Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Sunshine vs Disney Destiny
The Carnival Sunshine was built in 2013. It was renovated in 2025. The Sunshine was previously known as the Destiny from 1996 - 2013, but was renamed after it went through huge renovations. It's 12 years older than the Destiny, which was built in 2025. The Disney Destiny is inspired by stories of heroes and villains. You'll enter the ship through the Grand Hall which is themed after Marvel's Black Panther. Outside the ship, you'll see Spider-man painting the name on the stern.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Sunshine is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 893 feet long and 125 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.5 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 13-story building. Compared to the Disney Destiny, the Sunshine is 29% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Sunshine holds 25% fewer passengers than the Destiny based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Sunshine has less space per person compared to the Destiny.
| Carnival Sunshine | Disney Destiny | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Sunshine | Wish |
| Gross Tonnage | 102,853 | 144,000 |
| Length | 893 | 1,119 |
| Beam/Width | 125 | 128 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,002 | 4,000 |
| Crew | 920 | 1,555 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 3.3 | 2.6 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 34 | 36 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Sunshine has fourteen different dining options like Pizzeria del Capitano, Bonsai Sushi, and Seafood Shack. Of those options, twelve are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other seven options have an additional fee.
The Destiny has four fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are 1923, Enchante by Chef Arnaud Lallement, and Marceline Market. Five of these restaurants are complementary and the other five have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Sunshine might be a better choice. It has 40% more dining options than the Destiny.
Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.
| Carnival Sunshine | Disney Destiny | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 14 | 10 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 12 | 5 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 7 | 5 |
| % of Included Options | 50% | 50% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Carnival Sunshine and Disney Destiny both have 14 bars to choose from during your sailing. The Sunshine has 14 bars like Piano Bar 88, RedFrog Pub and Serenity Pool Bar. On Destiny, you can grab a drink at 14 different bars such as Cask & Cannon, Currents and Saga.
| Carnival Sunshine | Disney Destiny |
|---|---|
| •Alchemy Bar • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Casino Bar • Havana Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Limelight Lounge • Ocean Plaza Bar • Piano Bar 88 • RedFrog Pub • RedFrog Rum Bar • Serenity Pool Bar • Shake Spot • SkyBox Sports Bar | •Café Megara • Cafe Merida • Cask & Cannon • Concierge Lounge • Cove Bar • Cove Cafe • Currents • De Vil's • Lookout • Saga • The Haunted Mansion Parlor • The Rose • The Sanctum • Triton Lounge |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Sunshine and the Destiny below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Carnival Sunshine has a total of 2 pools and 3 hot tubs.
Disney Destiny has more pools than the Sunshine and the same number of hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Destiny. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and one of the hot tubs are adults only on Sunshine.| Carnival Sunshine | Disney Destiny | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 8 |
| Pools - General Access | 1 | 6 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 2 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Sunshine. Only 73% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Destiny, 83% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Carnival Sunshine | Disney Destiny | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✗ |
| Character experiences | ✗ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Kid's Play Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Movie Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Outdoor gym | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ropes course | ✓ | ✗ |
| Salon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water Coaster | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Carnival is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Disney, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Carnival Sunshine | Disney Destiny | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.00 | Included |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.75 See drink menus | $6.50 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $83 - $88 Learn more | No drink package available |
| Internet Plan | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day | $12 - $36 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
With Disney Cruises, soda is included for meals, but will have an extra cost at bars and throughout the day. While no drink packages are available, you can preorder bottles of wine or beer at a discount.
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