P&O Cruises Australia

P&O Cruises Australia Faqs

• Are gratuities included?

  Gratuities are not required for P&O Australia.

• Can I bring alcohol?

  Alcohol cannot be brought onboard.

• Can I bring bottled water or other non alcoholic drinks?

  Each guest may bring 12 loose cans of non-alcoholic drinks inside their carry on luggage.

• WHAT P&O CRUISE SHIPS DEPART AUSTRALIAN HOME PORTS?

  All year round P&O Australia has 3 ships that depart Australian ports. 

  • Pacific Encounter cruises from Brisbane all year round.

  • Pacific Adventure cruises from Sydney all year round.

  • Pacific Explorer cruises from Melbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle. 

  Note: As of 29th March 2025, P&O will cease operations under the P&O Cruise Australia name and undergo a brand name change, and fall under their parent company Carnival Cruises. All 3 P&O cruise ships will be affected and change as follows:

  • Pacific Encounter will become Carnival Encounter and will continue to cruise from Brisbane.  

  • Pacific Adventure will become Carnival Adventure and will continue to cruise from Sydney.  

  • Pacific Explorer will be decommissioned. 

• DO P&O CRUISE SHIPS HAVE AN ADULTS-ONLY SECTION?

  Called the Oasis, this adults-only section is on all 3 of P&O cruise ships. It’s the perfect place to soak up the sun and settle into a deckchair with your favourite book.

• WHAT PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES DO P&O CRUISES HAVE FOR CHILDREN?

  Every P&O Cruise welcomes children! Enjoy a budget-friendly, all-inclusive family vacation with lots of space, delicious food, enjoyable activities, fantastic entertainment and four age-appropriate kids clubs.

  ●      Turtle Cove (2 years – 5 years) - A range of games, toys and activities for kids aged 2-5 years old, which means they’re not only fun but educational too. The place for the smallest member of your family.

  ●      Shark Shack (6 years – 9 years) - From scavenger hunts, jewellery making, computer games, dance lessons and theme nights. It’s the perfect place for them to make new friends and play with kids their own age.

  ●      HQ (10 years – 13 years) - The ultimate chill zone where they can make new friends, play video games, check out movies and sing their hearts out at karaoke sessions.

  ●      HQ+ (14 years – 17 years) - Specially created for 14-17 year-olds so the teens can leave their little brothers and sisters behind and chill out with people their own age at their own special lounge to play video games and watch movies. 

  Note: As always, there are a limited number of places available in our youth centres and entry is on a first come first served basis.

• ARE THERE THEME NIGHTS EXPECTED ON BOARD P&O CRUISES?

  Themed cruises and event nights are one of the highlights of P&O cruises. To name a few themed cruises:

  Comedy Cruise, Disco Glam Cruise, 80’s, 90s, Country and Aussie music themed Cruise, Melbourne Cup Carnival Cruise, Food & Wine Cruise, Christmas Cruise and New Year’s Eve Cruise.

  P&O Event Nights:

  Island Night: All ages are welcome. Island Night features on all cruises 7 nights or longer from 4 June on Pacific Explorer, 17 June on Pacific Adventure and 22 June on Pacific Encounter.

  Gatsby: Frock up and party on, this high-end cocktail party is complete with themed music, entertainment and classic cocktails. On cruises 3 nights or longer (unless otherwise advised).

  Bianco: Dress in your most dazzling white attire and dance the night away at Bianco, The P&O White Party. Kids and adults of all ages are welcome to attend the party. There is also a special Kids White Out Party. On cruises 3 nights or longer (unless otherwise advised).

• DO P&O CRUISES HAVE DRINK PACKAGES?

  P&O has 5 drinks packages with the option to purchase onboard or pre-purchase in the Cruise Control app, ranging from a pre-purchase price of $15 AUD to $119 AUD per person, per day.

  The Soft Drinks Package, Alcohol-free Drinks Package and Spring Water Package are available to all guests on any cruise. 

