- ARRIVES
- —
- DEPARTS
- 3:00 PM
4 nights · 1 port
round-trip · Brisbane
CarnivalCarnival Encounter
Carnival Encounter Mar 21, 2027
4-Night Airlie Beach
3.6 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
- Fair
Aboard Carnival Encounter · Departing March 21, 2027 from the Port of Brisbane, Australia.
You'll depart Brisbane on Sunday, March 21, 2027 for your 4-Night Airlie Beach round-trip cruise vacation aboard Carnival's Carnival Encounter.
Your itinerary includes one domestic stop in 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 $116 per passenger, per night, up 4% 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 Hair & Beauty Salon, Byron Beach Club and The Bonded Store.
// 02 · Port by Port
Your Itinerary
Carnival EncounterMarch 21 to March 25, 2027Round-trip Brisbane
- DAY 2 · MON, MAR 22
At sea
- ARRIVES
- —
- DEPARTS
- —
- ARRIVES
- 8:00 AM
- DEPARTS
- 5:00 PM
- DAY 4 · WED, MAR 24
At sea
- ARRIVES
- —
- DEPARTS
- —
- ARRIVES
- 7:00 AM
- DEPARTS
- —
// 03 · Cruise price
Cruise Price & Tracking
Carnival EncounterMarch 21, 2027
The most recent price for this sailing starts at $462 ($116 per night) for an Inside cabin. Compared to the average price of $444 ($111 per night), this represents a 4% increase. That's $3 more than the lowest of the 13 dates on this route (Mar 9, 2027).
// Price history · inside
Last 6 months · refreshes daily · select a cabin below to compare
This cabinAvg $444
Price Drop Email Alert
We'll email you when the Inside fare for this sailing drops below the current rate.
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// 04 · Cruise resources
Cruise Resources
To prepare for your Carnival Encounter March 21, 2027 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 Franco Spies, 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 Mar 21, 2027, 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 4-Night Airlie Beach route, or see which other ships sail a similar trip.
More Carnival Encounter options - 4-Night Airlie Beach
Below, you'll find any available dates for this same Airlie Beach itinerary on the Carnival Encounter.
- Carnival EncounterNov 15,2026$624 $156/n$162 more
- Carnival EncounterDec 6,2026$588 $147/n$126 more
- Carnival EncounterJan 23,2027$490 $123/n$28 more
- Carnival EncounterJan 27,2027$471 $118/n$9 more
- Carnival EncounterFeb 9,2027$462 $116/nSame price
- Carnival EncounterFeb 23,2027$462 $116/nSame price
- Carnival EncounterMar 9,2027$459 $115/n$3 less
- Carnival EncounterMar 21,2027$462 $116/nThis sailing
- Carnival EncounterMar 25,2027$616 $154/n$154 more
- Carnival EncounterApr 12,2027$504 $126/n$42 more
- Carnival EncounterApr 29,2027$518 $130/n$56 more
- Carnival EncounterMay 3,2027$491 $123/n$29 more
- Carnival EncounterJun 21,2027$514 $129/n$52 more
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