P&O's new Britannia cruise ship to be named by Queen Elizabeth II

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P&O's new Britannia cruise ship to be named by Queen Elizabeth II

By Natalie Paris
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The Queen is due to officially name the ship at a lavish ceremony in Southampton on March 10, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh.

The ship wears the world's largest contemporary version of the Union Flag and, in another play on the British theme,the sparkling wine to be smashed during the naming ceremony will be from the Wiston Estate Winery in Sussex.

David Dingle, Carnival UK chairman, said: "We are honoured and proud that Her Majesty will name Britannia almost 20 years after she named the P&O Cruises ship Oriana.

"Britannia, a ship for the nation, will be the embodiment of contemporary Britain, and with her Union Jack livery she will fly the flag for Britain across the Globe."

"P&O already has a bevy of British chefs lined up for Britannia, so securing the Queen to perform the naming is the last piece in the jigsaw in making her the ultimate British ship," said Jane Archer, our cruise critic. "It's also a real accolade for the company as Her Majesty does not agree to christen just any ship."

There have been two Britannia's in P&O's history, the first entering service for The General Steam Navigation Co in 1835 and the second in 1887, to celebrate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee.

Inside the latest Britannia will be a dramatic atrium featuring a part chandelier, part sculpture centrepiece (called "starburst"); a multi-purpose TV studio that doubles as a cinema and a venue for guest speakers, demonstrations, game shows and radio plays; dining and live entertainment venue, the Limelight Club; and a state-of-the-art cookery school.

A nebuchadnezzar of the quintessentially British Brut NV will be used for the ceremony itself while thousands of bottles of Brut NV and Rosé Vintage 2011 will be enjoyed during the various inaugural events that are scheduled to take place around the launch.

Food is top of P&O's priorities for the Britannia: to a sparkling culinary line-up, that includes Marco Pierre White, Atul Kochhar, master pâtissier Eric Lanlard and oenophile Olly Smith, P&O is adding TV chef James Martin, who is opening a sleeves-rolled-up Cookery Club on board, where passengers will be able to learn some of Martin's most famous dishes.

When working to full capacity, Britannia's four engines will generate 62.4 Megawatts or 84,000 horsepower which is equivalent to the power generated by 168 supercars, allowing the 141,000 tonne ship to cruise at a speed of 22 knots.

The Telegraph, London

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