carnival sunshine cruise weather

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Carnival passengers recount ‘nightmare’ cruise as storm floods ship

Videos showed the Carnival Sunshine cabins and hallways flooding and ceilings leaking

Matthew Branham and his fiancée, Madison Davis, were lying by a Carnival Sunshine pool on Friday aboard a cruise returning to Charleston, S.C., from the Bahamas when an announcement came over the loudspeaker. The captain was expecting rougher weather that evening, but there was nothing to worry about. So Branham and Davis didn’t worry.

As the day went on, “We noticed it started getting cooler in the afternoon — much, much cooler,” said Branham, 25, of Castlewood, Va. “And then it was like a switch was flipped, and it literally turned into a nightmare.”

En route back to Charleston Friday night into Saturday, the Carnival Sunshine navigated into a strong storm system that battered the southeast over the holiday weekend. Videos emerged on social media showing cabins and hallways flooding, shop floors littered with destroyed merchandise and leaking ceilings . Passenger Brad Morrell snapped a photo of an automated instrument map reporting a 69 knot, or 79 mph, wind.

#CarnivalSunshine : Due to return to Charleston, South Carolina this Saturday, May 27, 2023, has been delayed due to severe weather. The ship is currently off the South Carolina coast and holding position, unable to return to the port because of high winds & rough seas. #cruise 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/2B6HlAn2yD — ∼Marietta (@MariettaDaviz) May 28, 2023

Carnival said in a statement that the weather was unexpectedly strong, causing conditions that were rougher than forecast, but that its fleet operations center team, which relies on outside meteorology resources for itinerary planning, “coordinated to keep the ship in its safest location.”

“Attempting to sail out of the large front could have been dangerous,” the statement continued. “The ship proceeded to the port as soon as the weather began to clear.”

Strong Southeast storm slams Carolinas

Carnival said the captain made “several announcements about the weather and the delay it caused in returning to Charleston, asking guests to use extra precaution while walking around the ship.” Additionally, “some of the worst weather occurred in the overnight hours when announcements are not typically made, but guests and crew were safe.”

The ship’s medical staff did help a “small number” of guests and crew members who needed minor assistance following the storm. Despite the significant damage and a delay in schedule, Carnival Sunshine embarked on its next five-day Bahama sailing on Saturday.

From their sea-view room, Branham and Davis watched as waves surged over their window and braced themselves as the 892-foot-long ship lurched in the storm.

“Waves were hitting the boat so hard that it was like an earthquake experience, jarring you like a really rough roller coaster — even in the middle floor,” Branham said.

They were told to stay in their cabins. Meanwhile, Branham said, TVs were falling off walls, and glassware was sliding off shelves and shattering on the floor. “You could not stand up in your room,” he said. “You could be thrown from the bed.”

They packed up their belongings when their floor started to flood and took shelter in a main lobby area.

“All of the employees were sprinting downstairs with life vests,” Branham said. “There were little kids besides us screaming and crying and throwing fits.”

Throughout the storm, Branham wondered why there weren’t more announcements from Carnival staff. Besides the warning of rougher seas earlier Friday and one Saturday morning after they’d weathered the storm, Branham said they weren’t given any official updates on their situation. When he asked workers what was going on, they told him not to worry.

⁦⁦ @CarnivalCruise ⁩ #carnivalsunshine still 75mph winds at 9:25am. Sitting and spinning in the Atlantic. pic.twitter.com/NITCO2l9Ss — FlyersCaptain™®© (@flyerscaptain) May 29, 2023

“But you see rooms flooded, and you can pick up a handful of sand and you’re kind of like, ‘What in the world? Why is nobody telling us anything?’” Branham said.

Jim Walker, a maritime lawyer and cruise industry legal expert, says his firm has been contacted by some Carnival Sunshine passengers who were injured during the storm, including a man who says he was struck by a door and broke his foot. Others have asked him about the potential for a class-action lawsuit.

