X. The Carnival Sunshine won't sit idle for long after its contract to sail from the Port of Charleston expires at the end of 2024, with the cruise ship set to sail from its new home in Norfolk, Va.

In 2024, the Carnival Sunshine was primarily homeported in Norfolk, Virginia and Charleston, South Carolina, serving as a key vessel for the Mid-Atlantic market. Its itineraries focused heavily on the Bahamas and the Eastern Caribbean. Typical 5-to-6-day sailings from Norfolk included stops at Nassau, Freeport, and Carnival’s private destination, Half Moon Cay. Longer 8-day voyages extended further into the Caribbean, visiting ports like Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic and Grand Turk. Throughout 2024, the ship was a staple for "short-break" cruisers due to its "Sunshine Class" amenities, which were the result of a massive 2013 transformation from the former Carnival Destiny. Looking forward into 2026, the ship has largely maintained its Norfolk-based operations, though it has started incorporating the new Celebration Key (Carnival's massive new private port on Grand Bahama) into almost all of its short-haul itineraries, making it one of the most popular "value" ships for travelers departing from the Virginia area.