MV Britannia (2015)

Southampton 6 March 2015
History
Name:	Britannia
Owner:	Carnival Corporation & plc
Operator:	P&O Cruises
Port of registry:	Southampton, U.K.
Ordered:	2011
Builder:	Fincantieri, Monfalcone, Italy
Cost:	£473 million
Yard number:	6231
Laid down:	15 May 2013
Launched:	14 February 2014
Christened:	10 March 2015 by Queen Elizabeth II
Completed:	26 February 2015
Maiden voyage:	14 March 2015
In service:	14 March 2015
Identification:	Call sign: 2HHG5 IMO number: 9614036 MMSI number: 235106595
Status:	In service
General characteristics
Class and type:	Royal-class cruise ship
Tonnage:	143,730 GT
Length:	330 m (1,083 ft)
Beam:	44 m (144 ft)
Height:	70.67 m (232 ft)
Draft:	8.3 m
Decks:	15 passenger decks
Installed power:	Total shaft power 36 000 kW.
Propulsion:	Wärtsilä 12V46F x 2 & Wärtsilä 14V46F x 2 & propulsion electric motors - 2 x VEM Sachsenwerk GMBH
Speed:	21.9 kn @ 136 rev/min
Capacity:	4324 passengers
Crew:	1398 officers and crew

MV Britannia is a cruise ship of the P&O Cruises fleet. She was built by Fincantieri at its shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.

At 143,000 GT, Britannia is the largest of seven ships currently in service with P&O Cruises and she is also the flagship of the fleet, taking the honour from Oriana. She officially entered service on 14 March 2015, and was named by Queen Elizabeth II. Her first captain was Paul Brown.

Britannia features a 94 metres (308 ft) Union Flag on her bow, the largest of its kind in the world.

Britannia was ordered in 2011 and was laid down on 15 May 2013. The ship was built at the Fincantieri yard at Monfalcone in Italy.

The name Britannia was announced on 24 September 2013 and has historical importance for P&O, as there have been two previous ships named Britannia connected with the company. The first entered service in 1835 for the General Steam Navigation Company, which went on to become the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company. The second, which entered service in 1887, was one of four ships ordered by the company to mark the golden jubilee of both Queen Victoria and P&O itself.

The ceremonial float out of the third Britannia took place on the afternoon of 14 February 2014, with the traditional champagne bottle smashed against the vessel's hull.

Britannia departed the Fincantieri ship yard on 27 February 2015 for Southampton via Gibraltar. Britannia was officially named on 10 March 2015 by Queen Elizabeth II at the Ocean Terminal.