Carnival Sunshine Cruise Ship Review 6/9/17-6/14/17
 

1. What ship did you cruise? And how many nights? How did you decide on this particular sailing? We cruised the Carnival Sunshine for a wonderful 5 day sailing.  Most of the time we travel with family, but this cruise was to celebrate our 20 Year Anniversary, so we went without the kids.
   
   
2. What Port did you cruise from? How was your embarkation? We cruised out of Port Norfolk in VA. It’s a port we’ve never traveled out of. Aside from the extreme backup in parking lot for the port (and the cost-WOW), once we arrived to the port itself, the embarkation was fairly simple. We had chosen boarding time slot 1:30-2:00 p.m. Truth be told, we arrived early as the bus transport took forever from the parking lot.  We sat in a hot bus forever it seemed, once we showed up at the doors to enter for the cruise we were ushered right in.  The overall boarding process was very quick, smooth and painless.
    
3. What were your first impressions of the ship? I tend to focus on the positives of the ship and this one did NOT disappoint.  Our interior room seemed very spacious and tended to have ample space for just the two of us! The Sunshine is beautiful!!   My opinion of the Serenity Area prior to going was good, but once I saw it, WOW!  I LOVED THIS AREA OF THE SHIP…and we spent quite a bit of time here.  We also loved the Red Frog Pub, and enjoyed draft beers here quite often.
   
   
4. What kind of stateroom? What did you think of it? Did it have enough storage and power outlets? We had an interior cabin as stated above.  The room had a single mirror. We some book-shelves for storage, and the bathroom shower stall was finally larger than in past cruises. Hubby said he had to place his one foot into the shower area when sitting on the commode but I honestly did not have any issues with the bathroom.  Storage in the drawers and 2 closets was more than adequate.  There was only one power outlet. This was easily remedied by bringing a power strip for our various devices’ charging cables.
   

(Cruisers Top Tip – make sure you bring a non-surge bar, as surge-bars are not ship-friendly) 

1. Talk to be me about dining, from the main dining room to the lido deck and everything in between? We had the any-time dining. We had never tried this approach before and wondered if we would like it, but we were pleasantly surprised.  We could eat whenever we liked, and after the second night when we had such excellent wait staff, we returned to them each night.  One night when we went down to eat, they told us it would be 20 minutes and to take a beeper with us, but we walked right down and there was no problem being seated.  We didn’t think this was very efficient.   I did notice from being on the Carnival Pride (last fall) one thing was they seemed quite a bit under-staffed. It wasn’t our waiters faults and they worked very hard and quickly to get us fed, but any cutbacks by the cruise line seemed to show up here.
   
   And in the morning they had a breakfast area outside of The Red Frog Pub that we ate at a few times that was super quick and zero lines. Our favorite meal was brunch on sea days in the main dining room. We had steak and eggs, and the steak was filet mignon and it was absolutely amazing each time we had it to eat! 
   
   
2. Entertainment, what did you think of the entertainment options on your ship? While we didn’t attend any of the musical type shows (we’re just not into that) we went to comedy night each night and it was always a good show.  On the last night, the Adult Only Quest seemed to me to be a bit over the top with nudity and all, but perhaps that was this showing only, we’ve been to many quests and it was never this X Rated!
    
3. On a sea day you get a feel for how the ship handles with respect to the amount of guests on board. Was there plenty to do? Any areas of congestion or concern?
   The lido marketplace did seem to get congested a little during peak meal times, and just like any ship, the pool deck does get super-duper crowded on a sea day. But I think overall the flow and congestion was no worse than any other ship I’ve sailed and I didn’t have any real complaints. Since we spent so much time on the Serenity Deck, where it was quieter and no children running about, the crowds didn’t affect me too much. We also enjoyed the Burrito Station and Guys’ Burger Joint, so we tended to avoid the buffet lines as much as possible. Sunshine tends to be laid out nicely and had activities going on all the time to keep everyone busy.
    
4. What ports did you visit? Any highlights or tips?  Nassau and Freeport Bahamas were our 2 stops. We took a quick cab ride to Margaritaville which seems like a must-do if you’re going to this port. The drinks were yummy and the appetizer (spring rolls) were delicious, along with the fabulous music they played.  Since we missed our private excursion to Sandy Toes (which we booked outside the cruise lines- we had been last year and it was the highlight of that cruise for me) but since the ship arrived late, we had to jump to plan B which was head to Cabbage Beach.  Loved the beach, however the peddlers were a pest, if I could get rid of this aspect, I would have enjoyed it immensely. The water was clear, the beach was pristine and we had a wonderful time.  Once we headed to Freeport we went to Paradise Cove (otherwise known as Deadman’s Reef) to snorkel, and it was so much fun 3 years ago when we went that we had to head back there. The snorkeling was great again, we saw so many beautiful tropical fish, 2 stingrays, many sea turtles and so many shells.  Always a great excursion (again booked outside of the cruise lines).
   
