P&O Cruises, Britain’s leading cruise line, has announced that it will take delivery in April 2005 of a new vessel, Arcadia, the largest cruise ship to be purpose-built for the UK market. The 85,000 ton, 1,968 bed Arcadia, is currently under construction at Fincantieri’s Marghera yard near Venice in Italy. Having originally been ordered on behalf of sister company Cunard Line to cruise regularly from Southampton as Queen Victoria, the ship has been designed to offer a premium British experience and is best suited to operating under the P&O Cruises brand.

In Spring 2005 P&O Cruises will in addition exchange ships with sister company Princess Cruises. Having spent two years as a P&O Cruises vessel, the 1,950 bed Adonia will return to Princess Cruises and resume the name Sea Princess under which she originally entered service. Meanwhile, Royal Princess, a classic medium-sized vessel and a long-time favorite of British passengers, will join P&O Cruises and take the name Artemis. Famed for her all-outside cabins, the 45,000 ton, 1,200 passenger Artemis will be converted to a British-style ship before entering service in June 2005. She too will be exclusive to adults. MORE-click here for more of this article.