It’s not every day an aged punk rocker saunters across the dance floor of a cruise ship bar as an elderly gentleman sits on a walker, belting out a pretty decent version of Human by The Killers. But this is no ordinary sailing.
I stepped aboard P&O Cruises flagship Britannia for a few days in June as part of its 10th-anniversary cruise to find out how one of the brand’s oldest ships retains its appeal. In an industry racing toward ever larger, glitzier mega-ships, it felt oddly refreshing to celebrate a ship that’s just trying to be a cruise ship.
This is also an interesting time to sail with P&O Cruises after the brand has faced challenges in recent months, from norovirus outbreaks to last-minute cruise cancellations.
Yet despite attracting some criticism, the bookings keep coming, and P&O Cruises has built a loyal following over the years, particularly for Britannia. The ship has a special appeal for loyal fans.
Christened by the late Queen Elizabeth II in March 2015, the ship’s 308-foot-long union jack (the longest in the fleet) still flutters proudly across the bow like a banner for a bygone era of cruise holidays, where entertainment meant variety acts rather than virtual reality goggles. But more on that later.
While Britannia’s naming ceremony had a brass band, fireworks and confetti, the anniversary celebrations started with a celebratory flag tucked inside a tote bag in my cabin, while bunting gently swayed above the atrium where a golden frame of Her Majesty, the late Queen Elizabeth, dominates the entrance. It felt more like a quiet nod to a milestone, rather than a shout.
Gill Knight, 68, is one of 74 guests on board who were also on the maiden voyage. She remembers Jonathan Wilkes entertaining passengers 10 years ago.
A decade later it is the operatic tones of Welsh Britain’s Got Talent finalists Richard and Adam Johnson and actor and singer Lee Mead entertaining the crowd. There were other surprise acts such as appearances from TV personality Stephen Mulhern and a return from Wilkes, but passengers were most excited by drag artist La Voix, who has become an almost permanent fixture on board P&O Cruises ships.
Britannia’s success seems to sit not in celebrity, but in its consistency. Gill, who was travelling with her partner Steve, remains impressed. She told The Independent: “Everything feels just as good as it was on the maiden voyage.
“We have come back three times on Britannia, visiting places such as Monte Carlo, Rome and the Norwegian fjords. It is the value for money, the staff and the amazing shows that appeal to us.”
Britannia’s first voyage was on 13 March 2015 for 14 nights around the Western Mediterranean and it has completed 3,267 days of service since.
It feels poignant then that its anniversary cruise travelled around the British Isles, visiting destinations such as Invergordon, Kirkwall, Liverpool and Belfast, especially as the key phrase I hear from passengers as I wonder Britannia’s 17 decks, with the red, blue and white of the union flag reflecting on its central atrium’s chandelier, is that it feels very British.
The question of what it means to be British often leads to clashes on radio phone-ins or TV debates, yet from the on-board pub Brodie’s which serves bar staples such as London Pride and Guinness as well as craft ales, to the buffet, hich serves Marmite on toast for breakfast among other things, delicious curries for lunch or dinner and soft scones at afternoon tea, it is easy to see why Brits feel at home on board.
Even the polite queuing among passengers waiting to get into the main dining room or collecting pens for the quiz in the Crystal Room feels stereotypically British, with none of the jostling you sometimes find on American ships.
“Britannia has an elegance to her,” says Jacqui Waterfield, 63, who has sailed on Britannia six times since 2017.
“The wood, fabrics and artwork are more traditional British style than the newer ship’s modern take on style.
“I have always been impressed by Britannia, from the first time I sailed on her. I like that she is large enough to have separate adults-only areas, particularly on the open decks, so it gives you a choice of where to spend your days.
“There is a serenity about Britannia that reminds me of how cruising used to be in the 1970s when I first started going on them with my parents.”
The ship’s appeal may have been helped by an upgrade last year, where much of the decor was modernised; the interiors now have the feel of a boutique London hotel.
The in-cabin kettle – a rarity these days on many modern ships – and the countless teabags available in the room and at the Horizon buffet emphasise the brand’s commitment to British sensibilities.
It is what Paul Clarke, 63, describes as a “home-from-home experience.”
Clarke has sailed with his wife Lynne on Britannia four times since 2021, including in the Caribbean and the Baltic region.
He says: “It’s not as busy as other ships and you get the feeling that you know almost everybody on board.
“It is like meeting old friends whenever we return, as bar staff know our drinks [order] and waiting staff get to know our eating habits.”
There may not be any waterslides or robots, but Britannia offers depth over dazzle.
At the high-end Limelight Club, I found myself roped into an immersive murder mystery dinner where I had to help remove one of the ‘victims’, while in the Glass House, wine expert and TV presenter Olly Smith talked us through vintages as if he were selecting tunes for a dinner party. He also fondly recalled being on the maiden voyage and seeing Her Majesty the Queen tapping her foot along to the band.
A celebratory menu during the sailing was curated by Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White and included traditional British favourites such as pea soup and roast beef, taking me back to Sunday lunches at home.
I particularly enjoyed trying a few glasses of the Britannia 10 cocktail (for research purposes, of course), created to celebrate the ship’s milestone. The deliciously zingy citrus cocktail is made with English sparkling wine, elderflower, lemon and Marabelle Gin, provided by P&O Cruises brand partner Salcombe Distilling Co.
The 10th-anniversary celebrations also stretched beyond the ship. The sailing was used as an opportunity to launch the search for the next winners of the Pride of Britain Awards, sponsored by P&O Cruises, and people could make nominations at a booth set up at each port stop during the sailing.
Three staff members from P&O Cruises parent brand Carnival UK also took part in a six-day 230-mile relay Beat Britannia race against the ship from Liverpool to Southampton, raising more than £9,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust and the Saints Foundation.
A practice 5km walk around with one of the participants, Sam Cox, and other passengers during the ship’s traditional Trek the Deck was enough for me, and it is pretty impressive that the runners actually beat the ship home to Southampton by a few minutes to wave it back into port.
Back on board, the bunting eventually moved from the atrium to the pool deck, finding some sun amid the inclement British weather, where passengers waved their flags while singing We are Sailing on the final evening.
President of Carnival UK and President of P&O Cruises, Paul Ludlow, described the ship to The Independent as the jewel in the crown of the fleet, which he attributes to its facilities and choice of destinations.
It may not have the hi-tech, adventure-packed appeal of a mega-ship, but Britannia still has plenty of British charm and lots to sing about, even 10 years on.
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