Read my new review of P&O Cruises’ Britannia
P&O Cruises said that Britannia was inspired by their past, but designed for their future and this is evident from the second you step aboard. I have just returned from her 14-night maiden voyage to the Mediterranean and I have to say that she is a ship that really holds her own.
Let me share her with you in my Britannia Maiden Voyage Review.
“That” Atrium
Her Starburst atrium is absolutely out of this world, by far the most impressive I have seen on any ship. The space is wide open, lined with superb cafes and bars and offers a real feeling of glamour and sophistication. Not only was this a nice area to enjoy Tapas by way of The Glass House, but it was also a nice place to sit and watch the world go by. Deck 5 surrounding the atrium offered the Blue Bar and Market Café along with access to the Limelight Club. Deck 6 featured the shopping area (which was rather expansive and featured many designer names including Armani and Michael Kors) and access to Brodie’s Pub, and Deck 7 was home to The Glass House and Java Café with access to The Crystal Room. The atrium was by far one of my favourite places and I enjoyed reading my book here on several occasions.
Britannia Dining Options
Food was a big thing on Britannia, there were many dining options available and The Cookery Club, located on Deck 17 aft, was simply waiting for aspiring chefs to make their debut. Let me talk about the dining options first and I will come back to The Cookery Club later in my blog.
Whatever your taste buds craved, you could find aboard Britannia. From poolside pizza and burgers to fine-dining in the Epicurean Restaurant – it was all at your fingertips. The Epicurean Restaurant was one of several cover charge restaurants aboard and the food here was absolutely delicious. To start I opted for the salt and pepper oyster and jumbo prawn tempura – although I am not a fan of oysters so I substituted for an additional prawn – and for my main course I selected the 28 day dry aged beef sirloin.
The Glass House was probably my absolute favourite of all the dining venues onboard and I visited here several times for Tapas and Steak. The tapas dishes came in three’s and at a cost of only £5.25 per person, which I thought was incredibly reasonable given the actual size of these so called “small plates”.
The Beach House only came to life in the evening, as through the day it simply did not exist. Part of the Horizon Café on Deck 16 aft (starboard side) was transformed every evening into an American type grill – another of my favourite options! Here you could enjoy coconut crumbed tiger prawns, mushroom alfredo, pulled pork wraps, ribs, or even cook your own beef on lava rock. The additional charge per person was £5 and you paid a little extra for one or two of the more speciality things on the menu.
Sindhu, Britannia’s Indian-fusion restaurant is also another I would highly recommend. I actually dined here three times and would suggest the crisp fried soft shell crab to start, the saffron infused chicken korma for main and the melting chocolate sphere for dessert.
There were various other options available throughout the ship including dinner and a show in the Limelight Club. Pizza, hot dogs, fries and other snacks were all available throughout the day from the Lido Grill. There was a “Grab & Go” station located mid-ships on Deck 16, which I thought was a fantastic option! A great variety of salads, wraps, sandwiches and desserts and all you had to do was literally grab and go. The Horizon Café was the ships buffet and was located on Deck 16 mid-ships to aft. A huge buffet area, more than adequate in size for the ship. Never did I have to queue or wait for a seat during breakfast or dinner. There were also 3 main dining restaurants and room service was available.
The Cookery Club
The Cookery Club was something entirely new for P&O Cruises and it went down an absolute storm with passengers – I think every class was pretty full.
My cooking attempt was a “Best of British” theme and included the making of Scotch eggs (made with Quails eggs), Welsh rarebit, and a traditional Cornish pasty. I have to say that I was quite pleased with my attempts, considering I am not a big fan of cooking, at all! Our chef for the morning was Rob Cottam, I believe he is one of several chefs that will alternate between voyages. Classes are also held with Eric Lanlard and James Martin, when they are onboard. To find out about voyages featuring P&O Cruises Food Heroes, please get in touch with our reservations department on 0800 008 6677.
I would highly recommend trying The Cookery Club. As I said, it is not something I would usually do, but I absolutely loved every moment of it and I can now make a traditional steak pasty.
Other class themes include bread making, the ultimate class for chocolate lovers and family class.
Britannia Entertainment
The entertainment options aboard Britannia are quite similar to the rest of the fleet, with the exception of the rather individual Limelight Club. There are regular quizzes held in Brodie’s, sailaway parties up on deck, and the Headliners Theatre features various show options as does the Live Lounge, the latter located on Deck 7 aft.
There are also several pools onboard, golf nets, and a gym and sports court, and for the kids there is the Reef and Reef Adventure Zone.
Everything Else
Britannia is a ship that was built with sunshine in mind. She has ample outer deck space and enough public lounges and bars to please just about everyone. She also has 3 large swimming pools and several perfectly placed Jacuzzi’s – ideal for watching the sunset in the Caribbean.
Her interior décor is modern, fresh and incredibly luxurious, she is P&O Cruises for the next generation and that is evident throughout. She remains in touch with her P&O side, but she also manages to stand alone perfectly – truly creating a market entirely for herself.
For more information regarding P&O Cruises’ Britannia or to find out about our latest cruise deals for Britannia cruises, please call one of our Cruise Experts on 0800 008 6677. Alternatively, please visit our website to view her full schedule of itineraries for 2015/2016.
