Britannia Review

5.0 / 5.0
1,066 reviews
See all photos
Editor Rating
5.0
Excellent
Overall
Adam Coulter
U.K. Executive Editor

Britannia was named by HM The Queen on March 10, 2015, in a glittering ceremony in Southampton. The Queen last named a P&O Cruises' ship more than 20 years ago -- the 1,800-passenger Oriana -- then the largest ship in the fleet, which ushered in a new era of modern UK cruising.

Fast forward 20 years and Britannia, arguably, does the same. The ship (at the time) was by far the biggest in P&O Cruises' fleet, carrying 3,647 passengers and weighing in at 141,000 tons -- 27,000 tons heavier and carrying 547 more passengers than the line's previous biggest ship, Azura. Britannia was also the biggest ship ever built specifically for the UK market, until sister Iona took that title in 2021.

Though ultimately owned by a U.S. company (Carnival Corp.), and built in Italy, the ship is registered in Southampton (due to European tonnage tax laws), and has a very British feel to it. For the first time a British design company, Richmond International, has overseen the whole of the design of the ship's interiors rather than parts. Richmond International has worked on a number of great British hotels -- including The Langham, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Intercontinental Hotel London and Four Seasons Hampshire -- and it shows in Britannia. The ship has the feel of a luxurious boutique hotel, with expensive-looking textures of wood, leather and glass in every public space and lavish use of marble.

The ship is not showy (except perhaps in the atrium); it's all about understated luxury. The overriding colour scheme throughout is nautical blues and creams, soft greys and touches of gold and silver. Stand-out features include the stunning three-tier atrium complete with a star burst sculpture made from shards of aluminium and bathed in coloured light. The atrium is intended to be a destination -- rather than a place to pass through on your way somewhere else -- with Eric Lanlard's Market Cafe and Olly Smith's the Glass House both central features and the reception desk shifted to an adjacent corridor.

Britannia takes the most popular features of the rest of the fleet -- such as The Glass House, Sindhu restaurant and the Crow's Nest Bar -- and adds some brand new features such as the Cookery Club and a TV Studio. The aim is to incorporate P&O Cruises' 150-plus years of history, but use modern design touches and a non-traditional cruise ship look and feel to try and bring in new-to-cruise passengers. Celebrity chefs are an obvious draw, as are Britannia's Strictly Come Dancing link-up and intimate performances by stars in The Live Lounge. Families can take advantage of the biggest and best children's facilities of any P&O Cruises' ship.

Another big emphasis is on the food. Marco Pierre White creates the Gala menu on board across the whole fleet and he also hosts intimate dinners and masterclasses in Britannia’s Cookery Club on selected sailings, as do acclaimed Patissier Eric Lanlard and wine guru Olly Smith -- although Olly’s take place in the Glass House. Eric “Cake Boy” Lanlard has also recently given Britannia's sweet treats a makeover, with new menus in the Market Cafe as well as his Afternoon Tea in the Epicurean. Britannia is also big on art, with a huge collection of more than 6,000 pieces. You can see these pieces everywhere -- in the cabins, the corridors and the restaurants -- and all are originals from British artists, commissioned by the line.

Overall, the ship is elegant and refined and perfectly captures the spirit of modern Britain.

Pros

A real emphasis on quality food -- both eating and cooking it; as well as excellent nightlife.

Cons

For a ship this size, it lacks the adrenaline activities of U.S-equivalent size ships.

Bottom Line

Britannia offers an upmarket, contemporary British cruise experience.

About

Passengers: 3647
Crew: 1350
Passenger to Crew: 2.7:1
Launched: 0
Shore Excursions: 605

Fellow Passengers

In school holidays expect a large number of families with young children, with the average age hovering around the early- to mid-40s. Outside of these times, and on longer cruises, the average age rises to a more traditional P&O crowd: over-60s and no kids.

Britannia Dress Code

A typical two-week cruise will have four formal nights and the rest will be 'evening casual', which is defined as open necked shirt and 'tailored trousers' or smart jeans for men; dress or casual separates for women. Most passengers err on the side of smart.

Note that even though this ship is family friendly and has a more relaxed vibe -- formal still means full black tie in the public rooms. Britannia might break many of P&O Cruises' traditions, but dress code still rules -- and that also applies to older children.

Find a Britannia Cruise

Any Month

More about Britannia

Where does Britannia sail from?

Britannia departs from Barbados, Southampton, and Southampton

How much does it cost to go on Britannia?

Cruises on Britannia start from per person.

Is Britannia a good ship to cruise on?

Britannia won 4 awards over the years.
Britannia Cruiser Reviews

Fabulous cruise

From arriving at Glasgow Airport to embarking the Britannia, everything was very smooth.Read More
User Avatar
Caron Smith

couple2-5 Cruises

Age 58s

Pleasantly surprised by quality of the ship.

Would highly recommend a cruise on Britannia at any time.Read More
User Avatar
Okraf

many10+ Cruises

Age 57s

Felling more downmarket every year, despite getting more expensive!

the result was a mixed bag: The Good: Britannia is still an impressive ship and generally feels spacious, she handles roughish seas quite well.Read More
User Avatar
Seeyoujimmy

few6-10 Cruises

Age 63s

Standards dropped significantly. Noisy cabins deck 15!!!

Cruised 4 years ago on Britannia. Not holidayed for 4 years so decided to return. The standards on this ship have dropped. Staff seemed unhappy.Read More
User Avatar
Jakedylan27

few6-10 Cruises

Age 48s

P&O Cruises Fleet
Aurora

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.