Carnival Cruise Line is on track to nearly double its capacity in the Australian market starting with the 2026-27 season when it adds two ships to its fleet from the P&O Australia line.

Carnival Cruise Line already has a steady presence in Australia with the year-round deployment of the 3,000-guest Carnival Splendor, sailing from Sydney, and the seasonal homeporting of the 2,800-guest Carnival Luminosa in Brisbane.

With the addition of two ships from P&O Australia, Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter, each accommodating 2,600 guests, Carnival Cruise Line will significantly expand its capacity in the region.

Carnival Corporation, parent company to both Carnival Cruise Line and P&O Australia, announced in June 2024 that the P&O brand would be dissolved and absorbed into Carnival Cruise Line in March 2025. The vessels are being renamed Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter.

The third ship in the P&O Australia fleet, Pacific Explorer, built in 1997, is slated to be retired in February 2025. The transfer of two vessels to Carnival Cruise Line expands the fleet to 29 ships. 

Under the new Australia cruise series for 2026-27, which has opened for sale, Carnival Splendor and Carnival Adventure will sail from Sydney while Carnival Luminosa and Carnival Encounter will be based in Brisbane.

“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 at Carnival Cruise Line. 

“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,” Stein added.

Voyages from Sydney include short getaways and longer itineraries. Carnival Adventure will sail 2- and 3-night weekend cruises to Moreton Island and longer voyages, including a 12-day itinerary to Fiji with calls at Lautoka and Dravuni Island.

Carnival Splendor will sail a mix of 2- to 12-day voyages from Sydney, including 5- and 6-day cruises to Tasmania. The ship also will sail 10-day New Zealand cruises, with calls at Wellington, Lyttelton (Christchurch), and Dunedin. These itineraries feature scenic cruising in Fiordland National Park.

Carnival Luminosa, a vessel that was also transferred to the Carnival Cruise Line brand from the sister line Costa Cruises in 2022, will be based in Brisbane and sail 3- to 14-day cruises. Seven-day South Pacific sailings will visit Mystery Island and Port Vila, while an 8-day option adds Vanuatu and New Caledonia, for example.

Maritime history enthusiasts can book a Carnival Journeys cruise onboard Carnival Luminosa that spotlights the places made famous by the story of mutiny onboard the Royal Navy vessel HMS Bounty in 1789, such as Norfolk Island and Nuku’alofa, Tonga.

Read Also: What to Expect When You Go on a Carnival Cruise

Carnival Encounter will sail 2- and 3-night getaway cruises to Airlie Beach, in Queensland, plus 6- to 10-day voyages to Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and other South Pacific destinations.

Here’s Where the Ships Are Currently Sailing

Carnival Luminosa is on her way to Australia following her summer season in Alaska. Her 22-night journey from Seattle calls at the Hawaiian Islands, French Polynesia, and Fiji. The ship will sail multiple itineraries from Brisbane and Sydney through March 2025, before repositioning again to Alaska for summer 2025.

Carnival Splendor is based year-round in Sydney, sailing 2- to 11-night cruises to New Zealand, New Caledonia, the Great Barrier Reef, Tasmania, and other places.

Still, currently operating as P&O Australia ships, Pacific Adventure is based in Sydney. She is currently sailing a 10-day cruise that visits three ports in Vanuatu. Pacific Encounter currently homeports in Brisbane and is now sailing a 3-night cruise to destinations in Queensland.

Five Carnival cruise ships with itineraries in early 2025 and early 2026 are now getting itinerary adjustments for various ports of call in the Bahamas. Some ports are replaced, others have modified times, some visit orders are changed, and other slight shifts are being made.

The cruise line notified guests on the impacted voyages on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, more than four months before the first altered itinerary. This does give travelers ample time to change their cruise vacation plans if they prefer.

Five total ships are impacted: Carnival Freedom, Carnival Magic, Carnival Sunrise, Carnival Pride, and Carnival Spirit. In total, 11 voyages are adjusted in this latest round of relatively small changes.

Carnival Freedom

Carnival Freedom is the first ship to be impacted by these new changes, but it isn’t until the ship’s February 10, 2025 departure that any shifts are being made. That 5-night Eastern Caribbean cruise will be replacing the planned visit to Bimini with a stop in Nassau instead, and port times have been modified.

Two of Carnival Freedom‘s March 2026 itineraries have also been slightly adjusted. For the March 9, 2026 departure, the days visiting Celebration Key and Nassau are swapped, though the ship will still be visiting both ports. The time in Nassau has also been slightly changed.

