About two months ago, P&O Australia sailed her last cruise, ready to embark on a new journey under a new brand, Carnival. The remaining P&O ships, Adventure and Encounter, underwent a hurried spit and polish, crowned with a new logo and thrust upon Australian cruisers, promising a same-same but different experience.
The message was confusing; some Carnival features would be adopted on the former P&O ships; some after a comprehensive dry dock. Pizza, an included dining option on Carnival, would only be offered ‘free’ a few hours a day on Adventure and Encounter. Similarly, there would be no Guy’s Burgers nor soft serve available – two popular inclusions on Carnival ships. What were cruisers to expect? P&O on steroids or a watered-down version of Carnival?
The reality is a lot sadder. The former P&O ships have been trans-downed into ‘Carnival-lite’, a Temu of the Seas perhaps. Not living up to the standard cruisers have come to expect from either brand but playing dress-ups and providing a mediocre experience while still expecting passengers to pay full, and now inflated, prices.
On a recent 3-night cruise on Carnival Adventure, this downgrading was evident across all departments. Dining, beverages, service and entertainment. Minor cosmetic changes and new uniforms failed miserably in convincing cruisers that Carnival – who now have a monopoly in the Australian cruise market – was the better choice.
The included food options were mediocre at best with inconsistent quality served even on the same table. More paid options were now offered in the ‘free’ restaurants Angelo’s, Dragon Lady and Waterfront, including a $6 fruit plate.
This Woeful option has been viewed 100,000 times!
The buffet, or ‘Pantry’ had limited dishes that varied from woeful to almost inedible. Hygiene standards were very low, with the two of the four basins at the Pantry’s entry (for passengers to wash their hands), clogged with dirty water for over a day and the other two operating basins providing a trickle.
Dirty plates were seen being wiped on aprons and returned to the clean plate stack and tables remained uncleared.
Prior to the changeover, Carnival Adventure stated that 90% of P&O crew would be retained. However, crew encounters aboard the cruise ranged from good to lacking any semblance to service. Many seemed overwhelmed, lacked friendliness, seemed new or generally disinterested.
Observations include crew members in groups of three or four chatting for extended periods in the Pantry oblivious to the dirty tables. Wait staff in the Waterfront pointing passengers to their table and walking away. Drink service taking an extraordinarily long times and drink orders of half of the table ignored. Certain soft drinks ‘ran out’ on the second day at some bars and the advice given was to try to “find a Sprite elsewhere”.
It appeared that crew did not have either that well-known P&O warmth nor the ‘Fun’ vibe of Carnival. The majority seemed unhappy. They also seemed lost, unable to correctly explain new procedures (such as the corkage fee) or complete drink package transactions.
While it was a Comedy Cruise, the general vibe on board was less laughs and more Footy. For most of the three days, football was screened on the outdoor screen.
Australian cruisers on social media have expressed strong thoughts, ranging from “let’s wait and see” to “I’ll never cruise on Carnival again”. Some are hoping that post dry-dock, the new additions to the fleet will have all the bells and whistles promised. But, with dry dock still quite some time away, (Carnival Encounter in February 2026, and Carnival Adventure in February 2027), Carnival might have failed in keeping loyal P&O cruisers AND simultaneously failed to attract loyal Carnival cruisers to Adventure and Encounter.
Now, with the recently announced surprise axing of Carnival Cruise Line Australia’s Vice President Kara Glamour and the Senior Director Sales & Marketing Anton Loeb reporting directly to Miami, the question is whether more jobs will be cut in the Carnival Australia office and if the future of Australian cruising will indeed still be able to sustain four Carnival ships in our waters.
Australians deserve a better cruise experience.
Carnival Australia was contacted and offered the opportunity to comment but declined to provide any comment.
There is a certain kind of magic that Disney weaves.
It’s that nostalgic feeling of childhood, wonderment and losing yourself in make believe. It is that escape from reality; delighting the young who don’t yet know the harshness of life and it giving adults a unique opportunity to forget – even if just for one day – that the world isn’t perfect.
In truth, I’ve never been drawn to visit a Disneyland, maybe I was too cynical. I thought that this manufactured joy was cringey and just too saccharin.
Imagine then, said 48-year-old self-proclaimed sceptic, not even two-minutes after entering Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and upon seeing the Castle of Magical Dreams, running full pelt towards the spired palace, tears stinging her eyes.
I don’t know what came over me, but in that instant, I was an awestruck child who believed in fairytales.
