In just a few short weeks P&O Cruises newest ship, Britannia will arrive in her home port of Southampton ahead of her maiden voyage and I absolutely cannot wait!
She has been built with the British market in mind and I don’t think it gets more British than displaying a giant Union Jack across her hull, do you? I will be joining her on her maiden voyage to the Mediterranean on March 14th and I have been counting the days (quite literally via an app on my phone) until I can get aboard and check out everything that she has to offer.
The things I am most looking forward to seeing/trying are Sindhu, her starburst atrium, The Retreat, Market Café, Limelight Club and of course, her open decks! In order to win my heart she must give me priceless outdoor space – no pressure then! Let me also add to this that I am keen to see her Lido Café, especially the al-fresco section at the back. I imagine on a hot, sunny day that this will be an area that is favourited by most guests when taking an hour for lunch, it looks beautiful on the renderings.
Other facilities on-board include Brodies, Blue Bar, Cookery School, Crows Nest, Glass House, Harlequins, Java Café, Lido Restaurant, Meridian Restaurant, Oriental Restaurant, Peninsular Restaurant, Oasis Spa, Supper Club, Theatre and a TV Studio.
Britannia will be the biggest ship in the P&O Cruises fleet when she arrives and she promises to offer a few new touches here and there.
The Oasis Spa will boast several new features including a private villa area which is designed to appeal to couples and groups, and the Oasis Villa, an exclusive pampering area offering private whirlpool and personal spa therapist. Like her sisters, Ventura and Azura, Britannia will have a VIP open-air deck area, The Retreat, where stewards serve cold flannels, chilled drinks and snacks, and alfresco spa treatments are offered in the privacy of shaded cabanas. The Hydrotherapy suite provides a suitably impressive roll-call of sybaritic temptations, from heated loungers, waterbeds and a salt cave to a hydrotherapy pool with reflexology, massaging jets and air recliners.
The Cookery School aboard will be the first British one at sea, run in consultation with James Martin and featuring the other P&O Cruises Food Heroes Marco Pierre White; Atul Kochhar; master patissier Eric Lanlard and cheese expert Charlie Turnbull. The Cookery Club will have 24 state of the art stations for participants. When the celebrity chefs and experts are on board they will be taking masterclasses and hosting interactive classes over lunch and dinner at the chef’s table. Many other celebrity chefs will be joining the ship for special demonstrations and classes.
Britannia also offers some pretty impressive retail space – 720-square-metres of it! Every woman (and some men) enjoy a bit of retail therapy and by the looks of things to come, Britannia will certainly keep us spoilt for choice. We are promised everything from designer watches to designer bath products and bags, with names including Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, Armani Jeans, Chanel, Dior and more! I think I may make sure I have a little extra pennies on the card before I embark in March!
So there she is! Only 44 days to go!
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Image courtesy of P&O Cruises
