With a current fleet of 27 ships, Carnival Cruise Line will be adding two more to the growing family of “fun ships”.
It was originally announced in June 2024 that Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter of P&O Cruises Australia would be absorbed by Carnival. While P&O Cruises Australia was part of Carnival Corp. & plc, the Australian brand is being closed and folded into the Carnival Cruise Line brand.
These two ships will undergo a refurbishment in a two-week wet-dock which will take place in March 2025.
Shortly after these enhancements and name changes, the ships will begin offering cruises to the Australian market.
Pacific Adventure will be renamed Carnival Adventure, and Pacific Encounter will be renamed Carnival Encounter. Both ships were originally built as Grand-class vessels.
Carnival Adventure
Originally christened as Golden Princess for Princess Cruises before joining P&O Cruises Australia, Carnival Adventure will be a 109,000 gross ton vessel with a passenger capacity of 2,600.
The ship is expected to receive technology upgrades along with Carnival rebranding that will operate in concert with Carnival’s Hub app.
Carnival Adventure will homeport in Sydney, Australia, alongside sister ship Carnival Splendor.
Carnival Encounter
Carnival Encounter, which began as Star Princess for Princess Cruises before being transferred to P&O as Pacific Encounter, will continue to serve as a 109,000 gross ton ship with a passenger capacity of 2,600 like her sister Carnival Adventure.
Encounter will receive the same kinds of technology and brand updates as Adventure, and will be homeporting in Brisbane, Australia, offering year-round sailings in the region.
Updates to the ships
Although we don’t have many details about what additions and transformations will be made during the two-week refurbishment, Carnival did reveal a few onboard features for the two ships.
- Carnival’s ‘Fun Squad’: The onboard entertainment team will bring the fun with comedy shows, organize lively deck parties, and lead engaging games.
- Turtles Kids’ Club: A new childcare option for kids under two, featuring activities like arts and crafts, story time, dancing, and sensory play.
- Classic Carnival Fun: Look forward to Build-A-Bear workshops, the Conga for Kids line dance, and ’80s-themed Rock and Glow nights that Carnival passengers are accustomed to.
Despite the rebranding, the ships will retain some beloved P&O Cruises Australia experiences as well.
Guests can still enjoy the Byron Beach Club, Edge Adventure Park, dine at Luke Mangan’s Luke’s Bar & Grill, dine at Angelo’s and Dragon Lady, and be entertained by the Blanc de Blanc show.
This blend ensures a mix of new Carnival flair with classic Australian cruise elements.
Carnival’s presence in Australia
Even though Carnival Corp. has closed the chapter on P&O Cruises Australia, Carnival Cruise Line is picking up where the former cruise line left off.
Carnival expects to welcome over 600,000 cruise passengers on its ships in Sydney and Brisbane in 2025 alone.
With these ships, Carnival Cruise Line will have four ships serving the South Pacific market. This includes Sydney-based Carnival Splendor and Carnival Luminosa sailing seasonally from Brisbane, in addition to the newly rebranded ships being added to its fleet.
