All about the Carnival Sunshine

Carnival Sunshine cruise ship
Carnival Sunshine

The Carnival Sunshine was built in 2013. It's considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 893 ft long and 125 ft 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. The Sunshine was previously known as the Destiny from 1996 - 2013, but was renamed after it went through huge rennovations.

Carnival Sunshine Overview

Carnival Sunshine Size and Passengers

The Sunshine can hold 3,002 based on double occupancy (two people per room) and more when you take into account 3rd and 4th passengers. When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, the Sunshine has a space ratio of 34. Depending on the ship, this number can range from 30 to 52 (with a bigger number meaning more space per person) so this ship has less space per person than average.



Carnival
Sunshine
ClassSunshine
Gross Tonnage102,853
Length893
Beam/Width125
Passenger Decks13
Passengers (double occupancy)3,002
Crew920
Passenger to Crew Ratio3.3
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)34
Carnival Sunshine Space Ratio
30 34 52

The Sunshine is one of three Sunshine-class ships currently sailing with Carnival. Sunshine-class ships are all previous Carnival ships that have been completely overhauled. They've been upgraded with bigger splash parks, a SportSquare, ropes course, new dining options like Cucina Del Capitano, and more. The Sunshine is very similar to its sister-ships; Sunrise and Radiance, although each ship may have some differences.


Carnival Sunshine Food and Restaurants

Food is a big part of any cruise, and there will plenty on the Carnival Sunshine. You have 14 different dining options to choose from. Of those options, 7 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 7 options have an additional fee. Some of those options are a set price and some have a la cart menu pricing. Only 50% of the dining options are included meaning you might spend more while on the ship due to the additional fees.

RestaurantRestaurant TypeCostType of Food
Blue Iguana CantinaQuick serveIncludedMexican
Bonsai SushiSit downA la cartAsian
Carnival DeliQuick serveIncludedSandwiches
Cucina Del CapitanoSit downFlat feeItalian
Guy's Burger JointQuick serveIncludedAmerican
JavaBlue CafeQuick serveA la cartCoffee
JiJi Asian KitchenSit downFlat feeAsian
Lido BuffetBuffetIncludedBuffet
Main Dining RoomSit downIncludedMain dining room
Pizzeria del CapitanoQuick serveIncludedPizza
Seafood ShackQuick serveA la cartSeafood
SteakhouseSit downFlat feeSteakhouse
SwirlsQuick serveIncludedDessert
The Chef's TableSit downFlat feeFoodie

Carnival Sunshine Bars and Drinks

Piano Bar 88 on the Carnival Sunshine
Piano Bar 88 on the Carnival Sunshine

Carnival Sunshine has 13 different bars and lounges where you can enjoy a beer or cocktail.

BarLocation
Alchemy BarDeck 5 MidSee Menu
Atrium BarDeck 3 MidSee Menu
BlueIguana Tequila BarDeck 9 MidSee Menu
Casino BarDeck 5 MidSee Menu
Havana BarDeck 9 AftSee Menu
Java Blue CafeDeck 5 MidSee Menu
Limelight LoungeDeck 4 MidSee Menu
Ocean Plaza BarDeck 5 MidSee Menu
Piano Bar 88Deck 4 MidSee Menu
RedFrog PubDeck 5 MidSee Menu
RedFrog Rum BarDeck 9 MidSee Menu
Shake SpotDeck 5 Mid
SkyBox Sports BarDeck 5 MidSee Menu

Alcohol is not included in the base price of this cruise ship. To see if you would save money with a drink package, try our Drink Package Calculator.

Carnival also serves the Pepsi family of products. That means Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry, Mug Root Beer, and Mountain Dew, although the selection can vary by ship.

Pools and Hot Tubs on Carnival Sunshine

Lido Pool on the Carnival Sunshine
Lido Pool on the Carnival Sunshine

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day in a pool, a cruise might not be the right choice. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.

The Carnival Sunshine has a total of 2 pools and 3 hot tubs.

Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are adults only.

Carnival
Sunshine
Total Pools2
- Pools - General Access1
- Pools - Adults Only1
- Pools - Exclusive0
Total Hot Tubs3
- Hot Tubs - General Access2
- Hot Tubs - Adults Only1
- Hot Tubs - Exclusive0


cruise coloring book

Cruise Coloring and Activity Books for Kids
Get your kids ready for their cruise or keep them entertained while on board with our custom made coloring and activity books. These are the Carnival editions with featuring places Pizza Pirate and mini-golf.

Cruise Ship Coloring Book for Kids 3-5 - Carnival Edition

Let's Get Cruising Activity Book for Kids 6-8 - Carnival Edition

Carnival Sunshine Features and Activities

There are quite a few things to do on the Sunshine. These are the main amenities that are available. Some are included in the cost of the cruise, while others have an additional charge.

Carnival
Sunshine
Adult Only Relaxation AreaIncluded
ArcadeA la cart
BasketballIncluded
CasinoA la cart
Comedy ClubIncluded
Dr Seuss BreakfastA la cart
Fitness CenterIncluded
Jogging TrackIncluded
Mini golfIncluded
Outdoor gymIncluded
Pool-side MoviesIncluded
Ropes courseIncluded
Splash parkIncluded
Thermal SuitesFlat fee
Water slidesIncluded

Cruise Costs

Carnival is 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.

The cost will also vary depending on the type of cabin you book. You can see the differences between the Carnival cabins and how to choose the best one here:

Carnival Sunshine 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 understand what you might spend onboard a Carnival ship.

Carnival
Base Daily Gratuities*
(Per Person Per Day)
$16.00
Tip added to drinks & services18%
Soda Price$3.00
Domestic Beer Price$8.75
See drink menus
Drink Package Price$59.95 - $69.95
Learn more
Internet Plan$15.30 to $21.25 per device per day
*Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates.

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