   
5.  When you returned to home port- how was debarkation? Did you do self-assist? Or zone debarkation? I think this was a record for us on getting off the boat as slowly as possible.  Once we finally cleared customs and found our way to the long bus lines to the cruise port parking, we were on our way (again in a hot bus) to the parking lot. I was not impressed with this port parking.
   
   
6. Your biggest highlight? It’s hard to pinpoint one thing on a cruise for me that ROCKED. So many little things make cruising my favorite form of vacation and travel that I have to mention a few here. I LOVED Sunshine, she seemed to be very well laid out overall, and all her spaces were a pleasure to be in and walk through. I really enjoyed the 3-deck Serenity Area! We tended to spend so much time here that it was so very enjoyable. Also the Red Frog Bar had incredible wait staff that we also enjoyed hanging out here so much getting to know them.
    
7. Your disappointment? I think the only thing I noticed is main dining room meals aren’t the same anymore, it just to be more laid back, casual, with conversation with the wait staff, etc. So it was a bit disappointing because dinners on a cruise are one of the hallmarks of the trip for me typically. 
   
   
8. Final thoughts of the ship, the cruise, the ports? I’ve been hooked on cruising since my very first cruise on the Carnival Pride. All nine of my cruises have been with Carnival and all have been enjoyable. This cruise was no different. We had a great time. The ship was super enjoyable, the ports nice and overall just fun with a pleasant experience.
   
   
9. TIPS: One final thought- this was our first opportunity to use the Carnival HUB app, and it was really great!My husband downloaded the app on his phone and we were checking it all the time (which kept me from having to lug the daily schedule around everywhere).  It provided us with the daily schedule of events, access to our Sail and Sign accounts, and more.  It would be nice to sign up for our dining times on here, as well as a way to let us know when we can easily disembark without the constant loud speaker announcements on the last morning.   

We loved Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville in Nassau (technically on Paradise Island in the Bahamas)! It's a very short cab drive from the cruise port.

We showed up for a drink and an appetizer and we were not disappointed.  I loved the casual/fun music playing in the background.  It wasn't swamped when we got there, so we got seated right away. It was already quite toasty outside so early that a.m., so we opted to sit in the shaded area (although the pool did look very inviting).

I ordered the Watermelon Margarita and my husband ordered the Mango Margarita...but I have to admit, mine was much better!

We then decided to grab an appetizer before we were off on our way to the famous Cabbage Beach. The waitress recommended the spring rolls, and they were yummy! Truth be told, we wanted the Conch Fritters, but they had sold out of them.  While we were munching on our sweet appetizer and tasty fruity concoction, the DJ was spinning some awesome "tropical vibe" music. At one point a few "line songs" came on, like "It's Electric" and soon the bar was filled with customers doing the dance, laughing and having a blast with the music!  This is a place with fun ambiance, very good drinks and delicious snacks. I don't think you'll be disappointed with their nice selections!  Go ahead and try this place out the next time you're in the Bahamas. I intend to head back there again.

We enjoyed our short time spent there at Jimmy Buffett's while at Paradise Island, Bahamas!!

ALL INCLUSIVE PLANNING TIMELINE
Planning an All Inclusive Trip is so Very Exciting!! Here’s your Schedule of what you need to do to plan your dream vacation, and when you should do it all. Don’t worry, Escape Destinations Travel is here to assist you every step of the way! Don’t hesitate to call or email us with any questions, that’s what we’re here for.

9-12+ Months Out:

• Double check your reservation we booked for you, to assure we have everything correct.
• If you haven't already, consider creating a fun Pinterest board for the destination your headed to. 
• Check your passports. Depending on where you're traveling to, you will most likely need at least 6 months on your passport remaining before it expires after your return date. 
  
  

6-9 Months Out:

• Pin, Pin, Pin! Pin those destination ideas of places you’d like to see (time allotted) to see the country you’ve decided to vacation to!
• Check to make sure your luggage is sturdy and adequate for your flight(s). 
• Shop for your accessories you don’t already have on hand: jewelry, shoes, etc. 
  
