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Carnival Cruise LineLarge

Carnival Encounter

Grand-class · refurbished 2025 · Other

Completed in 2002 as Star Princess, this Grand-class ship became Pacific Encounter in 2021 and Carnival Encounter in March 2025. At about 108,900 GT and roughly 2,600 guests, she matches Carnival Adventure in gross tonnage. She sails year-round from Brisbane on Australia and South Pacific itineraries. Onboard are water slides, four pools, the Edge zip line and climbing area, and the Byron Beach Club for suite guests. She was refitted in Singapore in 2021.

Family-friendlyAdult-oriented
108,865 GT
Gross tonnage
2,600
Guests
1,100
Crew
—
Decks
1,299
Cabins
289.865 m (951 ft)
Length
2002
Year built
9192363
IMO number

Current position (external site)View on VesselFinder (IMO 9192363)External site. Position information has not been checked by Cruise Atlas.

For travelers from Japan

A guide to public baths, Japanese food and language support, payment in yen, smoking, dress codes and power outlets, based on available official and other sources. Details may vary by itinerary and season. Check the official website for current information.

Public bath
Estimated

Similar facilities, such as a thermal suite

Checked Oct 9, 2026
Japanese food
Not stated

Not stated in official sources

Unconfirmed

Checked Oct 9, 2026
Japanese language support
Estimated

No Japanese language support

Checked Oct 9, 2026
Payment in yen
Estimated

Payment in yen not accepted

Checked Oct 9, 2026
Smoking
Estimated

Smoking in designated areas only

Checked Oct 9, 2026
Dress code
Estimated

Formal nights

Checked Oct 9, 2026
Power outlets
Not stated

Not stated in official sources

Unconfirmed

Checked Oct 9, 2026

English text in preparation.

Official: confirmed by the cruise line or another official source / Secondary source: confirmed by other sources / Estimated: inferred by Cruise Atlas / Not stated: no information found in official sources

What is included and what costs extra

Onboard costs (original currency)
  • Extra chargeDrinks (one beer)—
  • Extra chargeDrink package"Cheers!" all-you-can-drink package. $83.94 per person per day if bought in advance, $89.94 per person per day if bought onboard (both include a 20% service charge; state taxes and the like are extra). Purchase is required for everyone in the cabin (aged 21 and over). Up to 15 alcoholic drinks per 24-hour period (6:00 to 6:00 the next day) are covered, including spirits, cocktails, beer or wine by the glass priced at $20 or less, specialty coffee, soda and water.
  • UnknownWi‑Fi3 tiers: Social ($20.40 per day in advance, $22 per day onboard, for basic browsing), Value ($23.80 per day in advance, $26 per day onboard), and Premium ($25.50 per day in advance, up to $30 per day onboard, for high-speed use such as video streaming). The multi-device Premium plan starts from about $90 per day. Buying in advance gives a 15% discount (25% for multi-device Premium).
  • Extra chargeGratuities (automatic service charge)$17.00 per day ($19.00 per day for suites; after the April 2026 increase)
  • UnknownLaundrySome ships have self-service laundry rooms, where washers and dryers are both $3.50 per load, and small boxes of detergent/fabric softener are $2 from vending machines (paid with a Sail & Sign card rather than coins). However, newer Excel-class ships such as Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee have no self-service laundry facilities.
  • Shore excursionsExtra; varies by port

Prices are shown in the onboard currency; no currency conversion is applied.

Ship character

Families
3
Adults
4
Luxury
2
First-time cruisers
3
Entertainment
3
Dining
3
Japanese-language support
1
Great for
  • • South Pacific cruises from Brisbane
  • • Families and groups of friends
  • • Travelers who want onboard attractions
Less suited to
  • • Travelers looking for departure ports other than Brisbane
  • • Travelers expecting the newest facilities
About this data
Confirmation: Unverified

Sources

Source: Wikipedia “Carnival Encounter” (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Cabins by category

