Disclosure: Carnival Cruises provided my husband and me with this cruise, but they did not pay me to write this review. This is an honest account of our experience aboard the Carnival Sunshine. If you have any questions, please ask!
To me, a cruise is the ideal vacation: a floating city where your room is tidied daily, meals are arranged, and you can explore new places without the stress of driving or planning every detail. Restaurants, comedy shows, bars, live performances, and a gym are all within easy reach. If that doesn’t equal relaxation, I don’t know what does.
Two weeks ago my husband and I thanked my sister-in-law Elvi Jo and my mom, waved goodbye to the kids and pets, and flew to South Florida to board the beautifully remodeled Carnival Sunshine.
We don’t cruise frequently—five kids keep us busy—but we do have some experience to compare. The Carnival Sunshine (formerly Carnival Destiny) impressed us. It blends family-friendly fun with upscale dining and amenities. The ship features three large waterslides, a splash zone, a ropes course, ping pong, shuffleboard, a running track, and a giant chessboard on top. There’s a modern gym, a full-service spa offering massages, facials, acupuncture, and aromatherapy steam rooms, a nightclub, a comedy club, and exciting excursions. Now let’s talk about the food.
Dining on the Carnival Sunshine
Food is available around the clock on a cruise—room service, dining rooms, buffets, and specialty venues—and the Carnival Sunshine delivers. Even returning cruisers will be impressed: the ship offers the upscale touches of Carnival’s newer ships and more. My husband and I kept glancing at each other during meals saying, “We’re on a ship, right? This feels like a fine dining restaurant!”
Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse
This steakhouse offers a full multi-course meal (appetizer, salad, entrée, dessert) with top-grade options like aged New York strip, filet mignon, lobster tails, surf and turf, and market fish—all for around $35 per person. Pro tip: order the cheesecake. It’s enormous and unforgettable.
Ji Ji Asian Kitchen
Ji Ji serves a tempting selection of Pan-Asian dishes: spring rolls, Shanghai-style duck, potstickers, shrimp, pork belly, and short ribs. For about $15 per person you can sample several items, making it a flavorful, good-value choice for a quieter, exotic dinner.
Cucina del Capitano
This Italian spot showcases family recipes from Carnival’s Italian captains. For about $15 per person you can enjoy arancini, antipasti, seafood pasta, and classic entrees, plus dessert. The tiramisu is a must.
Bonsai Sushi
Yes—sushi on a cruise ship. The sushi was excellent and the atmosphere lively. We shared a sushi boat of popular rolls for $17.99, enjoyed a premium sake, and finished with dessert for a satisfying meal that felt special and reasonably priced.
The Chef’s Table
The Chef’s Table is a standout experience and worth splurging on. A small group tours the galley, samples amuse-bouches prepared by the Chef de Cuisine, watches a pastry chef demo the ship’s signature Chocolate Melting Cake, then enjoys a seven-course meal in a private dining room while chefs prepare each course. There’s commentary, entertainment, and a keepsake photo. If you pick one premium experience on the cruise, make it this.
Other All-Inclusive Dining Options on Board
The main dining room is excellent and included in your fare, but there’s more. Guy’s Burger Joint, created with Guy Fieri, serves handmade 80/20 beef burgers with a full topping bar. The Blue Iguana Cantina offers tacos and burritos with a fresh salsa bar. The Comfort Food Buffet presents a huge breakfast spread with both indulgent and healthy choices. There’s also a deli with plenty of sandwich options to satisfy classic cravings.
More Value-Added Options on Board
Don’t miss the milkshake bar—one night I enjoyed a Spirit of Kentucky shake with vanilla ice cream, Maker’s Mark, and caramel. There’s also the Red Frog Pub, Little Havana for Cuban music and late-night fun, and my favorite, the Alchemy Bar, which crafts artisan cocktails. You can even sign up for the Alchemy Bar mixology class to learn how to make signature drinks.
I learned to make classic cocktails and even lit flames under the guidance of Ioana Luncean, Carnival Sunshine’s award-winning Master Mixologist. Whether or not you take the class, drop by Alchemy in the evening for truly unique cocktails that pair perfectly with a show or a night out.
One little detail I loved: the Lido deck is equipped with Jetsons-style hand-washing stations that swirl water around your hands for efficient cleaning. If that’s not your thing, there are Purell stations near every popular food venue. Full disclosure: I wrote “my husband and I” when grammar purists would prefer “my husband and me.” Blame the food coma. I love this ship.
The Bottom Line
Our trip was flawless. From snorkeling at Sergeant’s Cay in Belize to the on-board entertainment and the attentive room steward, every staff member we encountered contributed to a wonderful experience. We agreed we’d happily sail on the Carnival Sunshine again and again. Pricing varies, but you can find seven-day Western Caribbean sailings starting around $289 per person (double occupancy). If you’d like more details about our experience or need help planning a Carnival Sunshine cruise, I’m happy to answer any questions.
’Til next time, Carnival Sunshine…
