Carnival Adventure Misses Mystery Island Due to Pontoon Door Issue

Carnival Adventure canceled its July 11 call at Mystery Island in Vanuatu after a technical issue closing the ship’s pontoon door delayed its departure from Port Vila the previous evening. The ship was midway through a nine-night Vanuatu and New Caledonia cruise from Sydney, which departed July 6.

Carnival told guests the schedule could not be recovered with a shortened visit because Vanuatu biosecurity rules prevent vessels from traveling between islands after dark. The uninhabited-island call was replaced with an additional sea day.

Passengers received a shipwide announcement on July 10 and a letter the following morning from Captain Francesco Bencivenga. “I’m sorry to advise that we will be unable to visit Mystery Island today and will instead spend the day at sea,” Bencivenga wrote. “We sincerely apologise for this disappointment and any inconvenience caused.”

Carnival provided AU$100 in onboard credit per stateroom for the missed call. Guests with prepaid Mystery Island shore excursions received refunds to their Sail and Sign accounts.

Biosecurity rule prevented a late arrival

Bencivenga’s letter said the after-dark rule exists because of “the potential risk of transporting a beetle that can damage coconut trees.”

Vanuatu has been managing Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros, since the pest was first detected on Efate Island in May 2019. The beetle is now considered established in Vanuatu and has spread to other islands, including West Epi, where recent cases affected about 500 coconut trees. Biosecurity measures include surveillance, goods checks, ship-lighting restrictions and controls on nighttime departures, when beetles are most active.

The cancellation also follows a 7.3-magnitude earthquake in December 2024 that halted cruise visits for months. Carnival Adventure was the first ship to return, in August 2025.

Carnival Adventure continued its schedule

The rest of the sailing continued without reported itinerary changes, and Carnival Adventure called at Noumea, New Caledonia, on July 12. The ship returned to Sydney on July 15.

The 108,865-GT Grand-class ship is 951 feet long and carries 2,636 guests at double occupancy with 1,100 crew. Built by Fincantieri in 2001 as Golden Princess, the vessel later sailed for P&O Cruises Australia as Pacific Adventure before transferring to Carnival in 2025; it underwent a March 2025 refurbishment.

After returning to Sydney, Carnival Adventure departed on a four-day round-trip sailing scheduled to call at Moreton Island.

See current Carnival Adventure fares and itineraries on Cruise Lookup.