Carnival Cruise Line to Have Four Ships in Australia for 2026-2027

Carnival Cruise Line has announced that it will have four ships in Australia for 2026-2027. This comes on the heels of the cruise line adding two ships from sister line P&O Cruises Australia in March of 2025, the soon-to-be Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter. Carnival will now offer guests more choices from Australia than ever in the future season.

The expanded program includes sailings from Sydney on Carnival Adventure and Carnival Splendor, and from Brisbane on Carnival Encounter and Carnival Luminosa (seasonally). Itineraries to feature popular destinations such as Moreton Island, the Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea.

“As we expand our fleet to four ships in Australia and enrich our overall deployment plan, our 2026/27 itineraries significantly increase the options available for the Carnival experience from Sydney and Brisbane,” said Fred Stein, vice president of itinerary planning. “Guests interested in a cruise from Australia are bound to find the perfect itinerary, whether they’re looking to explore a new region or revisit key vacation destinations – all showcasing the diverse beauty of the South Pacific.”

Carnival Cruises from Sydney

From Sydney, Carnival Splendor will offer a range of two to 12-day cruises. Four-day cruises include Moreton Island and five- and six-day cruises will visit Tasmania for guests to explore Hobart and Port Arthur. Six-night cruises will include an overnight stay in Hobart. Nine- and 10-day South Pacific cruises on Carnival Splendor visit Mystery Island and Port Vila. The ship will also offer additional longer sailings, including 10-day New Zealand itineraries, offering opportunities to explore Wellington, Lyttelton (Christchurch), and Dunedin, as well as scenic cruising in Fiordland National Park.

Carnival Adventure will sail two- to 12-day itineraries from Sydney. These sailings range from weekend getaways to Moreton Island all the way to longer sailings that feature the Great Barrier Reef. A 12-day sailing to Fiji is also set for April 2027, which will visit Lautoka and Dravuni Island. 

Both Carnival Adventure and Carnival Splendor will also offer cruises to Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup, Australia’s most popular horse race.

Carnival Cruises from Brisbane  

Carnival Luminosa will offer three- to 14-day itineraries departing from Brisbane during its seasonal deployment. A six-day Great Barrier Reef will allow for exploring Airlie Beach and Cairns, with an onboard experience at Willis Island. Week-long South Pacific cruises visit Mystery Island, Port Vila. An eight-day option includes multiple stops in Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Also available on Carnival Luminosa is a 14-day Carnival Journeys cruise that highlights the locations where Mutiny on the Bounty took place in 1789 featuring port visits to Norfolk Island and Nuku'alofa, Tonga.

Carnival Encounter voyages from Brisbane will visit a variety of destinations in the South Pacific and Great Barrier Reef. Guests can enjoy multiple short three-day getaway trips and four-day cruises with stops at Airlie Beach. Longer voyages of six to 10 days on Carnival Encounter include ports such as Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. A 12- and 14-day option visit the islands of Fiji.

Explore All Carnival Cruise Line Australia & South Pacific Sailings

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