For years, we’ve been talking about taking a cruise, and we finally crossed it off our bucket list last month with a fabulous trip from Norfolk, Virginia, to the Bahamas! Although there used to be more cruise lines leaving from Norfolk, Carnival is the only one currently operating from there, sending out weekly trips on the Carnival Sunshine. Most of these cruises are to the Bahamas, but they do have some alternate options scattered into the schedule, including trips to Bermuda, the Eastern Caribbean, and even New England.
Despite being the only ship out of Norfolk, there are some other great reasons to book a trip on the Carnival Sunshine, including the fact that it’s newly refurbished! But there’s a lot more to love, like the great food, the shows, the extensive adults-only pool section, and the fact that it has a ropes course and water park on deck, to name a few.
Since there is so much to know about this ship, I wanted to give a full overview of what you can expect and enjoy if you book a cruise on the Carnival Sunshine! But since there is so much to know, I’ll actually be breaking this review into two parts: today, I’ll focus on the big stuff, like embarking from Norfolk, stateroom options, and dining. In part 2, I’ll share more about the entertainment, shopping, and onboard activities.
Be sure to read both parts to get to know everything about this cool ship!
The Embarkation Process
Because I’d never taken a cruise before this, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But now that I’ve been through it, there are definitely things I wish I’d known before we got there.
Getting to the Carnival Sunshine
First, there are two ways to get to the ship.
If you plan to leave your car at the terminal during your cruise, you’ll head to the Cedar Grove Parking Lot at 1000 Monticello Avenue, Norfolk, VA. This is a secured lot 1.5 miles from the terminal, and there is a $15 daily fee. Once you park, you can hand off all your tagged luggage to the valets, who will make sure it gets safely to your room on the Carnival Sunshine, and then you can board the free shuttle to the actual ship.
The second option is to have someone drop you off directly in front of the U.S.S. Wisconsin and Nauticus Museum. This is much faster because you won’t have to wait for the shuttle and can hop right in line. There are also valets here who can take your luggage.
Getting Through Security
Once you’re in line, be prepared to wait for a bit. We got in line right in front of the Nauticus entrance, and it took about an hour and 10 minutes to get through security and on the boat.
You’ll need to show your boarding pass to access the cruise terminal, which has about three flights of stairs you’ll need to climb (there’s also an elevator for those who need it). They let groups of 50 people through at a time, so there’s a decent bit of walking and waiting.
You’ll eventually enter the official cruise terminal, where you’ll wind through more lines before going through a security scan, which is very similar to the airport. Once you finish that, there’s one final line to meet with a customs agent, who will check your boarding passes and passports before officially allowing you to board the ship.
My First Impressions & Ship Layout
General Atmosphere & Vibe of the Carnival Sunshine
You’ll access the Carnival Sunshine on Deck 3, which pops you out directly into the Sunshine Atrium! This is the heart of the Carnival Sunshine and where many of the week’s events will take place. It’s such a vibrant spot with cool globular chandeliers, glass elevators, and a three-story atrium. It really sets the vibe for the week ahead!
However, it can also be a little overwhelming right off the bat because there’s so much going on! But you’ll very quickly get the hang of things.
The current design features a great mix of eye-catching elements and more relaxing vibes. For example, the stairwells and elevator areas all feature rose-gold paneling and modern art, while the hallways to the rooms have calm tropical murals, wooden doors, and yellow paint. They also really make use of cool lighting in areas like the atrium and Sunset dining room. The outdoor areas lean more toward relaxation and fun, with lots of blues, yellows, and whites for everything from the pools and umbrellas to the lounge chairs.
It’s honestly quite the mix, but each area feels very cohesive and supports a different vibe.
Carnival Sunshine Ship Layout
Right off the bat, it may seem like you’ll never be able to find anything on the ship! But I quickly learned that there’s a good portion of the ship you’ll never have to worry about. There are 14 decks total on the ship, but 5 of them are completely comprised of staterooms, and only 2 of the other decks have no staterooms. So that quickly shrinks down the area you actually need to be familiar with.
The higher up you get on the ship, the smaller the decks get, too, so there’s less to navigate.
Decks 3-5 are all indoors and where you’ll find a lot of entertainment options, like shopping, shows, the casino, the arcade, and both main restaurants. Once you get to Deck 9 and above, you’ll find the pool and sunbathing areas, mini golf, ropes course, several dining options, and the Serenity Spa.
