Carnival Encounter brings energetic fun and familiar favourites to its Brisbane-based sailings. Photo / Supplied
Now sailing under Carnival Cruise Line after years with P&O, the newly rebranded Carnival Encounter still delivers the same affordable fun, with a few lively upgrades, writes Tiana Templeman.
My husband and I have walked to the front of Carnival Encounter to find the perfect spot to watch the sunset, but not from our usual spot at the Byron Beach Club. This time we’re decked out in climbing harnesses and there isn’t a tropical cocktail in sight. A small crowd gathers as an adventure guide clips our climbing harnesses to a railing, and we walk unaccompanied towards the edge of the roof on top of the ship’s bridge.
The only thing between us and the horizon is the ocean as we hold hands and admire the sun bathing the water’s undulating surface in shades of burnished gold. Our hearts are thumping in our chests – whether it’s due to love or adrenaline, I’m not entirely sure – but when we gaze into each other’s eyes, the experience is pure romance.
The Sunset Bridge Climb at the Edge Adventure Park is just one of the reasons this Carnival Cruise Line ship sailing out of Brisbane is so popular. Previously sailing for P&O Cruises after a bow-to-stern makeover, Carnival Encounter also sailed as Star Princess from 2002 until 2018. It’s an affordable, family-friendly crowd pleaser that is set to undergo another major dry dock in early 2026 to update and ‘Carnivalise’ the ship.
Until then, most of our favourites from the ship’s P&O Cruises days will remain, including the Edge Adventure Park, shows such as Blanc de Blanc Uncorked and Musicology, and all of the complimentary dining venues. In fact, this three-night cruise didn’t feel much different to when we sailed on the ship a few years ago. The hard-working, friendly crew went out of their way to make sure everyone had a good time, and we recognised some of their familiar faces from our previous cruise.
While most things were the same, there were still a few changes we noticed this time around. One bottle of wine can now be brought onboard in your carry-on bag, and the main dining room is no longer open for lunch on boarding day, the same as Carnival’s other ships. Grab some pizza at Trattoria on Deck 7 to avoid the rush at The Pantry buffet, as it can get a little crazy up there on day one of the cruise.
We also discovered that rotational dining meant we didn’t need to queue to make bookings at the complimentary restaurants, Angelo’s and Dragon Lady. Our crispy spring rolls and piping hot dumplings at the latter disappeared almost as quickly as they arrived, and the massaman beef curry and matcha cake were also a hit. The Carnival app simplified everything, and even sent notifications when our table was ready.
At dinner time, you can now watch Carnival’s famous dancing waiters at The Waterfront, Angelo’s and Dragon Lady. If you would prefer to avoid them, head to The Pantry, Trattoria or Luke’s Bar and Grill, where we had our favourite dining experience of the trip. It was obvious we were in for a treat the moment we walked in. The lighting was low, the decor was sophisticated and there was crisp white linen on the tables. My warm goat’s cheese and caramelised onion tart was packed with flavour, and so was the perfectly cooked steak that I ordered for my main.
We were having such a good time that we skipped the 9pm show we were planning on seeing, opting for Luke’s signature liquorice and lime dessert and another glass of wine instead. It didn’t feel like we were missing out, as there was so much other entertainment happening around the ship.
Besides the Broadway-style production shows and bars with live musical entertainment, our comedy cruise featured a selection of comedians (some great, others not so much) in the Marquee Theatre and smaller Black Circus show lounge at the rear of the ship. If you want the last laugh, make sure you book a comedy cruise for later this year, as themed sailings like these won’t be offered from 2026 onwards.
There’s also entertainment available during the day, when the bars do double duty as venues for the activities programme. While having your quiet afternoon drink at the Encounter Hotel interrupted by a trivia challenge may not appeal to everyone, we enjoyed the energy this brought to the ship. If your drinking spot is gate-crashed by the activities team, there are plenty of other bars where you can enjoy a quiet drink. Our favourite bar on the ship was the classy Bonded Store, which was small and intimate, with a speakeasy vibe. The cocktails here were smokin’ – literally!
We discovered that Carnival ships have a lively atmosphere that’s more high-energy than P&O Cruises. There’s even a dedicated Fun Squad who lead activities like High Seas Karaoke, dance classes and a Decades Music Party. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and it drew in the crowds. Trivia was so popular it was standing room only, and when passengers gathered on the deck to watch the football on the big screen, it felt like we were at the actual game. Wherever you go on the ship at whatever time of the day or night, good times are pretty much guaranteed.
After having so much fun each day, we were keen for a good night’s sleep. While our cabin’s decor hadn’t been renovated since the ship sailed for Princess, and looked almost as tired as we were, it had everything we needed, including New Zealand power points. With the ship set to undergo a month-long makeover during a dry dock in Singapore in early 2026, the dated cabins should be a thing of the past soon.
My husband was hesitant about Carnival’s lively atmosphere before he got onboard, but it didn’t take long for the ship’s energetic vibe to win him over. It was impossible not to get caught up in the joyful atmosphere and the genuine enthusiasm of everyone was contagious. While nothing could convince us to get on stage and perform at an onboard comedy workshop, there’s no persuasion required to get us on another Carnival cruise.
Carnival Encounter sails from Brisbane year-round, including several cruises to and from Singapore. Destinations include Australia, Asia and the South Pacific and range from two to 10+ days.
The writer sailed as a guest of Carnival Cruise Line.
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