Getting to the happiest place in Hong Kong
If you’re planning a visit to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, there are a few easy steps to ensure your visit is hassle-free.
As were staying in Kai Tak, I opted to take a taxi to the Sunny Bay MTR station. I could have easily taken the MTR from Kai Tak MTR station but it would have meant changing lines and adding about an hour to my trip. So the taxi was a good option to maximise our time.
However, getting the MTR from the closest stop to where you’re staying is perfectly fine. Just remember to use your Octopus card.
The train runs every few minutes from early in the morning until late at night. The magic had begun! The train had Micky Mouse shaped windows and other Disney paraphernalia inside. Boarding the train, you get an instantly feel as if you are already part of the Disney universe.
The added bonus is the train from Sunny Bay to Disneyland only took five minutes and costs $7.40 HK – that is $1.43 AUD. What a bargain.
While it was crowded, there was no pushing or shoving and all passengers alighted and proceeded up the stairs in a orderly manner. This is what I love about Hong Kong – the manners.
Here are some important tips to follow:
• Pre pay your tickets• Buy meal vouchers
• Take a poncho or umbrella
• Remember a portable phone charger
• Download the DisneyHK app and plan out your day – especially if you want to see the shows and meet the characters. The app is awesome in that it gives you an approximate wait time for the rides.
The longest we waited was 30 mins.
There are many ticket options from one-day right through to annual passes. But for a general admission, the ticket price is $669 HK or about $140 AUD. Click here for more info.
Explore the different lands
The park is made up of different ‘lands’ including the newly opened World of Frozen. Would you believe that I’ve never actually watched the film, but let me tell you, when I entered Elsa’s world, I danced around under the ‘snow’ that filled the air.
Hong Kong Disneyland is the smallest Disneyland in the world, but it is packed with all your favourite rides and attractions. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh’s world was just utterly spectacular. And you bet I posed under every “Hunny” sign.
Other parts of the park include: Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Toy Story Land, Mystic Point, Adventureland, Grizzly Gulch. The park is really easy to navigate and you can easily see it all – and go on most of the rides – in one day.
Something to savour
As I mentioned above, a good way to budget on food and snacks is to buy a 3-in-1 prepaid meal vouchers which gives you lunch, dinner and a snack (popcorn or Mickey Ice cream) and costs $308 HK or $63 AUD.
The vouchers are not valid at every eatery, but at many and I can honestly say the meals were REALLY good. Forget the overpriced slop you get at most theme parks, we ate very well indeed. My favourite was at the Royal Banquets Hall where we slurped on delicious Ramen.
If you’d like to explore other options, there are so many to chose from and all have that special Disney whimsy to make your chosen meal delightful.
Even if you’re not a thrill seeker…
Let’s talk about the rides. There are rides that are tame, such as Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Cinderella Carousel, to thrilling, scream-at-the-top-of-your-lungs rides, such as Hyperspace Mountain (which was terrifying but amazing) and Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars that I loved so much I went on twice!
The longest we waited was 35 mins, and that was for the Toy Soldier Parachute Drop, which looked tame but was the worst! Within a minute of being on this ride, that rose high up in the air, I started screaming, “Please let me down”. To my embarrassment, a fellow rider yelled back “It’s too late now” which immediately sent my daughter Hope into hysterical laughter. I’ll never live that down.. and it became a running joke for the rest of the day.
Drones, fireworks and the ultimate show
As our visit was very close to Christmas, the entire park was dressed in Christmas fanfare. At the top of main street, a giant Christmas tree stood tall and sparkly. Now, here’s another tip: if your visit coincides with a holiday, make sure you look out for special events.
As the night drew near, there was a special tree lighting ceremony and drone show. This is why it’s important download the app so you don’t miss out on these special moments.
I didn’t think it was possible, but Disneyland Hong Kong looked even more magical at night. Soon, people were thronging around the Castle of Magical Dreams for the Momentous Nightly Spectacular. It was everything I imagined it would be. Lights, music, lasers and fireworks.
In this moment, Hope forgot she was teenager averse to affection and cuddled in close. I held her in my arms and watch the sky light up in technicolour, I saw her face transform into that three-year-old who wore her Belle Princess dress every single day for a year.
“Best day ever, Mama.”
A huge shoutout and thank you to Hong Kong Tourism Board who hosted me in Hong Kong from 6 - 10 December and organised all my activities, accomodation, Octopus card, transfers, meals and transportation.