7 Night Great Barrier Reef Cruise aboard the Carnival Encounter
Prepare for seven nights of breathtaking cruising across the sea when you embark on the Carnival Encounter from Brisbane and back.
This trip is special because you'll only visit extremely rare destinations such as Airlie Beach and Cairns. This route is an unusual one for the Encounter. In fact, this is the only time it's going to sail it!
Our price includes all meals, entertainment, port charges, and taxes. No surprises! Offered at under $120 a day, this is a good value.
The Carnival Encounter
Based in Brisbane and refurbished only this year ago in 2026, more than 2,500 people can sail comfortably on this top-rated Grand class vessel.
The Encounter Carnival offers a spa, five pools, a waterslide, a gym, a jacuzzi, a rock climbing wall, a casino, and a bowling lane.
Your Itinerary
This cruise is made up of three sea days and three port days. Highlights include visits to extremely rare cities like Airlie Beach and Cairns.
| Date | Port | Arrive | Depart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Jul 3 | Brisbane, Australia | 3:00pm | |
| Sun, Jul 4 | At Sea (Cruising) | ||
| Mon, Jul 5 | Airlie Beach, Australia | 8:00am | 4:00pm |
| Tue, Jul 6 | Cairns, Australia | 9:00am | |
| Wed, Jul 7 | 8:00pm | ||
| Thu, Jul 8 | Willis Island, Australia (Cruising) | ||
| Fri, Jul 9 | At Sea (Cruising) | ||
| Sat, Jul 10 | Brisbane, Australia | 7:00am |
Alternate Sailings
The Encounter sails this route once next year, but doesn't sail it this year. The Luminosa, Quantum of the Seas, and Grand also sail routes with the same stops but slightly different schedules. In the accompanying graphic you can see a visualization of when this ship sails as well as the relative price.
Book Your Cruise
The accompanying graph shows the cost over time for each class of cabin. Since it was first listed on June 16th of last year, The price of this itinerary has ranged between $657 and $846 for a stateroom, including taxes and port fees.
Last Updated: Jul 20, 2026
Last Modified: Jul 20, 2026