Similarly, the ship’s March 28, 2026 departure is swapping the days visiting Princess Cays and Nassau, though the port times are unaffected for that voyage.

For all three adjusted itineraries, Carnival Freedom is sailing from Port Canaveral and there are no changes related to her homeport arrivals or departures.

Carnival Magic

Two March 2025 sailings for Carnival Magic are being changed. The ship is sailing from Miami, and her March 2, 2025 departure is changing port orders and revising times for both Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay on that 6-night voyage.

The ship’s March 16, 2025 cruise – also a 6-night voyage – will now be visiting Nassau rather than Half Moon Cay, and the time in port will be slightly different than what was planned for the private island.

Carnival Sunrise

Four early 2026 voyages for Carnival Sunrise are impacted, each in a slightly different way. For all four sailings, the ship is homeported from Miami.

First is the ship’s February 7 departure, a 5-night Bahamas cruise. On that sailing, the ship will now be visiting Princess Cays instead of Half Moon Cay, and the order of port visits has changed.

The change is minimal to Carnival Sunrise‘s March 7 sailing, which is only changing the day of visiting Half Moon Cay and with a slightly adjusted port time, though the actual port of call itself is preserved. Neither Nassau or nor Celebration Key are impacted on that 5-night cruise.

On the ship’s March 12 departure, Carnival Sunrise is replacing Half Moon Cay with a stop in Princess Cays instead during the 4-night cruise. The visit to Celebration Key remains unchanged.

Finally, the March 21 sailing date is more dramatically altered, with the ship now visiting Princess Cays instead of Half Moon Cay and the overall port time changed. The days of visiting Nassau and (now) Princess Cays are also changed for the 5-night voyage.

Carnival Pride

Just one cruise is changed for Carnival Pride, but it is a significant one. On the ship’s March 8, 2026 departure, a 7-night Bahamas itinerary from Baltimore, the ship will no longer be visiting either Bimini or Princess Cays.

Instead, Carnival Pride will be stopping in Half Moon Cay and Nassau. The visit to Celebration Key remains unchanged for this cruise.

Carnival Spirit

Likewise, just one cruise aboard Carnival Spirit is impacted in this list of itinerary changes. For the ship’s March 8, 2026 sailing from Mobile, Alabama, the visit to Bimini is now replaced with Nassau, the port order of (now) Nassau and Celebration Key is changed.

Why So Many Carnival Itinerary Adjustments?

Carnival Cruise Line has not explained why so many itineraries are being adjusted in these small ways. Some of the alterations may be due to the new pier construction at Half Moon Cay, during which island operations and capacity may be impacted.

Once the pier is complete, the desire to bring the line’s new Excel-class ships to the private destination may also change plans for other vessels in the fleet.

Read Also: All Carnival Cruise Ships by Age – Newest to Oldest

Similar changes have already been announced for Mardi Gras and Carnival Vista, as well as other itineraries impacted for Carnival Freedom, Carnival Magic, Carnival Pride, Carnival Sunshine, and Carnival Spirit.

In all cases, any pre-paid shore tours booked through Carnival Cruise Line will be adjusted as needed for changes in port visits, or cancelled if the port of call has been changed. Refunds will be made to the original form of payment.

It is not at all unusual for cruise lines to “tweak” itineraries for more fuel efficiency, streamlined sailing routes, port capacity, or other factors. While some cruise guests may be disappointed at the changes, it is important to note that Carnival Cruise Line reserves the right to change itineraries at any time and without notice if necessary.

By providing advance notice of these changes, the cruise line is giving guests the opportunity to likewise adjust their vacation plans if preferred.

Carnival Cruise Line gave a warm welcome and big applause to the Litteral family as they stepped onto Carnival Valor on October 1, 2024.

Turns out the family, traveling from the homeport of New Orleans on a 5-night journey to the Caribbean, included the 2,980-passenger ship’s 7th million guests since Carnival began sailing year-round from the Louisiana port in 1994.

It was a significant moment as Carnival Cruise Line is now the first cruise line in New Orleans to achieve this peak.

The family, comprised of Thomas and Julie Litteral and their children Zachary and Zoey, were welcomed on board by Carnival Valor’s Captain Antonio Modaffari and the ship’s crew, who celebrated the occasion with an impromptu ceremony.

The Litteral family are loyal Carnival cruisers and celebrated one more momentous occasion when 12-year-old Zachary achieved Diamond VIFP status on the voyage, joining his parents at the cruise line’s top loyalty level.

Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy shared her excitement about the milestone, saying, “Sharing this landmark embarkation in New Orleans with loyal guests, a family that clearly loves the fun they fund when they sail with us, makes this moment truly special.”

