We just got back from a wonderful vacation with my parents on the Carnival Sunshine that went to Nassau and Princess Cays in the Bahamas. We had a great time and would love to go on a cruise again sometime. 

 

My parents rented a roomy mini van so we'd all be comfortable on the ride there and back. Mom and Dad were in the front, Mike and I were in the middle, and our daughter got the whole back seat all to herself. We took a couple coolers filled with food and drinks so we wouldn't have to stop to eat. We left at 8:00 am on a Thursday and made it to Columbia, South Carolina that evening. 

 

Palm trees in Columbia, South Carolina

 

After staying overnight in Columbia, we drove to Charleston, South Carolina the next day and stayed in a hotel that night.

 

We couldn't check in to our hotel in Charleston until 3:00 so we stopped off at Folly Beach. I'm the one who really wanted to visit one of the beaches. I was expecting a better experience, as I think we all were. I was wearing sandals that I had to take off to be able to walk in the sand. The sand was so scorching hot that I had to hop from one foot to the next and basically run as fast as I could. You bet I didn't walk far before I decided to turn around. My Mom wasn't out there long either. She said the sand was getting in her eyes from the wind. We tried to sit on a blanket but that didn't last long because it was way too windy. Despite all of this, I was able to snap a photo of Mike and our daughter before turning around. They went farther than the rest of us.

 

 

 

 

There was a lovely view of boats in front of our hotel in Charleston. 

 

 

Mike, our daughter, and I had a delicious meal from California Dreaming in Charleston while my Mom and Dad stayed back at the hotel. 

My Dad went to the car at one point to put something in there and got a little freaked out because he couldn't get into the car. It seemed the battery was dead. As it turned out though, he was at the wrong car as there was a Pacifica that looked exactly like our rental car. Whew! That was scary for him. 

 

We had a good night's sleep, then drove over to the port the next day. We boarded the ship from the port in Charleston and if you look under the rear view mirror, you can see the ship.

 

 

The check in process took probably about an hour and a half to two hours, but it wasn't too bad.

 

I wasn't sure what to expect of a cruise and neither was Mike. We looked at photos and videos online from others' trips beforehand and really didn't know how we would handle being around that many people. But we quickly found out you have so much fun you don't care there are tons of people around you. Once we boarded and got settled in, a lovely lady offered to take our photo.

 

 

 

Mike and me at Red Frog listening to karaoke.

 

We ate breakfast and lunch every day on deck nine. They had a buffet and also had a taco bar and a burger and fries restaurant called Guy's Burger Joint. Thank goodness they served coffee all day long because I'm an all-day coffee drinker.

 

The cabins are small, yet plenty big enough because really all you do in them is sleep. We didn't hang out in our cabin much at all because there was always something fun to do. We mainly just slept in there and rested a couple times. 

 

We went to the casino several times during the cruise. Since we were in international waters, our daughter was allowed in the casino as well (and the bars), not to gamble, but she could go in and watch. My favorite slot machine was Smokin' Hot Stuff Wicked Wheel. 

 

 

This is my Mom, Dad, and our daughter in the Atrium, where we spent time listening to a lot of music! And getting drinks. :-)

 

 

One of my favorite drinks from the cruise...a lemon drop martini!

 

 

The glass elevator overlooking the Atrium.

 

 

Here's my Dad and me outside on one of the decks. This was after we got coffee and everyone else was asleep. Dad and I were always the first ones up so several times we went to get coffee, then went back to the cabins to get the rest of our crew.

 

 

 

Dad and I went to an art auction and this was one of my favorite paintings. I love sunflowers! This was the first art auction I had ever been to, believe it or not! They gave out free champagne and gave away a whole bottle of champagne to the loudest person in the crowd. A boy probably about the age of 12 tried his hardest to win that champagne. He even bid once, I'm guessing with his mom's permission, who was sitting next to him.

 

Mom and Dad

 

 

The views from the ship were absolutely breathtaking!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike's favorite part of the cruise was looking out and seeing nothing but sea. He'd probably love living on a houseboat!

 

 

 

 

Deck nine was where the swimming pool and the huge screen TV was, along with lots of food. We spent a lot of time on this deck. It was wonderful going up at night as it was the perfect temperature along with a great view and a nice breeze. My daughter and I went to an 80s music party one evening on this deck and I LOVED it. She, on the other hand, looked bored to tears every time I looked at her. She just doesn't get into 80s music, but I'm sure if the music would have been NF or something like that, she would have liked it.

 

 

Our stop in Nassau. We didn't get off the ship, but we got pics of the view.

 

Lighthouse at Nassau

 

 

 

The day before we got off the ship, I spent about an hour outside by myself and I was surrounded by no-one. It was such a quiet and relaxing time.

 

Just a random selfie of Mike and me

 

 

Housekeeping left us a new towel animal sculpture each day and this one was my favorite.

 

 

The night before we left, we listened to 80s music by this band in the Ocean Plaza. Anyone who knows me knows I love 80s music so I really enjoyed this!

 

This was one of my favorite vacations we've ever taken. Despite me gaining five pounds, we had a blast and can't wait to take another cruise!