Former P&O ship has a new name, but needs a proper makeover
The ship is older and some areas remind you of visiting your parents’ place: everything is neat, clean, and in good condition, but it’s also increasingly dated.
December 29, 2025 — 5:00am
The ship: Carnival Adventure
- Launched 2001
- The cruise: Four-night Moreton Island Cruise, a round trip from Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal and back
- Passengers 2636
- Crew 1100
- Decks 13
- Length 290 metres
Carnival Adventure is one of the rebranded P&O ships after Carnival closed the brand.
With a new name, Carnival Adventure, the ship previously known as both Golden Princess and Pacific Adventure is Carnival’s east coast, year-round workhorse. Launched in 2001 under Princess Cruises, she was built in Italy for $US425 million.
Boarding
After alighting at Sydney’s Circular Quay railway station, it’s a delightful convenience to walk to my home for the next four days. The ship is neatly framed by the Harbour Bridge in the background, dwarfing the distinctive yellow and green ferries departing the wharf. At the passenger terminal, there are plentiful staff to usher me aboard. I’ve forgotten my printed ticket, so a crew member produces one from a tiny printer on her belt. After dropping my luggage on the dock, I make my way through check-in and carry-on bag search (drones and hard liquor seem to be the main contraband), before easily rolling onto the ship, where my door key is waiting in a sealed envelope in the mailbox.
The design
After folding the P&O brand in March 2025, parent company Carnival renamed Pacific Adventure the Carnival Adventure. The funnel has a shiny new Carnival sign, but to be frank, the money would have been better spent on improving the interior. The ship is older, and while the public areas are in decent condition, some areas remind you of visiting your parents’ place: everything is neat, clean, and in good condition, but it’s also increasingly dated. In other areas of the ship, there are bigger crimes against interior design: the dolphin statues by the lifts on Deck 14 are a little frightening.
The spaces
Byron Beach Club.
Most of the action happens on deck seven, where the Adventure Bar, Piano Bar and Black Circus theatre are located, while deck six hosts the main restaurants. The Oasis is designed for adults only, while the Byron Beach Club is a restricted VIP space for those staying in the Byron Beach Suites. Deck 14 is the other main hub, with a mix of buffets, pools, spa and gym.
The suite
Balcony stateroom.
I’m staying on Deck 11 in cabin 523, a portside balcony stateroom. There’s a small bathroom accessed through a generous walk-in wardrobe, large bed, desk, bar fridge and flat-screen TV. Overall, the suite is roomier than expected and feels secluded from the bustle of the rest of the ship. The best place is, of course, the balcony, with those incredible ocean views.