Queen Anne Joining P&O Cruises as Arcadia Leaves: What Does This Mean?
By Tom and Dom Travel | Updated: 06 October 2026
A look at how Queen Anne could appear once refitted with signature P&O Cruises livery in 2029
Is Carnival Corporation quietly laying the groundwork for a complete merger between P&O Cruises and Cunard?
That was our immediate, jaw-on-the-floor reaction when today’s bombshell press release dropped from Carnival Corporation.
In a major fleet reshuffle announced today, P&O Cruises stalwart Arcadia is heading over to Holland America Line in 2029. In return, Cunard’s shiny new flagship, Queen Anne, is being transferred across to P&O Cruises.
What does this announcement actually mean: Carnival Corporation is transferring the 3,000-guest Queen Anne from Cunard to P&O Cruises in 2029 following her final world voyage. To make room, P&O’s adult-only Arcadia will transfer to Holland America Line to expand their fleet to 12 vessels, while Queen Anne will undergo extensive design refits to match P&O’s holiday experience.
After dozens of cruises and hundreds of days at sea across both P&O Cruises and Cunard, we have learned that cruise lines rarely make sudden ship moves without massive strategic implications.
Having sailed on Queen Anne ourselves, we instantly fell in love with her stylish art-deco spaces, stunning dining options, and refined British elegance. Learning that she will soon fly the P&O banner has left us genuinely shocked.
Here is everything revealed in the announcement, what it means for existing bookings, and why this could signal a massive shift under Carnival UK leadership.
More from Tom and Dom Travel
Our Sea Day on Cunard's QUEEN ANNE From Seasick Struggles to Theatre & Tuxedos
On day 2 of our Cunard Queen Anne Spain and Portugal cruise it was our first sea day. As we made our way across the Bay of Biscay the seas where rough and we could feel movement onboard Queen Anne.
P&O Cruises Arcadia sailing at sunset during an ocean sea day
The Fleet Swap: Arcadia Departs, Queen Anne Arrives
The movement of ships across Carnival Corporation brands is not entirely unheard of, but swapping premier tonnage between Cunard and P&O Cruises certainly turns heads.
Arcadia, which has served P&O Cruises faithfully as an adult-only favourite since 2005, will conclude her final UK farewell season with her last sailing ending on 21 August 2029.
From there, she will move over to Holland America Line to take their fleet up to 12 vessels. In an ironic twist of maritime history, Arcadia was originally ordered for Holland America back in 2000 as a Vista-class sister, briefly reassigned to Cunard as Queen Victoria, and ultimately launched for P&O. She is essentially heading back to where her design blueprint began.
Before entering service for Holland America Line, Arcadia will enter their multi-year "Holland America Evolution" dry-dock programme. This means she is destined for substantial modernisations, expected to include venue overhauls like the popular Grand Dutch Café, upgraded Ocean Bars, and dedicated Solo Verandah staterooms.
Taking Arcadia’s place in Southampton will be Cunard’s 3,000-guest Queen Anne. P&O Cruises will take delivery of Queen Anne in 2029, following the completion of her 2028–2029 world voyage and her headline appearance at the historic "Four Queens" gathering in Liverpool in May 2028.
Once transferred, Queen Anne will undergo extensive refits and redesigns to reshape her layout, dining concepts, and social hubs into the signature P&O Cruises holiday style.
Cunard's Queen Anne docked at the Ocean Cruise Terminal in Southampton preparing for embarkation
Is This the Beginning of a Cunard and P&O Merger?
This is the big question everyone in the British cruising community is already debating, and we reckon it carries serious weight.
Both P&O Cruises and Cunard sit firmly under Carnival UK’s corporate umbrella at Carnival House in Southampton. Paul Ludlow, who previously steered P&O Cruises as president, now serves as the overarching President of Carnival UK.
Under single corporate leadership, sharing platforms and aligning operations has become far more integrated over the last few years.
