Britannia to offer 20 artisan gins on-board

P&O Cruises' Britannia during her sea trials

When P&O Cruises’ Britannia launches in March she is expected to be the embodiment of the spirit of modern Britain. Recently we learned that this includes offering a Great British Gin Menu in The Crows Nest lounge. Here you will be able to enjoy customised gin cocktails, gin tasting sessions, or a classic Gin and Tonic with ice and a slice.

Twenty artisanal gins will be on offer including The Botanist Islay Dry Gin (Argyll), Tarquin`s Dry Gin (Cornwall), Darnley`s View (Edinburgh), Silent Pool Gin (Surrey), and Ely Dark Chocolate Gin (Cambridgeshire) as well as big names such as Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray and Hendrick’s.

A selection of tonic waters will complement these gins with brands offered including Fevertree, Fentiman’s and Bottlegreen developed to satisfy the most discerning of palates.

P&O Cruises marketing director Christopher Edgington said: “The recent surge in the popularity of gin has seen a huge rise in the number of craft gin makers setting up business. The Great British Gin Menu onboard Britannia reflects the increasing popularity of this quintessentially British drink and celebrates the success of these artisan distillers.”

This follows news that English sparkling wine from the Wiston Estate Winery in West Sussex will be used at the christening ceremony.

Britannia is nearing completion ready for her maiden cruise voyage from Southampton on 14 March 2015. Last month she was caught on camera embarking on her first sea trials.

A seven-night cruise on-board Britannia starts from £769 per person for a departure date of 5 September 2015 on a voyage to France, Spain & Guernsey. This price is based on two adults sharing an inside cabin on the Select Price fare.

(Photo credit to P&O Cruises)

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Look back at the biggest cruise stories of 2014

Britannia receiving her contemporary Union Jack inspired hull artwork

As it is the last day of the year I thought it would be appropriate to look back at the most popular news articles posted on the Time Spent at Sea blog during 2014. I've looked at the total number of views and have pinpointed the five most popular cruise stories of 2014.

5) Three die in cruise ship engine room fire

At number five is the sad news that three people - two contractors and a crew-member – died in a tragic engine room fire on-board Oceania Cruises' Insignia cruise ship earlier this month. John Honeywell reported that the incident happened in port at Castries, on the Caribbean island of St Lucia.

4) P&O's Britannia is put through her paces for the first time

Next is the news that P&O Cruises' Britannia had been put through per paces in her first sea trials off the coast of Italy. The course tracked by Marine Traffic shows hair-raising turns and loops during her first open water sailing. John Honeywell noted that the path was reminiscent of a particularly drunken version of Join the Dots!

3) P&O Fly The Flag - In Pictures & Video

The third most popular story the year is the unveiling of plans by P&O Cruises to roll out the contemporary Union Jack inspired hull artwork fleet-wide starting at the end of 2014. Simon and Susan Veness explained how the bold new look celebrates the company's heritage and its popularity as Britain’s leading cruise line. Aurora was the first cruise ship in service to receive the new artwork earlier this month.

2) First pictures of P&O's newest cruise ship, Britannia, in her red, white and blue Union Flag livery

In September the first pictures of P&O Cruises' Britannia were released showing the contemporary Union Jack inspired hull artwork for real. Until this point all we had seen were computer-generated graphics of the design. John Honeywell noted that at 94 metres long, it was the world’s largest contemporary version of the Union Flag and that it took 420 litres of paint to complete this artwork.

1) Cruise ship Saga Pearl II sails to the rescue of injured yachtsman in mid-Atlantic 

The biggest news story by far this year was reported by Lesley Bellew and told of the rescue of an injured yachtsman in the mid-Atlantic by crew on-board Saga Pearl II. On route to Cape Verde, Captain Wesley Dunlop of Saga Pearl II answered a call for assistance from the Portuguese marine authorities and made a 90-mile diversion to meet the catamaran Coco Jet III.

(Photo credit to P&O Cruises)

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Take a look at the new cruise ships arriving in 2015

The forthcoming year looks very promising for the cruise industry as five new vessels are scheduled to launch within the next twelve months.

