Key Aspects:
- P&O Cruises’ Arcadia will transfer to Holland America Line in 2029, expanding the cruise line’s fleet from 11 to 12 ships.
- The transfer is part of a wider Carnival Corporation fleet reshuffle that will also see Cunard’s Queen Anne move to P&O Cruises in 2029.
- Both vessels are set to undergo refurbishments before sailing under their new brands.
Carnival Corporation is mixing things up a bit with a shuffle of two cruise ships between three of its cruise brands. Firstly, Holland America Line’s fleet is expanding from 11 to 12 ships. The 83,781-gross-ton Arcadia will be transferred to the cruise line from P&O Cruises in 2029.
Secondly, Cunard’s Queen Anne will also see a transfer to P&O Cruises in 2029, complete with an extensive redesign.
Arcadia’s transfer can be seen in some ways as the ship finally coming home. The Vista Class ship was originally ordered by Holland America Line in 2000. Arcadia shares its Vista Class platform with other Holland America Line ships. These include Oosterdam, Noordam, Westerdam, and Zuiderdam.
Plans changed, however, and it was reassigned to Cunard Line, where it was meant to debut as Queen Victoria. Before launch, the vessel was reassigned once again, this time to P&O Cruises, which has operated Arcadia since 2005.
This transfer will finally bring the vessel into service with Holland America Line nearly three decades after it was originally ordered for the cruise line. The addition will also give the cruise line capacity for more than 2,000 additional guests and greater flexibility in deploying its fleet.
Holland America describes the transfer as an extension of its Evolution program. Cruise Hive reported on this $500 million multi-year fleet investment when it was first announced in April 2026.
“As a Vista Class ship, she is a natural fit and an exciting extension of Holland America Evolution, the largest guest experience transformation in our 153-year history,” said Beth Bodensteiner, president of Holland America Line.
The program initially included upgrades for six vessels: Oosterdam, Zuiderdam, Westerdam, Noordam, Nieuw Amsterdam, and Eurodam. The investment will add venues, restaurants, staterooms and some Pinnacle Class features to the ships.
Arcadia will undergo an extensive transformation under the Evolution program ahead of the transfer. Holland America has not detailed which of the previously announced Evolution upgrades will be introduced onboard.
Queen Anne Moving to P&O Cruises
Meanwhile, P&O Cruises will fill the space in its fleet left by Arcadia with Cunard’s Queen Anne. Carnival Corporation & plc has announced that the 113,000-gross-ton ship will be transferred to P&O in 2029.
Queen Anne first entered service with Cunard Line in 2024. A Pinnacle Class vessel, Queen Anne shares its platform with Holland America Line’s Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, and Rotterdam.
The 3,000-guest ship will remain with Cunard Line through its 2028/29 World Voyage, beginning in January 2029. Afterward, it will undergo an extensive reimagining and be renamed, entering P&O Cruises service in May 2029.
After this move, Cunard will be left with a three-ship fleet, including Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth. Carnival UK, P&0 Cruises, and Cunard president Paul Ludlow says this collection of ships represents a more unified fleet identity.
“Each [ship] has a deeply established identity and embodies the timeless style, heritage and sense of occasion that guests around the world most closely associate with Cunard,” said Ludlow.
Queen Anne will participate in Cunard’s Four Queens celebration in Liverpool in May 2028 before its final World Voyage. The event will mark the first time all four Cunard Queens have gathered together in one place.
Guests with existing bookings will not see their scheduled cruises affected by the fleet reshuffle. All currently published voyages for both Arcadia and Queen Anne before their respective transfers are set to operate as planned.