Shifting a vessel as high-profile and modern as Queen Anne directly from Cunard to P&O is a monumental step. Queen Anne only debuted recently, serving as the modern standard-bearer for Cunard's contemporary luxury.
Could this herald a closer operating merger between Cunard and P&O Cruises down the line?
While both brands maintain vastly distinct identities, Queen Anne’s contemporary layout always felt slightly more modern and relaxed than Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, or Queen Elizabeth. Converting Queen Anne into a flagship P&O vessel gives P&O a premium, mid-sized modern platform without having to commission an entirely new build from scratch.
What About Our Queen Anne Bookings (and Our 2027 Group Cruise)?
As many of you will know, we love Queen Anne. She quickly captured our hearts during our time onboard with her gorgeous Bright Lights Society, relaxed Commodore Club, and the fantastic Sir Samuel’s steakhouse.
In fact, we love the ship so much that we are hosting our very own Tom & Dom Travel group cruise aboard Queen Anne in October 2027, sailing a seven-night roundtrip from Southampton down to Spain and Portugal.
Naturally, our phone notifications have been pinging constantly since the press release went live!
If you are booked to sail on Queen Anne over the next few years, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Queen Anne remains a proud member of the Cunard fleet until 2029.
2026 to 2028 Sailings: All scheduled Cunard itineraries will sail exactly as planned.
October 2027 Group Cruise: Our hosted sailing on Queen Anne remains 100% full steam ahead as a proper Cunard experience, complete with Gala Evenings, White Star Service, and the classic Golden Lion pub.
May 2028 Four Queens Event: She will still stand proudly alongside QM2, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth in Liverpool.
2029 Handover: The transfer and P&O dry-dock redesigns will only begin after her final Cunard world voyage concludes in 2029.
Sail with Tom and Dom aboard Queen Anne in October 2027 and experience this incredible ship while she is still proudly flying the Cunard flag. Find out all the details and secure your cabin here.
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Enjoying the silent disco in the SkyDome on Iona, a cracking evening we could easily see inside Queen Anne's Pavilion
What Will Queen Anne Look Like as a P&O Ship?
Transferring Queen Anne into the P&O Cruises family is going to require some fascinating shipyard surgery.
Cunard’s distinct tiered dining structure, where Britannia, Britannia Club, Princess Grill, and Queens Grill guests dine in separate venues, does not exist on P&O.
P&O will need to transform those expansive Grill restaurants and dedicated lounges into venues that fit Freedom Dining, speciality dining, or extra bar spaces.
Here is what we expect will change when Queen Anne receives her P&O makeover:
Dining Venues: We suspect the Britannia Restaurant will be rebranded to align with P&O’s main dining rooms, while spaces like Tramonto, Aji Wa, and Sir Samuel’s will likely morph into signature P&O favourites like The Glass House, Sindhu, or The Keel & Cow.
Entertainment Lounges: The Bright Lights Society, which has been a triumph on Queen Anne, could easily transition into a cabaret and supper club venue akin to The Limelight Lounge.
The Hull: Queen Anne’s traditional black-and-white Cunard livery and iconic red-and-black funnel will make way for the Union Flag bow and the deep blue P&O funnel.
Adult-Only or Family-Friendly? The biggest mystery right now is her passenger demographic. With Arcadia leaving, P&O will lose one of its two dedicated adult-only ships. Queen Anne would make a spectacular adult-only flagship, but her sheer size (3,000 passengers) might tempt P&O to make her family-friendly instead.
Sail with Us! Our First Ever Group Cruise 🚢
After years of sharing our adventures on YouTube, we’re hosting our very first group cruise, and we want you there!
Join us aboard Cunard’s stunning new ship, Queen Anne, for a 7-night Spain & Portugal voyage sailing roundtrip from Southampton on 24 October 2027.
Expect exclusive Tom & Dom Travel events, beautiful ports, and the chance to cruise with fellow channel fans.