While Walker said passengers should make their complaints known to Carnival, he doesn’t believe filing a lawsuit would be an efficient next step. Instead, impacted passengers can ask Carnival for a refund or a credit for another cruise, although there’s no guarantee the cruise line will grant such requests.

Pete Peterson, owner of Storybook Cruises , which is affiliated with Cruise Planners, said cruise ships keep a close eye on weather developments and will adjust their itinerary depending on the severity of the storm.

“Cruise lines monitor the weather all the time. They’re not going to put their passengers in harm’s way,” said Peterson, who has been a cruise adviser for more than 20 years and has sailed on nearly 60 cruises. “Obviously, some cruise lines are better at doing this than others.”

In 2016, Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas returned to port after cruising into a “bomb cyclone,” which damaged the ship amid winds gusting to 100 mph. The ship sailed into the remnants of Hurricane Hermine seven months later, causing additional problems.

To ensure the safety and comfort of its passengers, a cruise ship can alter its course and circumvent the rough weather system. In stormy conditions, the crew can deploy the stabilizers, which will prevent the ship from rolling and bucking.

“You don’t experience the up and down,” Peterson said. “It’s not as rough a ride.”

Both approaches can add to a cruise line’s expenditures, Peterson said. Stabilizers slow the vessel, thereby consuming more fuel. Sailing around the storm can take longer than the original route and disrupt the company’s cruise schedule, leading to delays or cancellations. The cruise line may have to reimburse passengers or provide them with future credits because of the inconvenience.

“When they do something like that, it’s going to cost them money,” Peterson said.

Craig Setzer , a meteorologist and hurricane preparedness specialist, said that even with the hurricane-like conditions and flooding, “I would never be in doubt of the vessel’s integrity,” he said. “Cruise ships are structurally very, very sound and can survive a lot. They’re really rugged.”

Matthew Cappucci contributed to this report.

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Carnival Sunshine

Former name: carnival destiny.

Cruise line Carnival Cruise Line

• Charleston SC (South Carolina)
• Norfolk VA (Virginia)

Carnival Sunshine current position

Carnival Sunshine current location is at US East Coast (coordinates 31.36947 N / -80.12423 W) cruising at speed of 18.4 kn (34 km/h | 21 mph) en route to USCHA>NAS. The AIS position was reported 4 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Carnival Sunshine

Carnival Sunshine current cruise is 4 days, round-trip The Bahamas . Prices start from USD 639 (double occupancy rates). The itinerary starts on 13 Jun, 2024 and ends on 17 Jun, 2024 .

Specifications of Carnival Sunshine

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

Carnival Sunshine Itineraries

Carnival sunshine review, review of carnival sunshine.

The 1996-built/2013-reconstructed Carnival Sunshine cruise ship was initially named "Carnival Destiny". After a major refurbishment in 2013 (USD155 million drydock), the vessel was renamed Sunshine. As class, Carnival Sunshine was the first of three Destiny-class Carnival ships - together with Victory-Radiance and Triumph-Sunrise . Today, the liner belongs to the unique Sunshine-class.

The vessel (IMO number 9070058) is currently Bahamas- flagged (MMSI 308017000) and registered in Nassau .

History - construction and ownership

Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) is a US shipping company, trademarked brand and subsidiary of Carnival Corporation (shipowner). CCL was founded in 1972 as an independent company by Ted Arison (1924-1999, co-founder of NCL Norwegian ). 

CCL has the Corporation's largest fleet as number of vessels and GT-tonnage (ship sizes/volumes and passenger capacities). In 2023, CCL had ~9% (by revenue) and ~19% (passengers) share of the cruise industry's worldwide market. In 2024, the parent company (Carnival Corporation) had ~51% stake in the US$64+ billion industry.

The 3000-passenger ship Carnival Sunshine is not a Dream-class ship but contains almost all the elements found on Breeze and Magic: high-energy, low-commitment activities, including 20-min standup comedies, 30-min production shows; sushi, burgers, burritos. For the first time, the Fun Ship 2.0 blueprint was laid down on Carnival Magic (in 2011), followed by Carnival Breeze (in June 2012). Next photo shows the old Carnival Destiny ship.

