Who Owns P&O Cruises Australia

P&O Cruises Australia was owned by Carnival Corporation and plc before the brand was permanently discontinued in March 2025.

Carnival folded the entire Australian operation into its larger Carnival Cruise Line brand rather than selling it to another company.

P&O Cruises Australia was previously known for short, casual cruises departing from Sydney, Brisbane, and other Australian ports, popular with first time cruisers.

The brand had operated in the Australian market for more than ninety years before its closure.

Carnival Corporation and plc remains the largest cruise operator in the world, and it continues to serve the Australian market through Carnival Cruise Line and P&O sister brand Princess Cruises.

The closure reflected a wider strategy to consolidate smaller regional brands into larger, more efficient global brands.

Have you ever wondered why a cruise line that had sailed from Australian ports for over ninety years suddenly disappeared within a single year of the closure announcement?

In this guide we will cover who owned P&O Cruises Australia, why Carnival Corporation shut the brand down, what happened to its ships, and where former P&O Australia guests can cruise instead.

Lets take a closer look.

What Was P&O Cruises Australia?

P&O Cruises Australia was a cruise line built around short, casual Australian departures for first time and repeat local cruisers.

Its first voyage sailed in December 1932 aboard the ship Strathaird, carrying passengers on a seven day trip to Brisbane and Norfolk Island.

The brand was spun off from its original United Kingdom parent as a separate Australian company in the year 2000.

Headquarters were based in Chatswood, New South Wales, as part of the wider Carnival Australia division.

Who Owned P&O Cruises Australia?

P&O Cruises Australia was a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Corporation and plc, operated through the Carnival Australia division.

It became part of Carnival ownership in April 2003, when the wider global P&O Princess Cruises business merged with Carnival Corporation.

Carnival Corporation itself is publicly traded, with no single controlling owner beyond Chairman Micky Arison and the Arison family long standing stake.

Why Did Carnival Corporation Close P&O Cruises Australia?

Carnival Corporation announced in June 2024 that it would discontinue the P&O Cruises Australia brand.

The company stated the change would help boost overall capacity by absorbing the brand and its guests into Carnival Cruise Line operations.

The Australian cruise market had also grown more competitive and cost sensitive, pushing Carnival toward a single larger regional brand instead of several smaller ones.

What Happened To The P&O Cruises Australia Ships?

Ships from the former P&O Cruises Australia fleet did not leave the Carnival Corporation family.

Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter were rebranded and repositioned as Carnival Cruise Line ships serving the same Australian region.

Pacific Explorer departed the fleet in February 2025 ahead of the wider brand closure the following month.

What Other Cruise Lines Does Carnival Corporation Own?

Carnival Corporation and plc owns nine cruise line brands globally.

These include Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises in the United Kingdom, and Cunard.

Carnival Cruise Line and Princess Cruises now carry most of the Australian departures once served by P&O Cruises Australia.

What Was P&O Cruises Australia Known For?

P&O Cruises Australia was best known for short, casual cruises departing directly from major Australian cities.

The brand appealed strongly to first time cruisers looking for an easy introduction to cruising close to home.

Its ships carried a relaxed, distinctly Australian onboard culture that set it apart from its larger United Kingdom sister brand.

Where Can Former P&O Australia Guests Cruise Now?

Guests who previously sailed P&O Cruises Australia can now book similar itineraries through Carnival Cruise Line Australian departures.

Princess Cruises also continues to operate a strong presence in the Australian and South Pacific market under the same Carnival Corporation umbrella.

Both brands depart from many of the same Australian ports that P&O Cruises Australia previously served.

Customer Service And Official Contact Information

Guests with existing bookings or questions about the closure should contact Carnival Cruise Line Australia directly.

Current Australian sailing information is available at carnival.com, which lists current phone support for the Australian market.

For background on the brands now serving former P&O Australia guests, see WhoMakeThis guide to who owns Carnival Cruise Line and the related breakdown of who owns Princess Cruises.

Frequently Asked Questions About P&O Cruises Australia

Who owned P&O Cruises Australia?

P&O Cruises Australia was wholly owned by Carnival Corporation and plc, operated through the Carnival Australia division based in Chatswood, New South Wales.

Is P&O Cruises Australia still operating?

No. P&O Cruises Australia fully ceased operations in March 2025 after Carnival Corporation announced the brand closure in June 2024.

Background on the wider cruise industry can be found through the Cruise Lines International Association at cruising.org.

Why did P&O Cruises Australia close?

Carnival Corporation stated the closure would help boost capacity by absorbing the brand and its guests into the larger Carnival Cruise Line operation.

What happened to the P&O Cruises Australia ships?

Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter were rebranded as Carnival Cruise Line ships, while Pacific Explorer departed the fleet in February 2025.

Additional company history is available on Wikipedia.