Carnival Cruise Line · All Carnival Cruise Line ships · Adventure Class
Carnival Encounter: ship guide
Brisbane’s year-round Carnival ship with Byron Beach Club and Twin Racer slides.
Best for: Queensland families and groups who want a drive-to Brisbane departure, from 3-day getaways to 14-day Fiji cruises, on a ship with an adults-only beach club and Carnival’s entertainment. Sails from Brisbane in 2026 and 2027.
About Carnival Encounter
Carnival Encounter sails year-round from Brisbane and joined Carnival in March 2025 when the P&O Cruises Australia brand was retired. Built by Fincantieri in 2002 as Star Princess, she became Pacific Encounter in 2021 and gained the Edge Adventure Park and Twin Racer waterslides in a 2023 refit. At 108,865 gross tons she carries 2,600 guests at double occupancy with 1,100 crew and measures 951 feet, a near twin of Carnival Adventure in Sydney.
Queenslanders know her well: the adults-only Byron Beach Club with pool, whirlpools and cabanas; the Edge Adventure Park with a zipline, cargo net and climbing wall; four pools, waterslides and the Oasis adults-only retreat; and restaurants such as Waterfront, Angelo’s, Dragon Lady and The Pantry. Carnival added Fahrenheit 555, Bonsai Sushi Express, Piano Bar 88, Playlist Productions, Family Feud Live, Camp Ocean and its deck parties, and a 2026 dry dock refreshed the Cloud 9 Spa with thermal suites.
In 2026-2027 she offers 3-day getaways and 4-day cruises to Airlie Beach, 6- to 10-day cruises to Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and the South Pacific islands, and 12- and 14-day cruises to Fiji, all round trip from Brisbane. She suits Queensland families and friends who want a drive-to home port, short breaks and a familiar ship with Carnival’s program.
- Byron Beach Club, an adults-only retreat with its own pool, whirlpools, cabanas and steward service
- Edge Adventure Park with a zipline, cargo net, walk the plank, beam walk and climbing wall
- Twin Racer waterslides, four pools and Dive-In Movies
- Waterfront, Angelo’s, Dragon Lady and The Pantry marketplace all included
- Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse and Bonsai Sushi Express added by Carnival
- Cloud 9 Spa with thermal suites refreshed in a 2026 dry dock
- Byron Beach suites, including a single Byron Beach Presidential Suite
- Year-round Brisbane departures to the Great Barrier Reef, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Fiji
Staterooms and suites
Interior
Standard Interior rooms plus Porthole rooms that let in daylight at an interior fare; each has a dedicated stateroom attendant, safe, TV and climate control.
Ocean View
Picture-window rooms, offered as Ocean View and Ocean View (Obstructed View) grades.
Balcony
Balcony rooms and Aft-View Extended Balcony rooms over the wake, the pick for Whitsundays and South Pacific scenery.
Ocean Suite
A larger suite with balcony and more living space for guests who want room without the Byron Beach Club package.
Byron Beach suites
Byron Beach Ocean, Vista, Grand and Extended Balcony Suites plus the one Byron Beach Presidential Suite; all include complimentary Byron Beach Club access, immediate suite access on boarding, exclusive breakfast at Angelo’s, an in-suite continental breakfast menu, coffee machine, robes and slippers, with the Presidential Suite adding a welcome treat, complimentary room service, minibar soft drinks and laundry.
Carnival Encounter deck plans
Deck by deck, straight from our booking engine: the plan, the stateroom categories on that deck and the public rooms. Pick a deck.
Deck 17
Sports Court, Walkway, Altitude Nightclub.
Plans are the cruise line’s current drawings as supplied to our booking engine. Layouts change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the exact stateroom when you book.
On board Carnival Encounter
Dining on Carnival Encounter
WaterfrontIncluded
The main restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner with Australian-leaning menus.
Angelo’sIncluded
Italian restaurant with reservations, also the breakfast venue for Byron Beach suite guests.
Dragon LadyIncluded
Asian banquet-style dining with shared plates.
The PantryIncluded
Marketplace buffet with multiple food outlets and a daily kids’ dinner.
Pizzeria and burgers by the poolIncluded
Fresh pizza and burgers on the pool deck.
Fahrenheit 555 SteakhouseSpecialty
Carnival’s signature steakhouse with aged cuts, added in 2026.
Bonsai Sushi ExpressSpecialty
Made-to-order sushi, sashimi, rolls and poke bowls.
TrattoriaSpecialty
Italian pasta bar at lunch and a specialty dinner at night.
New Zealand NaturalSpecialty
Ice cream and milkshakes served a la carte.
Entertainment and activities
- Playlist Productions shows in the Marquee theater and cabaret in the Black Circus theater
- The Punchliner Comedy Club with family and adults-only shows
- Piano Bar 88, the Ocean Bar dance floor and live music at the Encounter Hotel pub
- Edge Adventure Park with zipline, cargo net and climbing wall
- Twin Racer waterslides, four pools and Dive-In Movies at the Seaside Theater
- Byron Beach Club and the Oasis adults-only retreat
- Carnival deck parties, Altitude Nightclub and the casino
- Cloud 9 Spa with thermal suites and a fitness center
Families and who it suits
Camp Ocean covers ages 2 to 11 in three groups (Penguins 2 to 5, Stingrays 6 to 8, Sharks 9 to 11), Circle C serves ages 12 to 14 and Club O2 ages 15 to 17; families also get the Twin Racer slides, pools, Edge Adventure Park, arcade, Dive-In Movies and a daily kids’ dinner in The Pantry.
Best for: Queensland families and groups who want a drive-to Brisbane departure, from 3-day getaways to 14-day Fiji cruises, on a ship with an adults-only beach club and Carnival’s entertainment.
Sails from: Brisbane · Regions: South Pacific, Great Barrier Reef, Papua New Guinea, Fiji
Shore excursions in Carnival Encounter’s upcoming ports
The ports on Carnival Encounter’s next sailings. Pick one to see the tours Shore Excursions Group runs there, book before you sail and skip the line at the pier.
Ports from sailings departing Oct 25, 2026 onward; itineraries vary by date and your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the ports for your sailing. Tours are sold and operated by Shore Excursions Group, an independent tour company; SmartCruiser earns a commission on bookings made through these links at no extra cost to you.
Carnival Encounter questions we answer every day
How big is Carnival Encounter?
What changed when she became a Carnival ship?
What is the Byron Beach Club?
Which staterooms are best on Carnival Encounter?
Where does Carnival Encounter sail in 2026 and 2027?
What is included in the fare?
Facts checked against Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Encounter, Carnival newsroom: Carnival Encounter fact sheet, Carnival Cruise Line: Camp Ocean, Cruise Passenger: Carnival Cruise Line’s 2026/27 itineraries from Sydney and Brisbane on October 13, 2026. Ship details change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the current layout when you book.
Every Carnival Encounter sailing, priced all-in
Every Carnival Encounter departure the cruise line is selling, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. SmartCruiser picks at the top are sailings where booking with us gets you something extra. Stack the filters, then sort by lowest price, best value per night or sail date.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery Carnival Encounter sailing
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. Onboard credit shown on a sailing is per stateroom and applies to the lowest category offered unless stated otherwise.