In a surprise fleet shake-up, Cunard’s newest ship Queen Anne will leave the cruise line in 2029, just five years after entering service, to join sister brand P&O Cruises.
The relatively early departure is notable for a ship that only entered service in May 2024 and currently represents the newest addition to the Cunard fleet. Queen Anne will continue sailing for Cunard until the completion of her 2028-29 world cruise before undergoing an extensive transformation, receiving a new name and beginning service with P&O Cruises in May 2029.
The move forms part of a wider reshuffle within Carnival Corporation. Arcadia will complete a farewell season with P&O Cruises ending on 21st August 2029 before transferring to Holland America Line, where she will continue operating within the Carnival Corporation family.
All currently published Queen Anne and Arcadia cruises scheduled before their respective transfers will operate as planned, the company confirmed. Further details about Queen Anne’s new name, refurbishment, onboard offering and first P&O Cruises programme will be announced later, while details of Arcadia’s farewell season are expected shortly.
Queen Anne To Leave Cunard After Five Years
Queen Anne’s transfer will bring an unusually short chapter with Cunard to a close. The ship entered service in 2024 as the line’s first new vessel in more than a decade, but by 2029 Cunard will once again operate a three-ship fleet comprising Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth.
Before her departure, Queen Anne will remain a prominent part of Cunard’s programme. She is due to play a central role in the Four Queens celebration in Liverpool in May 2028 before beginning her final world voyage as a Cunard ship in January 2029.
Carnival UK, P&O Cruises and Cunard president Paul Ludlow said: “These decisions reflect a careful, long-term view of our portfolio and where the individual strengths of each ship can best support guest demand and the future direction of our two cruise lines.
“Queen Anne was created as a bold and contemporary expression of Cunard, combining the brand’s hallmark service and sense of occasion with modern design, an extensive choice of dining and entertainment, and highly flexible public spaces.
“Those qualities give her a natural affinity with the modern P&O Cruises holiday experience. Following her reimagining, she will introduce a new class of ship to the P&O Cruises fleet and broaden the choice available to guests through a different scale, style of onboard experience and range of itineraries. This choice will complement the existing fleet and make her a defining addition to the next chapter of P&O Cruises,” Ludlow continued.
Details of Queen Anne’s new name and the full extent of the work planned before she joins P&O Cruises have yet to be announced.
Her departure will leave Cunard centred on its three longer-established ships. According to Ludlow, the resulting fleet will be more closely unified around the style, heritage and sense of occasion traditionally associated with the brand.
“This decision does not change our commitment to Cunard or its future. We will continue to invest in the ships, service, itineraries and guest experiences that make Cunard unique, while building on the strong following enjoyed by each of its three Queens.
“Next year we will also complete a major upgrade of Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2. As the world’s only ocean liner providing regular transatlantic service, it’s a one-of-a-kind asset, and our investment is designed to ensure it continues to delight guests for decades to come.”
Arcadia To Transfer To Holland America Line
The arrival of the reimagined Queen Anne at P&O Cruises will come during the same year that Arcadia ends more than two decades of service with the British cruise line.
Arcadia is scheduled to complete a special farewell season culminating on 21st August 2029. She will subsequently transfer to Holland America Line rather than leaving Carnival Corporation.
“Arcadia has been a much-loved part of P&O Cruises for more than two decades and has created countless special memories for our guests. We are immensely proud of her place in the line’s history and pleased that, following a celebratory farewell season, she will continue her career within the Carnival Corporation family.”
The changes will result in significant shifts for both British cruise brands. P&O Cruises will gain a much newer vessel following Queen Anne’s refurbishment and renaming, while Cunard will say farewell to a ship that, despite being introduced as the latest generation of the brand, will ultimately spend only around five years sailing as a Cunard Queen.
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