CruiseStar
Three stories are moving the cruise world this week, and each one touches trip planning in a different way. Carnival Corporation is shuffling ships between its brands, a Gulf storm has Carnival watching nine ships, and Silversea just opened the books on more than a hundred voyages through 2029. Here is the short version of each, and what it means if you are booked or booking.
1. Carnival shuffles two ships between brands
Carnival Corporation announced a two-ship swap on October 6. P&O Cruises' Arcadia moves to Holland America Line in 2029, growing HAL's fleet to 12 ships and adding more than 2,000 guest berths. Arcadia is a Vista-class ship, the same platform as HAL's Oosterdam, Noordam, Westerdam, and Zuiderdam, and she will receive Holland America's Evolution upgrades before the move. She sails a farewell season with P&O through August 21, 2029.
Going the other direction, Cunard's Queen Anne transfers to P&O Cruises in May 2029. Queen Anne only entered service in May 2024, so she is practically new. She finishes her Cunard career with a final World Voyage in January 2029, after the Four Queens celebration in Liverpool in May 2028, then goes through an extensive refit and a rename before joining P&O. Cunard keeps Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth.
If you sail P&O or HAL regularly, the fleet you know is changing shape in 2029. Watch for new itineraries once the lines publish them.
2. Hurricane Isaias has Carnival watching nine ships
Carnival's Fleet Operations Center in Miami is monitoring nine ships as Hurricane Isaias moves through the Gulf of Mexico. As of October 8, the storm was tracking northeast toward landfall along the northern Gulf Coast late October 9 or early October 10, near Mobile, Alabama.
Carnival says ships will keep a safe distance, but sailings between the Gulf and the Caribbean could see itinerary changes or delays. The ports of Galveston, New Orleans, and Tampa were open as of the latest update, though that can change quickly. No itinerary cancellations had been confirmed as of October 8.
3. Silversea opens bookings on 103 voyages for 2028-2029
Silversea opened general sales on October 8 for its 2028-2029 Voyage Collection: 103 voyages to 219 destinations across 56 countries, including 29 ports the line has never visited. The collection runs September 2028 through May 2029.
The line is timing sailings to events. Expect Carnival season in Venice and Rio, New Year's Eve in Funchal and Sydney, Japan's cherry blossom season, and new S.A.L.T. culinary voyages built around Europe's truffle season and Southeast Asian markets. The headline sailing is Silver Nova's 75-night Grand South America 2029, roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale with Antarctic Peninsula scenic cruising.
Caribbean sailors get 38 voyages across 34 destinations from November 2028 to March 2029, aboard Silver Ray, Silver Nova, Silver Spirit, and Silver Shadow. New this time: a call at La Romana in the Dominican Republic and a full-day destination experience at Canouan in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Luxury demand is strong and the event-timed sailings will go first. If a cherry-blossom Japan sailing or that Grand South America voyage is on your list, booking early matters.
That is the week in cruise. If any of these stories touches a sailing you have booked, compare notes with fellow sailors on the CruiseStar ship pages before you go.