We’re almost there!
We’ve been waiting a long time for our next cruise on Carnival Sunshine, and we’re final under the 22 day mark. And it can’t come fast enough! We’re leaving out of Port Canaveral on an eight day cruise, and going to Aruba, Curacao, and Grand Turk. We’ve never been to Aruba or Curacao before, so we’re particularly excited about that.
We have our boarding passes and luggage tags printed out. Our trip insurance has been purchased, and our motel reservations have been made. All I need to do now is pack. Not my favorite part.
LaQuinta
We’ll head out the day before and stay at our normal Snooze, Park & Cruise motel, LaQuinta Port Canaveral. We’ve stayed there a number of times before, and had no problems. Roadrunner shuttle company has the sweetest lady driver, so we always enjoy visiting with her. The shuttle usually comes at about 9:30 am to pick us up, and by then we’re eager to get on the ship.
Port Canaveral
Port Canaveral is a very efficient port, so it shouldn’t take long to get checked in. Then we normally wait around half an hour to board. Once we get on the ship we’re going to get something for lunch while waiting to get into our room. Normally cabins are ready at around 1:00 – 2:00 pm, and then we can finally put down our carry on and relax.
Ship Statistics
Carnival Sunshine was previously named the Carnival Destiny. She became the Sunshine after a major refurbishment. Her inaugural cruise was on May 5, 2013. She has 920 crew members from all over the world. Her gross registered tonnage is 102,853, her length is 893 feet. Her total guest capacity is 3,758. She has 1,321 staterooms, including 515 interior staterooms, 310 ocean view staterooms, 448 balcony rooms, and 48 suites altogether. We started out with an interior room, but managed to upgrade to an ocean view for $100 extra. I definitely prefer a room where I can see outside.
Entertainment choices
Entertainment venues include the Liquid Lounge, which is the main theater, and the Limelight Lounge, which is where the Punchliner Comedy Club is. Other lounges and bars include the Alchemy Bar, Redfrog Pub, Sunshine Bar and the Piano Bar. You’ll also find the normal poolside bars. I’m looking forward to the theatrical productions in the Liquid Lounge myself.
The great outdoors
When you want to spend some time in the sun go to the Carnival Waterworks waterpark, the deck pool, and the waterslides. Those look like so much fun on this ship. Other options include miniature golf, a jogging track, a ropes course, and a basketball court. You can find Ping Pong and Pool tables also, although I can’t figure out how you can play pool on a rolling ship. I’m going to give it a try though.
Dining
There are so many dining venues that I don’t know where we’ll start. First there are two main dining rooms, one forward and one aft. Then you have the Lido Buffet, which is near Guy’s Burger Joint, a deli, an Indian food station, a Mexican Food section, among others. And don’t forget the Pizza restaurant. I just know that I’m going to eat too much, I always do. Thank goodness for the stairs.
And then you have the upcharge restaurants. You have Cucina Del Capitano, an Italian restaurant. There is a steakhouse called Fahrenheit 555. For Asian food you have Ji Ji Asian Kitchen. There’s also a coffee bar, milkshake spot, and Sushi.
Something for the kids too
Your children will enjoy Camp Ocean, Circle ‘C”, and Club 02, depending on their ages. And there’s also a video arcade for adults and children alike.
Adults only
The Adults Only Serenity Deck on Carnival Sunshine looks like the best one I’ve ever seen. It’s got three decks, and a waterfall falling into a small pool. That’s where you’re going to find me! No use looking anywhere else. I love the sound of falling water.
There’s also a Cloud 9 Spa, along with a gymnasium, for those who want to stay healthy and active. You can make appointments for just about anything a normal spa would do. If you want to get your hair done for elegant night, there’s a beauty parlor. You can also get a mani-pedi so your toes will look wonderful in your sandals. Or how about a massage? Of course, these services will cost you much more than they will on land, but how relaxing!
Internet
If you just have to keep in touch with home, you can buy internet services, and even use a computer on the ship. You can get internet just to get on your social platforms like Facebook and Twitter for only $5 a day, and you can buy it day by day just when you need it. The Value Wi-fi plan includes social media sites and more, although it does not include streaming. This plan costs $12 per day.
The Premium Wi-fi plan supports much more, but costs $17.70 a day. And don’t forget to upload your Carnival HUB app onto your phone before you cruise. You can get free basic wi-fi on that once you board the ship. It will tell you what’s happening on the ship, it will give you deck maps, and you can also get your account balance. You can also chat with others in your family on it for a small charge.
Library
And finally, there is a library for those quiet times. You’ll find books, games, and even a wine bar. Sounds like just the place to go to totally relax. And that’s where I’ll be writing my blog each day.
And now can you see why I’m so excited about going on this cruise? I can get on the ship, unpack, and chill. I can do anything that I want without having to leave the confines of the ship. There will be time to have fun, time to have great food, and time to relax. And the saddest time will be when I have to say goodbye to Carnival Sunshine.
And be sure to watch my page for daily updates on how my cruise is going. You just never know what will happen. Last cruise I managed to get stung by a Bearded Fireworm…now how many people that you know can say that?
The Quiet Cruiser 