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Sunshine staterooms (1501 total) include 53 Suites, 518 Balcony, 320 Oceanview and 624 Inside cabins, in all 34 grades. Most staterooms are sized 185 ft2 / 17 m2, cabin balconies are sized 35-85 ft2 / 4-8 m2. "Family" staterooms (connecting cabins) are with max capacity 5 passengers. The largest are the Captain's Suites (500 ft2 / 46 m2 plus 150 ft2 / 14 m2 terrace) with max occupancy 5 passengers. Sunshine also has 89 Cloud 9 Spa cabins and 32 wheelchair-accessible cabins.

The boat has 13 decks , of which 11 with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Carnival Sunshine offers many of the Fun Ship 2.0 additions in terms of dining - Guy's Burger Joint, Cucina del Capitano, BlueIguana Cantina. The line made a few adjustments to the existing venues and also added the Asian restaurant Ji Ji. There are two Main Dining Rooms onboard the Sunshine: Sunset, at the midship, and double-deck Sunrise located aft. The complimentary Punchliner Comedy Brunch, which is a sea day exclusive, features 5-minute teasers every hour on the hour from 9 am to 1:30 pm.

Follows the complete list of Carnival Sunshine restaurants and food bars.

• Sunset Restaurant (forward Main Dining Room, with two fixed dinner seatings, or “Your Time Dining”)
• Sunrise Restaurant (aft Main Dining Room, with two fixed dinner seatings; offers themed breakfasts - “Seuss At Sea”, for $5 cover charge; hosts Punchliner Comedy Brunch).
• Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse (alternative, reservations only restaurant, serving prime steaks and seafood at a surcharge; also hosts “Chef’s Table” VIP dining, $75 PP surcharge)
• Fat Jimmy’s C-Side BBQ (offers pork sandwiches, complimentary lunch barbecue)
• Guy’s Burger Joint (fast food bar)
• BlueIguana Cantina (Mexican complimentary restaurant; offers house-made tortillas, burritos, tacos)
• Lido Marketplace buffet restaurant (complimentary self-service restaurant with various food stations; operates as a bistro in the evenings).
• Cucina del Capitano (Italian reservations-only restaurant; offers a la carte dinner at a surcharge and complimentary lunch)
• SeaDogs (complimentary beef hotdogs stand)
• Ji Ji Asian Kitchen (serves Chinese food, Mongolian Wok)
• Bonsai Sushi Bar (complimentary).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Carnival made a heavy investment in lights and sound for its shows on Carnival Breeze and has taken a step further on Sunshine. An ultra-HD graphics package is beamed onto a vast screen and the performers use it as a backdrop of their show. A number of themed shows take place in ship's Liquid Lounge, which doubles as the 800-seat main Theater. Because the room was initially designed as a theater with two stories, it's impossible to feature an intimate atmosphere.

The Sunshine ship offers a complete list of activities and entertainment for each age group and taste - from ballroom scene dancing, classical music concerts, tea time and art auctions to a hairy chest and knobby knees contests, bingo, and karaoke.

