The Countdown for the new P&O ship is on!

The Countdown is officially on for P&O’s newest ship which is due to launch in 2020. The new ship will be the biggest ship built for the UK family market and the largest ship to ever sail under the P&O Banner. In total, she will weigh in at 180,000 gross tons and carry 5,200 passengers.

It will also be the first ship to run solely on Liquefied Natural Gas – otherwise known as LNG. This is a new thing for the cruising industry with the Icon Class in the Royal Caribbean fleet also to be powered by the same method.

The first piece of steel has been cut at the shipyard where she will be built in Germany at the Meyer Werft Shipyard in Papenburg. At the moment she is known as S-710.

P&O are set to move things forward on Thursday 24^th May when the name will be announced, P&O earlier last year that they wanted suggestions on the name for the new vessel and they have had over 30,000 suggestions – did you make any suggestions? What would you like to see the new ship called?

Paul Ludlow attended the Steel cutting Ceremony and said – “Our new ship will be the largest ship ever operated by the brand and the largest ever to be dedicated exclusively to the UK cruise industry.

“It will also be the first ship in our market to be powered by LNG, the most environmentally friendly power source yet for large-scale cruise ships. With UK passenger numbers set to top 2 million for the first time this year, we are confident in cruising’s future and believe that there will be an exceptionally positive UK response to this ship and the innovations it will bring. We also expect this ship to persuade many UK consumers to take that all-important first cruise.”

She will have 17 places to eat including 7 speciality restaurants over double the amount found on the Britannia, 12 bars and 13 entertainment venues including a giant dome found at the tour of the ship which will include aerial performances and immersive shows. She will have 4 pools including an inside one for those colder itineraries and 16 whirlpools.

The focal point, which I think should be the focal point on all ships will be the Atrium, Britannia was for me a little disappointing especially when you compare to her American Sisters in the Princess Fleet, but P&O have promised that this will be really something and will feature a glass wall covering 3 decks to give panoramic views out to sea, they will also have a grand staircase and overhead walkway.