The first to launch is P&O Cruises’ Britannia. At 142,000 gross tons the vessel will be the largest the cruise line has ever ordered. The line has opted for a contemporary interior décor design for this family-friendly ship. She boasts 1,837 cabins (including 27 single occupancy cabins), 26 bars, restaurants and cafés and four swimming pools. In a first for the cruise line every outside cabin will have its own private balcony. Britannia’s maiden voyage sets out on 14 March from Southampton.



Viking Star is the first ocean cruise ship from Viking Ocean Cruises, sister line to Viking River Cruises. The inaugural cruise commences on 11 April from Istanbul, Turkey on an epic 50-day voyage around the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. At 47,800 gross tons with a capacity of 928 guests, the luxury Viking Star is very much an intimate vessel. Highlights of the vessel include the aft infinity pool, alfresco dining options and the luxurious staterooms, each one with a private balcony.



On 22 April Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas will embark on her maiden voyage from Southampton. This Quantum-class vessel is expected to be almost identical to Quantum of the Seas which was launched in October of this year. The 168,666 gross ton vessel promises to be one of the most technologically-advanced cruise ships afloat. The ship will benefit from a modern contemporary décor and boasts 2,090 cabins (including 28 studio cabins). The Quantum-class ship will offer Dynamic Dining offering five complimentary main restaurants with a further eight additional-fee venues available.



Ponant Yacht Cruises & Expeditions are looking forward to welcoming Le Lyrial to the fleet. The inaugural sailing will see the yacht sailing from Venice on 9 May cruising along the Adriatic and Dalmatian Coast. At a mere 10,944 gross tons, this luxury intimate yacht will offer just 122 staterooms and suites, each with private balconies, and will feature contemporary Mediterranean-inspired interior décor.

Ponant Le Lyrial

Lastly, on 25 October Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Escape will depart on her maiden voyage from Hamburg, Germany bound for Miami, USA via Southampton. The cruise ship is the first in the “Breakaway Plus”-class and it builds upon the success of the Breakway-class vessels. At 164,600 gross tons she will accommodate up to 4,200 passengers. She will boast the largest ropes course and aqua parks at sea, together with an expanded “The Haven” area and a range of dining venues at “678 Ocean Place”.



(Photo credit to Ponant Yacht Cruises & Expeditions; ©Philip Plisson)

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Strictly Come Cruising with P&O and latest winner Pasha

All at sea: Strictly winner Caroline Flack with professional partner  Pasha

Strictly Come Dancing professional finalists Karen Hauer, Kevin Clifton and Kristina Rihanoff - and Pasha Kovalev who partnered winner Caroline Flack - will all be travelling on P&O Cruises in 2015. They will be joined on at least two voyages by waspish judge Crain Revel Horwood.

There’s a total of four Strictly-themed cruises for fans to choose from if they want to get close to their idols and to take part in their own dance-offs. As well as giving lessons on the dance floor, the stars will take part in Question & Answer appearances on stage and there will be autograph opportunities for autograph signings and selfie sessions to make it a Strictly experience to remember.

Costumes from the TV series will be on display around the ships, and they will feature in spectacular fashion events.

The 14-night Strictly cruises, which all depart from Southampton,  are:

April 23: On Aurora to Portugal, Gibraltar and Spain with Janette Manrara and Aljaz Skorjanec, Ian Waite and Natalie Lowe, plus Craig Revel Horwood. Fares from £1,029 per person.

May 28: On Ventura to Portugal, Monaco and Italy with Iveta Lukosiute and Tristan MacManus, Karen Hauer and Kevin Clifton, plus Craig Revel Horwood. Fares are from £1,129 pp.

June 20: On Azura to the Baltic Sea with Robin Windsor and Kristina Rihanoff, Pasha Kovalev and Anya Garnis. Fares from £1,229pp.

July 25: On Britannia to the Canary Islands and Iberia with Janette Manrara and Aljaz Skorjanec, Karen Hauer and Kevin Clifton, plus guest judge Artem Chigvintsev. Fares from £1,799 pp.

