VIDEO: Britannia Joins P&O Cruises Fleet

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri handed over Britannia, the new flagship of the P&O Cruises fleet, brand of Carnival Group, at its Monfalcone shipyard on Sunday.

Britannia will be the first P&O cruise ship with a new livery with blue funnels and a stylized 97 meters long Union Jack draped over the bow.

It will also be the first cruise ship built in Monfalcone with two funnels. The last liner which has been delivered by Monfalcone shipyard with this feature was the Eugenio C in the 1966.

At 144,000 gross tons, 330 meters long and 38 meters wide, the new unit will be the largest one ever built by Fincantieri and the largest one made for the cruise operator. The giant cruise ship has 1,837 cabins, of which 75% have a balcony, and it is able to accommodate 4,324 passengers on board, with total capacity of over 5,700 people, including the crew.

“The delivery of Britannia further enhances and strengthens the partnership between Fincantieri and P&O Cruises, a prestigious brand characterized by a particularly high target of customers, tailored to the British market, one of the most dynamic and elegant ones in the world,” the shipyard said.

Britannia boasts what is known as new “future-proof design” and complies with the most recent regulations for big passenger units.

“These ships will represent a new technological benchmark, in Europe and worldwide, for extremely high performance and for the high quality of the technical solutions. They are the best proof that innovation and customer care, like the one established with the Carnival Group, market leader, are essential levers for tackling a crisis like the present one,” Fincantieri adds.

The cruise ship is scheduled to make its way up Southampton Water and into port in 11 days. Britanni’s maiden voyage is planned to take place between 14 – 28 March 2015, her destinations being in Spain, Italy and France.