Carnival Sunrise

The 1999-built/2013-reconstructed Carnival Sunrise cruise ship was originally launched as "Carnival Triumph" and inaugurated on October 30, 1999.

Following a major refurbishment in 2013 (Fun Ship 2.0), the vessel received a second emergency backup generator and advanced fire detection systems. Triumph was also redecorated and outfitted with new bars, lounges, and entertainment venues. As a class, Carnival Triumph was the second of three Destiny-class sisterships, alongside Destiny-Sunshine and Victory-Radiance.

The vessel (IMO number 9138850) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 308045000) and registered in Nassau.

History – Construction and Ownership

Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) is a US-based cruise brand and subsidiary of Carnival Corporation. CCL was established in 1972 by Ted Arison (1924–1999, also co-founder of Norwegian Cruise Line).

CCL operates the largest fleet in the Carnival Corporation portfolio, by both number of ships and total passenger capacity. In 2023, Carnival Cruise Line held approximately 9% of global cruise industry revenue and 19% of total passengers. In 2024, Carnival Corporation accounted for around 51% of the US$64+ billion global cruise market.

The 3000-passenger Carnival Triumph had the interior design theme "Great Cities of the World." In March-April 2019, the ship underwent a ~USD 200 million refurbishment and was renamed "Carnival Sunrise." The refurbished vessel was reclassified as a Sunshine-class ship, offering the same amenities as sistership Carnival Sunshine (formerly Carnival Destiny, refitted in 2013 for USD 155 million).

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Sunrise staterooms (1492 total, in 32 categories) include 54 Suites, 522 Balcony, 326 Oceanview, and 611 Inside cabins. Most staterooms measure 185 ft² / 17 m². The ship has 89 Cloud 9 Spa cabins and 46 wheelchair-accessible staterooms. Most balconies are sized at 35 ft² / 3 m². The largest accommodations are the Captain’s Suites (500 ft² / 46 m² plus 150 ft² / 14 m² terrace), which sleep up to 5 guests.

The ship has 13 passenger decks, 10 of which are with cabins.

Shipboard Dining Options – Food and Drinks

Carnival Sunrise features several Fun Ship 2.0 dining upgrades, including Guy's Burger Joint, Cucina del Capitano, and BlueIguana Cantina. Additional venues include the specialty Chopsticks Asian Kitchen. There are two main dining rooms: Sunset (midship) and Sunrise (aft, double-deck). The complimentary Punchliner Comedy Brunch, available on sea days, features brief comedy sets every hour from 9 am to 1:30 pm.

Complete list of Carnival Sunrise restaurants and food bars:

• Sunset Restaurant (forward MDR, fixed or "Your Time Dining")
• Sunrise Restaurant (aft MDR, fixed seating; themed “Seuss At Sea” breakfasts; Punchliner Brunch)
• Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse (specialty, reservations-only, $75 Chef’s Table available)
• Fat Jimmy’s C-Side BBQ (complimentary pork sandwiches and barbecue)
• Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse (fast food)
• BlueIguana Cantina (Mexican-style complimentary venue)
• Lido Marketplace (buffet-style restaurant with varied food stations)
• Seafood Shack (casual dining with indoor/outdoor seating)
• Cucina del Capitano (Italian eatery; à la carte dinner for a surcharge, complimentary lunch)
• Pizzeria del Capitano (24-hour, complimentary)
• Chopsticks Asian Kitchen (Chinese/Mongolian fare)
• Bonsai Sushi Bar (complimentary) and Bonsai Express (poolside)
• JavaBlue Café
• Guy's Burger Joint also introduced a breakfast menu in November 2019.

Shipboard Entertainment Options – Fun and Sports

Carnival invested heavily in lights and sound enhancements for onboard shows, which are now showcased with ultra-HD graphics as performance backdrops. The Liquid Lounge serves as the 800-seat, two-level main theater and hosts various themed shows.

The ship offers a wide variety of entertainment and activities, from ballroom dancing, live music, and art auctions to contests like "hairy chest" and "knobby knees," bingo, and karaoke. Compared to Carnival Sunshine, Sunrise has a smaller WaterWorks located midship (Sunshine's is aft).

Sunrise does not feature the SkyCourse ropes course (available on Sunshine).

