P&O Cruises Australia Drops Anchor After 90 Years

P&O Cruises Australia drops anchor after 90 years.

To the shock of many dedicated cruisers, the P&O Cruises Australia brand will set sail for the last time in March 2025.

Aerial of P&O Cruises Australia Pacific Explorer ship — P&O Cruises Australia drops anchor after 90 years.

P&O Cruises’ shock exit from Australia

Australia’s most historic cruising brand reached the end of the line when parent company Carnival Corporation announced on Tuesday P&O Cruises Australia will be folded into Carnival Cruise Line’s operations from March 2025.

Two of P&O Cruises Australia’s existing cruise ships (Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure) will be transferred into the Carnival fleet, while Pacific Explorer will exit the fleet.

P&O Cruises Australia Pacific Adventure ship — *Pacific Adventure* will be transferred into the Carnival fleet.

How Carnival Corporation explains the move

Carnival Corporation chief executive officer Josh Weinstein said that while the company is proud of what P&O Cruises Australia has achieved, the costs have become too high to be able to operate the brand in Australia.

“Given the strategic reality of the South Pacific’s small population and significantly higher operating and regulatory costs, we’re adjusting our approach to give us the efficiencies we need to continue delivering an incredible cruise experience year-round to our guests in the region," Weinstein said.

While it’s not clear how many jobs will be lost, the ABC reported that between 10 and 20 jobs will be lost in Australia.

P&O Cruises Australia Pacific Encounter ship — Costs have become too high to be able to operate the brand in Australia.

But what is really behind the demise of Australia’s home-grown cruising brand?

To get some insights we asked Australian Traveller Media’s co-founder and cruise enthusiast Quentin Long what he thinks is going on.

“There are three driving factors I can see," he says.

“The first is pure economic efficiency through cost rationalisation. Running a small regional cruise line without the centralised systems of a huge corporation is a lot of cost on a small revenue base – in other words incredibly difficult to make profitable."

So, cost consolidation would instantly make it a lot easier for P&O to be more profitable. “Well maybe just profitable as the rumour is they have not been profitable for 10 years," he adds.

The second motive follows closely on the first according to Long.

“The Carnival brand has great penetration into the valuable US and global cruise market so now these rebranded ships address a larger source market. To meet that market, you can now easily move the ships to the destinations and develop itineraries to match this demand."

P&O Cruises Australia Pacific Explorer ship — *Pacific Explorer* will exit the fleet.

So, does that mean we may have fewer or even no cruise ships permanently based in Australia?

“Yes, that is certainly a possibility. It will be purely demand driven whether three, two, one or no ships are here in Australia year-round," Long says.

According to Long, the impact of that outcome will be felt far deeper than just the cruise passengers.

“Sure, a lot of Australians who could really only afford a P&O cruise will be left high and dry which is devastating. But what about the businesses that are serving the ships? They will lose 50 per cent of their business if they are pulled out of the market for the quiet winter season," he says.

And dare we ask about the third driving factor?

“Oh, that’s just about modernising and evolving the product to meet the new cruise passengers’ expectations," Long says.

Carnival Cruise Line will implement some technology upgrades and other small changes to the P&O fleet, most notably by introducing Carnival’s HubApp which allows guests to make reservations, get food and drinks delivered and chat with other guests.

“After the initial swift tech upgrade, I expect they will add more contemporary experiences that are in line with the Carnival Cruises brand – more glitz and brash US-style fun. So, more water slides etc," he continues.

Oasis on P&O Cruise ship — Carnival Cruise Line will upgrade the P&O fleet.

What P&O passengers need to know

Passengers who have booked a P&O Cruise in 2024 won’t be affected.

Guests booked on Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure after March 2025 will not be affected in most cases as the itineraries and departures will be maintained. Just a bit more tech when you get on the ships named Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter.

Passengers booked on Pacific Adventure will have options for a full refund, future cruise credit and even in some cases onboard credits.

Magrodrome on P&O Cruise ship — At this stage, it’s unclear how many jobs will be lost.

From ancient aquaculture systems to sacred rock art shelters, Victoria’s First Peoples cultural experiences offer a powerful connection to one of the world’s oldest living cultures – where every site, story and smoking ceremony invites a deeper understanding of the land beneath your feet.

