With the newly refreshed and rebranded Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter now officially part of the Fun Ship fleet, who is taking the helm to bring Carnival Cruise Line’s signature vibe to each ship?

A ship’s cruise director can make all the difference in guest experiences onboard. An outgoing, energetic cruise director ensures the liveliest parties and best attitudes for all the activities staff.

Of course, Carnival Cruise Line is well known for its fun and engaging atmosphere – they are the Fun Ships, after all!

Now, two brand new Carnival cruise directors have joined the ranks to bring that fun to two new ships: Ben Kitchen and Chelle O’Callaghan.

Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, made the official announcement of their promotions and positions on his popular Facebook page.

“I would like to give a wonderful welcome to two new Cruise Directors for the two ships that have recently joined the fleet in Australia. They are: Carnival Encounter Cruise Director, Ben Kitchen [and] Carnival Adventure Cruise Director, Chelle O’Callaghan,” he said.

Both cruise directors offer their own unique personalities and energy to the job, making them well-suited to welcome guests aboard the newly renovated and updated ships with newly renovated and updated experiences.

The exact activities schedules aboard each vessel have not yet been detailed, but they are sure to include sailaway deck parties, thrilling game shows, popular Playlist Productions, trivia contests, dance lessons, scavenger hunts, and so much more.

Carnival Encounter Cruise Director – Ben Kitchen

Ben Kitchen is no stranger to the cruise industry, having worked previously with Princess Cruises (also owned by Carnival Corporation & plc) from 2005-2014 as a cruise director as well as a trainer.

Kitchen moved on to Norwegian Cruise Line from 2014-2016, also as a cruise director coordinating with the entertainment department. Of course, both Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line have very different vibes than Carnival Cruise Line.

He returned to the Carnival family with Carnival Australia as a cruise director and entertainment director in 2016. Kitchen hosted all the fun Down Under, planning daily schedules and collaborating with all team members to be sure crew members were as happy as the guests.

With his experience already in Australia, Kitchen understands the local personalities and can seamlessly bring Carnival fun to Carnival Encounter, giving every traveler a hearty g’day mate along the way!

Carnival Adventure Cruise Director – Chelle O’Callaghan

Michelle “Chelle” O’Callaghan is likewise no stranger to the unique and quirky Australian vibes, having served as a cruise director with P&O Cruises Australia since 2023.

She will be a familiar face aboard the former P&O Cruises ship, but now bringing Carnival’s signature fun style to every guest with new parties and activities.

While O’Callaghan is a relative newcomer to the cruise industry, she is no stranger to entertainment and guest interaction.

From 2010-2014, she served as an entertainment manager with the Thomas Cooke Group for a variety of hotels and holiday experiences. She has also been a voiceover artist (maybe some quirky voices will be in order?) and a dedicated youth programming officer.

O’Callaghan’s vibrant style and vivacious personality are sure to bring laughs and smiles to everyone aboard Carnival Adventure for every adventure the ship sails.

Carnival Encounter and Carnival Adventure have now officially joined the Carnival Cruise Line fleet after months of anticipation following the announcement that P&O Cruises Australia was to be dissolved.

While the former P&O ships will remain in Australia serving the markets that know and love them, both vessels have also been updated with a unique hybrid hull livery to showcase their personalities and history.

Onboard, guests will find a blend of favorite Carnival Cruise Line venues and activities as well as familiar P&O Cruises options. This will create a fun Down Under vibe found nowhere else in the world, helping passengers make once-in-a-lifetime vacation memories.

Read Also: Full Carnival Cruise Director Schedule for 2025

Carnival Encounter will now be offering a diverse range of 3-12-night sailings from Brisbane, while Carnival Adventure will be offering similar options from Sydney. Both ships will remain in Australia year-round.

Most memorable, of course, will be the phenomenal hosting and energy of each ship’s new cruise director!