Carnival Sunshine (formerly Carnival Destiny) is a cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line. Upon entering service in 1996, the ship was the first passenger ship ever built to be over 100,000 gross tons. Built by Fincantieri at its Monfalcone shipyard in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northern Italy, she was christened as Carnival Destiny in Venice, Italy, in November 1996 by Lin Arison, the wife of Carnival Cruise Line founder Ted Arison. Since May 2019 the ship has been homeported in Charleston, South Carolina.

In 2013, she received a major refit and a rename, with sister ships Carnival Triumph and Carnival Victory following suit in 2019 and 2020 respectively. At a ceremony in New Orleans on 17 November 2013, she was formally renamed, with Lin Arison once again serving as her godmother.

History

Carnival Destiny went into dry dock in Trieste, Italy in 2013 to be refitted and renamed Carnival Sunshine. The refitting, which was completed in May 2013, was delayed by a month to install new back-up generator systems.

Layout

The propulsion system consists of six thruster units, three forward and three aft, each with variable-pitch propellers and 1760-kW motors. The electricity for the motors is provided by diesel generators.

Following a multimillion-dollar refurbishment in 2005, Carnival Destiny featured three pools, a variety of dining options, lounges, nightclubs, a casino and a spa. Carnival Destiny received more modifications in 2010, including a movie screen on the Lido deck and cabin renovations.

On 6 March 2012, Carnival announced that Destiny would undergo a US$155-million dollar refit, and renaming of the ship as Carnival Sunshine. The ship was re-launched on 5 May 2013. The refit included a racing themed waterpark with one of the biggest slides in Carnival's fleet.

Areas of operation

Other than an 18-day cruise across the Atlantic to position her for the refit in Italy, the ship has always operated from ports in the United States cruising primarily to Caribbean destinations.