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P&O Cruises defines The Spirit of Modern Britain

When P&O Cruises wanted to find out what modern Britain is all about, they turned to Facebook and other social media for help. From thousands of suggestions, artist Johnny Bull has created two colourful pieces of art that will be displayed prominently on Britannia  which is due to launch in March.

The artist, who is predominantly known for his paintings of jazz musicians, has drawn inspiration from old travel labels on suitcases and has also incorporated the Great British queue into the artwork, full of famous faces. Look closely, and you will spot Dr Who, The Queen, Mary Berry and JK Rowling, who can be seen rubbing shoulders with Noel Gallagher, Monty Panesar, James Dyson and Bradley Wiggins. Other icons include The Shard, Glastonbury, and Banksy.

Bull says: “The theme - “the spirit of modern Britain” - provided us with some fascinating suggestions covering a range of categories. I’ve had great fun working my way through these suggestions and coming up with an eclectic mix of images that truly sums up how the public feels about Britain in the 21st century.”

The artwork forms part of Britain’s largest floating art collection which will be displayed on the ship. Pieces ranging from paintings and bronze sculptures to ceramics and paper wall reliefs have been created by a wide variety of artists – most of them British – with some from as far afield as Japan, Australia and South Africa.




(Photo credit to P&O Cruises)

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P&O's Britannia is put through her paces for the first time

It might look like a particularly drunken version of Join the Dots, or perhaps it reminds you of the tangle that came out of the box when you started to put up the Christmas tree lights. But this is P&O’s newest ship being put through her paces. The images show the track of Britannia in the Gulf of Trieste - in the north-east corner of the Adriatic - where she is on her first sea trials. A captain  from the shipbuilders, Fincantieri, is at the controls while Captain Paul Brown, the P&O skipper who will take command when the vessel is handed over, is keeping a watching brief. He’s probably hoping they’ll give him a little go before the ship is returned to port. For now, Britannia is having her engines, propulsion system, steering and stability tested for the first time in a tortuous series of twists and turns. I hope the officers on the bridge keep an eye on their rear view mirrors. [Image captures from marinetraffic.com]

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Best of British bubbly to launch P&O's Britannia

Bubbly best: Olly Smith (left) with Wiston winemaker Dermot Sugrue

We might not yet know the name of the godmother chosen to christen P&O Cruises’ Britannia next March - watch this space for an announcement coming very soon – but we now know what bubbly will be smashed on the ship’s bow at the climax of the ceremony.

In celebration of the best of British that Britannia stands for, it will be from the award-winning Wiston Estate Winery in West Sussex.

Four Nebuchadnezzars of the non-vintage Brut – each holding the equivalent of 20 normal-sized bottles – will be used for the naming, though P&O have not said how many will be smashed in rehearsal.

Thousands more bottles of the NV Brut, together with the estate’s 2011 vintage and its gold medal-winning Rose, will be enjoyed during the inaugural events.

Dozens of members of the top tier of P&O’s Peninsular Club – those who have accumulated more than 2,501 points and have spent more than 201 nights on the ships within the past three years – were invited to announcement at Wiston House today.

They were treated to a tasting hosted by P&O’s wine expert Olly Smith, and winemaker Dermot Sugrue. They also learned about the history of the Wiston estate from the Goring family who have lived there for centuries, and about the future of Britannia from P&O director Christopher Edgington.

Smith, who will have his biggest-yet Glass House bar on Britannia - says he chose the wine for its “impeccable quality and for its poise between modernity and tradition.” Edgington added “The Wiston Estate Winery stood out as a British brand with a proud history, very much in our own mould.”

The 6,500-acre Wiston estate in the South Downs devotes just 16 acres to growing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes for its sparkling wines. The terroir is strikingly similar to the French Cote de Blancs region where Champagne is produced.

Britannia will set out on her maiden voyage on March 14 after a week of celebrations in her homeport of Southampton. The ship’s first season will take her on cruises to the Mediterranean, Canaries, and Norwegian Fjords and the Baltic before moving to the Caribbean for the winter.

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P&O sets out its stall for Britannia's shopping centre

P&O Cruises will be spending the next four or five months setting out its stall for flagship Britannia, launching in March. The latest announcement has been to reveal what retail outlets are going to be onboard, and it’s packed with familiar High Street names.

