- ARRIVES
- —
- DEPARTS
- 3:00 PM
6 nights · 3 ports
round-trip · Brisbane
CarnivalCarnival Encounter
Carnival Encounter Dec 13, 2026
6-Night Great Barrier Reef
3.4 out of 5, Gangwaze Score™
i
The Gangwaze Score blends how cruisers rate this ship, how they rate this sailing, the ship’s latest CDC health inspection, the safety of its ports, and how today’s fare compares with its recent average.
- Cruiser satisfaction
- Good
- Port safety
- Very good
- Value
- Below average
Aboard Carnival Encounter · Departing December 13, 2026 from the Port of Brisbane, Australia.
You'll depart Brisbane on Sunday, December 13, 2026 for your 6-Night Great Barrier Reef round-trip cruise vacation aboard Carnival's Carnival Encounter.
Your itinerary includes three domestic stops in Cruise Willis Island, Cairns and Airlie Beachvisits to . Your trip has two sea days to enjoy everything the Carnival Encounter has to offer.
Your ship ranks tied for #20 among Carnival's 31 ships by size and is older than the fleet average, having launched in 2002.
Current pricing for this sailing starts at $160 per passenger, per night, up 24% vs. our tracked average.
// 01 · About the ship
Carnival Encounter
Ship OverviewCarnival
Carnival · Grand class
CHRISTENED
2002
STATEROOMS
1,300
TONNAGE
109,000GT
▼ 10.0% BELOWvs avg 121,145
YEAR BUILT
2002
▼ 7 YRS OLDERvs avg 2009
LENGTH
951ft
▼ 4.2% BELOWvs avg 992 ft
PASSENGERS
2,600cruisers
▼ 37.5% BELOWvs avg 4,158
Carnival Encounter is a Grand-class ship built in 2002 with 13 passenger decks, tied for #20 in the Carnival fleet by size. It sailed as Pacific Encounter until a Melbourne refurbishment brought new carpet, Carnival branding and the HubApp ahead of its March 2025 debut from Brisbane. Dinner can mean premium cuts at Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Asian flavors at Dragon Lady Restaurant or a quick roll from Bonsai Sushi Express. Aft on deck 7, Trattoria serves Italian dishes near Piano Bar 88 and the Black Circus stage, while live shows fill the Marquee Theater. Up top, the Seaside Theater shows films on a big outdoor LED screen, kids tackle rope courses at Edge, teens have Club O2, and adults retreat to Cloud 9 Spa or the quiet Oasis.
With two sea days on this sailing, there's time for Lido Pool, Black Circus and Club O2.
// 02 · Port by Port
Your Itinerary
Carnival EncounterDecember 13 to December 19, 2026Round-trip Brisbane
- DAY 2 · MON, DEC 14
At sea
- ARRIVES
- —
- DEPARTS
- —
- DAY 3 · TUE, DEC 15
Cruise Willis Island
Australia- ARRIVES
- 1:00 PM
- DEPARTS
- 2:00 PM
- ARRIVES
- 7:00 AM
- DEPARTS
- 4:00 PM
- ARRIVES
- 9:00 AM
- DEPARTS
- 6:00 PM
- DAY 6 · FRI, DEC 18
At sea
- ARRIVES
- —
- DEPARTS
- —
- ARRIVES
- 7:00 AM
- DEPARTS
- —
// 03 · Cruise price
Cruise Price & Tracking
Carnival EncounterDecember 13, 2026
The most recent price for this sailing starts at $960 ($160 per night) for an Oceanview cabin. Compared to the average price of $848 ($142 per night), this represents a 13% increase. That's $325 more than the lowest of the 13 dates on this route (Jan 17, 2027).
// Price history · oceanview
Last 6 months · refreshes daily · select a cabin below to compare
This cabinAvg $848
Price Drop Email Alert
We'll email you when the Oceanview fare for this sailing drops below the current rate.
Inside
Not currently offered.
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// 04 · Cruise resources
Cruise Resources
To prepare for your Carnival Encounter December 13, 2026 cruise, here are some helpful tools to get you prepared and excited for your vacation.
- 01 Ship Tracking Check the Carnival Encounter's current location. Track where it's coming from and where the ship is headed.
- 02 Cruise Director Meet Kieran Wilson, the Carnival cruise director scheduled for the Carnival Encounter on this sailing.
- 03 Roll Call See who else is sailing on the Carnival Encounter on Dec 13, 2026, and join the roll call.
- 04 Excursion Price Tracker Track shore excursion prices at every port on this cruise, and get an email when one moves.
- 05 Deck Plans Explore every deck of the Carnival Encounter, with the venues and cabins on each.
// 05 · Other sailings
This itinerary - other options
Same ports, more choices. Compare other Carnival Encounter dates for the 6-Night Great Barrier Reef route, or see which other ships sail a similar trip.
More Carnival Encounter options - 6-Night Great Barrier Reef
Below, you'll find any available dates for this same Great Barrier Reef itinerary on the Carnival Encounter.
- Carnival EncounterNov 22,2026$800 $134/n$160 less
- Carnival EncounterDec 13,2026$960 $160/nThis sailing
- Carnival EncounterJan 17,2027$635 $106/n$325 less
- Carnival EncounterJan 31,2027$675 $113/n$285 less
- Carnival EncounterApr 6,2027$708 $118/n$252 less
- Carnival EncounterMay 30,2027$722 $121/n$238 less
- Carnival EncounterAug 8,2027$698 $117/n$262 less
- Carnival EncounterSep 4,2027$698 $117/n$262 less
- Carnival EncounterSep 25,2027$812 $136/n$148 less
- Carnival EncounterOct 24,2027$694 $116/n$266 less
- Carnival EncounterNov 21,2027$673 $113/n$287 less
- Carnival EncounterDec 12,2027$701 $117/n$259 less
- Carnival EncounterJan 16,2028$708 $118/n$252 less
Other ships
Sail to Cruise Willis Island & Cairns on another ship
Compare similar 5 to 7 night cruises calling at any of these ports, across every cruise line and ship.
