Holland America Line is growing. The luxury cruise line announced Tuesday it was expanding its cruise ship fleet to 12 with the addition of a Vista Class vessel named Arcadia.
The new ship will join Holland America Line in a transfer from P&O Cruises, a fellow British subsidiary of Carnival.
Holland America Line officials say the arrival of Arcadia will increase guest capacity across the fleet by over 2,000, allowing the cruise line to “further develop the cruise line’s award-winning global deployment.”
Vista-class cruise ships are built by in Italy by Fincantieri, exclusively for Carnival Corporation. Officials say Arcadia shares the same platform as other cruise ships in its fleet, including Oosterdam, Noordam, Westerdam and Zuiderdam.
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“Holland America Line continues to see strong demand from guests seeking immersive travel experiences, genuine hospitality, and perfectly sized ships,” said Beth Bodensteiner, the cruise line’s president. “Adding Arcadia allows us to welcome more guests while building on everything they already love about our brand.”
Explaining the Holland America Line “evolution”
Bodensteiner says the cruise line is undergoing a multi-year capital investment initiative called the Holland America Evolution, and the addition of Arcadia marks another transformative milestone in the company’s 153-year history.
The program aims to add venues, restaurants and staterooms in the mid-sized cruise ships without compromising the experience its guests are used to.
Holland America has already announced specific upgrade and renovation plans for its Zuiderdam and Oosterdam ships, the latter of which is already accepting reservations. Oosterdam is slated to debut in 2027, followed by Zuiderdam in Spring 2028, before Arcadia sets sail the year after.
The cruise line says these additional cruise ships will provide more “deployment flexibility” while giving a greater runway to grow and modernize its existing fleet.
“We create experiences for the curious, offering new perspectives and deeper connections to the world and each other,” said Bodensteiner. “Whether it’s strengthening our presence in favorite destinations or opening opportunities to sail in new ways, this additional capacity helps us offer even more choices to travelers who believe the journey should be as rewarding as the destination.”
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While P&O bids adieu to Arcadia, the cruise line will be adding a well-known and beloved ship to take its place. Officials say Cunard, another subsidiary of, you guessed it, Carnival, will transfer the 3,000-guest Queen Anne to P&O for retrofitting and “extensive design changes” before it makes its re-debut in 2029.
Updates on the Arcadia process, as well as the current status of other ships undergoing the “evolution” treatment, can be found at hollandamerica.com/evolution.
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