P&O Cruises Reveals Special Farewell Season For Arcadia

P&O Cruises has revealed a programme of special itineraries for Arcadia’s final season, including a 126-night World Cruise, visits to destinations absent from the cruise line’s schedules for years and a series of European voyages before the ship leaves the fleet in 2029.

The adults-only vessel, which has sailed for P&O Cruises for more than two decades, is scheduled to transfer to sister brand Holland America Line following its farewell programme.

Among the highlights are first-time visits by Arcadia to several destinations across Asia and the Indian Ocean, alongside the return of ports in Africa and Mexico that have not featured in P&O Cruises itineraries for some time.

The programme also includes Christmas and New Year celebrations in the Atlantic Islands, a British Isles sailing and Mediterranean cruises during the ship’s final summer.

World Cruise To Feature New Destinations

The centrepiece of Arcadia’s farewell season will be a 126-night World Cruise departing on 6th January 2029.

Operating under itinerary code J901, the voyage will introduce a number of maiden calls for the ship, including Nosy Be in Madagascar, Hiroshima in Japan, Mahé in the Seychelles, Kochi and Osaka in Japan, and Puerto Princesa in the Philippines.

The itinerary will also bring back destinations that P&O Cruises has not visited for several years, including Maputo in Mozambique and Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s Pacific coast.

The combination of maiden calls and returning destinations is intended to provide a more varied itinerary for passengers booking one of Arcadia’s final long-distance voyages under the P&O Cruises brand.

Early Saver fares for the 126-night sailing start at £18,499 per person, based on two passengers sharing a balcony cabin.

The World Cruise forms part of a wider programme designed to give passengers several opportunities to sail aboard Arcadia before the vessel changes operators.

Final Christmas, Summer And European Sailings

Arcadia’s farewell programme begins with a 16-night Atlantic Islands cruise departing on 21st December 2028.

The sailing, identified as J818, will cover both Christmas and New Year, with a scheduled visit to Madeira on New Year’s Eve.

Passengers will have the opportunity to experience the island’s annual fireworks celebrations, which are a major feature of New Year’s Eve in Madeira.

Following the World Cruise, Arcadia will undertake a series of longer European itineraries during summer 2029.

A 21-night Western Mediterranean voyage will depart on 4th June 2029, operating as J904. The sailing will revisit a region that has been a regular part of Arcadia’s cruise programme.

This will be followed by a 14-night Baltic cruise departing on 25th June 2029. Operating under code J905, the itinerary will focus on Northern Europe’s historic capitals and cultural destinations.

On 9th July 2029, Arcadia will depart on a 16-night British Isles voyage, J906, giving passengers an opportunity to explore destinations closer to home during the ship’s final summer with P&O Cruises.

The last extended cruise highlighted in the farewell programme is a 22-night Central Mediterranean sailing departing on 30th July 2029.

Operating as J908, the voyage will be among the final opportunities for passengers to experience Arcadia as a P&O Cruises ship.

The departure dates and cruise durations place the Central Mediterranean sailing into August 2029, although P&O Cruises has also referred to the ship’s departure from its fleet as taking place in late 2029.

The cruise line has confirmed that all currently published Arcadia holidays will operate as planned.

New Winter Collection And Booking Offers

The farewell itineraries are included in P&O Cruises’ newly announced winter 2028/29 holiday collection, which features calls at 130 destinations worldwide.

Pre-registration for the new collection is scheduled to open at 8.30am on 13th October 2026 and close at 8pm on 19th October 2026.

General sales will begin on 21st October 2026.

To coincide with the launch, P&O Cruises has announced several introductory booking incentives for qualifying holidays booked by 16th December 2026 and departing on or after 12th October 2028.

These include a 10% launch discount on eligible Select Price winter 2028 holidays.

Members of the cruise line’s Peninsular Club loyalty programme will also be eligible for an additional 5% discount on selected Select Price holidays, with the membership offer available until departure.

Other incentives include free upper berths on selected Select Price and Early Saver cruises, together with a reduced deposit of 10% on eligible bookings under both fare types.

The offers are subject to the applicable fare conditions and eligibility requirements.

Arcadia’s departure will mark the end of more than two decades of service with P&O Cruises. Rather than leaving the wider Carnival Corporation group, the vessel is set to continue operating under Holland America Line.

For P&O Cruises passengers, the newly announced itineraries provide a final programme of long-distance and European voyages before the ship transfers to its new fleet.