Format: Cruise

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Some things Felt Wrong on Day 1 | Carnival Encounter Embarkation

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Some things Felt Wrong on Day 1 | Carnival Encounter Embarkation

Posted by | Apr 11, 2026 | |

Welcome aboard the Carnival Encounter for our Australia Day Long Weekend Cruise!
We are so excited to be in Brisbane for an “Aussie Classics” cruise on Carnival Encounter! Join us as we kick off this Australia Day celebration with a sail away party. This cruise vlog will cover all the fun, from activities to food, offering cruise travel tips along the way.

This is Day 1 – Embarkation Day in Brisbane, and honestly… something felt a little off.

In this vlog, we take you through the full boarding process at the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal, explore the ship, and share our first impressions – including a surprisingly quiet atmosphere for a long weekend sailing.
In this video:

✅Cruise boarding process in Brisbane
🤔Impressions of Carnival Encounter
⁉️Why the ship didn’t feel full
🤯Confusion around cruise theme nights
🍴Specialty dining bookings (what we chose!)
🛌A possible cabin mistake
🤩NEW onboard changes (including Bonsai Sushi Express)
🚢Sailaway party vibes
😋Dinner at Trattoria Restaurant
👀First look at onboard activities

This cruise already had some surprises… and it’s only Day 1.
Let us know in the comments:
Have you ever been on a cruise that just felt… different?
This is part of our full Carnival Encounter series:
✔ Cabin tours
✔ Daily cruise vlogs
✔ Food & dining reviews
✔ Tips, tricks & honest experiences

Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss what happens next!

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Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Carnival Encounter Cabin Tour 5236 | Interior Quad Room Review & First Impressions

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Carnival Encounter Cabin Tour 5236 | Interior Quad Room Review & First Impressions

Posted by | Apr 5, 2026 | |

Welcome aboard the Carnival Encounter! 🇦🇺

In this video, we take you inside Interior Cabin 5236, a quad-share cabin where we’re staying with three people during our Australia Day long weekend cruise.

This is our first impressions + full cabin tour, where we show you:

What the space is REALLY like with 3 guests
Bed configuration and layout
Storage options (and limitations!)
Bathroom setup and usability
Our honest first thoughts on comfort and practicality

If you’re considering an interior cabin on Carnival Encounter, especially for multiple guests, this is a must-watch before you book.

🚢 This is part of our Australia Day Cruise Series, so make sure you subscribe and follow along for:
✔ Daily vlogs
✔ Food & dining reviews
✔ Entertainment and onboard experiences
✔ Final cabin review at the end of the cruise

👇 Let us know in the comments:
Would YOU stay in an interior cabin with 3 or 4 people?

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Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Royal Caribbean Just Changed Their Australia Strategy – Here’s How

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Royal Caribbean Just Changed Their Australia Strategy – Here’s How

Posted by | Mar 24, 2026 | |

Royal Caribbean has officially revealed its 2027/2028 Australia & South Pacific cruise deployment — and we’re breaking it ALL down.

We’re here to discuss the 2027-2028 Royal Caribbean itinerary for Australia! This video breaks down the specific ship details, departure days, and what’s missing from the schedule. Join us for some essential travel tips and cruise news as we share our predictions and thoughts on this exciting australia travel update. We’d love to hear your feedback in the comments!
In this full studio analysis, we dive deep into:

🚢 Which ships are coming to Australia (Anthem & Voyager)
🌴 South Pacific itineraries, ports & destination trends
🇳🇿 New Zealand cruise offerings (and the BIG catch)
📊 Cruise lengths, sailing patterns & departure days
🔁 Island double-ups and itinerary strategy
😮 What surprised us… and what disappointed us

We also take a closer look at:

⁉️Lelepa updates (and what’s missing…)
⁉️Inclusions vs expectations
⁉️Royal Caribbean’s strategy for the Australian market

If you’re planning a future cruise — or just love cruise news — this is your ultimate breakdown of the 2027/28 season.

👇 Let us know in the comments:
Would you book one of these itineraries?

🎥 Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:19 Royal Caribbean Australia Overview
07:20 Ports and Destinations
08:36 Island Cruise Doubles
10:42 New Zealand Destinations
11:23 Lengths of the Cruises
11:42 Anthem Sailing Length
12:07 Voyager Sailing Lengths
13:23 Departure Days
16:21 The New Zealand Catch
17:29 Surprises
18:37 Lelepa Downsides
19:02 Lelepa Inclusions
20:28 Final Thoughts

👍 Don’t forget to LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for weekly cruise news, reviews and deep dives.

#DebAndMattChat #RoyalCaribbean #CruiseNews #AustraliaCruise

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Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Royal Caribbean Lelepa OFFICIAL! 🇻🇺 What This Means for Aussie Cruising | LIVE

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Royal Caribbean Lelepa OFFICIAL! 🇻🇺 What This Means for Aussie Cruising | LIVE

Posted by | Mar 18, 2026 | |

Tonight on Deb & Matt Chat LIVE, we’re diving into one of the biggest cruise announcements for Australia and the South Pacific 🌴🚢

Royal Caribbean has officially revealed Royal Beach Club Lelepa in Vanuatu 🇻🇺 — their first exclusive destination in the South Pacific, launching from 2027.

So what does this actually mean for cruisers? 🤔

We break down:

🌴What’s included at Lelepa (beaches, food, adults-only areas & more)

🛝How it compares to Perfect Day at CocoCay

🤯Why this is a HUGE move for Australian cruising

👀The confirmed direction for Royal Caribbean in Australia

🤔Will this lead to more ships, bigger ships… or even year-round cruising?

💬 Plus — we want YOUR thoughts live in the chat!

👍 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & JOIN THE CHAT
📺 Deb & Matt Chat — Deep & Meaningful Cruise Conversations

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Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Cruise News LIVE: Carnival Encounter Issues, Royal Caribbean Changes & More

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Cruise News LIVE: Carnival Encounter Issues, Royal Caribbean Changes & More

Posted by | Mar 11, 2026 | |

Welcome back to Deb & Matt Chat LIVE for another week of cruise news, industry updates and live discussion with our cruise community.

Tonight we’re covering several major cruise industry stories including:

🚢 Carnival Encounter controversy
Passengers returning from the ship’s dry dock are reporting incomplete renovations, leaks in cabins and areas of the ship still resembling a construction site.

🥤 Royal Caribbean quietly removes a popular drink package perk
The Coca-Cola souvenir cup will no longer be automatically included with premium drink packages, meaning guests must now pay extra if they want Freestyle machine access.

🛳 Celebrity Solstice returns from dry dock
The ship has received new venues including Sunset Park, Trattoria Rossa and Fine Cut Steakhouse as part of a major modernization program.

💎 Regent Seven Seas sees strong demand for Australia
The ultra-luxury line says its upcoming Australian winter season is almost sold out and may expand operations down under.

🏆 CLIA Cruise Industry Awards announced
Australia and New Zealand’s top cruise travel agents were honoured at the industry’s biggest awards night in Sydney.

⚓ New incentives to attract cruise ships to NSW ports

🏰Disney Adventure Arrives in Singapore
5 years of Disney Magic awaits cruisers from Singapore on the newest and biggest ship in the Disney fleet, Disney Adventure. Recently christened by the ships godparent – Robert Downey Jr.

PLUS we’ll share our experiences, answer questions and discuss what these stories mean for cruisers in Australia.

Join the conversation LIVE!

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💬 Comment
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