Carnival Cruise Line · All Carnival Cruise Line ships · Sunshine Class

Carnival Sunshine: ship guide

Norfolk through May 2027, a Mediterranean summer with a solar eclipse, then Galveston.

Best for: Mid-Atlantic guests who want to drive to Norfolk for Bermuda or the Bahamas before May 2027, eclipse chasers for the summer 2027 Mediterranean season, and Texans looking for 10-night Western Caribbean cruises from late 2027. Sails from Norfolk, Barcelona, Civitavecchia (Rome), Galveston in 2026 and 2027.

Carnival Sunshine
Carnival Sunshine
102,853gross tons
3,002guests at double occupancy
1,040crew
13decks
2013entered service, refurbished 2025
892 ftlong

About Carnival Sunshine

Carnival Sunshine began life in 1996 as Carnival Destiny and was rebuilt over seven weeks in 2013 into the first Sunshine Class ship, re-entering service on May 5, 2013. She is 102,853 gross tons and 892 feet long, with 13 guest decks, 3,002 guests at double occupancy and a crew of about 1,040. The rebuild added the three-deck Serenity retreat with its waterfall, SportSquare with a ropes course, Carnival WaterWorks and a long list of restaurants and bars.

A dry dock in Marseille in January and February 2025 covered machinery, hull paint, new synthetic decking, motion-sensor stateroom lighting, refreshed WaterWorks, ropes course and mini golf and new fitness equipment. Dining spans Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina and Pizzeria del Capitano to JiJi Asian Kitchen, Cucina del Capitano, Bonsai Sushi and Fahrenheit 555, with the Havana Bar, RedFrog Pub, Alchemy Bar and Piano Bar 88 at night.

Carnival Sunshine sails from Norfolk, Virginia through mid-May 2027 on 4- to 9-night cruises to Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Eastern Caribbean and Canada. On May 15, 2027 she crosses to Europe for 15 Mediterranean sailings from Barcelona and Civitavecchia, including Carnival’s first calls in Tunisia and Morocco and a July 25 cruise timed for the August 2, 2027 solar eclipse. From November 17, 2027 she is based in Galveston for 4- to 10-night Western Caribbean cruises.

  • Three-deck Serenity adults-only retreat with a waterfall and its own pool
  • SportSquare with a ropes course, mini golf, basketball and jogging track
  • Carnival WaterWorks with the Speedway Splash racing slide and the Twister
  • JiJi Asian Kitchen, Cucina del Capitano, Bonsai Sushi and Fahrenheit 555
  • Havana Bar with live Latin music, RedFrog Pub, Alchemy Bar and Piano Bar 88
  • Cloud 9 Spa with thermal suites and spa staterooms on decks 10 and 11
  • Summer 2027 Mediterranean season with a solar eclipse cruise and Carnival’s first African ports
  • Norfolk through May 2027, then Galveston from November 2027

Staterooms and suites

Interior

Standard Interior, Porthole and Upper/Lower rooms, Interior with Picture Window rooms with a walkway or obstructed view and Cloud 9 Spa Interior rooms with priority spa reservations and thermal suite access.

Ocean View

Standard Ocean View rooms and Scenic Ocean View rooms with larger windows on the forward decks.

Balcony

Standard Balcony rooms, Premium Balcony rooms with more space, Aft-View Extended Balcony rooms over the wake, Premium Vista Balcony corner rooms and Cloud 9 Spa Balcony rooms with thermal suite use and two fitness classes per guest.

Suites

Ocean Suites, Cloud 9 Spa Suites, Grand Suites and the Captain’s Suite, each with priority check-in and boarding, priority dining times, a pillow-top mattress, bathrobes and complimentary wash-and-fold laundry.

Carnival Sunshine deck plans

Deck by deck, straight from our booking engine: the plan, the stateroom categories on that deck and the public rooms. Pick a deck.

Deck 14 - Serenity plan

Deck 14 - Serenity

Serenity, Bar, Spa.

  • SerenityThe world you'll find yourself in is one of complete peace, sea breezes, swaying hammocks, and, of course, a nearby bar. It's the place to get done the kind of stuff you just can't seem to do anywhere else - reconnect with your partner, finish that book, or do absolutely, blissfully, nothing at all.

Plans are the cruise line’s current drawings as supplied to our booking engine. Layouts change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the exact stateroom when you book.

On board Carnival Sunshine

Watches
Watches
Sunrise Dining Room
Sunrise Dining Room
Playlist Productions
Playlist Productions
Z Spa
Z Spa
Zumbini
Zumbini
WaterWorks
WaterWorks
Video Arcade
Video Arcade
Twister Waterslide
Twister Waterslide
Turtles
Turtles
The Warehouse
The Warehouse
The Punchliner Comedy Club
The Punchliner Comedy Club
The Chef's Table
The Chef's Table

Dining on Carnival Sunshine

Sunrise and Sunset Main Dining RoomsIncluded

Two main restaurants with a nightly changing sit-down menu, plus Seaday Brunch.

Lido MarketplaceIncluded

Buffet with international stations and the Carnival Deli.

Guy’s Burger JointIncluded

Guy Fieri’s burgers and fries by the pool.

BlueIguana CantinaIncluded

Fresh tacos and build-your-own burritos and bowls.

Pizzeria del CapitanoIncluded

Hand-tossed pizza around the clock.

Fahrenheit 555 SteakhouseSpecialty

Carnival’s signature reservation-only steakhouse.

