In anticipation of the U.S. arrival of the totally transformed Carnival Sunshine next month, Carnival Cruise Lines is taking an innovative social media approach to engage with its fans and showcase this spectacular addition to the “Fun Ship” fleet.

Dubbed “Nine Days of Sunshine,” the on-line promotion will take place Oct. 11-19 during a nine-day Mediterranean cruise and integrates a number of the line’s social media platforms – from Instagram and Facebook to Twitter and Senior Cruise Director John Heald’s popular blog – to highlight the ship’s array of on-board features.

The Carnival Sunshine “social media takeover” includes daily Instagram posts where fans can enjoy colorful images of the ship’s incredible spaces posted multiple times each day and participate in live interactive “Meet the Crew” chats where they can ask questions of Carnival Sunshine team members and receive a response right on the spot.

Viewers can even help direct content for the “Nine Days of Sunshine” promotion through fun daily Instagram polls while guests sailing on Carnival Sunshine’s Med cruise can offer Instgram “video shout outs” to their friends and family members back home.

Heald will also take viewers on an unforgettable journey through Carnival Sunshine’s newly created spaces through daily recap videos and original content on both his blog and Facebook fan page.

Even after the “Nine Days of Sunshine” promotion period is over, the fun continues with engaging videos highlighting the ship’s culinary choices such as Ji Ji Asian Kitchen, Cucina del Capitano, and Havana Bar, interviews with guests and crew, and a visit to the stunning three-level Serenity adults-only retreat.

Following a 16-day trans-Atlantic crossing from Barcelona to New Orleans Nov. 1-17, Carnival Sunshine will operate a schedule of seven-day Caribbean cruises from the Big Easy through April 2014 before repositioning to Port Canaveral, Fla., for year-round five- to eight-day Caribbean departures.