Pacific Encounter

Pacific Encounter was the name used by a large Grand-class cruise ship during its service with P&O Cruises Australia. The vessel was constructed by Fincantieri in Monfalcone, Italy, and entered service in 2002 as Star Princess for Princess Cruises. It was the second Princess Cruises vessel to use the Star Princess name and the third Grand-class ship added to the Princess fleet, following Grand Princess and Golden Princess. The ship was ordered in January 1998 as part of a two-vessel construction program. Each ship in the order was planned at approximately 109,000 gross tons and was intended to support Princess Cruises' expansion into large-ship cruising. During construction, the vessel was launched on 10 May 2001. A galley fire caused by welding work occurred on 29 June 2001, but the damage was limited and construction proceeded. The ship was completed and christened at the Monfalcone shipyard on 25 January 2002. Star Princess was initially assigned to the North American West Coast. Because its size prevented a Panama Canal transit, it reached Los Angeles by traveling from the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal and Indian Ocean, followed by a long Pacific crossing. Its first cruise from Los Angeles took place on 10 March 2002, beginning a deployment focused on the Mexican Riviera. The ship later operated in Alaska, Australia, Southeast Asia, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the Baltic, South America, and Antarctica. In November 2003, it became the first vessel exceeding 100,000 gross tons to sail in Australian waters. The ship's operational history included a serious 2006 fire and a later controversy concerning an alleged failure to respond to a fishing boat in distress. The 2006 incident began in passenger accommodation while the ship was sailing from Grand Cayman toward Jamaica. One passenger died from smoke inhalation and thirteen others suffered significant smoke exposure. The investigation identified combustible balcony materials, inadequate separation between balcony areas and fire zones, and the absence of balcony detection and suppression systems as factors that allowed the fire to spread. The ship was repaired and returned to service after additional safety measures were installed. In 2018, Carnival Corporation announced that Star Princess would move to its sister brand P&O Cruises Australia as part of that brand's planned expansion in Oceania. P&O later announced the Pacific Encounter name and a Brisbane homeport. The transfer was accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ship joined P&O in 2020 rather than waiting until the originally anticipated period. A Singapore dry dock in 2021 brought exterior repainting, updated branding, redesigned public spaces, a refreshed atrium, new restaurants, and other maintenance and outfitting work. The vessel eventually entered P&O's staged post-pandemic service under the Pacific Encounter name in August 2022, operating from Brisbane on itineraries around Australia, the Queensland coast, and nearby Melanesian destinations. Carnival Corporation announced in 2024 that P&O Cruises Australia would be absorbed into Carnival Cruise Line from March 2025. Following a two-week wet dock in Melbourne in March 2025, the ship was rebranded Carnival Encounter and continued operating year-round from Brisbane. Accordingly, Pacific Encounter is a historical operating name for the vessel rather than its current name. The ship remains an active Carnival Cruise Line vessel within the Carnival Corporation fleet.