Follows the complete list of Carnival Sunshine lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Sunshine Atrium (9-deck high midship open area served by Lobby Bar)
• FunHub (24-hour Internet computers room)
• Liquid Lounge and Theater (800-seat, 2-level main show lounge)
• Ocean Plaza (entertainment area; features live music and trivia)
• The Library Bar; Piano 88 Bar; EA Sports Bar; ShakeSpot; Java Blue Cafe; The Taste Bar; Alchemy Bar; Havana Bar
• RedFrog Pub (English pub with live music; offers international beers selection and the private label Thirstyfrog/RedFrog beer)
• RedFrog Rum Bar (serves Caribbean rums selection and ThirstyFrog Red drought beer)
• BlueIguana Tequila Bar (offers Mexican beer, margaritas, drink specialties)
• Limelight Lounge (hosts Punchliner Comedy Club/brunch)
• Pixels Photo Gallery and Shop; Dreams Photo Studio; Cherry On Top (candy shop, offers the Fun Shops catalog, “Bon Voyage” store menu, souvenirs, watches, jewelry, logo merchandise, duty-free liquor, fashion boutiques)
• Circle C (kids' complimentary club lounge with movies, video games, parties, planned activities)
• 24-hour Warehouse Video Games Arcade; Club O2 teens' lounge for movies, karaoke, parties
• Sunshine Casino (served by Sunshine Casino Bar)
• Seaside Theatre (LED screen outdoor cinema)
• Serenity (adults only relaxation area with Serenity Pool, Serenity Bar, Spa Whirlpool, cascading waterfall, loungers, and hammocks)
• Beach Pool area (with two Whirlpools); Carnival WaterWorks Aqua Park (with 5 slides; 1 Whirlpool, SplashZone for kids)
• Camp Carnival (kids' club lounge with a complimentary programme and play area)
• Cloud 9 Spa and Fitness complex (with Gym, Fitness Studio, Sauna, Steam Room, Thermal Suites, Beauty Salon, 15 Treatment Rooms; offers ZSpa teenagers program)
• SportSquare (Basketball/Volleyball Court, Jogging Track, Tennis Tables, 9-hole Mini Golf Course, Shuffleboard).

Itineraries

Carnival Sunshine itinerary program is based on Western and Eastern Caribbean roundtrip cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida. Feature port destinations include Bahamas (with Nassau and line’s private island Half Moon Cay ), Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas USVI , Grand Turk , Roatan , Belize , Mexico ( Costa Maya and Cozumel ). In 2016, the ship started itineraries to Bermuda - 7-day from NYC New York and 5-day from Norfolk Virginia .

Starting May 2019, the ship's new itinerary program offers 4- (to Nassau) and 5-day (Nassau and Half Moon Cay) short Bahamas cruises leaving roundtrip from a new homeport ( Charleston SC ) on a year-round schedule. The maiden voyage was scheduled for May 18 (2019). Carnival's South Carolina annual cruise shipping volume is approx 220,000 passengers. In Charleston, Carnival Sunshine will replace Carnival Ecstasy (to be relocated to Jacksonville Florida ), while the Jacksonville-homeported Carnival Elation will be repositioned to Port Canaveral FL .

In Dec 2022 CCL announced that between February 2025 and April 2025 Sunshine will be homeported in Norfolk VA. Bookings were opened for the following 4 roundtrip/ex-Norfolk itineraries:

• (6-day Bahamas) to North Bimini-Nassau-Freeport, and to Nassau-Half Moon Cay-Freeport
• (8-day Eastern Caribbean) to Amber Cove Dominicana-Grand Turk-Princess Cays Bahamas, and to Half Moon Cay-Grand Turk-Amber Cove

Carnival Sunshine - user reviews and comments

Photos of carnival sunshine.

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Other Carnival Cruise Line cruise ships

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• Carnival Venezia
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Carnival Sunshine Wiki

Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade was done in 2013. Sunshine is one of Carnival's "old new" liners, representing a truly grandiose ship transformation project. The old Carnival Destiny ship (1996-buit by Fincantieri Monfalcone ) was extensively (and expensively) drydock refitted and refurbished in Europe ( Trieste Italy ) at the astonishing cost of USD 155 million. The vessel was transformed into a brand new Carnival "Fun Ship 2.0" in 2013 under the sunny and shiny name "Carnival Sunshine". Carnival Destiny had as sisters the CCL ships Triumph (Sunrise since 2019) and Victory (Radiance since 2020) , and also Costa Fortuna and Costa Magica .

Carnival Sunshine (Monfalcone shipyard/hull number 5941) is powered by Wartsila-Sulzer marine diesel engines (models 8ZAV40S and 8ZAL40) generating total power output 63,36 MW.

The Sunshine ship's interior design was done by Partner Design ( Hamburg -based company). Destiny ship's interior design was by Joe Francus. The new ship now features modern amenities, new venues, more dining options, new onboard entertainment program (3 new grand show productions).

