Do you need a Pickleball Cruise to escape the Winter Blues? The Bros did just that as we packed our paddles and hit the high seas on a Carnival Encounter cruise ship for 8 epic days, cruising from Brisbane to Cairns and Airlie Beach and back again. All with the bonus of a pickleball court right there on the ship!
Yes, pickleball cruises are officially a thing in Australia.
Like our Ballarat pickleball trip with the family, this cruise mixed travel, paddle time and family time perfectly. The Bros were living the dream between beautiful ports, lazy days at sea, and some serious pickleball action on deck. What a way to escape North and play pickleball along the way.
Let’s kick it in… for the Aussie Pickleball Bros Pickleball cruise ship Adventure
Key Takeaways:
- Pickleball + Cruises = The Ultimate Winter Escape: From Melbourne’s chilly winter to 30°C in Cairns, the Bros proved you can swap jumpers for board shorts and keep your paddle warm, even in the middle of the ocean.
- Daily Deck Games… and a Gold Medal: With a court hidden away on the 17th floor, the Bros played pickleball every day at sea — and even braved gale-force winds (and a hangover) to win the ship’s pickleball tournament. Woo.
- Ports, Pools, and Paddle Time: Between exploring Cairns’ lagoon, sipping beers at Airlie Beach, and playing some sweet pickleball games, this cruise mixed travel, family time, and pickleball for the perfect Winter getaway.
The Pickleball Cruise Ship Adventure
The Bros found themselves on a cruise ship for a family holiday to celebrate a 50th wedding anniversary and a 70th birthday. With a lot of family members involved, a cruise ship was seen as a great way to celebrate these huge occasions.
The Bros have never been on a cruiseship before, they were skeptical, and said cheekily, they would go only if it had pickleball on the ship.
And wouldn’t you know it, there was pickleball court on the ship. With that minor obstacle taken care of, the Bros could officially join the celebrations.
But that wasn’t all the cruise ship had, but before we recap the best moments from the cruise ship, let’s take a look at the Pickleball facilities on the Carnival Encounter.
The Carnival Encounter Pickleball Cruise Ship
The Carnival Encounter has 18 decks available for passengers, with a casino, great restaurants, amazing staff and fun entertainment every single day. The Bros have never been on a cruise ship and spoiler alert, we loved it. The ship cruised North and was an amazing way to escape Melbourne’s cold and spend time with family out at sea.
With nothing else to do but relax, the Bros were happy to do just that. But first thing was first, we had to check out the pickleball court on the ship. Here is what we found.
What to Expect from Pickleball on Cruise Ships
The Bros didn’t know where anything was on the ship, so finding the court was a mission. Ok, it took about 5 minutes, but tucked away on the the 17th floor was an open air court. Let’s take a closer look at the facilities, equipment, sessions and players.
1. Court Size & Quality
The Pickleball court was enclosed in a cage on the 17th floor. It was a wasn’t a full sized court, but it was functional with enough space to play and have a lot of fun. The court surface was great and the ball bounced as expected.
We would have loved a full sized court, but the small court was still super fun!
2. Pickleball Equipment Supplied
The equipment supplied was your standard paddle and balls you may get from a community centre set up. Nothing flash, but good enough to play with.
3. Pickleball Cruise Sessions
The Carnival encounter had Pickleball sessions every morning. The sessions were scheduled for 8AM when the ship was out at sea.
A Carnival Crew member would set up the net and help guide new players that wanted to try the game out. Paddles and balls were supplied by the crew member for every session, which would go for an hour. The crew were always great, kept score and helped new players learn the game.
But when the session was over, the equipment was packed away.
4. Pickleball Peak Times
The sessions were never that crowded. There was always between 4-8 people ready to play. So the wait time between games wasn’t too bad.
5. Skill Levels on the Ship
Many players were trying out pickleball for the first time. Some played a bit and brought their own paddles, so it was an even mix of experience on the courts. The experience level was skewed more towards newer players rather than pickleball hot shots on the ship.
But it was great to see new players pick up the paddle and enjoy a game for the first time.
6. Any Issues Playing on the Cruise Ship?
The only downside was some days, the court was wet and the morning session was cancelled. We were not allowed to play on the court if it was too wet and slippery. This was always disappointing for pickleballers that wanted a morning hit on the deck.
And at times, it could get very windy up on the 17th floor out in the middle of the ocean. But otherwise, it’s a great experience and beautiful to play out on the ship.
Tips for Pickleball Players Planning a Cruise
if you are interested in Pickleball Travel, there are many cruise ships around that cater to your Pickleball travel needs. if you do book a cruise, the Bros recommend any serious pickleball player should bring the following pickleball gear if planning a cruise.
- 2-4 pickleball paddles
- 3-6 pickleball balls minimum.
Some cruisers (including the Bros) brought their own paddles and balls. When the morning sessions were cancelled because of wet weather, we could always come back and play later in the day.