The vessel now known as Carnival Encounter was ordered by Princess Cruises in January 1998 as one of two large Grand-class ships commissioned from Italian builder Fincantieri. The ships were designed at approximately 109,000 gross tons and were intended to support year-round Caribbean operations from Port Everglades. Princess later revised the deployment plan for this vessel, assigning it to Los Angeles for Mexican Riviera cruises and summer Alaska voyages. Launched at Fincantieri's Monfalcone yard on 10 May 2001, the ship experienced a construction-site fire on 29 June when sparks from welding work ignited material in a galley area. The fire spread into a dining room, but the damage was not extensive enough to halt completion. The ship was finished and christened on 25 January 2002 as Star Princess. Because its dimensions prevented a Panama Canal transit, it traveled to Los Angeles through the Mediterranean, Suez Canal, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. Its first Los Angeles cruise departed on 10 March 2002. During its Princess Cruises career, Star Princess developed a broad international operating history. It sailed Mexican Riviera itineraries from Los Angeles, Alaska cruises from Vancouver, and later routes in Southeast Asia, the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Baltic, South America, and Antarctica. Its visit to Sydney in November 2003 was notable because it was then the first ship of more than 100,000 gross tons to operate in Australian waters. In the 2019–2020 winter season, the vessel returned to Los Angeles for Mexican Riviera, Sea of Cortez, and Hawaii cruises. Planned later-season Alaska operations from San Francisco were cancelled after Princess suspended operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most serious event in the ship's early history occurred on 23 March 2006. While traveling between Grand Cayman and Montego Bay, Jamaica, a fire began in passenger accommodation on the port side. Passengers were instructed to leave their cabins and gather at muster stations while the crew fought the fire. Lifeboats were prepared and lowered, but the ship remained afloat and reached Montego Bay under its own power. One passenger died from smoke inhalation, thirteen others suffered substantial smoke exposure, and many cabins on several passenger decks were either burned or affected by smoke. The United Kingdom's Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigated on behalf of the Bermuda Maritime Administration, with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board. The investigation concluded that a discarded cigarette was a probable ignition source but also identified design and material conditions that accelerated the fire. Polycarbonate balcony dividers, polyurethane deck tiles, and plastic furniture were combustible; balcony doors did not provide the expected fire resistance or self-closing protection; balconies crossed fire-zone boundaries; and balcony areas lacked dedicated detection and suppression systems. The cruise was terminated, passengers were accommodated and repatriated, and the ship underwent repairs at Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven. Princess subsequently added balcony sprinklers, replaced plastic furniture with less combustible alternatives, and strengthened fire-response procedures. In March 2012, another incident generated controversy when passengers reported seeing a small drifting boat with people signaling from it. The ship did not stop to investigate. Nine days later, Ecuadorian authorities rescued one survivor from the Panamanian fishing boat Fifty Cent. Lawsuits were filed on behalf of fishermen, while Princess maintained that the boat observed from Star Princess was not Fifty Cent. The company cited drift analysis and photographic investigation, and later witness statements reportedly indicated that the boats may have been different. The Bermuda maritime inquiry was reported closed in 2013. Carnival Corporation announced in 2018 that Star Princess would be transferred to P&O Cruises Australia. The vessel was subsequently renamed Pacific Encounter, and the transfer was accelerated to 2020 because of the pandemic. In January 2021, it entered a Singapore dry dock for repainting, rebranding, interior maintenance, redesigned lounges and public areas, an updated atrium, and new restaurant facilities. P&O planned to base it in Brisbane for Oceania itineraries, but the pandemic delayed the full return of service. The ship ultimately entered P&O's staged operational resumption under the Pacific Encounter identity in August 2022. In June 2024, Carnival Corporation announced that P&O Cruises Australia would be folded into Carnival Cruise Line. After a Melbourne wet dock in March 2025, Pacific Encounter became Carnival Encounter and continued year-round Brisbane operations. The current vessel is therefore the same ship as Pacific Encounter, but its present operating identity belongs to Carnival Cruise Line.

• 2025

  Renamed Carnival Encounter

  [1]Carnival Encounteren.wikipedia.org

  After the P&O Cruises Australia integration, the ship adopted the Carnival Encounter name and continued operating from Brisbane.

• 2022

  Pacific Encounter debut

  [1]Carnival Encounteren.wikipedia.org

  The refurbished ship entered service under the Pacific Encounter name during P&O Cruises Australia's staged operational restart.

• 2021

  Singapore refurbishment

  [1]Carnival Encounteren.wikipedia.org

  The ship underwent dry-dock work involving maintenance, repainting, rebranding, redesigned public areas, and new dining facilities.

• 2020

  Transfer accelerated

  [1]Carnival Encounteren.wikipedia.org

  The pandemic led Carnival Corporation to accelerate the transfer from Princess Cruises to P&O Cruises Australia.

• 2018

  Transfer to P&O Cruises Australia announced

  [1]Carnival Encounteren.wikipedia.org

  Carnival Corporation announced plans to move Star Princess to its Australian sister brand.

• 2006

  Major passenger-deck fire

  [1]Carnival Encounteren.wikipedia.org

  A serious fire damaged passenger cabins and led to a major maritime safety investigation and subsequent fire-protection modifications.

