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Changes for cruisers in Australia

For those that aren’t aware there was a big development in the cruising market in Australia in 2025. Our beloved P&O Australia brand was absorbed into Carnival Cruises. This was a strategic rebranding from the World’s Leading Cruise Line( Carnival Corporation & PLC) to  streamline these budget friendly family products together. While P&O Australia was iconic here in Australia it is relatively unknown in the rest of the world.

When we decided to travel to Papua New Guinea in August 2024, as it was mid-year the only choice from Brisbane was the P&O Pacific Encounter.  I had heard great reviews about the Byron Beach Club and after looking at the options of a balcony room vs a Byron Beach mini-suite we opted to reserve a Byron Beach mini-suite. There was a long list of perks including access to our own swimming,  covered and uncovered lounge area, priority access and embarkation/disembarkation, pillow menu, snacks and more.    Travelling was myself, my husband and teenage son and the mini suites meant a large bed for us as a couple and a pull-out double sofa for my son.  This bedding arrangement was much better for us then the standard balcony room with 2 x bunk beds.

August 2024 Cruise with P&O

Things I remember from the August 2024 cruise with Byron Beach access. While I may not remember all the perks I had at this time, these are the things that stood out for me.

Priority embarkation and disembarkation:

• We had it but it was not clearly signed and getting off the ship was hard as everyone had jumped into the priority line and staff had to come and move people into other lines.  Staff at the port on embarkation didn’t seem to be clear with where priority clients needed to go.

Snacks basket:

• These arrived every few days filled with chocolates, chips and nuts. We loved it.

Fresh cut fruit and canapes:

• I remember getting back to the ship after being at Kirrawina Island. It took us over 45 minutes of lining up for the tender with no shade on a very hot and humid day.  There was no access to drinks on the Island or water and getting back onto the ship to find a freshly cut fruit platter was heaven.

Pod Coffee Machine in the room:

• I’m not a coffee drinker but my husband appreciated this.

Angelos for breakfast:

• We had the whole restaurant to ourselves. It was quiet. I always had a window seat and the selection was great.

Robe and Thongs/Flip Flops:

• These were a nice touch.

Exclusive use of the Byron Beach Club:

• We loved lounging around at the front of the ship with our own pool.
• It was quiet and not crowded and we never had an issue finding a lounger with a view.
• Our key card signalled we had Byron Beach Access, and we used this to access the area.
• We could order food and drinks to be delivered to us in the Byron Beach area.

My first ever cruise was on P&O Pacific Dawn, and I hold such nostalgia over falling in love with cruising through my experience with P&O.

For me as both as a passenger and a seller of P&O I took the news of P&O rebranding with mixed emotions.   I had trepidation and most of us in the industry had questions on what would change.

I travelled on the newly rebranding Carnival Encounter in November 2025 and I was able to experience first hand all of the changes.

November 2025 Cruise with Carnival

What remained the same:

• Priority embarkation and disembarkation
• The rooms were the same as remembered.
• There was a coffee pod machine in the room.
• There were bath robes for our exclusive use onboard.
• Access to the exclusive Byron Beach pool and lounging area at the front of the ship (bliss).
• We could order food and drinks to be delivered to us in the Byron Beach area from Luke’s Burgers and the Pizzeria.

What was different from August 2024 :

• The free thongs/flip flops in the room had a funky new colour scheme that I preferred.
• Canapes arrived on the first day only.
• No fresh cut fruit.
• No baskets with snacks.
• Priority boarding was still in place and staff were more knowledgeable and both embarkation and disembarkation went a lot smoother.
• My room was ready on boarding (always nice) and the staff made me aware that I had priority.
• Angelo’s is now open to everyone for breakfast however the Byron Beach members have their own area of the restaurant.
• You are now issued with a white plastic wristband to indicate you can go to the Byron Beach area.

Other Changes Onboard

The Trattoria on Deck 7 now does fresh free pizza from 11am. Instead of joining the chaos at the Pantry for lunch on the first day I had a quiet and easy pizza.

How did I feel about the changes?

I missed the snack baskets and the fresh fruit, it felt like a little bit of luxury, and we enjoyed the surprise of what was coming next.

I think Carnival made a good choice to open Angelo’s up to all passengers onboard for breakfast. The main restaurant had become a challenge to dine at during breakfast, and the wait was too long so having Angelo’s open to all created less chaos in general. It’s no longer just for Byron Beach clients however it’s a huge dining space and the Byron Beach Club members get their own area with plenty of window access.

Is it still worth paying the extra for the Byron Beach Club?

Undoubtedly yes.   If you want the extra touches, the priority, the large exclusive pool and lounging area then this is the way to go.    I’ve been a client in an ocean view room, balcony and Byron Beach mini-suite and when travelling on the Encounter we will also opt for the Byron Beach club.

If you’ve been thinking about upgrading to Byron Beach Club, lets have a chat and I can help you to decide if it’s the right fit for you.