Carnival Luminosa has finally made her long-anticipated arrival in Australia, sailing into Brisbane over the weekend ahead of her first cruise coming in early November.
The re-imagined cruise ship, formerly Costa Luminosa, is poised to offer a variety of sailings Down Under, and is the second Carnival ship to be positioned in Australia this season, with Carnival Splendor homeported in Sydney.
Carnival Luminosa Arrives
Carnival Luminosa arrived in Brisbane on Sunday, October 30, 2022, and is the first Carnival ship to homeport at the eastern Australian city.
As the newly-rebranded ship sailed into Moreton Bay, stateroom lights spelled out “WE (heart) QLD” along the ship’s length to signify “We Love Queensland” – the Australian state where Brisbane is located.
“Brisbane is the first market globally to experience the big, bright, fun that Carnival Luminosa has to offer and we thank Queenslanders for their patience, love and support,” said Kara Glamore, vice president of Carnival Cruise Line Australia.
“Having a Brisbane-based ship has been a goal of ours for quite some time and it’s only appropriate that our ship in the Sunshine State is packed with natural light, plus the hospitality and fun that Carnival is famous for.”
An Italy-Inspired Experience
Formerly Costa Luminosa, Carnival Luminosa has been renovated and reimagined with Carnival Cruise Line’s signature fun atmosphere, but without losing its individual Italian flair.
For example, the bright, open spaces of the ship remain intact, as well as distinctive Italian touches such as 120 Murano glass light fixtures and chandeliers. A sculpture commissioned specifically for Costa Luminosa, “Reclining Woman 2004” by Colombian artist Fernando Botero, will still be a focal point of the ship’s 10-deck-high atrium.
“While Carnival Luminosa will feel like a Carnival ship through and through with our signature service and offerings, the ship will offer her own unique features that our guests are going to love,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
The ship’s recent renovation that transformed Costa Luminosa to Carnival Luminosa brought onboard several venues familiar to Carnival guests, including The Punchliner Comedy Club, the Chef’s Table VIP dining experience, and one of the fleet’s largest spas with an expansive thermal area for extra wellness and relaxation options.
Carnival Luminosa has also been given a new look with the updated red-white-and-blue hull livery being rolled out across the Fun Ship fleet. A unique touch, however, is that the ship does not have the iconic “whale tale” funnel associated with Carnival Cruise Line.
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Instead, the ship’s straight funnel has been repainted red, white, and blue with a classic pattern reminiscent of Carnival Cruise Line’s older, original ships from decades long ago.
Sailing in Australia
Carnival Luminosa will welcome guests for the first time on November 6, 2022 for a 7-night roundtrip itinerary Airlie Beach, Cairns, Port Douglas, and Willis Island.
Through the Australian summer season, the ship will offer a variety of sailings exploring the Great Barrier Reef and various South Pacific destinations, including New Zealand, as well as shorter cruises to nowhere for relaxing getaways the give guests plenty of time to explore and enjoy the gorgeous vessel.
In April 2023, the ship will reposition to Seattle via a one-way 21-night voyage, visiting New Caledonia, Fiji, French Polynesia, and Hawaii along the way, before offering 6-8 night sailings in Alaska for the summer.
Carnival Luminosa will return to Brisbane in September 2023 with an epic 31-night sailing through Alaska, Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia in order to offer more Australian getaways next year.
