Ports North Accelerates Cairns Dredging After Carnival Diversions
Carnival Splendor instead anchored off Yorkeys Knob, where passengers transferred ashore by smaller boats after the channel fell below its designed depth of nine metres.
Updated September 25, 2026
Carnival Encounter will cut its planned overnight visit to Cairns to a single day. Channel depths and forecast tidal levels could prevent the ship from departing safely at its original time. The ship will leave Cairns on the evening of September 29 and visit Townsville instead of spending September 30 in Cairns.
The change is the third Carnival itinerary affected by Cairns channel depths in September. Carnival Encounter previously replaced a Cairns call with Townsville. Carnival Splendor used tenders at Yorkeys Knob instead of docking at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal.
Overnight Cairns call shortened
Carnival Encounter is still scheduled to depart Brisbane on September 26 for its Great Barrier Reef cruise. It will visit Cairns on September 29 but leave that evening to take advantage of more favourable tidal conditions.
“Current channel depths and forecasted tidal levels are expected to affect the ship's ability to safely depart Cairns at the originally scheduled time Wednesday, 30 September. Because the safety of everyone on board is always a priority, we have revised the itinerary to take advantage of more favourable tidal conditions the evening before,” Carnival told guests.
Townsville will replace the second day in Cairns. Guests with Carnival shore excursions booked for September 30 will have them moved to the first day where possible. Excursions that cannot be rescheduled will be refunded.
Dredging targets unusually heavy silt buildup
Sections of the navigation route through Trinity Inlet have fallen below the port’s designed depth of 9 metres. That restricts access for some deep-draught cruise ships. Silt accumulated more quickly than usual, leaving insufficient depth for some vessels to make a safe transit.
Queensland maritime authorities issued a navigation notice covering dredging in Cairns Harbour and the Cairns Channel on September 18. Ports North expedited its 2026 maintenance campaign and has also used bed levelling in affected areas. It is exploring alternative dredging options. The work is expected to continue until November.
The Port of Cairns historically conducts annual maintenance dredging in its main channels to retain adequate depths for deep-draught vessels.
Earlier cruise calls also changed
Carnival informed passengers four days before Carnival Encounter’s September 5, 2026 departure from Brisbane that its planned Cairns visit could not proceed. The 108,865-gross-ton ship, which can accommodate approximately 2,600 passengers, retained its September 7 Willis Island call. Airlie Beach moved forward to September 8, replacing Cairns. Townsville was added for September 9.
Prepaid Carnival shore excursions in Cairns were automatically refunded. Townsville excursions became available after embarkation through the Carnival HUB app and Carnival Adventures Desk. The revised schedule also moved the ship’s September 11 return to Brisbane from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Carnival did not outline compensation for passengers whose onward arrangements were affected by the one-hour delay.
Townsville received Carnival Encounter after completing an A$251 million channel-widening project designed to accommodate vessels measuring up to approximately 300 metres. The affected Cairns channel leads to the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal at Trinity Wharf, within walking distance of the city’s restaurants, shops and tour operators.
The next scheduled Carnival ship visit to Cairns is October 28, followed by Crown Princess on October 29. Other large ships expected later in the season include Noordam, Grand Princess and Carnival Luminosa. Their access will depend on channel depths and the progress of dredging.
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