Cruise Spotlight
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Celebrity Reflection vs Carnival Sunshine
The Celebrity Reflection was built in 2012. It's 1 year older than the Sunshine, which was built in 2013 and renovated in 2025. The Sunshine was previously known as the Destiny from 1996 - 2013, but was renamed after it went through huge renovations.
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 Reflection is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,047 feet long and 123 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.9 football fields, as wide as 2.3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 13-story building. Compared to the Carnival Sunshine, the Reflection is 23% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Celebrity Reflection holds about the same number of passengers as the Sunshine based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Reflection has more space per person compared to the Sunshine. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| Celebrity Reflection | Carnival Sunshine | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Solstice | Sunshine |
| Gross Tonnage | 126,000 | 102,853 |
| Length | 1,047 | 893 |
| Beam/Width | 123 | 125 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,030 | 3,002 |
| Crew | 1,293 | 920 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 3.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 42 | 34 |
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 Reflection has twelve different dining options like Mast Grill, Sushi on Five, and Murano. Of those options, nine are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eight options have an additional fee.
The Sunshine has two more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Cucina Del Capitano, The Chef's Table, and Carnival Deli. twelve of these restaurants are complementary and the other seven have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Sunshine might be a better choice. It has 17% more dining options than the Reflection.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Sunshine might be a better choice then the Reflection. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Celebrity Reflection | Carnival Sunshine | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 12 | 14 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 9 | 12 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 8 | 7 |
| % of Included Options | 33% | 50% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Celebrity Reflection has 1 more bar than the Carnival Sunshine. The Reflection has 14 bars like Cafe al Bacio, Mast Bar and Sunset Bar. On Reflection, you can grab a drink at 13 different bars such as Java Blue Cafe, Piano Bar 88 and RedFrog Pub.
| Celebrity Reflection | Carnival Sunshine |
|---|---|
| •Cafe al Bacio • Casino Bar • Cellar Masters • Ensemble Lounge • Entertainment Court Bar • Il Secondo Bacio • Martini Bar • Mast Bar • Michael's Club • Passport Bar • Pool Bar • Sky Observation Lounge • Sunset Bar • World Class Bar | •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 • Shake Spot • SkyBox Sports Bar |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Reflection serves Coca Cola branded products. That includes drinks like Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. The Sunshine serves the Pepsi family of products. That means Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry, Mug Root Beer, and Mountain Dew.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Reflection and the Sunshine 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 Celebrity Reflection has a total of 3 pools and 6 hot tubs.
Carnival Sunshine has fewer pools than the Reflection and fewer hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Reflection.| Celebrity Reflection | Carnival Sunshine | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 1 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 1 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 |
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 Reflection. Only 64% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Sunshine, 73% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Celebrity Reflection | Carnival Sunshine | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bingo | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lawn Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✗ | ✓ |
| Outdoor gym | ✗ | ✓ |
| Outdoor movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ropes course | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✗ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✗ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Celebrity 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.
Carnival, on the other hand, 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.
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.
| Celebrity Reflection | Carnival Sunshine | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $4.00 | $3.00 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.00 See drink menus | $8.75 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $55 - $99 Learn more | $83 - $88 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 per device per day | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
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