Filling the 720- sq metres of shopping space on board are:

Crew Clothing: the luxury British casual-wear label loved by celebrities including Kate Middleton and Ben Fogle.

The White Company: makers of stylish clothing for over 20 years whose onboard range will include super-soft joggers, t-shirts and hoodies, perfect for relaxing on deck or exploring on shore.

Beaverbrooks: a family-owned British business specialising in diamonds, jewellery and designer and luxury watches making its first partnership in the world of cruising.

Desigual: a Spanish clothing brand noted for its patchwork designs, intense prints, innovative graffiti art, asymmetrical designs and flamboyant splashes of colour. Passengers will be able to choose from t-shirts, tunic tops, summer dresses and accessories such as scarves and a range of bags.

Rituals: a luxurious collection of enriching products from body and facial care to scented candles and perfumes.

Chopard: the Swiss-based luxury watch, jewellery and accessories company founded in 1860.

Other brands confirmed on Britannia are:

Beauty, Bath and Body: Lancôme; Chanel; Dior; Clarins; Benefit; Gucci; Calvin Klein; GHD. Jewellery: Carat London; Pandora; Swarovski; Ralph Lauren; Italina; Clogau; Buckley London. Watches: Omega; Citizen; Tag Heur; Raymond Weil; Michael Kors; Longines; Tissot. Clothing, Accessories and Bags: Joules; Ralph Lauren; Radley; Fiorrelli; Harrods; Michael Kors; Fossil; Ribkoff; Armani Jeans Bags.

P&O marketing director Christopher Edgington said: “We are delighted to have gained the support of a number of iconic brands wanting to be part of the Britannia experience.”

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Love Boat stars reunite to christen Regal Princess

It was a night of love, or possibly L-U-R-V-E, as the stars of TV comedy The Love Boat gathered for the christening of cruise ship Regal Princess this week.

Six actors from the original cast acted as godparents and a host of performers who made guest appearances had walk-on parts in the lavish ceremony in Port Everglades, Florida.

Two Princess ships were used as locations for filming the series which ran for 10 seasons in the late 70s and early 80s.

Gavin MacLeod, who played Captain Stubing, was joined in the naming by Fred Grandy (Gopher, the chief purser), Ted Lange (Isaac, the bartender), Bernie Kopell (Doc, the ship’s doctor), Lauren Tewes (Julie, cruise director) and Jill Whelan (Vicki, the Captain’s daughter). Together, they pulled a ship’s telegraph to send 50 bottles of Champagne crashing against the ship’s hull - marking the start of celebrations of Princess’s 50th anniversary next year - and a final bottle by the ship’s pool.

The galaxy of stars also included Don Most, who played Ralph Malph on Happy Days; Jamie Farr, the cross-dressing Corporal Klinger from M*A*S*H; Florence Henderson, the mother in The Brady Bunch; singer Jack Jones;  Golden Globe and BAFTA winner Diane Ladd; Falcon Crest star Lorenzo Lamas; Doris Roberts, the mother-in-law in Everybody Loves Raymond; Marion Ross, Mrs Cunningham in Happy Days; Frank Sinatra Jr; Dallas actress Charlene Tilton; Knots Landing’s Joan Van Ark; and Adrian Zmed from T.J.Hooker, among many others.

Star of the show, though, was singer-comedienne Charo, who appeared in eight episodes of the Love Boat and was a regular on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In. She brought the house down with a flamboyant flamenco guitar performance.

A video tribute to the company’s history included reminiscences from founder Stan McDonald, now 94 and enjoying retirement in Seattle, and glimpses of the Duchess of Cambridge launching sister ship Royal Princess in Southampton last year, and Princess Diana christening an earlier ship of the same name.

Princess Cruises’ president Jan Swartz said the event was not just about love, but about passion - “50 years of passion and a passionate founder who believed travellers could be drawn to the seas.”

The £460 million Regal Princess carries 3,560 passengers and has its own TV studio and one of the biggest spas at sea. The almost identical sister ship Royal Princess will be sailing from Southampton throughout next summer, in competition with P&O’s Britannia - being built to a similar design - and Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas.

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