High winds are whipping up the waves around us. During the night, toiletries toppled in the bath and water spilled from glasses. No surprise they had to close the pool and access to the upper decks for safety reasons.
But guests are pretty much taking it all in stride. All the pool loungers are occupied and the bars are doing a brisk business. It will take more than a little wind to slow down the Fun Ship from providing fun.
We start the day with Brunch at Sea, served in the Sunshine Restaurant, one of the main dining areas. Like other venues around Sunrise, it’s been beautifully restyled in soft Caribbean pastels. One thing we noticed on all our Carnival cruises — the service and food is consistently good. The wait staff is prompt, efficient and friendly, not to mention entertaining. You never know when during dinner they will break out in table dancing or song.
One new thing we discovered about our stateroom: In the makeover, Carnival added built-in USB ports in the headboard of the bed. Nice! We also appreciate the high-back chairs on our balcony. Sometimes it’s the little things that really are big things.
Some of the major additions they’ve made to Sunrise are all the new dining options. Like the latest Carnival ships, Sunrise now has the BlueIguana Cantina, Guy’s Pig and Anchor Smokehouse, along with Guy’s Burger Joint, Bonsai Sushi, the Seafood Shack, as well as specialty resaturants Cucina del Capitano and Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse. Also new is Lucky Bowl, offering various Asian dishes as part of the Lido Buffet.
In the morning we attended a cooking demo in the atrium lobby. The ship’s chefs prepared a variety of tasty treats, including Tempura Rolls, Roasted Grape and Cheese Crostini, Patatas Alinadas (a delicious potato salad of sorts) and Tiramisu. Staff members brought samples of everything for us to try. On top of the big brunch we just had, lunch might get pushed to mid-afternoon.
While the windy conditions continued, we headed for the Pasta Bella Pasta Bar on Deck 10 to grab a late lunch. The Pasta Bar is part of Cucina del Capitano, except during lunch there is no extra charge. You get an assigned table and given a form where you choose the kind of pasta, the ingredients and sauce, all served in a bowl. It was quite good.
Our magical mystery food tour continued with “Tea Time,” a traditional English afternoon tea service held in the Sunshine Restaurant. I don’t think it was well-promoted, judging by the fact there were more servers than patrons. While it was quite nice, we were a little surprised to discover an extra charge for Earl Grey or one of the blended teas ($1.95). We’ll go with Lipton, thanks.
Tonight we’re trying the Steakhouse. While we don’t partake of red meat, we’re pretty sure there’s something on the menu we’ll like. Tomorrow we’ll be in Bermuda. Hopefully the weather gods will be kind.
Story and photos courtesy of Gerry Barker.
Heidi, Editor-In-Chief
