Live · sailing at 14 kn · BHHMC
Carnival Cruise Line · CCL DESTINY-SUNSHINE
Carnival Sunshine
Guests
3,002 – 3,765
Crew
1,040
Cabins
1,501
Length
272 m
Space ratio
27
Homeport pattern
Norfolk
Where she is right now
En route · BHHMC· 11/1/2026, 7:25:21 PM· Course 184°
Position
32.59°N, 74.60°W
Heading
184° · COG 191°
Speed
14 kn
Destination
BHHMC
Our take · opinion
Destiny bones, Fun Ship 2.0 skin
We experience Carnival Sunshine as Carnival Destiny rebuilt: a pioneering 100k-GT hull wearing Fun Ship 2.0 dining, slides, and comedy energy. We’d send drive-to East Coast families here when Norfolk Bahamas and Caribbean weeks beat waiting for a brand-new Excel ship.
Sunshine’s personality is loud and casual, and that is the point for most of the guests we send here. WaterWorks with multiple slides, SportSquare, and the three-deck Serenity retreat give the top decks real purpose, while Liquid Lounge productions and Punchliner comedy keep evenings busy. Staples like Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, Ji Ji Asian Kitchen, and RedFrog Pub make the food court feel modern even when the corridors still hint at Destiny-era bones.
Cabins mix standard insides, oceanviews, and balconies with family and connecting rooms that sleep up to five. We’d book a Cloud 9 Spa cabin when spa access is part of the plan, stretch to a Captain’s Suite for terrace space, and treat under-Lido or high-traffic banks as the noise traps to avoid. Ask us about location before you lock a category—on a converted Destiny hull, placement matters as much as category letter.
Dining centers on Sunset and double-deck Sunrise main rooms, with Fahrenheit 555 for steakhouse nights and Cucina del Capitano for Italian. Versus newer Excel ships she’s denser and less polished, yet the 2013 conversion and 2025 Marseille refresh keep her competitive for East Coast families. Confirm her Norfolk roundtrip on this page, and ask us whether Sunshine or a newer Carnival sister fits your group’s energy.
She's for
- East Coast families who want a Norfolk drive-to homeport
- Multi-gen groups chasing slides, comedy, and casual dining
- First-timers fine with classic Carnival energy over megaship wow
- Guests who like Spa cabins and Serenity adult escape hatches
She's not for
- Travelers who want brand-new Excel cabin tech and infinite verandas
- Anyone seeking quiet luxury or low-crowd evenings
- Shoppers who dislike Destiny-era corridor density
Honest caveat
She’s a 1996 Destiny hull reborn as Sunshine in 2013—Fun Ship 2.0 venues feel current, but cabin bones and crowd flow still read older. Ask us whether a newer Carnival sister is worth the fare jump for your group.
The record · ship backgroundCarnival Sunshine, on paper
Show ship backgroundHide ship background
The record · ship background
Carnival Sunshine, on paper
Show ship backgroundHide ship backgroundCarnival Sunshine began life as Carnival Destiny, delivered from Fincantieri Monfalcone in 1996 as the first cruise ship over 100,000 GT. After a USD 155 million, 49-day Monfalcone conversion in 2013, she reentered service as Sunshine—the lead of Carnival’s Destiny-to-Sunshine rebuilds alongside Triumph-Sunrise and Victory-Radiance. The rebuild added decks and cabins (including Cloud 9 Spa rooms), SportSquare, an expanded Serenity, and Fun Ship 2.0 dining and bars.
Later work includes Freeport maintenance in 2016 and 2018, a 2021 Cadiz drydock for technical upkeep and new livery, and a January 2025 Marseille call that refreshed open-deck flooring, WaterWorks and sports areas, fitness kit, casino host desk, and stateroom motion-sensor lighting.
Deployment has rotated among New York, Norfolk, and a Charleston Bahamas era that ended in 2024. Recent and near-term programming emphasizes Norfolk, Virginia roundtrips to the Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean. Confirm the exact embarkation and itinerary on this page—Sunshine’s East Coast pattern has shifted more than once since the Destiny conversion.
Build record
- Keel to delivery
- 1994 – 1996
- Inaugural
- Apr 2013 as Sunshine (Destiny 1996)
- Fuel
- Marine diesel
- Sisters
- Carnival Sunrise (Triumph), Carnival Radiance (Victory)
Commerce
Upcoming sailings
36 itineraries · 67 sail dates on Carnival Sunshine. Fares are live and change daily.
| Sailing | Date | Depart | Nights | $/n | Inside | Balcony | Suite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8-Day Eastern CaribbeanNorfolk, Va | Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay | Grand Turk | Amber Cove, Dominican Republic | Norfolk, Va · 11 dates | Nov 14, 2026 | Norfolk | 8 | $137 | $1,093 | $1,843 | $2,493 |
| 6-Day BahamasNorfolk, Va | Celebration Key, The Bahamas | Nassau, The Bahamas | Bimini, The Bahamas | Norfolk, Va | Dec 6, 2026 | Norfolk | 6 | $140 | $838 | $1,098 | — |
| 6-Day BahamasNorfolk, Va | Nassau, The Bahamas | Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay | Celebration Key, The Bahamas | Norfolk, Va · 3 dates | Dec 12, 2026 | Norfolk | 6 | $123 | $735 | $965 | — |
| 8-Day Eastern CaribbeanNorfolk, Va | Amber Cove, Dominican Republic | Grand Turk | Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay | Norfolk, Va | Dec 26, 2026 | Norfolk | 8 | $190 | $1,521 | $2,231 | $3,201 |
| 6-Day BahamasNorfolk, Va | Nassau, The Bahamas | Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay | Celebration Key, The Bahamas | Norfolk, Va · 2 dates | Jan 3, 2027 | Norfolk | 6 | $82 | $490 | $765 | $1,485 |
| 6-Day BahamasNorfolk, Va | Nassau, The Bahamas | Celebration Key, The Bahamas | Bimini, The Bahamas | Norfolk, Va | Feb 14, 2027 | Norfolk | 6 | $142 | $851 | $1,266 | $2,026 |
Showing 6 of 36 sail dates
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Related links
Sister ship
Carnival Sunrise (Triumph)
Carnival Cruise Line · CCL DESTINY-SUNSHINE
Sister ship
Carnival Radiance (Victory)
Carnival Cruise Line · CCL DESTINY-SUNSHINE
Homeport
Norfolk
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