As a Destiny-class liner, Carnival Destiny was the world's first cruise ship with GT/weight over 100,000 tons. Carnival Destiny's Inaugural Cruise started on November 24, 1996. Sunshine's Inaugural Cruise started on April 12, 2013 (14-day Mediterranean Venice - Barcelona ).

Carnival Destiny's list of chartered/ themed voyages includes the first-ever "311 Caribbean Cruise" (March 2011), the first-ever "Kiss Kruise" (October 2011) and the first-ever "Weezer Cruise" (January 2012).

Carnival Destiny-Sunshine refurbishment 2013 conversion review

The most extensively expensive of all (ever) was the Carnival Destiny's drydock refit/transformation. At the staggering cost of USD 155 million, this really extreme makeover produced a brand new Carnival ship in 2013! After its last dry-dock ever (a 49-day refurbishment), the Destiny ship emerged as Carnival Sunshine. This amazing cruise ship transformation was made in the Fincantieri shipyard (Monfalcone, Italy) adding a new partial deck and 2 other decks (in the front section). As a result of the Carnival Destiny renovation, 182 new cabins were added (including 96 spa cabins), all of the ship's other cabins were also refurbished (with a new tropical decor). The list of all major changes includes:

• (new) Ji Ji Asian Kitchen (casual restaurant), also were added “Fat Jimmy’s BBQ”, “Cucina del Capitano”, “Fahrenheit 555 SSteakhouse”, “JavaBlue Cafe”, “Shake Spot”, “Guy’s Burger Joint”, “BlueIguana Cantina”/Mexican, “Seaday Brunch”, “The Comfort Kitchen”/Lido, “Havana Bar”/Lido, “Sunshine Bar”, “Alchemy Bar”, “RedFrog Pub”, “Cherry On Top”, “Punchliner”, “Hasbro”
• "The Comfort Kitchen" (in the Lido Marketplace)
• "Havana Bar" (Lido Marketplace) with floor-ceiling windows
• "Sunshine Bar" (Atrium)
• a new cigar club (Casino Bar)
• CCL fleet's first 3-deck-high Serenity Retreat (adults-only deck) with the Carnival Cloud 9 Spa package .
• "SportSquare" (an open-air complex with Ropes Course, Mini-Golf Course, half-size Sports Court/basketball-volleyball-tennis.

During drydock 2018 (October 14-21, in Freeport Bahamas ) were made regularly planned maintenance works.

Drydock 2016 was in the period March 8-20.

In 2021 (October-November) Carnival Sunshine was drydocked at Navantia Shipyard ( Cadiz Spain ), mainly for general maintenance (technical and routine) works and also repainting (received CCL's new livery).

Cruise ship Carnival Sunshine pounded by large waves during coastal storm near Charleston, South Carolina

Video shared on social media shows dark clouds covering the sky and large whitecaps raging in the surrounding waters of the atlantic ocean. cruise ship passengers reported water damage and broken glass, as well as high waves that battered the vessel..

Passengers aboard the cruise ship Carnival Sunshine were left distressed as large waves churned up by a powerful storm off the Southeast coast pounded the vessel, delaying its return from the Bahamas over the Memorial Day weekend.  

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Passengers aboard the cruise ship Carnival Sunshine were left distressed as large waves churned up by a powerful storm off the Southeast coast pounded the vessel, delaying its return from the Bahamas over the Memorial Day weekend .

Video shared on social media Sunday by Brad Morrell , filmed outside his room onboard the cruise ship that was returning to Charleston, South Carolina , shows dark clouds covering the sky and large whitecaps raging in the surrounding waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Cruise ship passengers reported water damage and broken glass, as well as high waves that battered the vessel.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

Video shared on social media Sunday by Brad Morrell, filmed outside his room onboard the cruise ship that was returning to Charleston, South Carolina, shows dark clouds covering the sky and large whitecaps raging in the surrounding waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

(Brad Morrell via Storyful / FOX Weather)

Carnival Cruise Line released a statement to FOX Weather on Monday morning to describe the incident, which was reported to occur Saturday:

"Carnival Sunshine’s return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday. The weather’s prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship’s arrival on Sunday and as a result, the next voyage’s embarkation was also delayed. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests.

