I sailed on the Carnival Sunrise from Fort Lauderdale in February 2020, just before the onslaught of Covid and the shutdown of the cruise industry. While overall, it was a good cruise, there were several issues for a mobility challenged solo traveler–not all the fault of the Carnival Sunrise. But, several things to be aware of.
Keep in mind that the Carnival Sunrise cruise was the second of back-to-back cruises for me so I disembarked from the Holland America’s Zuiderdam, grabbed a cab, took it around the block to the Carnival terminal and went in search of the wheel chair folks, I learned some time ago to make use of wheel chair service whenever possible, like through airports and to get on the cruise ships. They actually have someone who will push a wheel chair right up to the lobby the ship.
Embarkation Day
The wheelchair guy took me right through check-in and it went super smooth. I was being pushed up the gangway to the Carnival Sunrise in about 10 minutes. That is where my first issue appeared.
As had happened on two previous cruises, I thought my Scootaround scooter would be waiting for me in my cabin. But, the wheel chair guy informed me that he was only allowed to do drop me at the elevators in the lobby. I had no choice, I thought, but to walk.
I am not totally disabled, only mobility challenged. I can walk some but with two replaced hips, a knee that needs replaced, back issues, severe lung deterioration due to my 54 years of smoking, and obesity, 20 yards at a time is about my maximum. Walking to my cabin was going to be a chore.
Thankfully, after a brief elevator ride to my deck, I had to walk about one fourth the length of the ship. It could have been worse. After several stops to catch my breath, I arrived at my cabin to discover my scooter was not there. I phones my Scootaround contact and was told the scooter was waiting for me in the terminal. I did not know that was even an option. Starting to struggle a bit, I finally made it back to the customer service desk, explained the situation, flagged down another wheel chair guy on his way off the ship, and made my way back to the terminal and my scooter. What a mess.
If you have mobility needs and rent a scooter, wheel chair, or powered wheelchair, make sure you know where to meet the representative. I can not really blame Carnival Sunrise for this issue as it was as much my fault as theirs. But it was not the best way to start a cruise.
Carnival Sunrise Physical Layout
Carnival has created a traffic flow system which directs you from anywhere in the lower or middle decks of the ship through the casino. The only exception to this is the upper/pool deck areas.
From an accessibility standpoint going through the casino is not a problem. Other entertainment venues, restaurants and bars are easily accessed. However, being forced through the casino became a major bone of contention for me. The casino is the smoking area for the Carnival Sunrise and on my cruise, there were lots of smokers so you were forced to put up with the smells and second hand smoke.
I was assigned to the Sunshine Dining Room, one of the main dining rooms that spans two decks. Thankfully there were accessible entrances on both levels. I was assigned to a table with two lovely ladies, one from Wisconsin, and one from Nova Scotia. We ended up meeting there for dinner every night of the cruise and have stayed in touch..
On most days for breakfast, I could be found in the buffet area. An early riser, I like to find a table, set up my laptop to work, and drink several cups of coffee. After breakfast, I might go in search of a bloody mary and a hot tub. While the buffet area is pretty busy all of the time, there are no accessibility issues.
For lunch, I might visit Guys Burger Joint, Blue Iguana Cantina or the Carnival Deli. There were no accessibility issues with any of the food venues on the Sunrise.
The one area I found severe mobility issue is the multileveled pool deck area. This is impossible for scooters or wheel chairs.
Another area I found fault with on the Carnival Sunrise was the lack of consideration toward mobility challenged travelers. This was most evident when trying to access elevators. Several times, I thought I might get run over as people rushed from place to place, especially during embarkation and disembarkation. Remember folks, a little kindness and awareness will help those less fortunate than you and enhance their travel experience.
My overall accessibility grade for the Carnival Sunrise is a solid C+.
But if Carnival is where you wish to book, you can do so easily at CruiseDirect.com.