Carnival Sunshine Staterooms & Accommodations
No matter how you like to travel, the Carnival Sunshine has a room style that suits you. You can actually choose from 10 different accommodations, including suites, balcony rooms, ocean view rooms, and interior rooms.
Carnival Sunshine Room Overviews
Suites offer the most premium experiences, with amenities like whirlpool tubs, ELEMIS bath products, VIP check-in, and private balconies.
Balcony rooms vary in size depending on which one you book, but they all have a private balcony with chairs where you can enjoy the view.
Ocean-view rooms are pretty standard. They’re essentially a standard stateroom, except you can look outside. If you upgrade to a scenic ocean view room, you’ll actually get a floor-to-ceiling picture window that really enhances the experience.
Interior rooms are perfect for cruisers on a budget. You’ll still have decent space and the option of two twin beds or a queen. If you need more space, there are also options for families that include Pullman beds and sofa beds.
Our Interior Stateroom Experience
We didn’t really care about the windows since we planned to spend most of our time outside of our room, so we booked a standard interior stateroom for two. There was an option to upgrade to the Cloud 9 Spa Interior, which has a lot of spa perks, including priority reservations, bathrooms and slippers, ELEMIS bath products, and unlimited use of the Thermal suites, but we didn’t realize how much we’d love the spa until we got there!
- Space: The room was actually bigger than I’d anticipated, with plenty of space to walk around and lots of storage, so it didn’t feel cluttered. I liked the mix of drawers and the wall closets that let us completely unpack with room to spare. It also included a small table with a stool and a large counter in the main room. The bathroom was smaller than I would have liked and could only fit one person comfortably, but the shower was spacious and had some nice storage.
- Comfort: I personally did not love our bed. The sheets and pillows were good, but the mattress was fairly firm. I do realize that is a personal preference, though.
- Amenities: Our room included a TV, telephone, mini-fridge, small safe, in-room climate control, two big pool towels, and shampoo and shower gel. We also received clean towels every day.
- Convenience: I really liked the lighting features in our room. The headboard had built-in reading lights and a switch that controlled all the room lights, so you didn’t have to get up. They also installed motion sensor lights during the recent refresh. This is a single light that turns on right by the bathroom door, and it turns off about 3 seconds after you stop moving. However, I was really frustrated with the power outlets! There were none in the bathroom, and our entire room only had one outlet for us to use, so we spent all week switching our devices between the two open plugs.
- Noise Level: We got a room two doors down from the mid-ship elevator bay, which made it very convenient to access a lot of the things we wanted to do! And despite some fears, the elevator lobby was large enough that we didn’t hear people coming and going at all hours. However, we were only one floor up from the casino, and we definitely heard some late-night noise through the floor.
- Cleanliness: Our room stayed in tip-top shape every day thanks to our dedicated room attendant. He came in each day and made our bed, gave us clean towels, wiped down the bathroom, and created a cute little towel animal to greet us.
Carnival Sunshine Dining & Drink Options
With 13 dining options on board, it’s nearly impossible to go hungry while you’re on the Carnival Sunshine!
The ship offers a great mix of options, including a buffet, several specialty restaurants, casual dining options, and formal dining rooms.
Lido Deck Dining
If you’re looking for variety, the Lido Marketplace is a great place to go. With the highest concentration of restaurants on the ship, there’s almost always something serving up delicious food! This area has a big buffet that serves up new dishes for all three meals of the day. It even opens from 11:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. for late-night snacks! This is also where you’ll find the Pizzeria del Capitano, which will whip you up a fresh pizza anytime from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m., Swirls Soft Serve & FroYo, and the Carnival Deli if you’re craving a sandwich.
But there’s a lot more on the Lido Deck!
Outside by the pool, you’ll also find Guy’s Burger Joint (12 p.m. to 6 p.m.), which serves up Guy Fieri burgers, and the BlueIguana Cantina (7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.), which offers freshly made tacos and burritos, including breakfast versions in the morning.
Now, this is where things get a little bit tricky. The Lido Deck also includes the Havana Bar, Cucina del Capitano, and Ji Ji Asian Kitchen, which have both free and paid options. Here’s the breakdown:
- Havana Bar: Cuban bites from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Drinks are extra.
- Cucina del Capitano: Omelet bar from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and pasta bar from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner is a sit-down meal with a fee; reservations are required.