"The weather and rough surf led to some crew cabins being temporarily taken out of service while we clean up water damage. All the public areas of the ship are open and in service and Carnival Sunshine is currently operating its next cruise, a five-day Bahamas sailing."

VACATION TURNS INTO NIGHTMARE FOR A SEATTLE MAN AFTER A ‘ROGUE WAVE’ PARALYZES HIM

The low-pressure system responsible for the harsh weather over the Memorial Day weekend was being monitored for tropical and subtropical development by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) last week, though it remained a non-tropical low throughout its duration.

Forecasters from the NHC had visited the Carnival Cruise Line headquarters in Miami two days before the ship got caught in the powerful storm.

The area of low pressure has now moved inland over North Carolina and will gradually weaken in the days ahead, but not before dampening more holiday beach plans in parts of the mid-Atlantic and generating dangerous rip currents along the East Coast.

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A Carnival Sunshine passenger says he's surprised to be alive after the ship was rocked by a terrifying storm that smashed his window

• A cruise-ship passenger spoke of his surprise at surviving a storm while at sea.
• Bill Hassler told CNN that a wave broke the window of his cabin and let water in.
• The Carnival Sunshine had been returning from the Bahamas and heading for South Carolina.

A passenger on board a cruise ship that was caught up in a terrifying storm while sailing to Charleston, South Carolina, says he feared for his life. 

A storm off the Southeastern coast of the US hit the Carnival Sunshine cruise ship during its return from the Bahamas last weekend, Fox Weather reported. Data from the National Weather Service showed that there were wind speeds of up to 46 miles per hour in some areas of Charleston over the weekend. 

Bill Hassler, a passenger on board the ship, told CNN he was "surprised I'm still alive" after the storm. He told the news outlet a wave broke the window of his cabin and let water in.

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He said: "When I got home Sunday night, I had to crack open a beer and think about it, and I started shaking because it just set in. I couldn't even believe I'm still here."

One video showing severe flooding in the aftermath of the incident was posted on Twitter by Crew Center and also featured in the CNN report.

Speaking to CNN, Hassler criticized the cruise operator for sailing in poor weather conditions, questioning why officials didn't wait for the storm to subside before setting off. 

Representatives for Carnival Cruise Line did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. However, a spokesperson said in a statement shared on Monday that the ship's "return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday."

"The weather's prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship's arrival and as a result, the next voyage's embarkation was also delayed. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests. Carnival Sunshine is now sailing on its next cruise," the statement read. 

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Travel | videos show flooded decks as severe weather strikes carnival cruise ship.

“Carnival Sunshine’s return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday,” the cruise line said in an emailed statement Monday. “The weather’s prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship’s arrival and as a result, the next voyage’s embarkation was also delayed. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests. Carnival Sunshine is now sailing on its next cruise.”

The high seas were associated with a non-tropical low mixed with a storm front that had been sitting on Florida all week that the National Hurricane Center had been keeping tabs on, noting a small chance it could form into a tropical or subtropical depression.

As the system moved up toward the Carolina coast, gale and high seas warnings were issued from Florida up to Virginia, and Carnival Sunshine endured some of those effects as it waited to get into port. Weather reports showed winds in the area of up to 75 mph.

The aftermath aboard Carnival Sunshine after a severe storm. The crew from Deck 0-4 evacuated to the theater, and anywhere they could rest… the crew bar destroyed. pic.twitter.com/MqsDJYvrSG — Crew Center (@CrewCenter) May 28, 2023

Videos on social media showed some of the damage. One post from the Twitter account @CrewCenter, associated with website Crew-Center.com, which is run by former ship crew, showed “the aftermath aboard Carnival Sunshine after a severe storm. The crew from Deck 0-4 evacuated to the theater, and anywhere they could rest… the crew bar destroyed.”

The website report stated there were no injuries, but passenger space on Deck 2 also experienced flooded hallways and staterooms.

