Sunshine after April 2024

[south-carolinagirl]

Why are cruises still available after April 2024 on Sunshine out of Charleston?  I thought the port authority didn't renew lease? 

[shof515]

https://www.facebook.com/JohnHeald/posts/8308517902524031

 

According to John, Carnival added new cruises out of this port. looks like they carnival extended the lease at the port

[sunshower9]

They didn't renew past 2024, but they never specified what date it would end.  At the time of the announcement, Carnival hadn't released the 2024-2025 schedule yet.  Now they're slowly releasing the schedule for a few ships at a time, so it's not that they extended the lease, it's that the rest of the 2024 schedule wasn't ready yet.

[tidecat]

A big question is will Sunshine go to drydock in 2024? Her last one was in October 2021, and the last one prior to that was just barely over three years before that in October 2018. The December 30, 2024 sailing could be her final sailing.

[mz-s]

1 minute ago, tidecat said:

A big question is will Sunshine go to drydock in 2024? Her last one was in October 2021, and the last one prior to that was just barely over three years before that in October 2018. The December 30, 2024 sailing could be her final sailing.

 

I do think Sunshine will be the next ship to leave the fleet but I don't think it'll happen then. Whether or not she is drydocked before her next homeport assignment remains to be seen of course.

 

I am hopeful that Carnival is in talks with a port near Charleston that can accommodate a ship her size that will open shortly after Charleston closes. The port is very convenient to me and many others.

[ninjacat123]

Anyone else hear the song "Ain't no Sunshine when's she's gone" reading this thread?  Maybe it's just me.  I love Sunshine, with JiJi's, the Serenity waterfall and how close it is to my home.  "Please don't take my Sunshine away"!  (From "You are my Sunshine, my only Sunshine")

[south-carolinagirl]

Thanks for all the replies!  We will miss her too!  

[Guest BasicSailor]

10 hours ago, ninjacat123 said:

Anyone else hear the song "Ain't no Sunshine when's she's gone" reading this thread?  Maybe it's just me.  I love Sunshine, with JiJi's, the Serenity waterfall and how close it is to my home.  "Please don't take my Sunshine away"!  (From "You are my Sunshine, my only Sunshine")

I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know.       

Damn, now It's stuck in my head 😳

[proudpatriot07]

12 hours ago, ninjacat123 said:

Anyone else hear the song "Ain't no Sunshine when's she's gone" reading this thread?  Maybe it's just me.  I love Sunshine, with JiJi's, the Serenity waterfall and how close it is to my home.  "Please don't take my Sunshine away"!  (From "You are my Sunshine, my only Sunshine")

 

Yes! Granted, I live in Charleston. We were on the ship last week, and it's in great shape. I hope they don't retire it in 2024 once our port contract with Carnival ends.

 

[bguppies]

6 hours ago, proudpatriot07 said:

 

Yes! Granted, I live in Charleston. We were on the ship last week, and it's in great shape. I hope they don't retire it in 2024 once our port contract with Carnival ends.

 

What ship have you been going on?

 

I was just on her a couple of weeks ago and "great shape" are two words I wouldn't associate with the Sunshine.

It's not terrible, but not in great shape either.

 

You're getting what you pay for on her.

A short cruise, on a decent shape ship for a low price.

She has a lot of wear and tear on her.

 

Definitely needs a dry dock if they want to keep her in the fleet.

 

If not run her into the ground like they are now, and just sell her off for scrap after Charleston.

 

[Oletruckdude]

My wife and I have been on 17 carnival cruises, 4 on the Sunshine including a B2B. We're going on her again in April. She's our favorite Carnival ship. When they upgraded her from the Destiny they added a lot of funship upgrades. Her serenity area is unique with a waterfall. She carries less guests so the lines are shorter or non existent. We love this ship and hope the beards keep her around for many years to come. She would fit well in Jacksonville if they scrapped the Elation, since the larger ships wouldn't fit under the bridge.

Fingers crossed. 

[bguppies]

13 hours ago, Oletruckdude said:

She would fit well in Jacksonville if they scrapped the Elation, since the larger ships wouldn't fit under the bridge.

I'm pretty sure only the Fantasy and Spirit class ships fit under that bridge in Jacksonville.

 

Standing next to the funnel on Fantasy class ships, multiple times, going under the bridge, at low tide, in Jacksonville, I can't imagine how the Spirit class , let alone anything even a foot taller, could squeeze under that bridge.

 

Charleston only works since the pier is on the oceanside of our bridge.

 

I wish the bridge wasn't a problem, so they could just turn a part of the old Navy base in North Charleston into a cruiseship terminal, but sadly, its on the wrongside of the bridge. (down the river like Jaxport)

[shof515]

2 hours ago, bguppies said:

I'm pretty sure only the Fantasy and Spirit class ships fit under that bridge in Jacksonville.

Spirit class ship do fit under the bridge. Earlier this year the Carnival Spirit did a few cruises out of Jacksonville

[bguppies]

5 hours ago, shof515 said:

Spirit class ship do fit under the bridge. Earlier this year the Carnival Spirit did a few cruises out of Jacksonville

That is what I said, I believe.

Fantasy AND Spirit class.

I always thought the Spirit class were taller than Fantasy class, but must not be too much.

Sunshine definitely is bigger.

[proudpatriot07]

On 10/10/2022 at 3:02 PM, Oletruckdude said:

My wife and I have been on 17 carnival cruises, 4 on the Sunshine including a B2B. We're going on her again in April. She's our favorite Carnival ship. When they upgraded her from the Destiny they added a lot of funship upgrades. Her serenity area is unique with a waterfall. She carries less guests so the lines are shorter or non existent. We love this ship and hope the beards keep her around for many years to come. She would fit well in Jacksonville if they scrapped the Elation, since the larger ships wouldn't fit under the bridge.

Fingers crossed. 

 

I love that Serenity area with multiple levels and a waterfall- and yes to the shorter lines. Maybe our cruise wasn't super crowded due to hurricanes, but I never had to look far for a chair, clean table, and no wait to speak of at any bar or any dining spot on the Lido deck.