Dining and Entertainment on the Carnival Sunshine

There are so many new things on the Carnival Sunshine, just too much for one post, so I wanted to share a little more about this impressive ship today, and that’s the huge selection of fabulous food available on the ship.

Because of our little guy, we most often ate by the pool, either a burger at Guy’s Burger Joint, or a burrito at BlueIguana Cantina. You can also walk into the dining area just off the pool and there’s a large buffet of most items that are served in the dining room for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Eating here is so easy with kids. They can just go and pick out what they like. In this dining area, there’s also a sandwich bar where you can get anything from  a grilled cheese to a rueben, and there’s also a little pizza place.

Here’s a quick overview of the dining options on board the Carnival Sunshine:

Ji Ji Asian Kitchen, a stunning new full-service restaurant featuring an extensive menu of delicacies from the Far East, all enjoyed amidst striking Asian-inspired interiors.  We dined here and the restaurant was absolutely gorgeous. The food was more of an Americanized Asian fusion.

Guy’s Burger Joint, a free-of-charge poolside venue developed in partnership with Food Network personality Guy Fieri serving hand-crafted burgers and fresh-cut fries. This place is pretty cool. You basically get your burger like you used to by the pool, but then you walk over to this vast toppings bar full of all the good stuff and just go nuts.

Cucina del Capitano, offering Italian favorites and new Carnival classics served family-style in an engaging atmosphere reminiscent of a cozy Italian home. We didn’t eat here, but the menu looked great. We will be trying in the future.

BlueIguana Cantina, a complimentary poolside Mexican eatery where guests can enjoy authentic, freshly made burritos and tacos on homemade tortillas. The fresh tortillas really made this place. They also have a large toppings bar full of fresh ingredients. Besides the burritos and tacos, you can even get huevos rancheros here for breakfast.

JavaBlue Café, offering lattes, cappuccinos and other caffeinated favorites, as well as “spiked” coffees made with liqueurs, and deliciously decadent confections. We’ve had a few coffees here, and they’re always good.

Pizzeria del Capitano, an expansion of Cucina del Capitano offering five varieties of hand-tossed artisanal-style pizza, all available free of charge 24 hours a day. They’ve got several different varieties of pizza here for the whole family.

Fahrenheit 555, a classic American steakhouse offering mouth-watering steaks, gourmet appetizers, entrees and desserts, with impeccable service and understated ambiance. This  is where I wish we had eaten. We’ll be dining here on our next cruise. The menu looks fantastic.

Shake Spot, the ideal “chill” spot where guests can enjoy hand-crafted milkshakes and floats, including “adult versions” of the frozen confections, available with fun toppings. This is a  fun place. We got a couple of milkshakes here one afternoon, and they were great.

Bonsai Sushi, a full-service sushi restaurant offering delicious Asian-inspired delicacies — sushi, sashimi, rolls and more — all enjoyed amidst a contemporary Far East decor. We stopped by and checked out the menu here. It looked good, but very expected and safe.

The Hot Dog Cart, this was right near the SportsSquare and the water slides. It’s perfect for the kids to get a quick snack and go back to playing. 

The Taste Bar, this was my favorite place. They offer a unique selection of the most delicious little bites. 

And let’s not forget all the bars aboard the Carnival Sunshine

RedFrog Pub, featuring the Caribbean’s best rums and beers – including Carnival’s own ThirstyFrog Red – enjoyed in a distinct British-West-Indies-meets-Key-West atmosphere

BlueIguana Tequila Bar, a fun and festive outdoor watering hole offering a laid-back Mexican-themed atmosphere and tequila-based frozen drinks and beers

EA SPORTS Bar, where guests can catch live sporting events, check out scores on the real-time 24/7 sports ticker, and play the latest EA SPORTS video games

Alchemy Bar, a vintage-themed cocktail “pharmacy” with mixologists who “prescribe” concoctions from different elixirs and ingredients

RedFrog Rum Bar, a poolside adaptation of the RedFrog Pub offering the quintessential Caribbean vacation vibe with refreshing Caribbean rum-based frozen drinks and beers

The Library Bar, a warm and cozy venue offering self-serve wine dispensers and full bar service for those seeking a more intimate spot for before- or after-dinner drinks

Havana Bar, which by day serves as a gathering spot for Cuban coffee and snacks, then at night transforms into a Latin-inspired courtyard for classic Cuban cocktails, music and dancing

I also wanted to tell you some of my favorite entertainment option onboard too. 

Playlist Productions, which combines captivating live performances of recognizable pop and rock songs and spectacular special effects to create enthralling music revues

Hasbro, The Game Show, featuring larger-than-life adaptations of the company’s iconic and popular games and presented in the totally transformed Liquid Lounge

The Punchliner Comedy Club presented by George Lopez, featuring a line-up of hilarious, laugh-out-loud comedians, part of the line’s partnership with the popular comedian, who serves as Carnival’s “curator of comedy”

And now for the most important part of any cruise, keeping the kids happy!

Carnival Cruise Lines has had Camp Carnival for quite some time, and it’s been a huge success, but now they are improving their kids program to the new Camp Ocean – an exciting, new marine-themed children’s program coming to its fleet of 24 “Fun Ships.” It is set to debut on Carnival Freedom on May 24.  this expansive new program will immerse children ages 2-11 in the wonders of the sea through fun, engaging and educational experiences.

More than 200 new ocean-inspired activities will range from educational games such as Sea Creature Discovery, Marine Life Trivia, Under the Sea Mad Libs and Ocean Artifacts Memory Tray to creative arts opportunities such as Design Your Own Aquarium, Make Your Own Sailboat, Sea Salt Art, and Create a Penguin from Oreos.

Another recently announced enhancement to the line’s children’s programming is a partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises to introduce the family-focused Seuss at Sea, with youth, family, dining and entertainment experiences inspired by the amazing world and words of Dr. Seuss.

Above is the Dr. Seuss reading room. My son can’t wait to go on our next cruise and meet the Cat in the Hat!

For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.

Carnival can also be found on:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/carnivalcruise

Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/carnival

YouTube:  www.youtube.com/carnival

Thanks to Carnival for having us for the weekend! The cruise tickets were complimentary, but we picked up the tab for all the extras. All opinions 100% mine.