@CarnivalCruise #carnivalsunshine . This was on Deck 12 at 11:38pm. We were in the piano bar right before when 30+ bottles of liquor jumped off of the bar and broke. We were told to leave the piano bar as there was liquor running across the floor. pic.twitter.com/2t1OLwY4go — FlyersCaptain™®© (@flyerscaptain) May 29, 2023

Passengers in public spaces reported bottles flying off shelves as the waves of more than 12 feet rocked the ship.

A Twitter post from @FlyersCaptain said “We were in the piano bar right before when 30+ bottles of liquor jumped off of the bar and broke. We were told to leave the piano bar as there was liquor running across the floor.”

After a major makeover, the cruise line renamed what was the Carnival Destiny to Carnival Sunshine in 2013. It has a passenger capacity of 3,002 based on double occupancy.

The ship sails year-round on a variety of itineraries from Charleston.

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5 - Day The Bahamas from Charleston, SC

Cruise itinerary.

Day 1: Charleston

Day 2: Fun Day at Sea

Day 3: half moon cay, day 4: nassau.

Day 5: Fun Day at Sea

Day 6: charleston.

Get to Know Carnival Sunshine

Everything the sunlight touches on Carnival Sunshine has been doused with an extra dose of fun. There's plenty to find atop this ship, where you can spend your days being kissed by the warm rays of the sun. Visit the biggest Serenity area ever, featuring three decks, plenty of recliners... and even a waterfall. Carnival WaterWorks ™ , our onboard waterpark, doesn't just deliver the favorites... this one debuted the slick Speedway Splash slide. There's also SportSquare ™ , where you can let your inner champion run free (around the jogging track), traverse the Ropes Course high up above, or even engage in a little one-on-one, from ping pong to foosball to giant chess. When you're on your Carnival Sunshine cruise, step out of the sun and try out some shade (and it's some pretty cool shade, at that). The first thing you'll see is the Sunshine Atrium... and let's just say first impressions count. From there, check out dining options — this ship has everything under the Carnival sun — like Guy's Burger Joint ™ , BlueIguana Cantina ™ , Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse ™ and JiJi Asian Kitchen ® . Some of the greatest Carnival bars are here: RedFrog Pub ® , BlueIguana Tequila Bar ™ , SkyBox ™ Sports Bar and Alchemy Bar ® ... plus the already-classic Havana Bar ™ ! You'll enjoy musical revues from Playlist Productions ™ , where songs you know and love come to life on stage. When you find yourself between the Carnival Sunshine and some actual sunshine, fun at sea is guaranteed.

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Onboard Dining

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My family was scammed out of a $15K Carnival Cruise — here’s how I’m fighting to get it back

A woman went viral sharing how her family was scammed out of her $15,000 Carnival Cruise . She claims that the cruise line won’t refund her or admit fault but has changed its website and policy.

Tiffany Banks was stunned when she realized that the trip she had been planning for a year was canceled without her knowledge and only a day before her family’s flight to catch the boat, she explained in a series of TikToks.

She shared that although the company won’t refund her money or “admit guilt” directly to her, they’ve updated their website and policy to better protect customers from having the same issue — which she insists is “admitting guilt without having to admit guilt.”

“Unfortunately, this guest failed to heed well-documented and very common travel safety and security advice,” a representative from Carnival told The Post.

The Kentucky woman was supposed to board the Carnival Celebration ship with her husband and their four kids to stay in the $12,000 Excel Presidential Suite — the ship’s largest room — and enjoy a whole schedule of excursions.

She claims she discovered that her vacation, which had been paid in full, was a wash after receiving a cancellation confirmation about an off-ship excursion, and she called to investigate.

That was when she learned that her trip had been canceled through the cruise line’s online system, which Banks insisted was not her doing.

Carnival allegedly told her the room they had booked was now reserved by another customer and offered the family two interior rooms — the cheapest on the ship — instead, but the mom denied the change feeling it was an inadequate replacement.

She also said that Carnival refused to offer a full refund; their cancellation policy states that no money will be returned within 15 days of the cruise date.

