Britannia

Britannia is a large cruise ship operated by P&O Cruises. She entered service in 2015 and is one of the larger ships built for the British market. She is the third P&O ship to bear the name, a line that reaches back to 1835, and that sense of heritage runs right through her.

Her most recognisable feature is the enormous Union Flag that sweeps along her bow, at ninety-four metres one of the largest ever painted on a ship, which makes her easy to spot in any harbour. She was named by Queen Elizabeth II at Southampton in 2015, a fitting christening for a ship built very much with the British holidaymaker in mind. At her centre is a bright atrium topped by a striking sculpture, a natural gathering point for a glass of fizz or a coffee from the café.

That British character comes through most strongly in the food. Britannia was designed around a line-up of restaurants and menus created with well-known British chefs, with gala-night dishes from Marco Pierre White, an Indian restaurant overseen by Atul Kochhar, and a patisserie in the atrium from Eric Lanlard. There is also a cookery school on board that hosts guest chefs, alongside relaxed cafés and plenty of bars and lounges.

For entertainment there is a theatre seating over nine hundred guests for West End style shows, a dedicated live-music venue, and four swimming pools including one set aside for teenagers, plus the Oasis Spa for quieter moments.

She also holds a place in the line's history as the first P&O ship on which every outside cabin has its own private balcony, which was a real step up when she launched. Her cabins run from comfortable inside rooms to spacious suites, and she has a good number of dedicated single cabins, which are still fairly rare at sea.

Britannia suits families, solo travellers and newcomers who want a full-sized ship with a distinctly British feel, from the menus to the entertainment.