Carnival Encounter
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Encounter is one of Carnival's 31 active ships and first entered service in 2002 with its most recent renovation in 2025. In terms of size, it comes in at 109,000 gross tons, 951 feet in length, and 13 passenger decks. On board, it supports up to 2,600 guests and approximately 1,100 crew members. The ship had an estimated build cost of $425 million and is flagged in Bahamas.
Carnival Encounter
Ship Stats
Year Built
2002
Last Renovated
2025
Tonnage
109,000 GT
Length
951 ft
Capacity
2,600
Crew
1,100
Cost
$425 million
Decks
13
Grand Class
Grand Class groups ships with similar design and onboard features within Carnival. The first ship introduced in this class was Carnival Adventure (2001), followed by Carnival Encounter (2002).
Carnival Encounter Ship Age
Carnival Encounter entered service in 2002. Across Carnival's active fleet, the average build year is 2009 and across all major active cruise lines the average ship launch year is 2011. Ranked newest-to-oldest, this ship is 22 of 31 (newest ship = rank 1).
Timeline order: newest to oldest
- Carnival Encounter
Current ship
Carnival Encounter Renovations
Latest recorded dry dock / major renovation date: 2025.
Renovation details
Before entering service for Carnival Cruise Line in March 2025, the Carnival Encounter, formerly Pacific Encounter, underwent a significant refurbishment in Melbourne. The work focused on rebranding and modernization, including the installation of new Carnival logos, the rollout of the onboard HubApp for guest communication, and the replacement of more than 12,000 square meters of carpet throughout the ship. The project also served as a transition period for the crew, with 96 percent of the original P&O staff remaining onboard while receiving Carnival-specific training. Additionally, new entertainment casts began rehearsals for upcoming Carnival shows as part of the ship’s re-launch preparation. This makeover marked the vessel’s transformation from P&O Cruises Australia to Carnival’s fleet, aligning it with the brand’s style and operational standards ahead of its debut sailing from Brisbane in March 2025.
Carnival Encounter Ship Size
Length and tonnage across Carnival's fleet
Carnival Encounter measures 951 feet (290 m) (vs Carnival fleet average of 992 ft) and has gross tonnage of 109,000 GT (vs fleet average of 121,145 GT). It ranks 26 of 31 by length and 21 of 31 by tonnage in Carnival's active fleet.
Passenger Capacity & Crew Size
Carnival Encounter vs Carnival fleet averages
Carnival Encounter carries 2,600 passengers (vs Carnival average of 4,085) and has 1,100 crew members onboard (vs fleet average of 1,226). That puts this ship at a passenger-to-staff ratio of 2.36:1 compared with Carnival's overall 3.33:1 average.
Passenger Capacity
2,600
passengers
Crew Members
1,100
staff members
Passenger to Crew Ratio
2.36 : 1
Carnival Avg
3.33 : 1
Carnival Encounter
Venues & Experiences
Explore dining, bars, activities, and onboard experiences available on Encounter.
Deck 14buffetThe Pantry
Deck 5cafeAvalon Cafe
Deck 6main dining roomAngelos Restaurant
Deck 6main dining roomDragon Lady Restaurant
Deck 5main dining roomWaterfront Restaurant
Deck 14quick eatsLukes Burger Bar
Deck 14quick eatsPizzeria del Capitano
Deck 7specialtyLukes Bar And Grill
Deck 7specialtyTrattoria
Deck 5sweetsCherry On Top
Deck 14sweetsIce Cream Bar
Deck Plans
The Carnival Encounter has a total of 13 passenger decks. The lowest level available to guests is Deck 4. The highest passenger deck is Deck 17. Click below to access deck plans for the Carnival Encounter. The resulting page will provide a floor plan and summary of all things to do offered on that level of the ship.
Cruise Director
On duty now · Sophie Gideon
The cruise director is the heartbeat of the ship... the person responsible for onboard entertainment, activities, and guest engagement from embarkation to farewell. Think emcee, social director, and morale officer rolled into one. Below you'll find the current cruise director's bio, followed by a full historical timeline of every director who has served aboard Carnival Encounter.
Sophie Gideon
Sophie Gideon is a Carnival Cruise Line cruise director and former Fun Squad standout. She is known for high-energy hosting, strong crowd engagement, and vibrant onboard presence.
Sophie Gideon Full ProfileCruise Director Schedule
- Previous
Cruise Director
- Current
Cruise Director
- Upcoming
Cruise Director
- Upcoming
Cruise Director
Frequently Asked Questions
Carnival Encounter quick answers covering size, capacity, deck plans, and what to expect onboard.
You will find the Carnival Encounter Casino on Deck 6 of the ship.
You will find the Carnival Encounter buffet on Deck 14 of the ship.
Before entering service for Carnival Cruise Line in March 2025, the Carnival Encounter, formerly Pacific Encounter, underwent a significant refurbishment in Melbourne. The work focused on rebranding and modernization, including the installation of new Carnival logos, the rollout of the onboard HubApp for guest communication, and the replacement of more than 12,000 square meters of carpet throughout the ship. The project also served as a transition period for the crew, with 96 percent of the original P&O staff remaining onboard while receiving Carnival-specific training. Additionally, new entertainment casts began rehearsals for upcoming Carnival shows as part of the ship’s re-launch preparation. This makeover marked the vessel’s transformation from P&O Cruises Australia to Carnival’s fleet, aligning it with the brand’s style and operational standards ahead of its debut sailing from Brisbane in March 2025.
The ship belongs to the Carnival class of ships known as the Grand class.
The ship features 11 restaurants, 12 bars, 24 activities, 0 shows and 13 other venues for your enjoyment. You can click on our ship deck plans or details pages for a full list of activities, sorted by feature type.
The Carnival Encounter has a total of 13 passenger decks. The lowest deck is Level 4. The upper most passenger deck is Level 17.
We're often asked how many passengers are on the Carnival Encounter. The ship's capacity is 2,600. When comparing the occupancy to the average Carnival passenger capacity, you'll find that the average ship in the fleet holds 4,158 guests. Feel free to look at our graph above to see where this ship falls in line with all other live Carnival ships.
The Carnival Encounter was built in 2002. Carnival includes 31 active ships. The oldest in the fleet was built in 1996 while the newest ship was built in 2028. The average Carnival ship is 17 years old and the median build date for all active ships is 2007
Each of Carnival's ships offers a unique layout with features and activities catered to all. Whether the Carnival Encounter is right for you will depend on your individual preferences. Do you prefer a larger or smaller ship with many or fewer guests? Are you hoping for many family activities or entertainment options for an older clientele. Our deck maps layout and activities list provide a helpful guide to what you'll find on board. Feel free to explore the see if this ship is suited towards your preferences.
From end to end, the Carnival Encounter length equals 951 feet (290 meters). Compare that to the average ship length of all 31 active vessels in Carnival fleet, measuring 992 feet (302 meters). Please see our size comparison chart above to see how this ship falls in line with all other active ships in the fleet.