The family flew to Miami and tried to board the ship anyway, hoping for a last-minute solution, but were forced to watch the ship sail off without them, Banks said in a teary follow-up video.

A few days later, Carnival called Banks back to explain that she was the “victim of a form of identity theft” — but that there was no security breach on Carnival’s part, according to a recording of the call she shared on TikTok.

That was when she learned that she and her husband had accidentally shared their cruise booking reference number when posting a screenshot of an email with the countdown to their vacation on Facebook a few weeks out, she continued in a recent clip.

The same day they posted the booking number on Facebook, someone created an online Carnival account and added the number to their profile.

Then, 48 hours before the cruise sail date, the person canceled the family’s entire cabin booking, the Carnival rep told Banks in the recording.

Banks said Carnival told her that it believes the IP address of the person who canceled was in British Columbia but it was unable to get the identity of the fraudster.

The company offered her future cruise credit for $10,404 contingent on the mom posting on social media “something to the effect of Carnival has now resolved the issue.”

But Banks said she wasn’t interested and questioned the ease with which someone was able to take over her booking with no verification process.

“We’re not sailing with Carnival ever again,” she said.

Banks claims that the attorney general of Florida has reached out to her as she’s now begun looking into taking legal action against Carnival claiming that she’s fighting for everyone who’s been “screwed” over by Carnival

“This is no longer just about me,” Banks said in a video. “This is me now wanting to really make a company change their policies and do what is right.”

“I would love for this to be a class action because big corporations should not be allowed to just take people’s money.”

In her most recent update, she claimed that people have messaged her and let her know that Carnival has updated their website and emailed people reminding them not to share their booking number in bold letters.

A move she believes is practically an admission of guilt.

“With a busy summer travel season underway, we are reminding our guests about several things to make their travel go smoothly,” a representative from Carnival told The Post.

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This weekend is shaping up to be a rollercoaster ride of weather around the Jersey Shore

Get ready to dodge some raindrops on Friday, because there's a chance of showers starting in the afternoon and escalating into possible thunderstorms later in the evening.

Don't let that dampen your spirits though, because sunshine returns on Saturday and Sunday, bringing warm temperatures perfect for outdoor adventures.

Here's a breakdown:

Friday: Pack an umbrella. There's a 30% chance of rain in the afternoon, with thunderstorms possible later. Highs will reach near 88, but keep an eye on the sky as things could get stormy.

Friday Night: Don't put away that umbrella just yet. Expect more showers and a chance of thunderstorms throughout the night. Lows will dip down to around 62.

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Saturday: The clouds part ways and sunshine takes center stage. Enjoy a beautiful day with highs reaching near 84. A perfect day for a picnic or a hike.

Saturday Night: Bundle up. Temperatures plummet to a cool 58 under mostly clear skies. Perfect weather for cozying up by a bonfire.

Sunday: Mostly sunny skies continue with highs near 80. Another great day to soak up the sun before the work week hits.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy skies roll in as temperatures drop to around 61.

So there you have it, folks — a weekend with a little bit of everything. Remember to keep an eye on the latest forecast for any updates, especially on Friday.

What is the air quality in New Jersey?

Air quality refers to the cleanliness of the air we breathe. It's a measure of how much pollution is present in the air, specifically focusing on health-damaging pollutants. Find the latest reading for your location at AirNow.gov .

What's the UV index?

• Saturday: 8

Source: https://www.weatherandradar.com/

What UV index numbers mean

• Low (0-2): No sun protection needed, enjoy the outdoors.
• Moderate (3-5): Take precautions. Seek shade midday, wear sun-protective clothing and SPF sunscreen.
• High (6-7): Be Sun Smart. Seek shade midday, wear protective clothing, sunglasses and SPF sunscreen.
• Very High (8-10): Limit midday sun. If going out, seek shade, wear protective clothing, sunglasses and high SPF sunscreen.
• Extreme (11-12): Stay Out of the midday Sun. If outdoors, seek shade, wear protective clothing, sunglasses and high SPF sunscreen.