TheJellyBeans.net
We’re back with more tips for the Carnival Sunshine and we hope these 17 quick tips will
help you enjoy your next cruise even more!
If you have “Your Time Dining,” you’ll likely be dining in the Sunrise Dining Room
on Deck 3 at the back of the ship.
But, when you’re ready to eat, don’t head there directly.
You first have to go to deck 5 at the Ocean Plaza to check in and secure your dining time.
We never had to wait for a table if we arrived when seating opened.
However, we found if we arrived at 6 pm or later, we had to wait.
Fortunately, the ship typically had music entertainment going on at Ocean Plaza.
And the nearby Red Frog Pub always has free table games to play.
If you have “Set Time Dining,” we encourage you to visit your dining room and assigned
table during the afternoon of Embarkation Day.
If you have mobility issues or require additional space, some of the seating configurations
in the dining rooms may not suit your needs.
If there are issues with your table assignment, seek out the maître d'.
If you want a break from having dinner in the main dining rooms, be aware that the Lido
Marketplace buffet’s Good Eats section typically has a sampling of the dishes being served
in the dining rooms.
If you’re booking your room and trying to avoid the active late night areas on the ship,
there are a couple of venues on the Sunshine that may not be on your radar.
The Liquid Lounge on Decks 4 and 5 forward transforms into Liquid Night Club for late
night music and dancing.
The party starts at 11 pm and goes until the early morning hours.
Loud parties with music are also held in the atrium and those events usually started around
10 pm on our last cruise.
The late night venues and their opening times are listed in the Carnival Sunshine Fun Times
posted on our website, TheJellyBeans.net
When it comes to room types, many people think that balcony is best, but that’s not
always the case.
Although we thoroughly enjoyed our Deck 7 balcony on the first leg of our back-to-back
cruises, we also enjoyed the oceanview cabin on Deck 1 that we had for the second leg.
The oceanview cabin was more spacious, and quiet, and we didn’t feel the swaying of
the ship as much as we did on higher decks.
It also made it a breeze to return from port
since the gangway at most ports was on Deck Zero.
The downside was that it didn’t come with a fridge or a balcony and it also wasn’t
as close to the activities on the upper decks.
We love decorating our stateroom door and so does our little JellyBean.
It’s fun and it makes it so much easier for us to find our room.
To avoid your decorations possibly being removed, be sure to check the Carnival website for
their current policy.
One thing to be aware of is that regular magnets did not work on any of the state room doors
we’ve had on the Sunshine.
In fact, the stateroom ceiling was the only place we could find in our staterooms to hang
our magnetic decorations.
It’s pretty obvious that many people use more than magnets to hang decorations, but
be sure to check with your room steward before doing so.
If you are returning from port on Deck Zero Forward and there is a long line for the elevators,
we recommend walking up the stairs to Deck 1 and then walking to the elevators in the
middle or back of the ship, which won’t be as busy.
Or, you can simply walk up to Deck 2, where you can catch one of ten elevators, four of
which are the glass atrium elevators that aren’t available from Decks Zero and 1.
While many of the Cloud 9 Spa Services and features require additional fees or a spa-level
stateroom, the fitness equipment, locker rooms, showers, and some other features are complimentary
for all guests 18 years and older.
Check with the spa attendants for more information.
If you are interested in the Spa, they offer tours on embarkation day and have a drawing
for spa-related prizes in the early evening.
Check the Fun Times for the start time; you have to present to win.
Most nights the Jumbo-Tron over the mid-ship pool plays movies that can be viewed from
lounge chairs spread throughout the pool deck area as well as the Serenity (adults only) area.
The movie schedule can be found in the Fun Times, but the location of the popcorn machine
isn’t advertised.
You can find it behind the Red Frog Rum Bar next to the pool on the starboard,
or right side, of the ship.
If you or a family member are a big fan of the towel animals that show up every night
in your stateroom, make sure you check the Fun Times towards the end of your cruise for
the time and location of the Towel Animal Invasion.
We recommend arriving early as the towel animals tend to disappear.
If you need to wash or press your clothes, laundry rooms with washing machines, dryers,
irons, and ironing boards are available midship on most stateroom levels.
A listing of the laundry facilities is typically found in the “Good to Know” flyer delivered
to your stateroom the first day.
If you need an extra copy of the Fun Times, which lists the daily activities and more,
check the coffee shop internet cafe area on Deck 5.
Activities are also listed on the Carnival Hub app.
If you enjoy trivia, like we do, there are typically three locations for trivia.
The most obvious one is the Ocean Plaza, where trivia is regularly held during the day.
Less obvious is the Sports Bar, which hosts Sports Trivia in the evenings.
And the least obvious is the Red Frog Pub Quiz held later at night in the Red Frog Pub
on Deck 5.
The Miniature Golf course is located on Deck 12, with the first hole located on the port
side -- the left side -- of the ship.
Before you begin, you will need to pick up a ball and club, which are also located on
the port side of the ship, but on Deck 11.
If you do not see balls and clubs, check to see if passengers have left their equipment
at end of the course, which is also on Deck 11, but on the starboard side.
The Sky Course Ropes course is available to guests who are 48 inches and taller.
The ropes course usually has limited operating hours.
On some days it is scheduled to open for just a few hours.
And if the weather is bad or if it is too windy, it is closed.
If the ropes course is on your Vacation Bucket List, we recommend doing it as soon as you
have the opportunity.
If you’re interested in the slides at Waterworks, the line for the slower yellow slide was consistently
much shorter on our cruises than the line for the much faster racing slides.
The minimum height to ride all three slides is 42 inches.
If you’re trying to find the Medical Center on a Carnival Sunshine map – either onboard
or online – don’t be surprised if you don’t find it because those maps tend to
start with Deck 1.
The Medical Center is located on Deck Zero in the front of the ship.
We hope these additional tips help you have even more fun on your next cruise aboard the
Carnival Sunshine!