  The P&O Drinks Package and P&O Plus Drinks Package are available to guests 18 years and over, on cruises of seven nights or more, excluding Melbourne Cup and Australian Open cruises.

• WHAT TYPE OF POWER POINTS ARE ONBOARD P&O CRUISE SHIPS?

  All guest rooms are fitted with at least one Australian 3-point socket providing 220/240 volts at 60Hz.

• DOES P&O CRUISES HAVE A 2024 CHRISTMAS CRUISE?

  P&O Christmas Cruise 2024 departs Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne as this will be their last Christmas Cruise available before P&O undergoes a brand name change. 

  • Pacific Adventure Christmas Cruise 2024 departs Sydney on December 17 for 10 nights to the South Pacific.

  • Pacific Encounter Christmas Cruise 2024 departs Brisbane on December 17 for 10 nights to the South Pacific. 

  • Pacific Explorer Christmas Cruise 2024 departs Melbourne on December 19 for 8 nights to Port Arthur and Hobart.

• WHAT DISABILITY OPTIONS DO P&O CRUISES PROVIDE?

  Since P&O Cruises Australia does not offer nursing or carer services onboard, they are unable to offer daily personal care. You must make arrangements for a companion or caretaker to travel with you on your trip if you need help with any aspect of your daily life. Wheelchairs are not always available for use on board the ship; they are usually saved for dire situations. If a wheelchair is needed for the entire cruise, we advise passengers to bring their own. Since doorways differ in size from room to room, please let your Clean Cruising Consultant know as soon as possible. We will need to know the measurement to make sure it can fit through the doorway.

• I HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION, CAN I STILL TRAVEL ON A P&O CRUISE?

  Absolutely! We recommend telling your Clean Cruising consultant about any medical conditions, medications or special requirements you have when you complete your booking. Clean Cruising also recommends that you bring a couple of extra days of medication just in case. 

  Note: Clean Cruising strongly recommends you visit your GP to confirm if a P&O cruise is something you can safely attend. 

• DO YOU NEED A PASSPORT TO BOOK A P&O CRUISE?

  Australian citizens, including minors, are required to present a passport or a government-issued picture ID when going on a domestic cruise.

  All passengers on international cruises (to places like the South Pacific, New Zealand, Hawaii, and Singapore) need to have passports that expire six months after the date of the cruise return.

• Wi-Fi AND MOBILE COVERAGE ON P&O CRUISES?

  P&O offers three distinct plans for high-speed internet access through Starlink, depending on your preferred method of connectivity. While on your cruise, use social media, make calls, check your email, or stream your favourite shows.

• DOES P&O CRUISES HAVE AN ONBOARD APP?

  You can download the P&O Cruises App from the App Store or Google Play. 

• HOW DO YOU PAY ONBOARD P&O CRUISES?

  Pay your bill with cashless cruising! All onboard expenses are charged to your personalised cruise card, allowing you to sign for all your onboard purchases, this card is linked to your debit/credit card and can also be loaded with cash at onboard kiosks. Your cruise card also acts as your room key plus a security pass to leave and re-board the ship at ports of call. The currency onboard P&O Cruises Australia is all in Australian dollars AUD.

• HOW DO I BOOK MY SPECIAL OCCASION ON P&O CRUISES?

  Special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and honeymoons can be celebrated on board. Please speak with your Clean Cruising consultant if you're celebrating a special occasion while onboard or planning your cruise to celebrate.

• HOW MUCH LUGGAGE CAN I BRING ON A P&O CRUISE, WHAT ARE THE RESTRICTIONS?

  P&O Cruises recommends no more than 2 x 23 KG bags per person and no bigger than 140cm x 60cm x 40cm.

• P&O CRUISE SHIP LOCATION FINDER, WHERE IS MY P&O CRUISE SHIP?

  Pacific Encounter Location

  Pacific Adventure Location

  Pacific Explorer Location