Carnival announces Moreton Island Cabana club – but cruisers question the $400 price

• Carnival has announced a new private “cabana club” on Moreton Island.
• This will be the first private cruise cabana club of its kind in Australia – Royal Caribbean has plans for a beach club in Vanuatu in October 2027.
• The announcement has a mixed reaction, with some cruisers unhappy with the price.

Carnival Cruise Line has made an exciting move, announcing its first-ever Australian beachfront cabana club, exclusively for cruise guests. The cabana club will be on Moreton Island, with 20 private cabanas available to be booked by cruise guests.

The cabanas accommodate up to eight people at a time, offering beachfront views, an in-cabana fridge, a private spot to relax, charging ports and more. They can be pre-booked now, starting from $399.99 for the day, and will be available on sailings from August 1 onwards.

Moreton Island is a popular destination for Carnival, which will visit the island nine times in this winter alone. Check out photos of what the new cabanas will look like below.

However, there’s been a mixed reaction from cruisers. Given that the cabanas are already right near a resort and aren’t exactly isolated, there’s been questions raised over whether they’re worth $400. Furthermore, they don’t come with inclusions such as drinks or food, which will mean cruisers will have to pay more on top.

What are people saying?

Some cruisers were unempressed by the new development, particularly towards the pricing.

Tina Scibberas said: “$399 for the day! No way would I pay that. They will have a lot of empty cabas.”

Steve Finnerty added: “Yeah great $400 to sit on a freezing beach in the middle of winter …. What are they thinking!”

Another cruise Alli Mason said: “Wow, $399? They’ll never get used anyway; half the cruises don’t let you disembark there.”

John Why said: “Is there a typo in that price or does it come with unlimited booze and food?”

Cruiser Richard Davey offered a different perspective.

“OK, I am softening towards this. If you have 4 people it’s $99 per person and you might have enough Onboard Credit to facilitate it if you don’t drink too much beer onboard.”

The truth is that Carnival probably didn’t expect that all cruisers would warm to the new cabanas, but there will surely be plenty of people who do opt to rent them. Particularly larger groups who can split the cost.

A battle of beach clubs?

This is an interesting move from Carnival, as it comes a few months after the official reveal of Royal Caribbean’s private beach club at Lelepa. While the initial installations will be more modest than what’s promised for Lelepa, it marks the first steps of Carnival moving towards similar exclusive offerings in and around Australia.

While Lelepa is a longer sailing away, Moreton Island is a common stop on four and five-day cruises, and this project marks the first of its kind in Australia.

This also comes at a time where more Australians, both cruisers and regular travellers, are opting for travel closer to home. It makes sense for Carnival to look to step up its local offerings and guests will surely be hoping there are other new projects to come.

Carnival is the only cruise line in Australia that sails through the winter, and it does so out of both Sydney and Brisbane.

Carnival’s Assistant Vice President Sales & Marketing Anton Loeb said: “Carnival is proud to offer the first beachfront cabana club for cruise guests in Australia. The cabanas are perfect for families or groups of friends looking to spend a day relaxing in style on beautiful Moreton Island.

“here’s no better way to enjoy some warmth this winter than with a relaxing, great value holiday onboard a Carnival Cruise to Tangalooma. It’s convenient, fun and a great way to bring loved ones together.”