Sailing Into 50 in Style: Join My Biggest Celebration at Sea!

Ahoy my beautiful cruise family!

This year, I’m hitting the big 5-0, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than surrounded by all of YOU on the high seas! 

I’m planning my biggest group cruise ever, and it’s going to be the ultimate party at sea. Think laughter, dancing, sunsets, and memories that will last a lifetime.

RSVP HERE

Whether you’ve sailed with me before or are just dreaming of joining, this is your chance to be part of something truly special. 

We’re talking good vibes and celebrations around the decks. From morning coffees to late-night laughs under the stars, this cruise is all about joy, connection and a little sparkle of adventure

Pack your party shoes and get ready to make my 50th a milestone to remember. I can’t wait to celebrate with every single one of you, because what’s better than a birthday at sea with your cruising family by your side?

Ready to join the celebration? Register your interest HERE and vote on which date you prefer 

I have two dates in mind, both from Sydney:

• 2 July (4 nights on Carnival Adventure to Moreton Island
• 3 July  (3 nights on Carnival Splendor to nowhere)

My blog post, The Temu of The Seas was read every 2.8 seconds in the first few hours of publishing. It attracted very emotional comments - from many agreeing with my perspective to the complete opposite.

Over the last decade, I have always been truthful and authentic and I stand by every word I wrote. But, when Carnival reached out a few weeks ago, I was happy to have a chat to understand more about the transition and the lessons learnt.

Change at sea can feel unsettling — especially for loyal cruisers who form deep emotional connections to ships, brands and onboard rituals. But cruising has always been about evolution, and Australia’s love affair with Carnival was never going to disappear overnight.

Now, nine months on, the dust is settling and the story is far more nuanced than the early headlines suggested. Behind the scenes, there’s been a huge focus on crew retention, guest feedback, food fixes and redefining what value cruising looks like for Australians today. 

In this exclusive interview, Carnival Australia’s leadership, I interviewed Assistant Vice President, Sales & Marketing Anton Loeb who reflected on the challenges, the lessons learned and why 2026 marks a confident new chapter for Australian cruising — one built on familiarity, choice and the unmistakable Aussie spirit guests expect at sea.

Interview: Navigating Carnival’s Transition & the Future of Australian Cruising

Q: It’s been around nine months since the transition. How has it felt from your perspective?

A: It’s been challenging, no doubt, but incredibly rewarding. A transition of this size takes enormous effort before, during and after launch. Seeing a company of this scale work together toward one goal has been inspiring. While there were challenges early on, the pride now comes from seeing the results and how far we’ve come.

Q: You mentioned that 96% of crew have remained onboard. How have they adapted?

A: That retention rate says a lot. Crew are now part of a much larger global organisation, which brings more opportunities, mobility and career pathways. There’s been great integration between existing Carnival crew and those joining through the transition, and that sharing of experience helps maintain the fun, warm spirit guests love.

Q: Were there challenges during the early sailings?

A: Absolutely—and that’s to be expected with any transition of this magnitude. What mattered was listening, gathering feedback quickly and responding just as fast. That commitment helped everyone settle in sooner than expected and refocus on delivering great holidays.

 Q: Have you seen loyalty from Australian cruisers carry through?

A: Yes, and the data proves it—strong bookings, repeat guests and positive reviews. Australians understand transition periods and tend to stick with brands they trust. That loyalty has been critical as we’ve also welcomed new-to-cruise guests.

Q: Has the target market changed?

A: We’ve strengthened the family market while still appealing to couples, multigenerational groups and experienced cruisers. Ultimately, it’s about showing value, simplicity and convenience—regardless of age. If someone tries cruising and loves it, we’ve done our job.

 Q: How do you educate first-time cruisers?

A: Cruising is very different from land-based holidays, so education is key. We work closely with travel agents and directly with guests to set expectations clearly—so every experience onboard becomes a positive surprise that exceeds expectations.

Q: Carnival Adventure, Encounter, Splendor and Luminosa are very different from one another. Is that intentional?

A: Absolutely. Rather than making ships identical, we lean into their strengths. If food like burgers and pizza is your priority, there’s a ship for you. If pools, bars and beach clubs matter more, there’s a ship for that too. Variety gives guests real choice.

 Q: Food received some criticism early on - I was personally disappointed with the food quality. Has anything changed?

A: Feedback was clear, and we acted quickly. Inclusions like Eggs Benedict, avocado toast, fruit platters and pizza were reinstated. We closely track guest satisfaction scores, and food ratings have risen consistently month-on-month. It’s an ongoing focus.

Q: What are you most looking forward to in 2026?

A: A more settled year with clarity across our fleet, itineraries published through 2028, and strong year-round offerings. That stability allows us to focus on growth, education and bringing more Australians onboard.

Q: Homeporting more ships around Australia is a big move. Why?

A: Australians want convenience. Homeporting reduces the need to fly and opens cruising to more people. Melbourne, Adelaide, Auckland and regional destinations are showing strong demand—and we’re responding to that.

Q: Will Carnival retain an Australian identity despite being a global brand?

A: Emotional connection matters. People didn’t buy into a corporation—they bought into memories, experiences and feelings. Our job is to honour that legacy while evolving the product. Theme cruises, Aussie favourites and signature events will continue.

 Final Thoughts

A: Cruising is deeply emotional. Guests connect moments to places onboard, and that’s powerful. With variety, value and year-round choice, Carnival is well positioned to lead Australian cruising into its next chapter.

10 Years of Cruising With Honey

THANK YOU ALL 

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Where Pandas and Stars align 

Anyway, after a leisurely hotel breakfast, it was time for lunch at the dim sum restaurant, Cuisine Cuisine at The Mira Hong Kong. The hotel was gorgeous, decked out in Christmas cheer. Upstairs, the restaurant was cool and elegant and we were greeted with such warm hospitality. 

Once again, I left it to our hosts to decide on our meal and what proceeded was a three-hour extravaganza of soups, dumplings, seafood and special slow-cooked red bean dessert that was velvety and rich.

Panda-monium and an Avenue of Stars

Lunch did however run over time, so unfortunately I missed the Aqua Luna Harbour cruise. I was so looking forward to cruising around the harbour on the traditional and iconic junk boat. It just means I’m going to have to come back to Hong Kong, and soon.

And so back we were hitting the pavement down Nathan Rd with a slight idea in the direction we were going. I wanted to see the famous Avenue of the Stars, but as we got closer, there was a throng, a mass, a sea of people by the foreshore. They all seemed very excited, snapping pics at something I couldn’t quite see. Inching closer, I suddenly spotted what the excitement was all about. 

A PANDA!

Then another, then another, then another eleventy-hundred more. 

But, I still had my heart set on being on the water so, we raced down to catch the Star Ferry to Central. Cheap and chaotic, the boat took a few minutes and it was nice to sit for a moment and admire this famous harbour.

On to Mong Kok

Famous for authentic Cantonese cuisine, Ming Court was extravagant. We settled in for another set menu, knowing full well we’d be rolling out of the restaurant.