Carnival Sunrise Officially Joins the Fleet

A lighter and brighter Carnival Sunrise took its place in New York Harbor last week, as press and Carnival executives mingled with the Bahamas-bound passengers during the ship’s official naming ceremony.

Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy noted that the $200 million transformation of what used to be the 20-year-old Carnival Triumph comes toward the end of a $2 billion “fleet transformation.” The work on this ship took two years; next and last on the drawing board will be the upgrade of Carnival Victory, which will be reimagined as the Radiance next year.

This summer and next, meanwhile, Carnival Sunrise will sail from New York into the Caribbean sunshine on 4- to 14-day itineraries; during the winter months, it will cruise from Fort Lauderdale.

There is a modern décor, new soft and hard furnishings in all 1,492 rooms (a fitting number for a ship following in the footsteps of Columbus); and new rooms and suites, including two new Captain’s Suites with floor-to-ceiling windows and new Grand Suites with extended balconies.

Also onboard are the new food options that have become popular on other Carnival ships, including Guy’s Pig & Anchor (barbecue, free at lunch), the Seafood Shack (lobster rolls), Cucina del Capitano (Italian), Lucky Bowl (Asian wok), and Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse — plus an elegant and sleek, glass-enclosed Chef’s Table.

For those looking for a little peace and quiet, the new Cloud 9 Spa’s thermal suite offers an aroma steam room and an infrared sauna, or the Serenity “adults-only retreat.” Guests can settle into a booth at one of the new bars and lounges; newly added are the Redfrog Pub, one of the largest in the fleet; a Limelight Lounge and a Liquid Lounge; and a Piano Bar 88. Or they can work off the buffet at the new Waterworks aqua club, the modernized fitness center; or the new SportSquare ropes course, 150 foot above sea level.

For those moving a little more slowly, there are 46 accessible rooms, and new elevators to make getting around easier.

A little history
Like Carnival Sunrise itself, the naming ceremony mixed the new with little touches of tradition and history. The ship’s godmother is Kelly Arison, daughter of Carnival Corporation Chairman Micky Arison; her mother, Madeleine, served as the ship’s godmother when it was named Carnival Triumph 20 years ago.

Also on the program was Kathy Lee Gifford, “honored to have my little place in history” as a Carnival godmother and spokesperson for 35 years; and a video by players on the Miami Heat, where Micky Arison is a general partner. As part of the ceremony, Carnival made a donation to the Ehler-Danlos Society, whose research hopes one day to find a cure for the disease, from which Kelly Arison suffers.

If I can make it there
Travel professionals, meanwhile, noted that New York can be a draw in its own right for the right customers headed to the Caribbean.

In upstate Rochester, New York, Ashley Bennington said that with airfare to Florida averaging $350-$400 per person and New York just a six-hour drive away, “I sell more cruises out of New York City than anywhere else. It is a no-brainer for many of my clients, especially with so many family-cruise options.”

Travel advisor Lynn Aston Lambert, in St. Catharines, Ontario, said that for her Canadian customers, “New York is the closest port, even compared to Montreal; it’s much more convenient to not worry about getting to the airport, and to stay for a couple of days after the cruise. I haven’t sailed on the Carnival Sunshine yet, but hopefully one day. It looks beautiful!”

Agreed Tensi Westreicher, business development manager for CruiseOne, Dream Vacations and Cruises Inc.: “New York is always a good idea. My memories (and pics) from my pre/post New York stay and the sail out are some of my very favorite.”

Anna Peck, of Travels with Anna, in South Carolina, noted that while her customers tend to prefer Florida ports, Sunrise’s longer Journeys itineraries make New York easier to sell.

Indeed, agreed Brooke Stahly, travel consultant at Global Voyages Inc., “a weekend in New York is a bucket-list trip” for her Midwestern clients, “and it is easy to add on two or three nights prior to their sailing to enjoy the city beforehand.”