- Carnival has shared photos of Carnival Encounter’s new look.
- Fahrenheit 555 and Bonsai Sushi Express are coming to Carnival Encounter and Carnival Adventure.
- Carnival Topside Grill will serve as a new specialty burger restaurant.
- Luke’s Burger and Luke’s Bar and Grill are leaving the ship.
- Pizza and soft serve will not be changing to 24/7 availability like other Carnival ships.
- Other changes include new spa suites, revamped pools and faster waterslides.
Carnival Encounter will now wear the classic Carnival livery, with its trademark royal blue strip across the bow. This marks not just an aesthetic change but also a symbolic one, as Carnival Encounter becomes a true part of the Carnival fleet, after being moved over from P&O Cruises Australia last year.
The other ship which was handed over from P&O Australia is Carnival Adventure, which is due for a dry dock this next time year. Plenty of eyes will be on that dry dock as afterwards, Carnival Adventure will begin sailing half the year in the USA, meaning big changes are expected.
Carnival Encounter is already heading back to Australia, having finished up her dry dock. She’ll sail through Asia before arriving back in Brisbane on March 20, where she’ll continue to sail year-round out of Brisbane, offering itineraries across Queensland and the South Pacific.
Carnival has already shared plenty of info on what dry dock changes will look like for Carnival Encounter and most likely for Carnival Adventure as well, and they will likely prove exciting for some and divisive for others.
Aussie cruisers had been wondering whether the two ships will be heavily ‘Carnivalised’, or rather if the line will retain some aspects of the interior from when the vessels were part of the P&O Cruises Australia brand.
The answer turned out to be a bit of both, with new changes coming in, but a majority of P&O venues remaining.
It has been confirmed that some of the Carnival perks that exist on other ships that guests were hoping to see, such as free soft serve and 24/7 pizza won’t be arriving.
With what we know now, we can see that these ships won’t undergo significant changes, and will largely still look and feel like the P&O ships they once were. It’s possible that more venues will continue to transition to those of Carnival, but due to the ships being older, it’s unlikely that large amounts of work will be done on them.
Carnival Adventure and Encounter will now continue to serve as a slight alternative for Carnival cruisers to Luminosa and Splendor, offering different venues and a different feel onboard. However, they’ve been given a bit more of Carnival flavour for the meantime.
Guests will undoubtedly be upset that they won’t be seeing the full perks and inclusions of a Carnival ship, but Encounter and Adventure will undoubtedly continue to be extremely popular ships, and while a loud minority sometimes complains about these ships and Carnival in general, previous surveying from Cruise Passenger has showed that most cruisers enjoy the new ships and have been having a great time onboard.
Here’s a run down of the changes.
New dining
The classic Carnival steakhouse Fahrenheit 555 will replace Luke’s Bar and Grill, and Bonsai Sushi Express will be arriving where P&O used to have Lily’s.
Carnival Topside Grill will be taking over from Luke’s Burgers. This will be a new restaurant just on Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter, which will operate as a specialty burger venue.
Fahrenheit 555 already operates across the Carnival fleet so many Aussies will be familiar with it, and Bonsai Sushi Express can be enjoyed on Carnival Luminosa.
Carnival also confirmed that despite the wishes of many cruising fans, 24/7 free pizza and soft serve won’t be implemented on Encounter and Adventure for now. Rather, free pizza continue to be served from 11am to 4pm daily and ice cream will be available from New Zealand Ice Creamery, but not as an included extra.
Cruise Passenger readers previously expressed that these perks were number one on their wish list for dry dock changes, but unfortunately for now the pizza and soft serve situation will remain equal.
Anton Loeb, Carnival Cruise Line Assistant Vice President Sales & Marketing said: “We are delighted to be bringing Fahrenheit 555 to all of our Australia-based ships, so guests can experience Carnival’s signature premium experience no matter where or when they sail with us.”
Other changes
- New Cloud 9 Spa Thermal Suites: These new relaxation zones feature saunas, steam baths and heated thermal lounges for the perfect unwind on a cruise.
- Revamped pools and jacuzzis: All five pools on Encounter and all seven jacuzzi tubs will be replaced with newer furnishings and surrounds.
- Resurfaced basketball court: The basketball court has been redone, with new paving, nets and hoops.
- Waterslides have been polished: The twin racer slides have been polished up so they’ll go even faster than before.
Anton Loeb, Carnival Cruise Line Assistant Vice President Sales & Marketing: “We’re excited to be providing our guests with a whole new spa experience and transformed spaces onboard Carnival Encounter. Queenslanders are going to love the luxury of lying on a heated lounge while at sea, whether they choose to sail in summer, autumn, winter or spring.”
Encounter will leave Singapore on March 5 and head back to Brisbane, where it will continue to sail year round.
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Wish we would get better ships departing Brisbane. One season RC Voyager of the seas, back to boring Quantum. 100 year old Princess ship goes to NZ, nothing else. We’ve been flying to Sydney for sailings for a couple of years now which is ridiculous and costly as there is usually a group of 8 to 10. I’ve written to Carnival and RC but no responses.
“Carnival Encounter will now wear the classic Carnival livery, with its trademark royal blue strip across the bow. This marks not just an aesthetic change but also a symbolic one, as Carnival Encounter becomes a true part of the Carnival fleet, ”
lol. The fact these are still the exception to not having the same inclusions of other Carnival ships e.g. pizza and other things, means they are NOT a true part of the Carnival fleet.
It’s unheard of for a brand that is capable of having the same inclusions as others decides to exclude standard inclusions from some products. But Carnival continues to do it with these ships, making their excuse to transfer them from P&O as even less justified since they continue to operate them as their own disguised separate brand.
“Queenslanders are going to love the luxury of lying on a heated lounge”. Old mate has no clue. Queensland is 40c in summer, the whole ship is a heated lounge. They are clearly going cheapskate with no poolside pizza and ice cream. Unlike luminosa! Cause the yanks just wouldnt put up with that.
Loved the steak resturant on Lumosso glad its coming toÊ» Encounter