P&O's new Britannia cruise ship: continuing a great British maritime tradition

By Sally Macmillan
Updated April 2 2015 - 10:14am, first published March 29 2015 - 12:15am
A passenger lounge area.
 Photo: Supplied
A passenger lounge area. Photo: Supplied
P&O Cruises Britannia arrives in Gibraltar en route to her naming ceremony in Southampton.  Photo: Supplied
P&O Cruises Britannia arrives in Gibraltar en route to her naming ceremony in Southampton. Photo: Supplied
P&O Cruises Britannia arrives in Gibraltar en route to her naming ceremony in Southampton.  Photo: Supplied
P&O Cruises Britannia arrives in Gibraltar en route to her naming ceremony in Southampton. Photo: Supplied
A spiral stairway on Britannia.
A spiral stairway on Britannia.
A spiral stairway on Britannia.
A spiral stairway on Britannia.
A spiral stairway on Britannia.
A spiral stairway on Britannia.
A spiral stairway on Britannia.
A spiral stairway on Britannia.
P&O Cruises Britannia arrives in Gibraltar en route to her naming ceremony in Southampton.  Photo: Supplied
P&O Cruises Britannia arrives in Gibraltar en route to her naming ceremony in Southampton. Photo: Supplied
P&O Cruises Britannia arrives in Gibraltar en route to her naming ceremony in Southampton.  Photo: Supplied
P&O Cruises Britannia arrives in Gibraltar en route to her naming ceremony in Southampton. Photo: Supplied
Britannia's Lido pools. 
 Photo: Supplied
Britannia's Lido pools. Photo: Supplied
Ruler’s measure: The Queen tours P&O’s new flagship Britannia at the naming ceremony on March 10.  Photo: James Morgan
Ruler’s measure: The Queen tours P&O’s new flagship Britannia at the naming ceremony on March 10. Photo: James Morgan
Britannia is christened. Photo: Steve Dunlop
Britannia is christened. Photo: Steve Dunlop
Cheese expert Charlie Turnbull at the Market Cafe on Deck 5.
 Photo: Supplied
Cheese expert Charlie Turnbull at the Market Cafe on Deck 5. Photo: Supplied

The nebuchadnezzar of British bubbly that HM the Queen sent flying to launch P&O's Britannia on March 10 was not the first bottle of fizz to explode against the bow of the colossal new ship.