Over 20,000 British holiday makers were asked what they’d look for in a cruise ship and P&O’s Britannia is the result. From Roast beef dinners and real ale to the sounds of Madness we boarded the Union Jack adorned ship for a two-day taster cruise.
Arriving in to Guernsey on a Sunny Sunday morning is the ideal sleepy location after a late night partying onboard.
The night before the DJ tried his hardest to encourage the cruisers in the packed Live Lounge that dancing until 7am would be a good idea. It was all about beating the late night / early morning partying that occurred the week before on sister ship Ventura. He lay down the challenge and by the time we’d left (around 2.30am) the formation dancing to Whigfield was in full swing.
We’re on a 2 night taster cruise that gives virgin cruisers the chance to see what it’s like onboard and to give the rest of the people here the chance to indulge in their annual party weekend with friends and family. “It’s a bit of a different, older crowd on this one” a fellow cruiser whose in to his forth taster trip tells us over the heavy heavy Monster sounds of Badness (yes that’s a tribute to Madness). “There aren’t so many stag and hen parties on this one”. We breath a huge sigh of relief.
It is a mixed-age good-natured crowd; there are families; groups of friends; couples of all ages; not too many kids and we’re all on Britannia for just shy of 48 hours. It feels like a whirlwind. We don’t get to try out all the restaurants or the bars but we get around what we can.
The ship has muted lighting and subtle interiors designed by Richmond International (designers of the Four Seasons and The Langham hotels) all dulcet hues of browns, sliver and creams Nothing garish or showy. The atrium is stylishly understated with seating, bars and a large centre piece. It also host an impressive £2million art collection, making it the world’s largest floating gallery and adds an undeniable sense of class to the journey.
The staterooms are equally subtle with plenty enough space to move comfortably. We have a balcony room which is great to watch the landscape pass by and to sit with a coffee checking out St Peter’s Port in the distance.
We’re on freedom dining which means we can eat in the restaurants when we feel. Because we’re not feeling all that sociable we’ve had to wait for a table for 2 on each evening. It gives us a chance to check out the bars in the atrium. We go for a cocktail in The Blue Bar and a beer in Brodies which has an impressive selection of 70 different beers from 56 UK counties.
On formal night they pull out the Marco Pierre White menu selection. A fish trio to start, beef Wellington main and an underwhelming baked Alaska dessert. The food is good quality but has been unadventurous over the 2 days. Much is made of the contributions of celebrity chefs (James Martin, Eric Lanlard, Theo Randall and more offer cooking master classes on selected cruises) but the general dining offer represents a good selection.
We don’t get time to try the fine dining Epicurean restaurant or TV chef Atul Kochhar’s Indian offering Sindhu. These are two of the ships premium (pay a bit extra) ‘speciality’ restaurants but our fellow passengers, who have cruised with P&O in the past, tell us they are well worth the extra charge.
The entertainment on formal night is varied. From the Sound of the Underground cast show (a mix of UK songs from the last 40 years wrapped in high production and some very fast costume changes), to an 80s night featuring a band and a disco. There’s a pianist, a name that tunes music quiz and a duo singing a mix of hits. A little something for most of the cruisers onboard to enjoy.
By the time Monday comes along and it’s time to disembark, we’re shattered. This taster cruise is not for the faint hearted. If you want to try and experience everything then it’s fast-paced and a little exhausting. It is more of a “will I like this ship” experience than a “will I like cruising” experience. It’s a great alternative to a weekend away in a hotel or a short city break but for the cruise experience just book a 7 day one and enjoy!
Britannia’s first year by numbers:
The dining team have served…
· 28,793 meals in Atul Kochhar’s Sindhu
· 23,874 meals in The Limelight Club
· 41,790 dishes in The Glass House
Housekeeping have…
· Left 1,341,010 chocolates on the pillow at turndown
· Processed 166,295 pieces of luggage
· Handed out 14,130 pairs of slippers
Guests have consumed…
· 292,000 scones
· 2.8m cups of tea
· 375,000 gin and tonics
· 13,188 bottle of champagne
There have been…
· 110 black tie nights
· 450 Cookery Club classes
· 730 performances in the theatre