Complete list of Carnival Sunrise lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues:

• Sunrise Atrium (9-deck-high with Lobby Bar)
• FunHub (Internet café)
• Liquid Lounge (800-seat, 2-level theater)
• Limelight Lounge (Punchliner Comedy Club by day, nightclub by night)
• Ocean Plaza (live music, trivia)
• The Library Bar, Piano 88 Bar, Skybox Sports Bar, Java Blue Cafe, The Taste Bar, Alchemy Bar
• RedFrog Pub (live music, international beers, ThirstyFrog beer)
• RedFrog Rum Bar (Caribbean rums and ThirstyFrog Red)
• BlueIguana Tequila Bar (Mexican beer, margaritas)
• Pixels Photo Gallery, Dreams Photo Studio, Cherry On Top candy shop, and The Fun Shops (souvenirs, liquor, fashion, jewelry)
• Circle C (kids’ club with movies, video games, activities)
• The Warehouse (video arcade), Club O2 (teen lounge with movies, karaoke)
• Sunrise Casino (with Sunshine Casino Bar)
• Seaside Theatre (outdoor LED movie screen)
• Serenity (adults-only sun deck with loungers, hammocks, Serenity Bar)
• Beach Pool area with 2 whirlpools; Carnival WaterWorks (2 slides, splash zone, whirlpool)
• Camp Carnival (kids’ club with complimentary program)
• Cloud 9 Spa and Fitness Center (gym, sauna, steam room, thermal suites, salon, 15 treatment rooms, ZSpa for teens)
• SportSquare (basketball/volleyball court, jogging track, ping-pong, mini-golf, shuffleboard)

The 2024 drydock also added the Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge—a signature venue in partnership with Operation Homefront, featuring cozy leather seating, low tables, and large TVs for live sports broadcasts.

Itineraries

Launched on April 29, 2019, Carnival Sunrise began operating 7-day roundtrips from Norfolk, VA, followed by 4- and 5-day cruises from Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas and the Western/Eastern Caribbean.

In 2019-2020, Sunrise operated 4- to 14-day roundtrips from New York City, Fort Lauderdale, and Norfolk:

• From NYC: five 4-day Bermuda cruises, one 6-day Bermuda cruise, one 8-day Caribbean/Bermuda cruise, three 7-day Canada-New England voyages, several 8- and 10-day Caribbean sailings, and one 14-day Carnival Journeys Panama Canal cruise.
• From Fort Lauderdale: 4- and 5-day Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean itineraries, and 5-day Western Caribbean trips to Ocho Rios and Grand Cayman.
• From Norfolk: 5- and 6-day Bahamas roundtrips to Nassau, Freeport, and Half Moon Cay.
• In late 2019 and early 2020, 5-day cruises from Fort Lauderdale included itineraries to Half Moon Cay and Havana, Cuba.

Previously, Carnival Triumph operated 4- and 5-day Western Caribbean short-breaks from Galveston, TX, visiting ports like Cozumel and Progreso, Yucatan. From April 2016, Triumph began sailing from New Orleans.

Carnival Sunrise's current itinerary program is based on homeporting in Miami (Florida). In 2027, the ship is scheduled to operate 4- to 6-day roundtrips visiting the Bahamian private destinations Celebration Key and RelaxAway/Half Moon Cay, some itineraries also include Nassau.

Carnival Triumph was the first ship in the Carnival fleet to offer mobile phone connectivity at sea through the "Cellular at Sea" system by Wireless Maritime Services. This partnership between AT&T and MTN Satellite Communications allowed passengers to make direct cell phone calls while sailing.

The Fincantieri Monfalcone-built Carnival Triumph was christened by godmother Madeleine Arison, wife of Micky Arison (Chairman of Carnival Corporation). As a Post-Panamax vessel (too large to transit the Panama Canal), she was launched on July 1 and embarked on her maiden voyage on October 30, 1999. The ship's interior design theme is "Great Cities of the World."

The Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade was completed in 2013.

Fun fact: Carnival Triumph shared her name with the 2017-launched "MOL Triumph," one of the world's largest container ships (capacity 20,170 TEUs), operated by MOL Shipping.

The godmother of Carnival Sunrise is Kelly Arison, daughter of Micky Arison. The ship’s christening ceremony took place on May 23, 2019, at the Manhattan Cruise Passenger Terminal in Port NYC New York. The event featured a 4-ft (1.2-m) tall champagne bottle sculpture filled with confetti, custom-made by Brazilian artist Romero Britto (b. 1963).

Captain Bruno Palomba oversaw the ship during drydock, while Captain Isidoro Renda took command after the relaunch. Captain Renda, an Italian national and Naples graduate, joined Carnival in 2010 as Second Officer and became Captain in 2016. His prior experience includes service with TIRRENIA Ferries and MSC Cruises. Other key officers include Mauro Fabbrini (Chief Engineer), Nicola Tonelli (Chief Engineer), and Caroline Bourke (Hotel Director).

Carnival Sunrise Refurbishment 2024 Review

Carnival Sunrise's first drydock as "Sunrise" took place in February-March 2024 at Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz, Spain. The ship departed Miami on February 1 and arrived in Cadiz on February 10.

The two-week drydock (February 1–27) involved routine maintenance, safety inspections, classification works, hull cleaning and painting, and general technical and interior renovations. CCL's signature red-white-blue hull livery was also applied.

All public areas and passenger staterooms were refreshed during the project. The ship also received the new Heroes Tribute Bar—a Carnival signature venue.

Carnival Triumph–Sunrise Ship Conversion: 2019 Refurbishment Review

Following a 38-day drydock refit (February 26–April 28, 2019) at Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz, Spain, Carnival Triumph was renamed "Carnival Sunrise."

