Ship reference
Britannia
Ship specifications and sources.
Quick facts
- Cruise line
- P&O Cruises
- Entered service
- 2015
- Status
- In service
About us Britannia
Britannia occupies a different generation of the P&O Cruises fleet from the later Excel ships. Fincantieri built it at Monfalcone and delivered it in 2015, the same year that the operator dates the beginning of guest service. The permanent IMO number is 9614036. Steamship Mutual lists 143,730 gross tonnage in the current insurance period, giving a more precise value than the shipyard's rounded 143,700 design figure.
Its public identity combines a prominent atrium with a British-market dining and entertainment programme. The Cookery Club is a distinctive option for travellers who want an activity built around food, while Market Café offers another reason to use the central spaces during the day. Choosing between Britannia and a larger Excel ship should include these actual facilities rather than rely solely on the shared P&O branding or the newest launch date.
A completed refurbishment is part of Britannia's present history. The operator's May 2024 retrospective confirms that the ship had returned from its refit, and today's overview also identifies 2024 as the refurbishment year. That supports an actual completed intervention. It does not establish that every accommodation has been rebuilt or that each photograph represents every room category. Check the layout and description for the cabin grade in the quote.
Fincantieri lists 330 metres overall and a moulded beam of 38.4 metres. Its specification separates 22 knots service speed from a 22.9-knot maximum; the latter is the value used in the maximum-speed field. The operator's thirteen guest decks are not a verified total-deck count. Likewise, a builder's maximum persons aboard includes more than passengers and cannot establish a guest maximum.
Britannia is marketed to families, solo travellers and newcomers, with Southampton and Barbados named as home ports. Those are useful starting points for comparing travel arrangements, without promising every sailing begins there. Consider the actual route, dining preferences and room position together. A refreshed ship and a newer ship can offer different reasons to book; the stronger choice depends on the holiday being compared.
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Year built | 2015 |
| Entered service | 2015 |
| Gross tonnage (GT) | 143,730 |
| Guests at double occupancy | — |
| Maximum guests | — |
| Crew | — |
| Cabins | 1,832 |
| Decks (total) | — |
| Length (m) | 330 |
| Beam (m) | 38.4 |
| Last verified refurbishment year | 2024 |
| Maximum speed (knots) | 22.9 |
| IMO | 9614036 |
| Shipyard | Fincantieri, Monfalcone, Italy |
| Flag | — |
| Propulsion / fuel description | — |
A dash means no independently verified value is available. Guest counts at double occupancy and maximum capacity are different measures. GT measures enclosed volume, not weight.
Last checked:
Sources
- P&O Cruises — current individual fleet membership — Accessed
- P&O Cruises — individual current ship overview — Accessed
Guestdeckcountnotusedastotal.
- Fincantieri — individual technical particulars — Accessed
Beam explicitly moulded; maxpersonsaboard includescrew. Cabinsarebuilderinventory, notdoubleoccupancy. CurrentinsurerGTpreferredoverroundedbuildvalue.
- Steamship Mutual — current2026/27identity — Accessed
- Carnival — August2026fleet — Accessed
Roundedpassengercapacitynotexplicitlowerberth/max: Britannia3650,Azura3080,Ventura3090. No undefinedcapacityconversion.
- P&O Cruises — completed2024refit — Accessed
20May2024retrospectiveexplicitreturned; no claimallscopeunread.
- P&O Cruises — currentfacilitiesbrochure — Accessed
CookeryClubandMarketCafe specificallyBritannia.