Carnival Encounter Cuts Cairns Overnight Stay as Channel Depth Issues Continue

Image: Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Encounter’s upcoming Great Barrier Reef cruise has become the latest sailing affected by ongoing channel depth issues in Cairns, with the ship’s overnight stay cut short and Townsville added to the itinerary.

Carnival advised passengers on 16 September that the itinerary for the seven-night cruise departing Brisbane on 26 September 2026 has been revised.

The ship is still scheduled to visit Cairns on Tuesday, 29 September, but will now depart at 8:00pm that evening instead of remaining overnight and departing the following day.

Carnival Encounter will instead visit Townsville on Wednesday, 30 September from 8:00am to 4:00pm.

The ship’s scenic Willis Island experience will also shift to 9:00am to 10:00am on Thursday, 1 October.

In a guest advisory issued on 16 September, Carnival said current channel depths and forecast tidal levels were expected to affect the ship’s ability to safely depart Cairns at its originally scheduled time on Wednesday, 30 September.

The itinerary has therefore been changed so Carnival Encounter can leave Cairns on Tuesday evening while tidal conditions are more favourable.

This time, passengers will still get their planned visit to Cairns. However, the overnight stay and second day in port have been removed.

The revised itinerary is now appearing in the Carnival app for guests booked on the sailing, showing Carnival Encounter departing Cairns at 8:00pm on 29 September and visiting Townsville from 8:00am to 4:00pm the following day.

Carnival advised guests that the changes would also be reflected on its website within 24 hours.

Passengers who purchased Carnival shore excursions for the second day in Cairns will have those tours moved to the first day where availability allows.

If an excursion can't be moved, Carnival says it will be automatically refunded to the original form of payment.

Townsville shore excursions will also be made available for passengers to purchase before sailing.

Passengers with independently booked tours or activities for Wednesday will need to contact their tour operator directly to discuss their options.

This isn't the first time Carnival Encounter has been affected by Cairns channel depths this month.

The ship's 5 September Great Barrier Reef cruise lost its Cairns visit completely after Carnival advised passengers that reduced channel depths were too shallow for the ship to safely reach the Cairns Cruise Terminal.

Airlie Beach was brought forward and Townsville was added as a replacement port, with Carnival Encounter making the unexpected visit on 9 September.

Carnival Splendor has also been affected.

Its 9 September Great Barrier Reef sailing was changed so the ship could anchor off Yorkeys Knob, with passengers travelling ashore by water shuttle instead of the ship docking at Cairns Cruise Terminal. Other parts of the itinerary were also rearranged.

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So far, the Cairns channel issue has affected the two Carnival ships in different ways depending on the sailing and tidal conditions: a cancelled Cairns visit for Carnival Encounter earlier this month, tendering from Yorkeys Knob for Carnival Splendor, and now the removal of Carnival Encounter's planned overnight stay.

Townsville is once again benefiting from the Cairns disruption.

Carnival Encounter's unexpected visit on 9 September brought the city's cruise season forward, with the ship able to access the port following the completion of Townsville's $251 million Channel Widening Project.

The ship will now return on 30 September for another full-day visit.

For passengers on the 26 September sailing, the change means they still get a day in Cairns and now gain a separate port visit to Townsville, although anyone who was particularly looking forward to the Cairns overnight or had plans for the second day will understandably have some rearranging to do.

With several Carnival itineraries now affected during September, passengers on upcoming cruises scheduled to visit Cairns should keep an eye on communications from Carnival in case further changes are required.