Carnival Cruise Line informed guests that the upcoming cruise aboard the Carnival Encounter will operate with an adjusted itinerary.

Sailing from Brisbane, the 2,600-passenger vessel is scheduled to offer a cruise to the Great Barrier Reef region starting on September 26, 2026.

The seven-night itinerary originally included an overnight visit to Cairns, in addition to a call to Airlie Beach and scenic cruising at Willis Island.

According to a statement sent to booked guests, the itinerary was adjusted due to tide restrictions in Cairns.

“Channel depths and forecasted tidal levels are expected to affect the ship’s ability to safely depart Cairns at the originally scheduled time on Wednesday, September 30, 2026,” Carnival said.

“Because the safety of everyone onboard is always a priority, we have revised the itinerary to take advantage of more favorable tidal conditions the evening before,” the company continued.

Instead of spending the night in Cairns, the Carnival Encounter is now scheduled to depart on September 29, 2026, at 8:00 PM. The ship will then visit Townsville on September 30, 2026, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Scenic cruising in Willis Island was also moved due to the itinerary change and will now take place one hour earlier on October 1, 2026.

According to the statement, pre-purchased Carnival shore excursions for the second day in Cairns will either be moved to the first day, subject to availability, or cancelled and refunded to their original form of payment.

Carnival previously adjusted the itineraries of two other cruises that were set to visit Cairns earlier this month.

As reported by Cruise Industry News, the Carnival Splendor cancelled a visit to the destination that was scheduled for the September 9, 2026, sailing. The call was replaced with a visit to Yorkeys Knob.

The Carnival Encounter was also forced to cancel a visit to Cairns due to operational restrictions, replacing the port with a new call to Townsville.

The cancelled visit was part of a six-night Great Barrier Reef cruise that sailed from Brisbane on September 5, 2026.