• 2002

  Delivered as Star Princess

  [1]Carnival Encounteren.wikipedia.org

  The completed ship was christened and entered Princess Cruises service as Star Princess.

• 2001

  Ship launched

  [1]Carnival Encounteren.wikipedia.org

  The vessel was launched at Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard on 10 May.

• 1998

  Construction ordered

  [1]Carnival Encounteren.wikipedia.org

  Princess Cruises ordered the ship from Fincantieri as part of a two-vessel Grand-class program.

A large, full-service cruise ship positioned for mainstream leisure cruising, particularly Australia- and Oceania-focused itineraries under P&O Cruises Australia and, subsequently, Carnival Cruise Line.

• Cruise ship · 2022

  Pacific Encounter

  Pacific Encounter was the ship's P&O Cruises Australia identity from its transfer from Princess Cruises until its 2025 rebranding. It offered large-ship leisure cruises from Brisbane to destinations around Australia, the Queensland coast, Oceania, and Melanesia. Its onboard proposition combined passenger cabins, dining venues, lounges, entertainment spaces, and family-oriented recreation.

• Cruise ship · 2002

  Star Princess

  Star Princess was the vessel's original commercial identity with Princess Cruises. Entering service in 2002, it operated a wide range of international itineraries, including Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Baltic, South American, Antarctic, Asian, and Australian voyages.

• Cruise ship · 2025

  Carnival Encounter

  Carnival Encounter is the vessel's current identity within Carnival Cruise Line. Following a 2025 wet dock and rebranding, it continued year-round Brisbane operations, supported by Carnival's broader Australian and Oceania cruise network.

• 2012

  Fifty Cent fishing-boat controversy

  Passengers alleged that Star Princess failed to respond to a small boat later suspected of being the fishing vessel Fifty Cent. Princess Cruises denied that the vessels had been close enough to identify one another, and later witness evidence reportedly supported the possibility that the sighted boat was a different vessel.

  Source

• 2006

  2006 Star Princess fire

  A fire that began in passenger accommodation caused one death, significant smoke inhalation injuries, and extensive cabin damage. Investigators found that combustible balcony materials and inadequate fire separation contributed to the rapid spread. The ship was repaired and fitted with additional balcony sprinklers and other safety improvements.

  Source

Read more

• 2024

  Integrate P&O Cruises Australia into Carnival Cruise LineM&A

  Background

  Carnival Corporation decided to close P&O Cruises Australia as a separate operating brand and consolidate its Australian cruise operations.

  Action taken

  The corporation announced that P&O Cruises Australia would be absorbed into Carnival Cruise Line from March 2025.

  Aftermath

  Pacific Encounter was renamed Carnival Encounter after a Melbourne wet dock and continued sailing from Brisbane under Carnival Cruise Line.

  Source

• 2021

  Refurbish and rebrand the vesselOther

  Background

  The transferred ship required design updates and maintenance before entering P&O Cruises Australia's operating fleet.

  Action taken

  A Singapore dry dock delivered exterior repainting, new branding, refreshed interior areas, redesigned lounges and venues, an updated atrium, and new restaurants.

  Aftermath

  The vessel debuted as Pacific Encounter during P&O's staged resumption of cruising in 2022.

  Source

• 2018

  Move the ship to P&O Cruises AustraliaStrategy

  Background

  Carnival Corporation planned to expand P&O Cruises Australia's presence in the Oceania market.

  Action taken

  The corporation announced that Star Princess would be transferred from Princess Cruises and eventually renamed Pacific Encounter.

  Aftermath

  The pandemic accelerated the move, and the vessel joined P&O Cruises Australia in 2020 instead of waiting for the originally planned timing.

  Source

• 2006

  Strengthen balcony fire protectionStrategy

  Background

  The passenger-deck fire exposed weaknesses in balcony materials, fire-zone separation, detection, and suppression arrangements.

  Action taken

  Princess Cruises added sprinklers to balconies, replaced plastic furniture with less combustible alternatives, and enhanced emergency fire procedures and communications.

  Aftermath

  The ship returned to service after repairs, and the modifications became the principal visible safety changes associated with the incident.

  Source

1. 1Carnival Encounteren.wikipedia.org