I thought big ships were loud and bogan. I discovered something different

I’m kind of a cruise snob. The big cruise ships docked at Sydney’s Circular Quay always looked obnoxious, and the passengers in matching custom Hawaiian shirts rolling giant suitcases behind them seemed to reinforce the idea that cruising in Australia, at least, was big, loud and bogan.

But after four days at sea aboard Carnival Adventure, I find myself humbled. Turns out, I had been missing out on all the fun.

Carnival Adventure off Moreton Island. Carnival offers a four-day cruise from Sydney to Moreton Island return.

A report from Cruise Lines International shows Australians are the fourth-largest cruise market globally (extraordinary considering the size of our population).

In 2024, almost one in every 20 Australians took an ocean cruise. And two newer trends emerged: passengers are getting younger and cruises are getting shorter, with three- to four-day cruises growing in popularity.

I’ve signed up for a four-night taster. It might be my first cruise, but it’s also the first season that the P&O workhorse, Adventure, has rebranded under parent company Carnival Cruise Line.

Water, water everywhere … but most appealing in the Oasis pool.

There were plenty of grumbles from staunch loyalists when Carnival put the much-loved P&O Australia brand to bed, folding Adventure and Splendour under the Carnival umbrella.

Some things have worked: passengers can now bring onboard one 750-millilitre bottle of wine, fan favourites like Luke Mangan’s restaurant are still onboard and Carnival’s onboard app is quite handy.

Other things haven’t translated as well: I think the poor guy manning the microphone at trivia realises too late that you can’t ask a rowdy group of Australians about Lucky Charms cereal and the Declaration of Independence without things ending badly.

But one staunch loyalist puts the issue to bed for me. While waiting for coffee on deck five, the retirees next to me laugh when I ask if it’s their first cruise.

“We’re platinum members,” she says, flashing a fancy coloured badge on a lanyard.

“We’ve got six more cruises booked this year, and we just booked another Carnival cruise for later in the year.”

I ask her how the ship running under Carnival compares to the old P&O, as she pops a lid on her reusable coffee cup.

“Oh, it’s the same,” she says, waving her hand behind her. “It’s still a lot of fun.”

And I have to admit, she’s right. To get into the spirit of things, I decide to try everything while aboard. Every restaurant, every show, every activity, every add-on (from Build-a-Bear workshops and burlesque shows to recreating Leo and Kate’s moment with the ironically named Titanic Experience). And even then, I can’t do it all.

Theatre? Tick. Rock ‘n’ roll party? Tick. Singalong in the piano bar? Absolutely. There’s no shortage of entertainment.

But I sing along to Sweet Caroline in the piano bar. I catch a comedy show in the theatre. I hit a surprisingly crowded gym at 7am. I dance at an ’80s rock’n’glow party on the pool deck. I crash out at bingo, giggle at the audience participation show, Love & Marriage, and enjoy the cocktails at happy hour. It doesn’t even matter when it’s too rough for passengers to disembark at our scheduled stop at Moreton Island. I tackle the waterslide, warm up in the hot tub and get a massage instead.

My balcony stateroom is more spacious than I expected, with a large walk-in robe and small bathroom, a TV tucked into the corner, and an outdoor balcony with a view: first of the Harbour Bridge, then the east coast as we sail north. On the way home, there’s the thrill of a big swell, the ship arcing and rolling in the waves, sending a wall of white spray into the air. Despite how manicured the ship is, it’s reassuring to find there’s still a wild element to being at sea.

Choose your own Adventure Edge activity. Or just watch from a deck chair.

And even with the swell, I manage to keep my appetite. With an allergy, I’d been apprehensive about dining onboard, but I didn’t have to be. Staff meet me before first service, and at each meal, my allergy is noted in the reservation system, with every waiter starting by clarifying who the coeliac is at the table. For lunch, the general pantry buffet on level 14 is my go-to, serving wonderful Mexican food. At night, the standout meal is Australian chef Luke Mangan’s Luke’s Bar & Grill.

I’m even lucky enough to visit the bridge as we sail north, where the chief engineer shows us the navigation system, explains how the stabilisers work, and talks about the ship.

“She’s not a young lady, but she’s doing well,” he says.

For someone like me, who is creeping towards the average cruise age of 48.4, cruising feels like an inevitability. But just like me, on this voyage 70 per cent of the people aboard Carnival Adventure are first-timers.

I encounter this phenomenon when I’m up in the disco. Located in a glass box above the bridge and open after 11pm, I end up boogieing with a group I’d sung karaoke with earlier in the evening. They were first-time cruisers in their late 20s, who figured a short cruise from a capital city was the way to give cruising a go.

An Ocean View Queen room on board the newly rebranded Carnival Adventure.

Before I can ask them if they would consider cruising again after this trip, Dancing Queen comes on, and we bolt for the dance floor as the next track, Play That Funky Music, ups the tempo.

Some ships travel to exotic places, some feature the latest technology, and others are all about five-star luxury, but Carnival Adventure is about having fun. There’s an atmosphere of inclusivity, and it does come at an affordable price (though there are plenty of add-ons to drain your wallet).

Would I do it again? Surprisingly, yes. I’d love to get a group of girlfriends together, complete with those matching T-shirts. Would I recommend it? Yes. I know my parents would love the piano-bar singalongs, and I’m already helping them pick out their cruise for later in the year. Is it for everyone? Absolutely not. But overall, it’s an easy and fun experience. Sometimes, that’s all a holiday needs to be.

THE DETAILS

Departing from Sydney, Carnival Adventure’s four-night cruise to Moreton Island return, from $494 a person, twin-share, for an interior cabin; from $684 a person, twin-share for a Balcony Room, including some meals and beverages. Drink, food and entertainment packages are available. See carnival.com.au

The writer travelled as a guest of Carnival Cruise Line.

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