Victoria’s sweeping landscapes hold stories far older than any road map can trace – stories etched into stone, sung through generations and woven into every bend of river and rise of hill. From the lava flows of Budj Bim to the ancient middens of Moyjil/Point Ritchie and the volcanic crater of Tower Hill, the state is home to some of the most significant First Peoples cultural sites in Australia. These places, along with other immersive experiences, offer not only a window into a 60,000-year legacy, but a profound way of understanding Country itself. As more travellers seek connection over checklists, guided tours by Traditional Owners offer respectful, unforgettable insights into a living culture that continues to shape the land and the people who walk it.

Budj Bim cultural landscape

Venture beyond the surf and sand of the Great Ocean Road to discover a deeper story etched into the volcanic landscape. At Budj Bim , ancient aquaculture channels built by the Gunditjmara people to trap, store and harvest kooyang (short-finned eel) reveal one of the world’s oldest living cultures. While you’re in the area, head over to the state-of-the-art Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre, where you can observe the eels in a special tank, wander the shores of Tae Rak (Lake Condah), and enjoy a bite at the Bush Tucker Cafe. Also nearby is Tower Hill, a dormant volcano reborn as a wildlife reserve, offering trails through bushland teeming with emus and koalas.

eel tank — The kooyang (eel) tank at Tae Rak. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Dumawul Kooyoora Walking Tour

Dumawul walkingtour — Guests are guided through Kooyoora State Park on the Dumawul walking tour. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Step into a timeless landscape with Dumawul’s guided tour through Kooyoora State Park, around an hour’s drive west of Bendigo in north-central Victoria. Led by Djaara guides, this immersive half-day journey breathes life into Country, weaving together stories, bush tucker and ancient rock art. Known to the Dja Dja Wurrung people as Guyura – the ‘mountain of light’ – this dramatic granite range is rich with cultural and spiritual significance. The adventure begins with a meet-up at the Bridgewater Hotel on the banks of the Loddon River, before guests are welcomed onto Country with a traditional Smoking Ceremony – a powerful ritual that honours ancestors and cleanses those who walk the land. From there, it’s a gentle wander through rugged outcrops and open bushland, with sweeping vistas unfolding at every turn. Along the way, guides share their knowledge of how the Dja Dja Wurrung peoples have cared for and adapted with this land for generations, offering a rare and moving window into an ancient way of life that continues to thrive today.

Kooyoora walking tour — Knowledge of the Dja Dja Wurrung is shared on the trail. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Kingfisher Cruises

Glide quietly through the Barmah-Millewa forest – the nation’s largest river red gum ecosystem – on a scenic journey along the Murray River and into the Barmah Lakes with Kingfisher Cruises . Led by passionate guides who share stories of the cultural significance of this ancient landscape, these cruises reveal the stories, totems and traditional knowledge of the Yorta Yorta people. As you navigate narrow waterways and spot native birds, you’ll gain a richer understanding of how First Peoples have lived in harmony with this floodplain for tens of thousands of years. It’s a gentle, immersive experience that leaves a lasting impression – one where every bend in the river carries echoes of culture, connection and Country.

wawa biik

Exploring Nagambie with Taungurung leaders. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Translating to ‘hello, Country’ in the language of the First Nations People and Custodians of the rivers and mountains of Taungurung Country in Central Victoria, wawa biik guides a range of authentic and deeply immersive experiences. Leaving from either Nagambie or Euroa, the tours are woven with ancient stories of the Taungurung, telling how a sustained connection and responsibility ensures the continued health of biik – benefitting the people, animals and plants that live in and around the Goulburn River. During the wawa Nagambie experience, guests participate in a Welcome Smoking Ceremony, and enjoy lunch and conversation with two Taungurung leaders as they cruise through the wetlands of tabilk-tabilk (place of many waterholes). The 4.5-hour tour begins at Tahbilk Winery, which is set in the wetlands of Nagambie on Taungurung Country and collaborates with Taungurung Elders to share knowledge of biik.

