Carnival Cruise Line said it has “nothing to hide” after the federal maritime watchdog boarded the Carnival Encounter in Darwin to investigate claims of crew illness, unsafe drinking water and sick personnel being forced to work.
[UPDATED 9.45am, 10 February 2026]
On Monday, Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) investigators boarded the ship after the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) received a tip-off from an unnamed crew member, putting crew welfare and onboard standards under fresh scrutiny as the vessel prepares for more Aussie sailings.
However, in an update on Tuesday morning, Carnival Cruise Line said that AMSA found “no deficiencies” during the inspection.
“As we stated emphatically at the time, Carnival has nothing to hide,” a CCL spokesperson said.
“The outcome of AMSA’s inspection – with no follow‑up action required – reinforces that fact.
“AMSA routinely conducts robust inspections as part of its responsibility to ensure strict adherence with international crew welfare requirements.
“We respect this process, and we hold our shipboard team members in the highest regard. We welcome AMSA’s oversight as an important assurance mechanism for our crew and our operations.”
However, following the inspection, the cruise line took the opportunity to take a swipe at the MUA, which it says “continues to use our crew as props in an ongoing attempt to increase its membership”.
“Their claims should be viewed in that context,” they stated.
“As we have said before, the Maritime Union of Australia is making blatant claims to launch a membership drive and apparently likes to use vulgar and lame tactics to get attention.”
MUA claims the inspection was part of a broader enforcement activity targeting employment and living conditions on locally operating cruise ships.
According to the union, the concerns raised include crowded crew accommodation, hygiene issues and fatigue.
It argues these issues highlight systemic risks across the cruise sector, particularly for foreign crew employed on short-term contracts.
Carnival Cruise Lines operates three vessels in Australia, operating almost exclusively in Aussie waters.
“This is exactly what happens when you allow foreign-owned and controlled companies to sail the Australian coast, using Australian ports, carrying Australian passengers paying Australian fares, but who are completely immune from Australian law,” MUA NT Branch Secretary Andy Burford said.
“Carnival is bringing in workers from some of the poorest economies on earth, paying them as little as $2.50 an hour and subjecting them to horrifying conditions that no worker should accept, all while Carnival continues to generate billions of dollars in profit worldwide, and many tens of millions of dollars here in Australia.”
MUA Assistant National Secretary Jamie Newlyn said the MUA welcomed the investigation, but added that “inspections alone will not address the underlying power imbalance onboard these vessels”.
In January, Victorian union members backed an MUA campaign highlighting alleged crew exploitation, meeting Carnival Adventure in Port Melbourne during the Australian Open.
Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) Deputy CEO Adam Portelli said at the time that many Australian performers and crew work alongside international staff onboard.
KARRYON UNPACKS: AMSA boarding Carnival Encounter puts crew welfare back in focus. For travel advisors, it’s a timely reminder to watch regulatory signals closely as cruise scrutiny intensifies on home-ported ships.
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