  

4-6 Months:

• Order what you need for your Travel Size items (like soap, shampoo, lotions, etc). 
• Determine your comfortable outfit you’ll wear on the trip, keeping in mind the climate your heading to, and dressing in layers (if needed). 
• Research any special excursions offered by the resort or locally. Check with the hotel staff (should you choose one outside of the resort) for reputable tour guides.
• Renew your passports, apply for visas (if needed) and look into any other entry requirements, like vaccinations, etc.
  
  

3 Months:

• Double check your travel documents to make sure you have everything you need in your carry-on bag for your Departure.
• If you haven't looked at your flights in detail, be sure to check it out, these schedules do tend to fluctuate a bit as the dates get closer! 
• Pay off your All Inclusive Resort balance, if you’ve not already done so. 
• Review the Destination Information prepared for you, from Escape Destinations Travel.
  
  

1-2 Months:

• Make sure you have all your outfits decided ahead of time to pack into your luggage. 
• Shop for your amazing vacation! Get plenty of bathing suits and cover ups because you'll be wearing tons of those! 
  
  

2 Weeks:

• Get your clothes packed and ready to go.
• Confirm all the travel details with our travel consultant here at Escape Destinations Travel. 
• Get your hair cut, mani/pedi and any last minute medicines you may need. Don’t forget to pack these in your carry-on bag.
• Make sure you have someone to check your mail, stop your newspaper deliveries, care for your pets, etc.
  
  

1 Week:

• Final preparations for any last minute things you need to accomplish.
• Start packing- Your Vacation is Almost Here! Check out our Blog Posts and checklist we sent you, for more info on exactly what to pack. 
• Get together cash you'll need to bring. Plan to convert some of your money into local currency.
  
• Make sure you have your travel documents and passports all in one place and ready to go. Have them in hand or in your Carry-On suitcase to show to the airlines as well as security.
  
  

Day Before:

• Confirm your flights.  The best way to do this is online, which is done very quickly and easily.
• RELAX! You deserve it after all the hard work you did to prepare for the vacation! 
  
  

TRAVEL DAY:

• Leave early for the airport, check with the airlines to see the minimum amount of time you can arrive, and plan for extra time to be at the airport.
• Don’t forget all your travel documents (have in your hand or in your carry-on luggage) to present.
  

Upon Arrival at Your Resort:

• You Made It!! 
• Unpack your bags.
• Arrange for any special clothes to be steamed/ironed (if need be).
• Put any cash and valuables in your in-room safe. 
• Relax and Enjoy- you made it and Vacation is Here!!
• BE IN THE MOMENT! And enjoy it all! Congratulations! 

 
At the end of the day, if you made it to the resort without a major hiccup, then your vacation is off to a really great start! My best advice: don't stress, relax, and enjoy the memories your making and every moment because it all goes by so fast, it's all worth it in the end!
 
HAVE AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING VACATION! 
 

Well, we've been to the Bahamas a couple times, and so this time we're doing a repeat of our trips there, for both locations! We leave in a week to sail to the Bahamas, so I thought I might share some places we plan to go to while in both Nassau and Freeport, Bahamas.

NASSAU PORT-
In Nassau, we head to a very private island for a day of much needed relaxation, drinks, lunch, snorkeling, swimming in the water, etc. It's the island I have been dreaming of since we went there last year!!! Seriously- it's that perfect. It's called Sandy Toes, Rose Island, Bahamas. They pick you up near Margaritaville (take a quick cab there from the ship), then you take their private boat to their island, which is a very scenic ride there and back. The drinks at the bar near the beach are top notch, and the crowds are super minimal!!! Shhh.....it's my secret place....aaaahhh! This will absolutely be the highlight of my trip, I'm sure. I always reserve our time at this special destination in advance and the price is well worth the money!

FREEPORT PORT-
So Freeport, to me, it seems there's nothing to really see there at the port, it's just that, a very basic, typical shipping port. We're headed to "Deadmans Reef" or Paradise Cove...don't be alarmed by the name, it's an incredible place to snorkel, get some nice drinks (if you like basic tropical drinks) and a very basic meal (think hamburgers/hotdogs and potato chips).

From the port, you can get their shuttle to take you to this private destination in Freeport.  I think it's about a half hour drive each way, so make sure you allot the time accordingly.

The beach is also nice and not too crowded with people, but honestly we go for the snorkeling as hubby loves all the tropical fish around the reef, which you can fairly easily float/swim out to. They are serious about their "safety lesson" and beach protection, but aside from this, the price is cheap and it's a nice day away from the touristy crowds.

When you've had enough fun in the sun, they have their shuttle that will return us to the port in time, so no worries about snagging a cab.

This destination is also easily booked on their website in advance and is dirt cheap!

Tell us in the COMMENTS below which Bahamas port was your favorite.