In May 2024, Carnival Cruise Line marked 30 years of year-round service from the Port of New Orleans with the arrival of the Carnival Liberty, a 2,974-passenger vessel.

At that time, Carnival Liberty was greeted by iconic New Orleans Chef Emeril Lagasse, who also serves as Carnival’s Chief Culinary Officer.

“Just after celebrating 30 years of year-round service here this spring, we’re proud to continue building on our important partnership with the New Orleans community,” said Duffy.

She added, “Seven million guests cruising with us from Port NOLA signifies our unwavering commitment as the market leader in this vibrant city.”

Carnival’s commitment currently includes keeping both the 110,000-gross-ton Carnival Valor and Carnival Liberty in New Orleans, operating a series of 4- to 10-day cruises to destinations in the Caribbean and the Panama Canal.

Combined, the cruise line carries approximately 400,000 passengers annually from New Orleans, contributing to the city’s vibrant tourism industry.

Port New Orleans Sees Strong Comeback and Cruise Commitments

The Port of New Orleans is having its moment, having finished 2023 with nearly 1.2 million cruise passengers, reflecting a strong recovery from the pandemic and renewed confidence in the city’s cruise market.

“The cruise business has rebounded in New Orleans and cruise line partners are confident in our Port NOLA cruise market,” said the port’s President and CEO Brandy D. Christian.

With 90 percent of cruise guests coming from out of state, New Orleans is a top pre- and post-cruise destination. It generates more than 300,000 hotel room nights and contributes over $125 million to the local economy each year.

Read Also: New Orleans Cruise Port – Terminals, Piers and Getting Around

Christian continued, “We want to thank all our cruise line and hospitality partners as we work together to make cruising out of New Orleans two vacations in one.”

Besides Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line has a commitment to the city through 2028 with Norwegian Getaway, which can accommodate 3,963 guests, set to replace sister ship Norwegian Breakaway this month.

Disney Cruise Line also has a presence with Disney Magic, which returned to the city in January 2024, and Royal Caribbean’s 2,543-passenger Brilliance of the Seas, which is making its debut in November 2024.

With still one more quarter remaining, the company that owns Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, Cunard, P&O Cruises, AIDA Cruises, and Costa Cruises revealed record-breaking revenue for a third time in 2024.

On September 30, the company reported a net income of $1.7 billion – a 60 percent increase over the same period in 2023. Additionally, third-quarter revenue reached an all-time high of $7.9 billion, up by $1 billion from the previous year.

Josh Weinstein, chief executive officer of Carnival Corporation, said of the earnings, “We delivered a phenomenal third quarter, breaking operational records and outperforming across the board.”

He continued, “Our strong improvements were led by high-margin, same-ship yield growth, driving a 26 percent improvement in unit operating income, the highest level we have reached in 15 years.”

Strong demand for cruises helped the company exceed its June guidance by $170 million. The company reported Q3 yields, driven by higher ticket prices and increased onboard spending, rose by 8.7 percent.

Looking ahead, Carnival’s booking volumes for 2025 are already at record levels, with nearly half of the year’s sailings booked. Customer deposits during the third quarter reached a record of $6.8 billion.

Prices are also trending higher than in 2024, further indicating strong demand for Carnival’s cruise operations.

Moreover, bookings for 2026 have started at an unprecedented pace, also “achieving record-booking volumes in the last three months.”

Read Also: What Cruise Lines Does Carnival Own?

Carnival is projecting a 5 percent increase in the fourth quarter and has raised its full-year forecast to $6 billion. This represents a 40 percent year-over-year increase for the company.

Said Weinstein, “Looking forward, the momentum continues as our enhanced commercial execution drives demand well in excess of our capacity growth.”

He says it leaves Carnival “well-positioned with an even stronger base of business for 2025, a record start to 2026, and firmly on the path towards our SEA Change targets.”

What’s Driving Carnival’s Growth?

Carnival’s remarkable 2024 has been fueled by several key developments across its cruise brands.

Several notable ships joined the global cruise fleet, including the 113,000-gross-ton Queen Anne, Cunard’s first new ship in 14 years. The 3,000-passenger ship debuted in Liverpool on June 3, 2024.

Carnival Cruise Line also welcomed Carnival Firenze to its fleet on April 23, 2024, after a full refurbishment from its original Costa Cruises identity, bringing the 135,156-gross-ton vessel to Long Beach, California, as a key player in the West Coast market.

