Brittania personal view (round Britain)

[TOMOGP]

I will start by saying I do not like the bigger ships , but my wife was keen and going to places I was interested in so

 

It looks huge and someone said like a block of flats and personally cannot stand the gaudy splash on the bow .

However have to say it surprised me the interior is beautiful whereas the photos I have seen do not do the decoration real justice although the much lauded atrium burst left us bot a bit so what.

Cabins are good but balconies small (we knew) what we did not know was how small the bathroom is, had to open the door to dry myself properly after a shower (which is a good size and great not to have the clingy plastic) at the widest point with my shoulder against the shower I could touch the mirror with my other wrist ie about 3ft 9inches and thats over the basin.

The lifts are murder waiting to go up/down you could see one come down and go straight past took us 25 mins one day to get from our cabin on deck 15 to restaurant on deck 6 thanks to that palaver, and as been said no stairs in the middle adds to the pressure.

It is so spread out so be prepared to walk and walk.

For once there is plenty of tables in the smash & grab and the selection also good.

There is also lots of spots around the ship just to sit and have a drink about 3000 on board and poor weather meant not many on deck.

Went to Limelight for Eric & Ern enjoyable, not into the theater unlike my wife far to small had to be there by 7.45 to ensure a seat.

Overall it was not as bad as I feared would go on he again IF the itinerary was right unlike many who said never again.

My own feeling is that it lacked atmosphere (may come in time).

We enjoyed the cruise however but back to the great Arcadia next time thats for me

Edited July 18, 2015 by TOMOGP

[SuzyPaulB]

Thank you for this. The itinerary looked fab - definitely one on my "to do" list! Like you I would like to try her to see.

It is lovely to read other's thoughts on her.

[Gabor]

I am glad you enjoyed your cruise -I was also on her for this cruise and enjoyed it very much ---although she does have her faults ----I agree about the central staircase or lack of --it is causing a lot of problems and I think the lifts are also smaller !! I found that by walking to Each end it did solve the problem a little bit --but I am lucky and able to walk --although not good on stairs !!I also thought the Aitrim was under utilised !! a duo singing in there in the evening would have given the Blue bar a bit more atmosphere . I was in a Twin cabin by myself so did not find the size too bad and as for the shower -It is small but served the purpose -and I also found it a joy NOT to have a soaking curtain slap around your legs !!

I enjoyed the food and found the entertainment very good as well although I had seen the production shows before as that was the third cruise I had done on her !! and I am back on her again for two cruises in December !!

[dgs1956]

I do agree about the problems caused by the lack of a central staircase but there is also a problem with people pressing the door close buttons as soon as they have opened and this stops people getting in. A lot of people don't appear to understand how lifts work. They press both the up and down buttons, get in a lift going in the opposite direction and think that the lift doors will only close when they press the close button although many do it because they don't want to wait 5 seconds. Thoughtlessness and selfishness coupled with P&O omitting the central stair has caused the problem.

[TOMOGP]

Thank you for posting your interesting comments. I will take them on board when it's mine turn next week.

 

I do find it odd though how so many people who have been on board Britannia and seen its name written everywhere for two weeks, but manage to miss spell it later.

 

:mad:Meant to edit but forgot obviously.

 

My other real moan is the so called promenade deck on deck 18 and 7 laps equal a mile, very very few up there its so much more pleasant after a meal to come out on the prom deck and have acouple of laps round under cover on the main deck

[majortom10]

Its funny but having sailed on every maiden cruise since Aurora how many P&O cruisers love to complain aboout new ships even the now beloved Aurora got a lot of complaints about being too big. The most complaints on a maiden cruise is a tie between Arcadia and Ventura it was non stop. Top of the reasond for complaints "she is not like Canberra".

[T4TC]

I was on this cruise, lack of atmosphere in my opinion due to high age of pax and the poor weather for most days of the cruise.

[tom_uk]

I do agree about the problems caused by the lack of a central staircase but there is also a problem with people pressing the door close buttons as soon as they have opened and this stops people getting in. A lot of people don't appear to understand how lifts work. They press both the up and down buttons, get in a lift going in the opposite direction and think that the lift doors will only close when they press the close button although many do it because they don't want to wait 5 seconds. Thoughtlessness and selfishness coupled with P&O omitting the central stair has caused the problem.

 

To be fair, the lack of a central staircase isn't P&O's fault. That's the way that class of ships is designed, and it wasn't designed specifically for P&O. It could be argued that it's Princess that ought to be blamed - they accepted the first two ships in the class (Royal and Regal Princesses) and Britannia is the third. But I don't think even Princess can be blamed - I suspect that a central Carnival design team worked out what was possible and affordable, and basically told both Princess and P&O "that's what you're getting".

[dgs1956]

To be fair, the lack of a central staircase isn't P&O's fault. That's the way that class of ships is designed, and it wasn't designed specifically for P&O. It could be argued that it's Princess that ought to be blamed - they accepted the first two ships in the class (Royal and Regal Princesses) and Britannia is the third. But I don't think even Princess can be blamed - I suspect that a central Carnival design team worked out what was possible and affordable, and basically told both Princess and P&O "that's what you're getting".

 

That was only a small part of the point I was making. The biggest problem is impatient people who press the close door button as soon as they open and people pressing both the up and the down buttons.