Carnival Sunshine

The 1996-built/2013-reconstructed Carnival Sunshine cruise ship was originally named "Carnival Destiny." Following a major refurbishment in 2013 (USD 155 million drydock), the vessel was renamed Sunshine. As a class, Carnival Sunshine was the first of the three Destiny-class ships operated by Carnival, alongside Victory-Radiance and Triumph-Sunrise. Today, the ship belongs to the unique Sunshine-class.

The vessel (IMO number 9070058) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 308017000) and registered in Nassau.

History - construction and ownership

Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) is a US-based shipping company, trademarked brand, and a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation (the shipowner). CCL was founded in 1972 as an independent company by Ted Arison (1924–1999, co-founder of NCL Norwegian).

CCL operates the Corporation's largest fleet in terms of number of vessels and GT-tonnage (gross tonnage/passenger capacity). In 2023, Carnival Cruise Line accounted for approximately 9% of global cruise industry revenue and about 19% of its passenger volume. In 2024, Carnival Corporation held a ~51% share of the US$64+ billion cruise market.

The 3000-passenger Carnival Sunshine is not a Dream-class ship, but incorporates many features found on Carnival Breeze and Carnival Magic—such as high-energy, casual experiences including short-format comedy shows, brief production performances, sushi, burgers, and burritos. The Fun Ship 2.0 concept debuted on Carnival Magic in 2011 and continued with Carnival Breeze in 2012. Below is a photo of the original Carnival Destiny.

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Sunshine staterooms (1,501 total) include 53 Suites, 518 Balcony, 320 Oceanview, and 624 Inside cabins across 34 categories. Most cabins are 185 ft² / 17 m² with balconies ranging from 35–85 ft² / 4–8 m². Family/connecting cabins can accommodate up to five passengers. The largest accommodations are the Captain’s Suites (500 ft² / 46 m² plus 150 ft² / 14 m² terrace), also with max capacity of five guests. The ship also features 89 Cloud 9 Spa cabins and 32 wheelchair-accessible cabins.

The vessel has 13 decks, 11 of which are passenger-accessible with cabins.

Shipboard Dining Options - Food and Drinks

Carnival Sunshine includes many of the Fun Ship 2.0 dining enhancements, such as Guy’s Burger Joint, Cucina del Capitano, and BlueIguana Cantina. Additional changes include the introduction of Ji Ji Asian Kitchen. There are two Main Dining Rooms—Sunset (midship) and the double-deck Sunrise (aft). A popular offering is the Punchliner Comedy Brunch, exclusive to sea days, with five-minute teaser shows presented every hour from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm.

Complete list of Carnival Sunshine restaurants and food venues:

• Sunset Restaurant (Main Dining Room, forward; two fixed seatings or "Your Time Dining")
• Sunrise Restaurant (Main Dining Room, aft; two fixed seatings; hosts themed “Seuss At Sea” breakfasts and Punchliner Comedy Brunch)
• Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse (alternative restaurant, reservations required, extra charge; hosts Chef’s Table at USD 75 per person)
• Fat Jimmy’s C-Side BBQ (complimentary lunch with pork sandwiches and BBQ)
• Guy’s Burger Joint (fast food grill)
• BlueIguana Cantina (complimentary Mexican-style venue offering burritos, tacos, and house-made tortillas)
• Lido Marketplace (buffet with various food stations; bistro-style service in evenings)
• Cucina del Capitano (Italian restaurant; complimentary lunch, à la carte dinner at extra charge)
• SeaDogs (complimentary hot dog stand)
• Ji Ji Asian Kitchen (Chinese and Mongolian cuisine)
• Bonsai Sushi Bar (complimentary sushi and Japanese offerings)

Shipboard Entertainment Options - Fun and Sport

Carnival invested significantly in lighting and sound effects for onboard shows, especially on Carnival Breeze and Sunshine. High-definition graphics are projected as dynamic backdrops during performances. The Liquid Lounge, doubling as the 800-seat main theater, hosts themed productions. While large and multi-level, the space lacks the intimacy of smaller venues.

Carnival Sunshine offers a wide range of activities and entertainment for all ages and interests—from ballroom dancing, classical concerts, and afternoon tea to game shows, karaoke, bingo, and quirky contests like hairy chest and knobby knees competitions.

List of Carnival Sunshine lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues:

• Sunshine Atrium (9-deck-high open space with Lobby Bar)
• FunHub (24-hour Internet lounge)
• Liquid Lounge and Theater (800-seat, 2-level main show lounge)
• Ocean Plaza (live music, games, and trivia)
• Library Bar, Piano 88 Bar, EA Sports Bar, Shake Spot, JavaBlue Café, The Taste Bar, Alchemy Bar, Havana Bar
• RedFrog Pub (English-style pub with live music and international beer selection including ThirstyFrog Red)
• RedFrog Rum Bar (Caribbean rums and ThirstyFrog Red draft beer)
• BlueIguana Tequila Bar (Mexican beers and margaritas)
• Limelight Lounge (Punchliner Comedy Club venue)
• Pixels Photo Gallery, Dreams Photo Studio, Cherry On Top (candy shop and retail)
• Circle C (kids' club for movies, games, and activities)
• Warehouse Video Arcade (24-hour gaming); Club O2 (teen lounge for karaoke, movies, and events)
• Sunshine Casino and Sunshine Casino Bar
• Seaside Theatre (outdoor LED screen cinema)
• Serenity (adults-only retreat with pool, bar, whirlpool, loungers, hammocks)
• Beach Pool area (with two whirlpools); Carnival WaterWorks (with five waterslides, a whirlpool, and SplashZone)
• Camp Carnival (complimentary kids' program and playroom)
• Cloud 9 Spa and Fitness Center (gym, sauna, steam rooms, beauty salon, treatment rooms, ZSpa for teens)
• SportSquare (basketball/volleyball court, jogging track, table tennis, mini golf, shuffleboard)