Pickleball was on tap – in between eating, drinking and swimming, we had plenty of occasions to venture up to level 17 to play pickleball on the cruise ship, which was a lot of fun because we brought our own paddles and balls.
BONUS Pickleball Cruise Tip – Bring a Pickleball Net
The Bros recommend that serious pickleball players should bring a small, portable net. Having a hit is fun, but playing a real game outside of the morning sessions would be even better.
Next time the Bros jump on a cruise ship, we will be packing a small, portable net to go next level. And why not, if your luggage space allows, you may as well bring a net.
As you can see, the Bros enjoyed the ability to play Pickleball on the Cruise. Now, let’s take a look at our Top 5 Highlights of the Carnival Encounter Cruise…
Top 5 Moments of the Pickleball Cruise Adventure
The Bros did jump on a cruise to celebrate some huge family milestones, and to enjoy some time with our partners and children. We had an amazing time on the cruise, so join us as we count down our favourite moments of the Pickleball Cruise.
5. Escaping the Melbourne Cold
Melbourne winters are not fun! Any excuse to escape North is always welcome and jumping on a carnival cruise ship and heading to warmer climates to relax and enjoy the sunshine is fantastic. Sitting out on a deck, surrounded by beautiful ocean and turning our brains off for a week was glorious.
And wearing shorts and t-shirts every day, catching rays and swimming in wintertime is a novelty for most Melbournians, or Aussies that live in the South of the country. It was so beautiful, The Bros love warm weather in wintertime
4. Cairns Weather and Swimming Lagoon
The Cruise did a stop in Cairns over night, and walking out to 30 degree weather in wintertime is unbelievable. The Bros spent time with their families at the lagoon, a popular swimming spot and spent a whole day there, swimming and relaxing.
It was a beautiful spot, with amazing kids parks nearby and plenty for the family to do. Along with a stack of great bars and restaurants. Cairns was the favourite destination on the cruise because the place is so beautiful and the weather was amazing.
3. Airlie Beach Activities
The ship also stopped at Airlie beach on the way back to Melbourne. Cruisers are met with markets and an amazing swimming spot nearby. Airlie Beach is a little town that is a hidden paradise, it was so scenic and the views were fantastic. The cruise stopped here for most of a day, and there were plenty of things to see and do.
But in typical Bros style, we spent most of the time swimming, relaxing and even getting a cheeky XXXX on tap. Great stuff.
2. Super Cool Cruise Ship
The Bros had never been on a cruise ship, so it was amazing how many activities, shows and events the ship had. We spent a lot of times watching comedians, live bands, singing karaoke, watching stage shows every night and we attended themed parties on the deck. Let’s not forget the various nightclubs, bars, piano bars and restaurants – there was so much to see and do!
And let’s not forget the mountains of food and great cocktails.
It was quite an experience and our extended family loved their time on the Carnival Encounter Cruise ship. It was actually difficult to leave, as we had such a blast.
We were never bored on the ship, with so many activities including a… pickleball tournament…
1. Winning the Carnival Cruise Pickleball Competition
The Bros woke up rusty after a big night out. regardless of any queasiness on the day, we decided to compete in the Carnival Cruise ship pickleball tournament. Three teams entered, and Gonz was paired up with a guy that had never played before.
The odds were against us. The weather was terrible with gale force conditions up on the 17th level were not ideal for a pickleball game. But there were gold medals on the line and the Bros wanted to WIN.
Gonz played with his current fave paddle, the Pik Pok Viper Shadow. Some of the other players brought their own paddles and looked serious. The competition was fierce, the wind was unbelievable, but the stars aligned that day my friends.
Despite the conditions and hangover, Gonz and his rookie partner brought home the Cruise Ship gold medal. It was a fun tournament on the ship, and an amazing way to close out a pickleball cruise adventure. It was fun to show off the gold medal to family, friends and strangers on the ship.
What a way to wrap up a pickleball cruise ship with a gold medal. #straya
Final Wrap: Pickleball Cruise was a Success!
Over Eight days and two ports emerged one Pickleball Cruise Champion.
The Bros had an amazing time on the Carnival Cruise Ship. And the pickleball court was a nice holiday bonus. With so many great memories of the cruise, it was just a lot of fun. It’s amazing that there are options to play pickleball wherever you go these days, and it adds another layer of fun on any family trip. Especially for pickleball tragics… like the Bros.
If you are thinking about your next pickleball adventure, we recommend the Carnival cruise ships. It was a magical trip with good vibes, great people and an unbeatable way to travel and play pickleball. If you are dreaming of your next pickleball adventure, or a way to escape the winter blues, jump on a Cruise ship. Ocean views, pickleball and beautiful sunshine, what else do you need in life?
Not much we say, not much at all.
Pickle on!
The Aussie Pickleball Bros.