One of Carnival's cruise brands bid farewell to its last two ships before being shut down after over 90 years in service.
Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure finished their last voyages under the P&O Cruises Australia brand in mid-March. After undergoing a short drydock, they entered service as Carnival Encounter and Carnival Adventure as part of Carnival's strategy to expand its operations in Australia and the South Pacific.
P&O Cruises Australia originated from the passenger division of the UK shipping company P&O, which operated the world's first passenger ships in the early 19th century and became the first company to operate passenger sailings to Australia.
Read more: Carnival Cruise Line expands fleet with two new ships in 2025
The first Australian cruise departed on December 23, 1932, with over 1,100 passengers aboard the Strathaird on the 7-day voyage to Brisbane and Norfolk Island. Plus, that inaugural cruise sold out in one day! Eventually, P&O became P&O Cruises, with the Australian division becoming a key player in the South Pacific market and adopting the name P&O Cruises Australia.
It wasn't until the late 1980s that P&O Cruises permanently based a ship in Australia. The company bought Sitmar Cruises in 1988 for $210 million, acquiring the Fairstar. Fairstar then operated in Australia for P&O until Fair Princess was transferred from Princess Cruises in 1997. Six years later, the company merged with Carnival Corporation to form Carnival Corporation & plc.
In 2023, P&O celebrated 90 years of cruising in Australia and worked with historians to develop a series of celebratory events across the country. The historians prepared speeches, designed fact sheets, and spoke on board cruise ships in Brisbane, Sydney, and Fremantle.
However, just one year later, it was announced that P&O Cruises Australia would be shut down and absorbed into Carnival Cruise Line from March 2025 to increase Carnival's capacity. Two ships, Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure, were rebranded as ships within Carnival's "FUN" fleet, while Pacific Explorer was sold to Resorts World Cruises.
The new Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter increased Carnival's fleet from 27 to 29 ships, making it the largest fleet the cruise line has ever had in its 53-year history.
"Our expansion in Australia demonstrates incredible enthusiasm for our brand and we’re grateful to our loyal guests who continue to drive our ongoing growth, solidifying Carnival as the world’s most popular cruise line,” said Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line.
“Doubling the fun in our Australia homeports enables us to deliver more sailing options, offer more variety and deepen our partnerships in the Sydney and Brisbane communities.”
Carnival Adventure was welcomed to Sydney, Australia, with a special celebration led by Duffy on Friday, March 28, 2025, while a second celebratory event is scheduled in Brisbane for Carnival Encounter on March 29. Both ships will embark on their maiden voyages with Carnival Cruise Line on the 29th, with Adventure heading on a 9-day Pacific Islander Hopper cruise and Encounter on a short 3-day getaway.
As the ships were originally built for Princess Cruises before operating for P&O and now Carnival, they're noticeably different from other vessels within the fleet.
While guests can expect the same iconic Fun Squad-led entertainment and lively deck parties, certain aspects of the experience will differ from traditional Carnival cruises in North America. For starters, the ships don't have the iconic red, white, and blue funnel.
Additionally, while complimentary pizza is available throughout the day at Pizzeria del Capitano and Pizza Pirate, Carnival Encounter and Adventure only offer free pizza between 11:00am and 4:00pm. Outside of these hours, pizza can be purchased for an extra cost.
Carnival Adventure and Encounter also retained many P&O favorites, including the Edge Adventure Park, Dragon Lady, Luke Mangan’s specialty restaurant, Luke’s Bar & Grill, and the exclusive Byron Beach Club retreat with a private outdoor pool, whirlpool spas, and comfy seating.
Carnival's mobile HubApp is now available for passengers on Carnival Adventure and Encounter, making things like booking dining reservations and shore excursions easier. Plus, guests on both ships will join Carnival's VIFP Club and begin earning points to climb the ranks of the cruise line's loyalty program.
Combined with the capacity of Carnival Splendor and Carnival Luminosa, the cruise line is expecting to welcome more than 500,000 cruisers from Australian ports this year.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she traveled frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas during her freshman year of high school. Having sailed on nearly 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