Itineraries

Carnival Sunshine’s itinerary program includes roundtrip cruises to the Eastern Caribbean and Bahamas from Norfolk, Virginia. In 2016, the ship introduced Bermuda itineraries—7-day voyages from New York City and 5-day cruises from Norfolk.

In May 2019, Carnival Sunshine began year-round Bahamas cruises from Charleston, South Carolina, including 4-day (to Nassau) and 5-day (to Nassau and Half Moon Cay) voyages. Service from Charleston started with the May 18th maiden voyage and ended in 2024, with the final cruise departing December 30. Carnival Sunshine replaced Carnival Ecstasy (moved to Jacksonville, Florida), while Carnival Elation was repositioned to Port Canaveral.

In December 2022, CCL announced that between February and April 2025, Carnival Sunshine will be homeported in Norfolk VA. Bookings opened for the following 4 roundtrip itineraries:

• (6-day Bahamas) to North Bimini, Nassau, Freeport; or Nassau, Half Moon Cay, Freeport
• (8-day Eastern Caribbean) to Amber Cove (Dominican Republic), Grand Turk, Princess Cays; or Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk, Amber Cove

Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade was completed in 2013. Carnival Sunshine is one of Carnival’s "old-new" liners, representing a major transformation project. The original Carnival Destiny (built in 1996 by Fincantieri Monfalcone) underwent an extensive drydock refit and refurbishment in Europe (Trieste, Italy) at a cost of USD 155 million. In 2013, the vessel was reborn as the brand-new Carnival "Fun Ship 2.0" under the name Carnival Sunshine. Carnival Destiny’s sister ships were the CCL vessels Triumph (Sunrise since 2019) and Victory (Radiance since 2020), along with Costa Fortuna and Costa Magica.

Carnival Sunshine (Monfalcone shipyard, hull number 5941) is powered by Wartsila-Sulzer marine diesel engines (models 8ZAV40S and 8ZAL40), generating a total power output of 63.36 MW.

The interior redesign of Sunshine was completed by Partner Design (Hamburg-based company), while the original Destiny interiors were designed by Joe Francus. The new ship features modern amenities, additional venues, expanded dining options, and an upgraded onboard entertainment program with three new grand production shows.

As a Destiny-class vessel, Carnival Destiny was the world's first cruise ship to exceed 100,000 GT in size. Her Inaugural Cruise took place on November 24, 1996. Carnival Sunshine's Inaugural Cruise departed on April 12, 2013, on a 14-day Mediterranean voyage from Venice to Barcelona.

Carnival Destiny's history includes several chartered and themed cruises, such as the first-ever "311 Caribbean Cruise" (March 2011), the inaugural "Kiss Kruise" (October 2011), and the debut "Weezer Cruise" (January 2012).

Carnival Destiny–Sunshine Refurbishment 2013 Conversion Review

Carnival Sunshine was most recently drydocked from January 15–31, 2025, in France at Chantier Naval de Marseille. The drydocking included routine maintenance and classification work, machinery and systems overhauls, hull cleaning and repainting, and general hotel upgrades. The project also included installation of new synthetic flooring on all open decks, motion-sensor lights in all staterooms, full refurbishment of outdoor activity areas (WaterWorks park, ropes course, mini-golf, jogging track), upgrades to the Fitness Center (new cardio machines), and updates to the Casino (including a new host desk on Promenade Deck).

The most significant and expensive transformation in Carnival’s history remains the 2013 conversion of Carnival Destiny to Carnival Sunshine. The 49-day drydock, conducted at Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard (Italy), cost USD 155 million and added a new partial deck and two forward decks. As a result, 182 new cabins were introduced, including 96 spa cabins, and all existing cabins were refurbished with new tropical-themed décor. Key additions from the refurbishment included:

• New venues: Ji Ji Asian Kitchen, Fat Jimmy’s BBQ, Cucina del Capitano, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, JavaBlue Café, Shake Spot, Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, Seaday Brunch, The Comfort Kitchen (Lido Marketplace), Havana Bar (with floor-to-ceiling windows), Sunshine Bar (Atrium), Alchemy Bar, RedFrog Pub, Cherry On Top, Punchliner Comedy Club, and Hasbro Game Show
• New cigar club (Casino Bar)
• CCL fleet's first 3-deck Serenity Retreat (adults-only) with Cloud 9 Spa package
• SportSquare – an open-air sports complex with ropes course, mini-golf, and a half-size sports court for basketball, volleyball, and tennis

In addition to the 2013 transformation, Carnival Sunshine underwent regular maintenance during drydock from October 14–21, 2018, in Freeport, Bahamas. A previous drydock was held from March 8–20, 2016.

In October–November 2021, Carnival Sunshine was drydocked at Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz, Spain, for general technical maintenance and to receive Carnival’s new livery.