Major Fleet Shuffle at Carnival for 2029
There is a major change on the horizon for your future travel plans: The Carnival Group is restructuring its fleets. If you love traveling on the traditional ships of Cunard, P&O Cruises, or Holland America Line, you should keep an eye on some route and ship changes for the year 2029.
Queen Anne to Leave Cunard
A surprising move affects the newest member of the Cunard fleet. As reported by the editors of Schiffe und Kreuzfahrten, the Queen Anne, built only in 2024, will leave the traditional cruise line. Before that, the ship will complete its scheduled 2028/29 world cruise for Cunard. A dry dock stay is planned next: The ship is to be thoroughly refurbished, renamed, and handed over to P&O Cruises in May 2029.
This transfer will shrink Cunard's fleet from four to three ships. The well-known liners Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth will remain in the cruise line's portfolio, according to reports. According to Cruisetricks.de, Paul Ludlow, President of Carnival UK, explained that this step leads to a more consistent fleet, while the commitment to the future of Cunard remains unchanged.
Growth for Holland America Line
In return, P&O Cruises will lose another ship: The Arcadia will end her farewell season on August 21, 2029, and subsequently transfer to Holland America Line. As reported by the editors of Cruise Industry News, this will grow the premium cruise line's fleet to a total of 12 ships.
The new addition is no stranger to Holland America Line: The Arcadia was built in 2005 and is based on the Vista class. This makes her an excellent fit for the existing HAL ships Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, Westerdam, and Noordam, which are based on the same platform. According to Cruisetricks.de, with a gross tonnage of 84,342 GRT and space for around 1,950 passengers, the Arcadia is only slightly larger than the cruise line's other Vista-class ships.
Modernizations and Open Questions
The transfer of the Arcadia coincides with the "Holland America Evolution" modernization program. As part of this program, several ships will be extensively renovated in the coming years – including the Oosterdam starting in autumn 2027 and the Zuiderdam starting in April 2028. The Signature-class ships Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam are also part of this upgrade. What new features the Arcadia will receive after her transfer is to be decided in the coming months, according to Holland America Line.
For you as a guest: Existing bookings are not affected by the announcements, as the transfers are still about three years in the future. According to the sources, details regarding the new itineraries for the Arcadia or the new name of the Queen Anne have not yet been announced.
