P & O Britannia inaugral celebrations
P&O Cruises is a company that we have a great relationship with and I was fortunate enough to be invited to spend a night on-board the gorgeous new Britannia ship before her launch.
As I arrived into the dock at Southampton my first view of her was breath-taking! She is so big - 141,000 tonnes - and so majestic! The statement Union Jack livery and crisp white exterior looked amazing.
4 years of hard work and planning has culminated in this 3,600 passenger ship now being ready to set sail.
With 13 restaurants, 13 bars and 9 entertainment venues, 4 pools and 15 passenger decks I was never going to get round everything in one night but here is what I managed.
I started with a wonder around the Oasis Spa & Health Club. This is haven of tranquillity located towards the front of the ship and offers a wide range of treatments using Elemis products. There are 16 treatment rooms as well as a relaxation room, thermal spa, hydrotherapy suite and a hydro pool. There is also The Retreat which is an exclusive outdoor spa area and access to the can be purchased on a daily or weekly basis. The ship also boasts a fully stocked gym and health club.
Then I had a wonder around some of the cabins and was impressed with the size and décor of all of them. The corridors had more of a hotel feel than a ship and subtle lighting and dusky brown shades gave a contemporary look.
There was just time for a quick look around the shops, a little look at the mouth-watering Ian Lanlard cakes and a quick drink in the bar before going back to get changed for our Gala dinner.
My room for the night was a balcony cabin on desk 9 and was ample size for two people. The bathroom was a good size with a large, airy shower with a glass door. As with Ventura, there's more than enough hanging space for clothes and the balcony was perfect for sitting and gazing at the horizon (or Southampton docks!).
I ate in the Oriental restaurant. It took a while to find it but was worth the search. It was a lovely surrounding to eat from the Marco Pierre White menu and the food and service didn't disappoint.
After dinner I nipped into The Live Lounge where there was an 80's themed party in full flow!
A stroll around the upper decks and the gorgeous pool areas was followed by a night cap in the Crow’s Nest bar. If I had had more time I would have popped into the stunning Limelight Club to catch Jaki Graham.
After a hard day's research I was grateful to sink into the extremely comfy and warm bed for a great night's sleep.
All in all I was really impressed with Britannia. I think it has taken all the great things from Ventura and made them even better! I am sure had I had another 2 weeks on board I would have been starting to find my way around!
Before I knew it, it was time to disembark. I thought it was a nice touch that Marco Pierre White was waiting to say goodbye as we left and after the obligatory photo with him, it was back up the M6 for me!
I would definitely recommend this ship for seasoned cruisers as well as first-timers! If you want any more information and would like to see more photos please get in touch.