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Carnival Sunshine is technically the oldest ship still sailing in the Carnival fleet, having first launched as Carnival Destiny in 1996. She did undergo a massive upgrade when she was renamed Carnival Sunshine, including receiving many of the Fun Ship 2.0 upgrades. She also has a more contemporary, understated look than some other ships in the fleet. Carnival Magic suffers a little for being the ship that pioneered some of the most popular features on the fleet’s ships. Despite launching after her sister ship Carnival Dream, Magic was the ship that debuted features like the Hasbro Game Show, the RedFrog pub and the elevated ropes course.
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Dining on Carnival Celebration Explores a World of Culinary Options
A fun component of this bar is the screens above the bar that carousel through photos the bartenders have taken of RedFrog Pub patrons. The Pub didn't seem to be the hub for activities as I've seen on other vessels, probably because karaoke, live music and trivia games were held just outside the door in the Ocean Plaza. The pan-Asian menu features dishes from Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, China and Mongolia served family style.
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I ordered the shrimp dumplings, sweet and sour shrimp, and the Chinese broccoli. We closed out our dinner with the rose creme brulee with ginger cream and caramelized crepes served with citrus ice cream. The suites come with varied perks, which can include priority check-in and boarding, as well as priority disembarkation on the final morning of your trip. Our cabin's TV was installed on the wall to the left of the desk mirror.
Mardi Gras
Beach attire is the norm for sea days, and if you plan to spend your day on the top deck, plan to dress in T-shirts, shorts and bathing suits (with a cover-up to go inside). Other packages available for a Sunshine sailing include the less expensive "social" plan that only allows access to key social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) and messaging services such as WhatsApp for $12.75 a day. A slightly more expensive "value" plan, at $17 per day, adds access to email and most websites. Unlike newer Carnival ships with a full promenade that provides access to restaurants and bars, Sunshine has the more traditional promenade with shuffleboard and some outdoor seating. During this sailing, many families seemed to hang out together during the day — spending time at the pool, watching karaoke and participating in other activities. Circle C is for cruisers ages 12 to 14, with events like dance parties, outdoor movies and group games.
Carnival Celebration Cabins Are Crisp and Modern
On embarkation day, I saw an almost endless sea of matching shirts announcing milestone birthdays, bachelorette parties and other special events. The overall vibe — which continued throughout the cruise — was energetic and festive, and most people didn't take themselves too seriously. It was clear from the moment we stepped on the ship that if you didn't have a fun time, it was entirely your fault. A great contender for the title of best Carnival ship for singles is Carnival Sunrise. Formerly Carnival Triumph, the ship was completely gutted, overhauled and renamed in 2019. Although it originally debuted in 1999, it feels fresh and nearly new.
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Because short sailings tend to attract a more lively crowd, passengers can expect lots of dancing, socializing and late nights at Henri's Dance Club. During the day, passengers enjoy spending time around the pool and grabbing free burgers from Guy's Burger Joint. There’s no roller coaster or fancy sky ride track, but instead the ‘classic’ cruise activities – poolside movies, karaoke nights, comedy clubs, nightclubs and so on – are packed every evening. Carnival Liberty isn’t quite ‘no-frills’ but she isn’t fancy and in-your-face either.
Mardi Gras: Best Carnival cruise ship for families
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Energetic cruisers who can't veg in the sun all day can find limitless activities indoors to occupy their sea days. Free events included trivia games, Bingo, spa pampering parties, karaoke, and ice carving or towel animal folding demonstrations. For-fee activities like Build-A-Bear Workshop and $5,000 Jackpot Bingo also drew a crowd. Poolside RedFrog Rum Bar and BlueIguana Tequila Bar were both a hub of activity most days. And if you're lounging by the pool, you can expect servers to come by often and take drink orders. We enjoyed both main dining room meals, which included prime rib, lobster tail, New York strip and pan-seared barramundi.
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That area gives way to Emeril’s Bistro 1397 (Bam! Get the beignets!), and eventually transitions into the Festivale Restaurant main dining room that spans the height of Decks 6 and 7. And, even though Carnival cruises are advertised as being fun for the whole family, that wasn't exactly our experience. First, at least on an Alaskan cruise we experienced, the kids' clubs were only open periodically and rarely followed the posted schedule.
Of all the ocean cruise lines, Carnival’s fleet is one of the biggest. There are currently 27 ships in the fleet, from the oldest still in operation (Carnival Sunshine) right up to Carnival Jubilee and Carnival Firenze, the newest in the fleet. By day, the dress code is tropical casual as the ship visits the gorgeous isles of New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji (with the occasional foray to New Zealand and Tasmania, where it's a little bit cooler). The Carnival Spirit team is five-star, even if the ship itself is not. From the beloved senior maitre d', Dessi, to the charming waiters, patient bartenders and unflappable cabin stewards, there's a real sense of community and comradeship. Crew members will remember your name and recognise you on your next cruise -- because, judging by the return rate of passengers, you will probably be back.
She has 22 different dining venues to choose from, including more interesting options such as Emeril’s Bistro, a New-Orleans inspired venue. Food on board is varied, although reviews do criticize portion sizes across the whole Carnival fleet. Carnival Panorama is the best Carnival cruise ship for families who have different tastes and want a lot of variety from their ship. Carnival Glory tends to be a popular ship for larger families who want a bargain cruise with fun activities and lots of space for everyone.
Expect a lot of large groups and families on this ship, but you won’t feel crowded either. But, you can also expect crowds, noise, and plenty of people living carefree and maybe having a couple of drinks too many after taking advantage of Carnival’s drink package deal. By taking an average of the scores across all three sites, I’ve been able to get the ships into a relative order. There are some treasured favourites and newer ships that are still really good but don’t quite have the same magic.
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