Vanuatu & New Caledonia from Brisbane, Australia

The Vanuatu & New Caledonia from Brisbane, Australia is a 8-night Oceania cruise aboard Carnival Encounter, operated by Carnival Cruise Line. Departing Brisbane on July 18, 2026, the voyage visits 4 ports.

Length: 8 nights
Departs: Jul 18, 2026
Returns: Jul 26, 2026
Ports of call: 4
Days at sea: 4

Itinerary

Day 1 Jul 18, 2026 Brisbane Departs 15:00 They don’t call it the Sunshine State for nothing, and Brisbane’s modern metropolis fully exploits its sun-blessed location, basking in Queensland’s generous year-round glow. The envied climate makes Brisbane a city of outdoor adventure, activity and relaxation, where days drift by surfing rollers, or relaxing in the shade of swaying palms. While Brisbane may play second fiddle to Sydney and Melbourne at times, it radiates a creative and contemporary energy, offering visitors a refreshing combination of laidback waterfront luxury and urban sophistication. Sandy islands nearby provide scenic diving and oceanside relaxation opportunities, while the city's animal santuaries offer opportunities to meet unbearably cute koalas and kangaroos. Brisbane’s impressive skyline of metallic cylinders rises high above the broad Brisbane River below, which curves lazily through downtown. The rolling waves of the Pacific are close by, but there’s something special about relaxing on soft sand in the very heart of the city, on the beautifully executed South Bank Parklands man-made beach. With golden sand and shallow lagoon waters to cool off in, it’s a dreamy spot to lie back with a book, amid the landscaped gardens. Nestled in a river meander of its own, Brisbane Botanic Park glows with colour, tropical plants and wading ibis birds, and is easily walkable from the Parklands. The South Bank is the cultural hub of city, and houses the celebrated Queensland Gallery of Modern Art - a surreal and vibrant jaunt through contemporary Australian art. The city’s award-winning restaurants also serve up elite food, matched with generous splashes of wine, direct from the nearby Granite Belt’s wine regions. Brisbane port guide Search cruises visiting Brisbane

Day 4 Jul 21, 2026 Lifou Island 08:00 – 17:00 9.0 hrs ashore Easo is the capital of Lifou, the largest and most populated of the Loyalty Islands. Home to around 10,000 Kanak people, it’s a simple, relatively undeveloped and largely unspoiled place, famed for two things: a sandy palm-fringed beach that fans out on either side of the main dock, and a very friendly atmosphere. Cruise ships are often welcomed to this island paradise with traditional tribal dances as well as a colorful local market that pops up to sell food, drinks and crafts. The island itself offers a diverse landscape that ranges from the steep cliffs of the northern coast to the pristine white-sand beaches and stunning turquoise waters along the southern coast. The island’s many walking paths and trails take in pretty churches—including the famous missionary chapel, the Chapelle Notre Dame de Lourdes—and pass scenic observation points, not to mention a wide variety of wildflowers and plants. Visitors can also tour vanilla plantations to learn about this venerable spice and its production, or make day trips to the nearby island of Tiga. Lifou Island port guide Search cruises visiting Lifou Island

Day 5 Jul 22, 2026 Mystery Island, Vanuatu 08:00 – 17:00 9.0 hrs ashore Offering an alluring blend of nature and tranquility, the small island of Anatom (aka Aneityum) is one of the South Pacific's lesser-known but dependable tropical hotspots. The southernmost island of Vanuatu, its diminutive size (159 square kilometers, or 61 square miles) and lack of modern amenities—there's no Internet nor even running water or electricity—lends the place something of a Robinson Crusoe-esque atmosphere. Although it's possible to walk around the entire island in less than an hour, there is much to explore in a day trip. As well as taking advantage of the many soft, sandy beaches and the sparkling azure waters and coral reefs, it's possible to hike the many trails that crisscross the island's sandalwood-studded and mountainous interior. In addition, you can visit the village of Anelghowhat (or Anelcauhat) on the south side of the island, which has discarded whaling-industry equipment, former irrigation channels and the ruins of missionary John Geddie's church. It's also possible to visit picturesque Port Patrick, climb to the top of the extinct volcano Inrerow Atahein, or Inrerow Atamein (853 meters, or 2,800 feet), and admire various waterfalls dotted around the island, such as the impressive Inwan Leleghei. Off the shore of Anatom is the unpopulated Mystery Island, where cruise ship tenders moor and passengers get to spend some quality beach time on a deserted island paradise. Islanders from Anatom paddle out to meet the visitors and set up temporary shops near the dock, where they grill fish and sell a few snacks and souvenirs. Mystery Island, Vanuatu port guide Search cruises visiting Mystery Island, Vanuatu

Day 6 Jul 23, 2026 Noumea, New Caledonia 08:00 – 17:30 9.5 hrs ashore Perched overlooking the life-filled reefs of Noumea Lagoon, Noumea is the vibrant and colourful capital of New Caledonia. Catch some shade in the city’s centre, below Coconut Palm Square, and absorb the vibrant fusion of French and Kanak cultures. Or take a leisurely open-air stroll along the waterfront, where white boats bob and jostle on the lapping waters. Bring your tongs - the local word for flipflops - there will be plenty of time to swim, sunbathe and leaf through paperbacks on dazzling beaches. View less Noumea is a perfect jumping-off point for serene island adventures too. Enjoy a voyage to the island paradise of Amedee Isl - a tiny green land with a narrow historic lighthouse rocketing up from its centre. Climb 247 steps for the stunning view of the blotchy blue waters all around. Or, explore the waters to swim among turtles and orange clownfish. Set among the New Caledonian barrier reef, there are incredible diving opportunities, and glass-bottom boats offer you a dry window into the underwater world. Kick back on some of the softest sands imaginable and enjoy glorious sea views from the inviting shade of coconut palms. More island jaunts like Illot Maitre - which translates as the Master Isle – tempt, where you’ll find idyllic strings of stilted bungalows laced across the crystal-clear, shallow waters. Swim in the sparkling sea, and sprawl across the white sand beaches that are waiting. Back in the city, try soft coconut crab, following a starter of New Caledonian prawns. Bougna is the traditional Melanesian meal of choice, and a social experience where locals share a mix of vegetables and chicken in coconut milk, slow-cooked for hours in a bed of banana leaves.

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View	From pp	Departs
	from $833 $104 / night	Jan 9, 2027
	from $837 $104 / night	Oct 1, 2027
	from $719 $89 / night	Mar 11, 2028

Name	Supplier code	Type
Balcony	8A	Balcony
Balcony	8B	Balcony
Balcony	8C	Balcony
Balcony	8D	Balcony
Extended Aft-Facing Balcony	8M	Balcony
Balcony	BL	Balcony
Interior	4A	Inside
Interior	4B	Inside
Interior	4C	Inside
Interior	4D	Inside
Interior	4E	Inside
Interior	4F	Inside
Interior	4G	Inside
Interior	4H	Inside
Inside	IS	Inside
Obstructed Ocean View	5A	Oceanview
Ocean View	6A	Oceanview
Ocean View	6B	Oceanview
Ocean View	OV	Oceanview
Porthole	PT	Oceanview
Byron Ocean Suite	BY	Suite
Byron Extended Suite	EB	Suite
Byron Family Ocean View Suite	FB	Suite
Byron Grand Suite	GB	Suite
Ocean Suite	OS	Suite
Ocean Suite	OT	Suite
Byron Presidential Suite	SB	Suite
Byron Vista Suite	VB	Suite

Vanuatu & New Caledonia from Brisbane, Australia

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