The upgraded ship introduced 12 new bar and dining venues along with several fleetwide features, including: RedFrog Pub (Caribbean rums and Carnival ThirstyFrog Red Ale), Chef’s Table (VIP dining experience), SportsSquare (ropes course, basketball court, jogging track, 9-hole mini-golf), Carnival WaterWorks (two waterslides: 203 ft / 62 m and 212 ft / 65 m), Serenity Retreat (adults-only lounge), Video Arcade, Fun Shops, comedy club, and a new theater.

Carnival Sunrise added four new suites—two Captain’s Suites (850 ft² / 79 m²) and two Grand OceanView Suites (320 ft² / 30 m²). All staterooms were fully renovated. The Captain’s Suites accommodate up to 5 guests and are located next to the Navigation Bridge.

Comparison of "Triumph–Sunrise" ship capacity changes (cabins and facilities):

• Passengers: 2758 → 2984 (max capacity 3310 → 3730)
• Crew/staff: 1040 → 1110
• Passenger space ratio: 31 → 27
• Lounges/bars: 18 → 22
• Swimming pools: 4 → 3
• Cabin decks: 8 → 10
• Total staterooms: 1379 → 1492
• Captain’s Suites: 0 → 2
• Grand Suites: 8 → 10
• Ocean Suites: 40 → 41
• Junior Suites: 2 → 1
• Premium Balconies: 8 → 8
• Balcony cabins: 464 → 494
• Scenic Oceanview: 0 → 6
• Oceanviews: 317 → 302
• Interior with Picture Window: 19 → 12
• Porthole cabins: 6 → 6
• Inside cabins: 497 → 594
• Small Interior: 18 → 17

Carnival Triumph Refurbishment 2013 Review

The 2013 drydock upgrades included the following enhancements:

• New dining venues on Lido Deck 9: Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina
• New bars: BlueIguana Tequila Bar (Deck 9), Alchemy Bar (Promenade Deck 5), EA SPORTS Bar (Deck 5, replacing Olympic Bar), RedFrog Rum Bar (Deck 5)
• Various technical enhancements were also implemented.

Carnival Triumph’s final drydock before the 2019 conversion was March 21–April 6, 2016.

Below is a full list of Carnival Triumph lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults:

• Triumph Atrium Capitol Lobby (9-deck-high midship open area with Capitol Lobby Bar)
• Internet Café (24-hour access)
• Rome Theatre (1500-seat, 3-level main show lounge)
• Washington Library; Oxford Bar (153-seat cigar bar); Olympic Bar (55-seat sports bar); Vienna Café; Alchemy Bar; California Bar; The Big Easy Bar (100-seat piano bar); Venezia Lounge and Bar (jazz lounge)
• RedFrog Rum Bar (Caribbean rums and ThirstyFrog Red beer)
• BlueIguana Tequila Bar (Mexican beers, margaritas, specialty drinks)
• Club Rio Lounge (425-seat, hosts Punchliner Comedy Club and brunch)
• Photo Gallery and Shop; Photo Studio; The Fun Shops (souvenirs, watches, jewelry, duty-free liquor, fashion boutiques); Formalities Shop (tuxedo rentals and gifts)
• Circle C (kids’ lounge with movies, video games, parties, activities)
• Underground Tokyo Video Arcade (24-hour); Club O2 (teen lounge with movies, karaoke, parties)
• Club Monaco Casino (184-seat, with World’s Bar)
• Hollywood Disco and Nightclub (211-seat)
• Seaside Theatre (LED screen outdoor cinema)
• Serenity (adults-only area with Serenity Pool, Bar, Spa Whirlpool, waterfall, loungers, hammocks)
• Continent Pool (two whirlpools, two Continent Bars, stage for live shows); New World Pool (two whirlpools, New World Bar, pizza and grill, retractable glass roof); Aqua Park (Universe Pool with Twister Waterslide, whirlpool, splash pools, fountains)
• Camp Carnival (kids' club with play area and complimentary programming)
• Spa Carnival (gym, fitness studio, saunas, steam rooms, beauty salon, treatment rooms)
• SportSquare (basketball/volleyball court, jogging track, ping-pong tables, 9-hole mini-golf, shuffleboard)

Here is the complete list of Carnival Triumph restaurants and food bars:

• London Restaurant (forward Main Dining Room; fixed or “Your Time Dining”; offers themed breakfasts like “Seuss At Sea” for $5 cover charge)
• Paris Restaurant (1114-seat aft Main Dining Room; open seating for breakfast and lunch; fixed dinner seatings)
• Guy’s Burger Joint (fast food bar)
• BlueIguana Cantina (Mexican restaurant with house-made tortillas, burritos, tacos; complimentary)
• South Beach Club Lido Buffet (1252-seat, 2-level self-service venue with multiple food stations; operates as a bistro in the evening)
• Sushi Bar (complimentary)