JiJi Asian KitchenSpecialty

Full-service pan-Asian dinner with included lunch on sea days at Mongolian Wok.

Cucina del CapitanoSpecialty

Family-style Italian trattoria with included pasta at lunch.

Bonsai SushiSpecialty

Sit-down sushi, sashimi and rolls charged a la carte.

JavaBlue CaféSpecialty

Specialty coffee, milkshakes and pastries in the atrium.

Entertainment and activities

  • Playlist Productions musical revues in the Liquid Lounge
  • Punchliner Comedy Club with family and adults-only sets
  • Carnival WaterWorks with the Speedway Splash and Twister slides
  • Three-deck Serenity adults-only retreat with waterfall and pool
  • SportSquare ropes course, mini golf, basketball, ping pong and giant chess
  • Havana Bar, RedFrog Pub, Alchemy Bar, SkyBox Sports Bar and Piano Bar 88
  • Cloud 9 Spa with thermal suites and a fitness center re-equipped in 2025
  • Sunshine Casino and the Seaside Theatre outdoor movie screen

Families and who it suits

Camp Ocean for ages 2 to 11, Circle C for 12 to 14 and Club O2 for 15 to 17, Seuss at Sea character events, the WaterWorks splash zone and the ropes course and mini golf on SportSquare.

Best for: Mid-Atlantic guests who want to drive to Norfolk for Bermuda or the Bahamas before May 2027, eclipse chasers for the summer 2027 Mediterranean season, and Texans looking for 10-night Western Caribbean cruises from late 2027.

Sails from: Norfolk, Barcelona, Civitavecchia (Rome), Galveston · Regions: Bermuda, Bahamas, Eastern Caribbean, Canada & New England, Mediterranean, Western Caribbean

Days ashore

Shore excursions in Carnival Sunshine’s upcoming ports

The ports on Carnival Sunshine’s next sailings. Pick one to see the tours Shore Excursions Group runs there, book before you sail and skip the line at the pier.

Ports from sailings departing Oct 25, 2026 onward; itineraries vary by date and your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the ports for your sailing. Tours are sold and operated by Shore Excursions Group, an independent tour company; SmartCruiser earns a commission on bookings made through these links at no extra cost to you.

Carnival Sunshine questions we answer every day

How big is Carnival Sunshine?
Carnival Sunshine is 102,853 gross tons and 892 feet long, with 13 guest decks. Carnival lists 3,002 guests at double occupancy, a total capacity of 3,758 and a crew of about 1,040. She was built in 1996 as Carnival Destiny and rebuilt into the first Sunshine Class ship in 2013, which gave her the three-deck Serenity retreat and SportSquare.
Where does Carnival Sunshine sail in 2026 and 2027?
Through May 2027 she sails from Norfolk, Virginia: 4- to 7-night Bermuda cruises, 5- to 7-night Bahamas cruises to Half Moon Cay, Bimini, Nassau and Celebration Key, 8-night Eastern Caribbean and Canada cruises and 9-night cruises to Amber Cove, San Juan and St. Thomas. On May 15, 2027 she sails to Dover, then spends June to October 2027 in the Mediterranean from Barcelona and Civitavecchia before moving to Galveston in November 2027.
What is special about the summer 2027 Mediterranean season?
Carnival Sunshine will make Carnival’s first-ever calls in Africa, at La Goulette for Tunis and at Tangier, Morocco, along with new ports such as Bari, Bar in Montenegro and Ajaccio in Corsica. A cruise departing Barcelona on July 25, 2027 is positioned for the total solar eclipse of August 2, 2027, with onboard programming built around the event.
Which staterooms are the best choice on Carnival Sunshine?
Cloud 9 Spa staterooms on the upper decks include thermal suite access and sit close to Serenity, which suits couples. Aft-View Extended Balcony rooms have the largest verandas, and Premium Vista Balcony corner rooms the widest views. Families do well in Scenic Ocean View rooms. Suites add priority boarding, dining and laundry.
What is included in the fare on Carnival Sunshine?
The two main dining rooms, Lido Marketplace, Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, Pizzeria del Capitano, Playlist Productions shows, comedy, WaterWorks, Serenity, SportSquare and the youth programs are included. Fahrenheit 555, JiJi Asian Kitchen, Cucina del Capitano at dinner, Bonsai Sushi, JavaBlue Café, drinks, Wi-Fi, the spa and the casino are extra.
What does Carnival Sunshine do from Galveston?
From November 17, 2027 she replaces the originally planned Carnival Spirit in Galveston with 4- to 10-night cruises. The 10-night Western Caribbean sailings are expected to visit Cozumel, Roatan, Jamaica, Belize, Panama and Costa Rica depending on the date, with shorter 4- to 6-night cruises to Mexico in between, running through at least April 2028.

Facts checked against Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Cruise Line press: Carnival Sunshine fact sheet, Cruise Industry News: Carnival announces Sunshine’s 2027-28 itineraries, Cruise Hive: Carnival Sunshine heads to Texas in 2027 on October 13, 2026. Ship details change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the current layout when you book.

Live from the cruise line

Every Carnival Sunshine sailing, priced all-in

Every Carnival Sunshine departure the cruise line is selling, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. SmartCruiser picks at the top are sailings where booking with us gets you something extra. Stack the filters, then sort by lowest price, best value per night or sail date.

Every Carnival Sunshine sailing

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