P&O Unfurls Britannia’s Giant Union Flag

In a nod to the line’s longstanding British heritage, P&O has emblazoned its latest vessel with what has been labelled the largest Union Flag on the planet. The patriotic paint job graces the exterior of the 142,000 tonne Britannia, a vessel that is renowned as the biggest British ship in history. According to P&O officials, the task required 280 litres of red paint, 80 litres of blue, 40 litres of dark red and 20 litres of dark blue. To splash the P&O logo onto the bow required an additional 160 litres.

Quintessentially British on the inside and out

The state-of-the-art vessel has been four years in the making and is capable of carrying 3600 passengers. Inside, guests will enjoy classic British style with an up-to-the-minute edge. A spectacular atrium sits at the heart of the ship where passengers will be awestruck with a dramatic chandelier/sculpture centrepiece known as ‘starburst.’ Boutique style cabins are both stylish and comfortable, featuring soothing colour schemes, high end linen, large flat screen TVs, The White Company toiletries and bespoke British artwork.

A connoisseur’s paradise

For foodies, Britannia is an epicurean delight. The vessel will feature restaurants from some of the world’s greatest chefs including Marco Pierre White, Eric Lanlard, Atul Kochhar and wine buff Olly Smith. For those that want to learn the art of gastronomy, celebrity chef James Martin will be overseeing a world class cookery school offering passengers daily sessions.

British makeovers for all!

While exact itineraries are yet to be confirmed, P&O has revealed that Britannia will embark on her maiden voyage from Southampton in March 2015. From here, she will service Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the winter Caribbean season and the occasional transatlantic crossing. One thing is for sure though – wherever Britannia sails she will always call Great Britain home! In fact in the wake of Britannia’s bold nationalistic paint job, P&O is planning on giving its entire fleet a British themed revamp.

With such an impressive array of features, amenities and experiences it comes as no surprise that Britannia set P&O back a huge £500 million. However with the huge buzz surrounding the ship’s upcoming launch, the company expect to make the money back in lighting fast time.

Images from P&O Cruises’ Facebook page