Bataluk Cultural Trail

Cape Conran on the Bataluk Trail. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The Bataluk Cultural Trail winds through East Gippsland like a thread stitching past to present, tracing the deep connection between the Gunaikurnai people and their land. Starting at the Knob Reserve in Stratford, visitors walk among scarred trees and ancient stone tools once used for survival and ceremony. At the Den of Nargun near Mitchell River, the earth holds stories of women’s sacred spaces, cloaked in myth and legend. Further along, Legend Rock at Metung tells of greed and consequence, its surface etched with ancient lore. At Cape Conran, shell middens lie scattered like breadcrumbs of history – 10,000 years of gatherings, stories and saltwater songs still echoing in the wind.

Healesville Sanctuary

Set on the historic grounds of Coranderrk Aboriginal Station, Healesville Sanctuary honours the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation through immersive storytelling and connection to Country. Along Wurundjeri Walk, visitors are invited to reflect on the land’s rich First Peoples history, with native plants revealing their traditional uses. Wurundjeri Elder and educator Murrundindi shares culture in-person with the Wominjeka Aboriginal Cultural Experience every Sunday, and most days during Victorian school holidays. Murrundindi’s smoking ceremonies, storytelling and bush tucker knowledge reveal the sacred relationship between people, animals and the environment. Bird-lovers can’t miss the incredible Spirits of the Sky show featuring native birds daily at 12pm and 3pm.

The Grampians

Known as Gariwerd to Traditional Owners, the Grampians is a place of immense cultural and spiritual significance. This rugged landscape holds more than 80 per cent of Victoria’s known First Peoples rock art, offering a powerful window into the region’s deep heritage. Visitors can respectfully explore five remarkable rock art sites: Billimina and Ngamadjidj in the Wartook Valley, Manja Shelter near Hamilton, Gulgurn Manja shelter near Laharum, and the Bunjil Shelter near Stawell, where the creator spirit is depicted. Each site tells a unique story of connection to Country, shared through ancient handprints, dancing figures and Dreaming narratives etched into stone.

What’s really behind the end of Australia?

P&O Cruises Australia drops anchor after 90 years.

P&O Cruises’ shock exit from Australia

How Carnival Corporation explains the move

But what is really behind the demise of Australia’s home-grown cruising brand?

So, does that mean we may have fewer or even no cruise ships permanently based in Australia?

And dare we ask about the third driving factor?

What P&O passengers need to know

Australia’s most loved hikes of the year revealed

The hottest openings of 2026: hotels, bathhouses and experiences

Retro revival: Why nostalgia is powering a new kind of travel

2 Aussie places make New York Times’ 52 Places to Go in 2026 list

Unforgettable First Peoples tours and experiences in Victoria

From ancient aquaculture systems to sacred rock art shelters, Victoria’s First Peoples cultural experiences offer a powerful connection to one of the world’s oldest living cultures – where every site, story and smoking ceremony invites a deeper understanding of the land beneath your feet.

Budj Bim cultural landscape

Dumawul Kooyoora Walking Tour

Kingfisher Cruises

wawa biik

Bataluk Cultural Trail

Healesville Sanctuary

The Grampians

P&O Cruises Australia drops anchor after 90 years.

P&O Cruises’ shock exit from Australia

How Carnival Corporation explains the move

But what is really behind the demise of Australia’s home-grown cruising brand?

So, does that mean we may have fewer or even no cruise ships permanently based in Australia?

And dare we ask about the third driving factor?

What P&O passengers need to know

Australia’s most loved hikes of the year revealed

The hottest openings of 2026: hotels, bathhouses and experiences

Retro revival: Why nostalgia is powering a new kind of travel

2 Aussie places make New York Times’ 52 Places to Go in 2026 list

From ancient aquaculture systems to sacred rock art shelters, Victoria’s First Peoples cultural experiences offer a powerful connection to one of the world’s oldest living cultures – where every site, story and smoking ceremony invites a deeper understanding of the land beneath your feet.

Budj Bim cultural landscape

Dumawul Kooyoora Walking Tour

Kingfisher Cruises

wawa biik

Bataluk Cultural Trail

Healesville Sanctuary

The Grampians

From ancient aquaculture systems to sacred rock art shelters, Victoria’s First Peoples cultural experiences offer a powerful connection to one of the world’s oldest living cultures – where every site, story and smoking ceremony invites a deeper understanding of the land beneath your feet.