Also, Princess Cruises launched its first Sphere-class ship, the 175,000-gross-ton, 4,300-passenger Sun Princess. The ship is the first in the cruise line’s fleet to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). Its sister ship, Star Princess, is expected to debut in September 2025.

Its future also looks bright, with Carnival announcing in the spring the order of its fourth and fifth Excel-Class ships for Carnival Cruise Line in 2027 and 2028, anticipated to accommodate 6,400 passengers.

The company then dropped an additional announcement by summer that three more ships were ordered with delivery slated between 2026 and 2028. The ships will be constructed at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany.

Outside of its new ships, the company is also introducing a new private destination in the Bahamas, Celebration Key, in 2025. The $600-million project is expected to bring 2.2 million guests to the resort via 12 ships from eight different home ports.

The project is so anticipated that Carnival already announced an expansion by 2028, which will accommodate 4 million passengers annually.

All cruise travelers quickly come to realize how hard working crew members can be, and few work harder than the dedicated stateroom stewards. Many passengers enjoy rewarding that hard work and dedication with an extra gratuity, but how should that extra acknowledgement be offered?

A fun trend embraced by many travelers is to use cash bills to spell out “Thank You!” “Thanks!” or other messages of gratitude on the stateroom bed or beds, leaving the money for stewards to find. But not all guests agree with this practice.

“STOP showing these photos John. You are just virtue signaling,” one upset guest wrote to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador. “This is outdated, offensive and demeaning. If you are going to give a worker cash, hand it to them or place in an envelope. They are not children. This kind of photo should be trashed, not celebrated.”

Heald responds to several hundred questions, comments, and requests nearly every day via his popular Facebook page, and the subject of tipping and gratuities is a common one.

In response to this particular guest comment, Heald obviously does not share the commenter’s opinion, but is open to what other travelers think of the trend.

“This lady is referring to this photo which I think is, well, simply lovely. And I am sure the cabin attendant was smiling when he saw it and appreciated it so very much,” he said.

Heald does point out that the money crew members earn through their employment with the cruise line allows them to support their families with a far better life than what they might be able to do through other careers. Extra gratuities are always appreciated, however guests may choose to offer them.

The practice of spreading the money out, however, can be very polarizing among travelers. Some view it as cute and whimsical, a fun way to express appreciation.

Other guests, however, consider it making more work for the already hard-working crew to have to “pick up” an extra tip in such a way. Even it if only takes a few moments, that adds one more task to already very busy days.

“Is this lovely way of saying ‘thank you’ wrong?” Heald asked.

Some travelers think the trend is a fun and entertaining one, sure to be pleasant for everyone’s day.

“This is so adorable! And yes, I’m positive it brought a smile to the cabin attendant!”

“Anybody can do an envelope, but they took time to be creative to tell them how much they appreciated them!”

Other cruise guests, however, disagree with trend, even though it may be well-meaning.

“I think while it’s meant as a cute gesture, it’s one more thing for them to clean, and should be handed to the cabin steward or in an envelope.”

“I kind of agree that this is a silly way of giving an adult a tip. Bring a thank you card, write a short personal thank you and put the money in the card. Having the employee scooping up the dollar bills is very impractical and unnecessary.”

Heald also asked whether an extra gratuity should be offered in an envelope or spread over the bed in the word thank you as part of a larger round-up poll.

Of the votes collected, nearly 10 times as many guests believe an envelope or handing the gratuity to the attendant personally is a better choice than writing out words with cash.

Of the more than 50,000 votes cast, 32% (roughly 15,800 votes) prefer an envelope, while just 3% (roughly 1,480 votes) would create a cute sentiment.

Can Giving Gratuities Be a Form of Virtue Signaling?

Part of the issue and why this trend can be controversial is the idea of whether or not it is virtue signaling and more about the guest’s reputation rather than actually showing gratitude to the stateroom attendant.

Read Also: Carnival Cruise Gratuities – How Much and Why?

Virtue signaling is the act of using social media to show how good one is with posts, comments, or photos that supposedly demonstrate one’s high moral stance or highlight positive noteworthy actions. Ultimately, virtue signaling in itself is not seen as a positive trait.

“I left my cabin steward a $100 in an envelope with a thank you note. I don’t need to glorify my tipping to make myself feel important.”

“I think its a great way to bless a worker, but I like to bless people in secret and not telling everyone what I did.”

“The person is tipping this way, taking this photo, and sharing it with the world to show how great THEY are, not how great their steward is, in my opinion.”

If you leave extra gratuities for a stateroom steward, how do you do it? Share your “tip tips” on the Cruise Hive boards!