CabinsSizeOccupancy and bedsFeaturesLinks
Interior
—
—
Balcony: UnknownWindow: UnknownConcierge: UnknownConnecting: UnknownSolo: UnknownAccessible: Unknown
View official site
Porthole
—
—
Balcony: NoWindow: YesConcierge: UnknownConnecting: UnknownSolo: UnknownAccessible: Unknown
View official site
Ocean View
—
—
Balcony: NoWindow: YesConcierge: UnknownConnecting: UnknownSolo: UnknownAccessible: Unknown
View official site
Ocean View (Obstructed View)
—
—
Balcony: NoWindow: YesConcierge: UnknownConnecting: UnknownSolo: UnknownAccessible: Unknown
View official site
Balcony
—
—
Balcony: YesWindow: YesConcierge: UnknownConnecting: UnknownSolo: UnknownAccessible: Unknown
View official site
Aft-View Extended Balcony
—
—
Balcony: YesWindow: YesConcierge: UnknownConnecting: UnknownSolo: UnknownAccessible: Unknown
View official site
Ocean Suite
—
—
Balcony: YesWindow: UnknownConcierge: UnknownConnecting: UnknownSolo: UnknownAccessible: Unknown
View official site
Byron Beach Ocean Suite
—
—
Balcony: YesWindow: UnknownConcierge: UnknownConnecting: UnknownSolo: UnknownAccessible: Unknown
View official site
Byron Beach Vista Suite
—
—
Balcony: YesWindow: UnknownConcierge: UnknownConnecting: UnknownSolo: UnknownAccessible: Unknown
View official site
Byron Beach Grand Suite
—
—
Balcony: YesWindow: UnknownConcierge: UnknownConnecting: UnknownSolo: UnknownAccessible: Unknown
View official site
Byron Beach Extended Balcony Suite
—
—
Balcony: YesWindow: UnknownConcierge: UnknownConnecting: UnknownSolo: UnknownAccessible: Unknown
View official site
Byron Beach Presidential Suite
—
—
Balcony: YesWindow: UnknownConcierge: UnknownConnecting: UnknownSolo: UnknownAccessible: Unknown
View official site

Approximate figures from official and reliable sources. Cabins vary by ship, category, and sailing.Links generally lead to official pages; some have not been verified.

Families, adults-only areas, and practical information

Practical information (line-wide)
Onboard currency
USD
Gratuities
Automatic gratuities are added to your onboard Sail & Sign account for each night of the cruise. The amount can be adjusted, including reduced, at the Guest Services desk.
Payment
Cashless onboard
Voltage
Both 110V (North American standard) and 220V (European style) are available at cabin outlets.
Formal nights
1 "Cruise Elegant" night is scheduled on cruises of 5 nights or fewer, and 2 on cruises of 6 nights or more. Most are held on sea days (such as day 2 or the last sea day).
Medical facilities
Every ship has a permanent medical center, with 1 to 2 doctors and 3 to 5 nurses on board depending on ship size, available 24 hours. It follows CLIA/ACEP standards. Consultations, medication and tests are private-pay (non-insured) services charged separately, and insurance generally cannot be used at the counter; you pay first and then claim.
Bringing items onboard
Guests aged 21 and over may bring one unopened 750 ml bottle of wine/champagne per person in carry-on luggage, on embarkation day only (fortified wines over 15% alcohol are not allowed). A corkage fee of $15 per bottle is charged if you drink it in public areas such as the main dining room or bars, but there is no charge for drinking it in your cabin.
Mobile and connectivity
Through the maritime roaming partners of major carriers, you can make calls, send SMS and use data on the high seas with your own phone and phone number (displayed as "Cellular at Sea" and the like). Many flat-rate plans are excluded and billed by usage, so checking in advance is essential. To keep costs down, it is common to switch to Wi-Fi calling via a Wi-Fi package.
Japanese support
Staff UnknownMenus UnknownAnnouncements Unknown

Dining

Included Included in the fare (no extra charge)
Waterfront
Angelo's
Dragon Lady
The Pantry
Extra charge Specialty dining (prices in the onboard currency)
Bonsai Sushi Express
New Zealand Natural

Facilities and activities

EDGEExtra charge
SportsAdults only: UnknownFor children: Unknown
Byron Beach ClubExtra charge
OtherAdults only: UnknownFor children: Unknown
The Punchliner Comedy ClubIncluded
TheaterAdults only: UnknownFor children: Unknown
OasisIncluded
OtherAdults only: UnknownFor children: Unknown
Dive-In MoviesIncluded
CinemaAdults only: UnknownFor children: Unknown
Cloud 9 SpaExtra charge
SpaAdults only: UnknownFor children: Unknown
Video ArcadeExtra charge
OtherAdults only: UnknownFor children: Unknown

Itineraries on this ship