Key Aspects:
- Carnival Adventure called on Port Vila in Vanuatu, making it the first ship to return to the cruise port since a severe earthquake left behind a wake of destruction last December.
- The cruise ship’s arrival was celebrated with a special ceremony and commemorative plaque exchange.
- Carnival Adventure will continue to sail to Port Vila, with Carnival Encounter and Carnival Splendor also coming soon.
Believe it or not, it’s been eight long months since a massive 7.3 earthquake rocked Vanuatu on December 17, 2024.
The shaking didn’t last long, but it didn’t take long to decimate infrastructure and put a halt to cruise tourism in the South Pacific destination. The epicenter was just about 19 miles away from the cruise port, which is much too close for comfort.
But finally, after months of hard work, Vanuatu has officially reopened to cruise tourism with the arrival of Carnival Adventure on August 8, 2025.
“The first cruise ship has arrived in Port Vila, 8 months after the devastating earthquake in December last year,” Carnival Ambassador John Heald shared on his Facebook page.
“Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Adventure arrived with 2,846 guests, spending the day in Port Vila on Friday,” Heald posted.
To mark the momentous occasion, local officials hosted a special celebration for the guests and the 1,100 crew members onboard.
Pictures show the locals smiling ear to ear holding balloons and in traditional dress for performances.
Captain Francesco Bencivenga also took part in a commemorative plaque exchange.
“The Vanuatu Government organised a welcome ceremony for the guests and crew, who will bring a much-needed economic boost to Port Vila,” Head confirmed.
The extra special port was included as part of a 10-night sailing that embarked from Sydney, Australia, on August 3, 2025.
The other destinations on the itinerary included Mystery Island, Vanuatu; Lifou Island, New Caledonia; and Noumea (Grande Terre Island), New Caledonia.
Cruising Picks Up Speed
Port Vila welcomes an estimated 260,000 cruise guests every year, with cruise ship calls now even more important to the economy in the wake of December’s destructive earthquake.
The local infrastructure still isn’t completely perfect, but it’s good enough to allow cruising operations to resume.
For example, Heald shared that the cruise port is still closed due to damage, so the destination has temporarily become a tender port for the foreseeable future.
“The road between the CBD and the cruise port remains closed due to a landslide during the earthquake, so a temporary tender berthing arrangement was in place,” Heald clarified.
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Later this month, Carnival Adventure will make a second appearance in Port Vila on August 18.
Additionally, Carnival Encounter will visit the port twice and Carnival Splendor will call once before August is through.
While other mainstream cruise lines do visit the port, no non-Carnival ships will call until Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas arrives on November 24, 2025.
All that said, it is rather fitting that Carnival is the first brand to return, as the cruise line was heavily involved in aiding the island nation in its recovery efforts.
Carnival generously donated $60,000 to ProMedical Vanuatu, which is a team of first responders that worked around the clock for the first 48 hours after the quake to search for survivors in the rubble.
The cruise line also kept in touch with the Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office and other aid agencies to try to assist in other ways, even offering the use of its local cruise ships at one point.
