one I’ve seen on a ship. 

 

Huh, I thought the MDR food was okay.  That pork tart was odd, but I DID eat the entire thing.  🙂  

Buffet wasn't huge but I went elsewhere for lunch, and dinner wasn't too crowded there.  I did miss the Mardi-Gras style buffet with different "islands" and I hope all future ships use that design (similar to Royal's).  

 

On 2/27/2022 at 2:16 PM, Crismess669 said:

The burgers, burritos and Cucina were awesome. I wish they’d open the first two for dinner. 

Definitely.  Or just keep Guy's open 'til 7 pm instead of 6 pm.  

 

[KmomChicago]

Thanks for the review. Triumph (the what now?) was our first Carnival cruise just 5 years ago and we are doing a shorty on Radiance in a few months so I am interested to evaluate this sunshine-ing process for myself without exactly having to repeat the same ship. Thanks for the pic of the plaque for sentimental purposes.🥰

 

How is the decor? We liked Triumph just fine, but we weren't blind. It was looking well worn and of course the standard Carnival whimsy of a certain era.  It would be nice to imagine the Sunrise and Radiance now look more like Mardi Gras and less like Fantasy-class (RIP as they each move on into their retirements after decades of loyal service ) but opinions seem to vary. 

 

We always enjoy any cruise, and we always like Carnival food well enough, especially the walk ups and we'll have all 4 - Guy's Burger and BBQ, Iguana, and Big Chicken, so I am not worried, just curious to check it all out.

[jcearth]

Thanks for the review!  We were on the sailing after yours, and it was much less crowded. I heard we were at 75% capacity.  I am not sure if that was correct, but we did not encounter many lines the entire time.  I had the Value plan for internet, as I needed to do a little but of work while onboard, and I will agree that it is probably the slowest of any ships that I have been on.  

 

I know that food is always subjective, but our experience was that the food on the Sunrise was very good overall.  Highlights for us were Guy's Burgers, Cucina (both lunch and dinner), and the Deli (my wife loved the meatball sub).  MDR food exceeded our expectations also,

 

I guess I feel a little lucky, because we made Half Moon Cay, making me 6 for 6 lifetime at this amazing port.  This was our 3rd time in a Villa, and I can't imagine not having one now.  Quite honestly, I believe it is the most beautiful beach in the entire Caribbean.

 

For those into Cruise Directors, Adam has left the Sunrise to join the Spirit, and has been replaced by Mel.

[Mizzoupoodle123]

Thank you for the great review!!! I really enjoyed all the photos you shared as well as your opinions!!!😊

 

Sylvia

[Pellaz]

21 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

Thanks for the review. Triumph (the what now?) was our first Carnival cruise just 5 years ago and we are doing a shorty on Radiance in a few months so I am interested to evaluate this sunshine-ing process for myself without exactly having to repeat the same ship. Thanks for the pic of the plaque for sentimental purposes.🥰

The Radiance (formerly Victory) was my 3rd Carnival cruise.  We enjoyed it, and it was one of the 4 out of 7 times I've actually gotten to HMC, but we were struck by the garish décor back then (the nekkid mermaids in the MDR, the garish giant fish in the aft lobby).  Also, the relative lack of dining options as compared to the Liberty, which had just gotten Guy's Burgers, Blue Iguana etc. before our cruise on her, one year prior.  🙂   

 

21 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

How is the decor? We liked Triumph just fine, but we weren't blind. It was looking well worn and of course the standard Carnival whimsy of a certain era.  It would be nice to imagine the Sunrise and Radiance now look more like Mardi Gras and less like Fantasy-class (RIP as they each move on into their retirements after decades of loyal service ) but opinions seem to vary. 

You'll be pleased to know that the décor reminded me more of, say, Mardi Gras or Vista than the Farcus ships.  I especially noticed the subdued palette of colors in the Lido buffet area.  

 

18 hours ago, jcearth said:

Thanks for the review!  We were on the sailing after yours, and it was much less crowded. I heard we were at 75% capacity.  I am not sure if that was correct, but we did not encounter many lines the entire time.  I had the Value plan for internet, as I needed to do a little but of work while onboard, and I will agree that it is probably the slowest of any ships that I have been on.

Yep.  It was terrible.  One of the few major blemishes on an otherwise enjoyable -- and amazingly cheap! -- cruise.   (Winning $2,500 against incredible odds didn't hurt either. 😄 )  

 

18 hours ago, jcearth said:

I know that food is always subjective, but our experience was that the food on the Sunrise was very good overall.  Highlights for us were Guy's Burgers, Cucina (both lunch and dinner), and the Deli (my wife loved the meatball sub).  MDR food exceeded our expectations also,

I loved my pastrami sandwich from the Deli (and forgot to mention it), since I just don't get to have pastrami too often in Georgia.  

And I thought the food was fine.  

 

18 hours ago, jcearth said:

I guess I feel a little lucky, because we made Half Moon Cay, making me 6 for 6 lifetime at this amazing port.  This was our 3rd time in a Villa, and I can't imagine not having one now.  Quite honestly, I believe it is the most beautiful beach in the entire Caribbean.

No argument here.   Not great for snorkeling (except near the Private Oasis), but a gorgeous white-sand beach.   I am now batting over .500, since I am 4-for-7 on getting to HMC.  Yay me!  🙂  

 

 

Edited March 2, 2022 by Pellaz