Carnival Encounter
Grand Class · Carnival Cruise Line
// ABOUT THE SHIP
About the Ship
Carnival Encounter is a Grand-class cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line, originally launched in 2002 (24 years ago). She is one of 31 active ships in the Carnival fleet and sails alongside her sister ship, the Carnival Adventure. The ship underwent her most recent renovation in 2025, which included updates to onboard features and spaces.
Deck Plans – 13 Decks to explore
Carnival Encounter spans 13 passenger-accessible decks with 1,300 staterooms and 60 onboard venues — including 24 activities, 11 bars & lounges, 12 dining, and 13 shopping. Explore every level from bow to stern using the interactive deck plans below.
PASSENGER DECKS
13
guest-accessible decks
STATEROOMS
1,300
cabins across all categories
VENUES ONBOARD
60venues
BY TYPE
Carnival Encounter Cruises
Carnival Encounter offers 3 sailings in June, ranging 3-8 nights, departing from Brisbane, Australia, starting from $494 / guest.
Cabins – 1,300 staterooms
Carnival Encounter has a total of 1,300 cabins throughout its 13 passenger decks. Those are made up of 372 Interior, 208 Ocean View, 515 Balcony and 205 Suite cabins. The 24 stateroom categories that make up these 4 cabin types are found below, along with counts for each.
// SHIP CLASS
Grandclass
YEARS
2001–2002
AVG SIZE
109k GT
AVG LENGTH
951 ft
AVG CAPACITY
2,600
The Grand-class is a family of cruise ships originally designed for Princess Cruises and later adapted by related brands, including P&O Cruises Australia and now Carnival Cruise Line. Characterized by their size and layout, these ships measure about 290 meters long and 36 meters wide, accommodating around 2,600 passengers. They feature a distinctive overhanging nightclub at the stern, a large central atrium, and numerous balcony cabins. The design emphasizes spacious public areas, multiple dining venues, and a balance between entertainment and relaxation. The new **Carnival Adventure**, formerly the *Golden Princess*, retains the Grand-class’s core structure and hallmarks while being updated for Carnival’s brand identity. Though not as large or modern as newer ships, it remains a well-appointed vessel offering classic cruise amenities, a traditional layout, and a comfortable experience tailored to medium-sized ship cruising.
Things to do
Carnival Encounter features 58 venues across 13 decks, including 23 activity, 11 bar, 12 dining, 8 other and 4 shopping. Explore every onboard experience from dining and entertainment to pools, fitness and more.
// AGE & RENOVATIONS
Carnival Encounter ship age vs the fleet
Built in 2002 and last renovated in 2025, Carnival Encounter is 24 years old. The fleet average age is 16.8 years. She is newer than 23% of the 31-ship fleet, ranking #21 from newest to oldest.
THIS SHIP
Age at a glance
BUILT
2002
24 years old today
LAST RENOVATED
2025
1 yrs ago
FLEET AVERAGE
16.8 yrs
7.2 older
NEWER THAN
23%
of fleet
FLEET RANK
#21
of 31
FLEET RANKING
By age, newest to oldest
Out of 31 ships in the fleet, Carnival Encounter ranks #21 when sorted from newest to oldest by build year.
AGE BENCHMARKS
Carnival Encounter vs the fleet
SHIP RENOVATIONS
Last major refit
LAST RENOVATED
2025
1 years ago
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.
How big is Carnival Encounter?
Compare the Carnival Encounter ship size with the rest of the Carnival fleet below. Included, you'll find gross tonnage, length, and the relationship between the two graphed in the scatter plot.
Carnival Encounter measures 109,000 GT and 951 ft in length. The average size of a Carnival ship is 121k gross tons and the average ship length is 992 ft. Carnival Encounter is 10% smaller and 4% shorter than the average ship in the fleet.
// THIS SHIP
109k GT
CARNIVAL ENCOUNTER
// AVERAGE
121k GT
FLEET AVERAGE
// LARGEST
184k GT
CARNIVAL CELEBRATION
// SMALLEST
72k GT
CARNIVAL ELATION
// PROPORTIONAL AREA · 31 SHIPS · TOTAL 3755K GT
EACH CIRCLE'S AREA IS PROPORTIONAL TO GROSS TONNAGE · HOVER FOR DETAILS
// CAPACITY
Passenger Capacity
The Carnival Encounter carries up to 2,600 guests and operates at roughly 100% capacity, so you can expect that number will accurately reflect your fellow passenger count. These guests are looked after by a crew of 1,100 staff members, representing a guest-to-crew ratio of 2.4:1. On average, Carnival ships have 4,085 guests and 1,226 crew, which works out to a fleet-average ratio of 3.3:1.
// GUESTS
2,600
at full occupancy
// CREW
1,100
international staff
// RATIO// GUEST-TO-CREW
2.4:1
service ratio
// 3,700 PEOPLE ABOARD AT FULL CAPACITY
// CRUISE DIRECTOR
Your Cruise Director
Your Carnival Encounter 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. Here's who's current cruise director for the Carnival Encounter and the available schedule for past and future sailings.
CURRENT · ONBOARD NOW
Kieran Wilson
Cruise Director · UK
Kieran Wilson is a Carnival Cruise Line cruise director known for his calm confidence and strong rapport with guests. He brings a balanced, guest-first approach to hosting and onboard entertainment.
VIEW FULL PROFILE// CAME ONBOARD
May 1, 2026
1 month ago
// ASSIGNED THROUGH
Jul 11, 2026
per current contract
// CRUISE DIRECTOR SCHEDULE
// 10 · FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About the Carnival Encounter
FAQs for the Carnival Encounter. Here are the most popular questions asked by our community members regarding this Carnival ship.
// TOTAL QUESTIONS
10
Tap a question to expand its answer. Answers update automatically based on live cruise data.
Still have questions?
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Ask the communityResearched and assembled by Gangwaze Cruise Editorial using daily-refreshed ship and fleet data.
LAST UPDATED · JUNE 13, 2026