A New Day for Carnival Sunrise

The glow of a Caribbean sunrise ushers in a new beginning and likewise, so does the  emergence of the innovative Carnival Sunrise. Keeping pace with cruise trends is something that every cruise line grapples with and announcements of new ship construction constantly grab the headlines. These floating cities can take up to three or more years to complete and adding to the challenge is the astronomical cost of a newly constructed vessel. Carnival Cruise Line has circumvented this time consuming process with a bold approach of reconfiguration that results in the essentially reimagined Carnival Sunrise, providing an appealing alternative to ships fresh out of shipyard construction.

The vessel retains the popular characteristics that made her first go-round as the Carnival Triumph a resounding success, but now sports a 200 million dollar facelift with updated bells and whistles that contribute to Carnival’s endemic reputation for cruise revelry.

The Great Outdoors

The new onboard WaterWorks, a water park with twisting water slides and a new splash zone for the younger tikes makes riding the waves an exhilarating adventure for the entire family. Taking the experience to new heights is the addition of the the top deck’s challenging rope course with SportsSquare offering competitive action on a mini golf course, basketball court and an assortment of table games filling days at sea with outdoor activity. The Serenity Adult Only Retreat creates a perfect sanctuary for sun seekers with canopied day beds, a hot tub and private bar.

Lights At Night

Indoors, there is something happening around every corner. High-tech investments have been made to the Liquid Lounge showroom and the signature production shows of Soulbound, Vintage Pop and Latin Nights demonstrate the renewed emphasis that has been placed on top notch entertainment. Evenings at The Punchliner Comedy Club elicit non stop laughs and you can channel your inner celebrity with Karaoke sessions in the Piano Bar 88 or Limelight Lounge. Get loose and boogie down with the band in the Red Frog Pub and satisfy cocktail cravings throughout the ship in a variety of lounges, each with their own character and chemistry.

Food For Thought

Expounding on diverse dining experiences outside of the main dining room, a partnership with food celebrity Guy Fieri produces up in smoke BBQ lunches at Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse and Guy’s Burger Joint grills up the perfect cheeseburger. The Blue Iguana Cantina features a taco/burrito bar serving across the border fare and Southeast Asian cuisine makes a play at the Lucky Bowl. Although with moderate supplemental costs, the concept of alternative dining is now enhanced with the addition of the popular Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse and if your inner Italian is crying out for pasta, it’s family style “mangia-mangia” at Cucina Del Capitano.  Bonsai Sushi Express prepares made to order sushi and lovers of seafood gravitate towards the Seafood Shack.

A New Day for Carnival Sunrise

The initiative towards modernization is consistent with updates to staterooms and the nod towards more contemporary optics will be noticed in the significantly toned down color scheme with less neon and vivid color splashing. These sweeping tweaks have reset the odometer back to zero on this floating fun machine with the high energy output of the Carnival spirit fully intact for years to come.

–Steve Leland