Tom and Dom at Lisbon's iconic Portas do Sol viewpoint, with Queen Anne anchored on the glittering Tagus
Tom taking in the Grand Lobby on embarkation, but will Queen Anne lose her signature Cunard feel under P&O?
Does This Make Sense? Our Honest Take on the Move
Whenever cruise lines announce fleet reshuffles of this scale, they always wrap them in polished corporate talk about "operational synergy" and "strategic fleet optimisation."
Stripping away the PR gloss, is shifting Queen Anne over to P&O Cruises actually the right move for British cruisers?
From Carnival Corporation’s commercial standpoint, it is hard to argue with the arithmetic. Holland America Line gets a proven, well-loved mid-sized hull in Arcadia to add over 2,000 berths without waiting years on an expensive shipyard order book. Meanwhile, P&O Cruises secures an ultra-modern, efficient 3,000-guest flagship to anchor their Southampton operations.
For the people who actually sail on these ships, though, the move brings very mixed feelings.
If you are a regular P&O cruiser who loves modern vessels like Iona and Arvia, this is a massive win. You are gaining a modern, beautifully crafted ship that sits right in that sweet spot between intimate mid-sized cruising and the mega-ship experience.
On the other hand, traditional Cunarders will understandably feel protective of Queen Anne. She only debuted recently as the stylish beginning of a whole new era for Cunard. Seeing her handed over to a mainstream sister brand after just five years at sea is bound to sting.
Similarly, Arcadia has built up a fiercely loyal following over the past two decades. Her classic wrap-around teak promenade, quiet reading corners, and relaxed, child-free atmosphere make her one of the most cherished ships sailing out of Southampton. Losing her from the British market in 2029 will definitely bring an emotional farewell for many long-time guests.
Our honest advice? If you have booked Queen Anne or have been thinking about trying her, do not hesitate. Go and experience her in all her original Cunard glory. Dress up for the Gala Evenings, soak in the White Star Service, and enjoy every single deck while she still wears that iconic red-and-black funnel.
We will certainly be doing just that on our hosted group cruise aboard her in October 2027, and we will be watching very closely as Carnival reveals the next chapter of her transformation.
You can read the full, confirmed press release directly on Carnival Corporation’s media centre.
Before you go... check these out next:
Olivia Walker
Tess Anderson
Dan Mitchell
Noah Patterson
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Queen Anne transfer to P&O Cruises?
Queen Anne is officially scheduled to transfer from Cunard to P&O Cruises in 2029, following the completion of her 2028–2029 world voyage and subsequent refit work.
Will Queen Anne sailings between 2026 and 2028 be cancelled?
No, all scheduled Cunard voyages on Queen Anne between 2026 and 2028 will go ahead as published, including her appearance at the Four Queens event in Liverpool in May 2028.
Will Queen Anne be an adult-only ship for P&O Cruises?
P&O Cruises has not yet officially confirmed whether Queen Anne will operate as an adult-only ship or a family-friendly ship when she enters service in 2029. However, because she replaces the adult-only Arcadia, there is strong industry speculation she could become a dedicated adult-only flagship.
When is Arcadia leaving P&O Cruises?
Arcadia will conclude her final scheduled season for P&O Cruises on 21 August 2029, before transferring across to Holland America Line.
What will happen to the Grill Suites on Queen Anne?
During her 2029 transition refit, Queen Anne will undergo extensive interior modifications. P&O Cruises will redesign the exclusive Queens Grill and Princess Grill restaurant and lounge spaces to fit P&O's standard dining and bar structure.
About the Authors
We’re Tom and Dom, the creators behind Tom and Dom Travel. Through our ship reviews, cabin tours, port guides, and cruise tips, we share honest, experience-led advice from our travels around the world. Everything we publish is designed to help you cruise with confidence.
Thanks for reading, and happy cruising.