- Ji Ji Asian Kitchen: Omelet bar from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and Lucky Bowl from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner is a sit-down meal with a fee; reservations are required. (We had dinner here one night, and it was beyond delicious! Meals cost $24 per person, but you get so much incredible food with an elevated presentation. We each chose an appetizer, side, entree, and dessert for that cost, making it just $6 per course. That’s crazy!)
Sunrise & Sunset Dining Rooms
Each guest will be assigned to either the Sunrise or Sunset Dining Room for dinner and given a specific dinner time slot. You’ll have a dedicated table in this dining room each night, along with an assigned server. These meals are absolutely fantastic, and the menus rotate every night!
We got to try so many delicious things, from duck and chicken dishes to lamb and steak. Each guest is allowed to choose up to 2 appetizers, entrees, and desserts each night, giving you the opportunity to sample a lot of dishes! I will say the portions are fairly tame, so you won’t be walking away with leftovers, but you have more room to try something else.
Our server did such a fantastic job, and he had all of our names memorized by the second night! He would even smile and wave at us when we saw him around the ship during the week. He also was on top of our seafood and fish allergies, making sure we ordered safe dishes. Because we had allergies, he also stopped by our table each night so we could order the next night’s meal ahead of time. This allowed the kitchen to prepare to cook ours separately and get them out faster.
I enjoyed every meal here, although some were definitely better than others. For example, I wouldn’t really recommend the broiled striploin, but the roast was so tender I didn’t even need a knife! I also loved every single dessert, so try as many as you can!
Lastly, you can also reserve a special breakfast in the Sunrise Restaurant each morning. They have much nicer breakfast fare than the Lido Marketplace, like eggs benedict, huevos rancheros, chicken and waffles, brunch burgers, skillet cakes, and french toast with peach compote!
Mid-Ship Dining
You’ll also find two additional restaurants mid-ship on Deck 4: Bonsai Sushi and Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse. Both of these restaurants have a fee for eating here at any time. Bonsai Sushi is open from 5:00 p.m. to 12 a.m., and Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse is open from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Bar & Drink Options
Unless you buy a drink package in advance, you will have to pay for every drink you want outside of the dining areas. The ship has 10 bars, plus a shake and coffee spot, so you’ll have plenty of options, though. There’s a bar in pretty much every entertainment venue, and you’ll often find multiple options close together, like the Alchemy Bar and RedFrog Pub on either side of the Ocean Plaza.
I do recommend grabbing coffee from the JavaBlue Cafe because while the dining room coffee is free, it’s not the best.
Service & Overall Experience
Last but not least, let’s talk about the service and overall experience!
With one exception, every experience I had with staff was entirely positive. They were all friendly, and I loved that we had a dedicated server and room attendant. They recognized us around the ship and checked in frequently, which made things feel much more personal. Everyone was always smiling, and no one ever made us feel like we were an inconvenience.
The crew also did a great job at bringing energy to their tasks, whether it was the dance crew, store attendants, or the dinner staff. We waited in a couple of long lines where the store attendants were joking and chatting with all of us, and the dinner servers even put on some little shows for us, all with big smiles and plenty of energy.
The staff was also fantastic at keeping things clean! I didn’t see any clutter during our trip, and staff members constantly went around to pick up after guests, clear plates, and sanitize spaces.
My only negative experience with staff was one night when I had to go to the Lido Marketplace to order the next night’s dinner. We stood at the special meals stand for several minutes without anyone coming to help us until we stopped a different staff member and asked. It turned out that the lady who was supposed to be in charge of the booth was standing about 5 feet away, and despite us making eye contact with her a couple of times, she didn’t come to help us until someone else called her over. She then acted very confused about the process when it had been seamless every night until then.
Otherwise, I was very happy with every aspect of the service for our entire week!
There’s More Carnival Sunshine Fun on YouTube!
Closing Thoughts on My Carnival Sunshine Review: Part 1
Overall, I was super-happy with the quality and service aspects of the Carnival Sunshine! It’s clear they have a great system down, and they know how to keep the masses happy! There are just so many options for everything, so no matter your preference, there’s bound to be something to keep you happy!
And again, if you want to spend just a bit more money, you can upgrade your experience even further from ours with better rooms, priority boarding, finer dining, drinks, etc.
What do you think of the Carnival Sunshine so far? Would you book a cruise on it? Let me know in the comments, and don’t be shy about asking questions, either! Don’t forget to stay tuned for Part 2 of this review coming soon, where I’ll tell you all about the on-board entertainment, from shows and nightlife to shopping and games.
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Until next time, happy travels!
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