Beautiful Brittania

After much anticipation the new P&O flagship Britannia has finally departed on her maiden voyage. I was lucky enough to be invited on board overnight last Tuesday evening.

I have read mixed reviews because everybody has their own personal opinion but I loved this ship and will definitely be looking at cruising on Britannia with my family.

As Tuesday was the naming ceremony our boarding was delayed until 4pm so we only had time for a quick self guided tour before meeting for a champagne reception and formal dinner.

On boarding I was immediately struck by the beautiful fresh flower displays throughout the ship. The atrium is stunning and the colour schemes were very tasteful with lots of creams and subtle colours.

We dropped off our luggage in our cabin which was a balcony without sofa on E deck. The cabin was very nice with huge wardrobe space, tea and coffee making facilities and of course British plugs.

The bathroom was very small but the shower itself was a good size with a glass door. The balcony was also quite small but enough space for a table and 2 chairs.

We did get a chance to see the single cabins which I really liked. They were spacious with a large bed and the balcony cabins had the bed facing the balcony so no need to get up to appreciate the views.

We started from the top and worked our way down so we had a good look around the kids clubs. The facilities here are fantastic. I think if I came on board with my children I wouldn’t see them for the rest of our holiday. I also asked the question about having children in different age groups and they said it depends on the age gap and is down to the discretion of the manager.

The gym was huge and the staff gave us a brief talk on the equipment and classes that they offer , not that I would participate if it was my cruise as holidays for me are strictly for relaxation !!

The Horizon buffet was nice with lots of tables and there was a self service wine and beer machine. You just swipe your cruise card and they charge you for the amount you pour.

The food variety was good but not as good as their competitors such as Royal Caribbean and Celebrity.

One of the most talked about features of this ship is the cookery club.

There will be celebrity chef’s on board various cruises and this is already proving very popular. If you are interested in booking the cookery club you need to do so asap to avoid disappointment as spaces are limited on each course to just 14 people. You can contact me for more information of what is available on each cruise.

Of course we managed to view many of the bars, the most popular being Brodie’s and the Live Lounge. There was also the Crow’s Nest which I love for pre dinner drinks.

Our dinner reservation was in the Oriental restaurant. We were given a choice of meal from the main menu or Marco’s menu.

I chose Marco’s menu and I think I made the best choice which include Lobster in a Mornay sauce.

The following morning we had to disembark after breakfast and make our way home.

I would have liked to have seen more of the ship but I guess that will give me reason to get my own cruise booked.

If you would like to know more about Britannia just give me a call.