A MALVERN couple were among the prestigious guests invited to the naming ceremony of the official Royal Yacht Britannia.
Lee and Hilary Harrison, owners of Malvern World Travel in Somers Park Avenue, were delighted to be invited to yesterday’s (Tuesday) event in Southampton by P&O Cruises.
HM The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, celebrated the special occasion which saw her being made the ‘godmother of the ship’.
On board, Britannia has a 936-seat theatre, 1,837 cabins, four pools and 13 bars along with 13 restaurants and cafes.
Special guests at the event included TV chef James Martin, Mary Berry, James Tanner, Antonio Carluccio, Paul Rankin and Pierre Koffman.
Lee and Hilary boarded Britannia at 2pm yesterday before they went on to enjoy a programme of events showcasing the ship. It included a self-guided tour and a presentation from P&O Cruises in the Headliners Theatre.
A cocktail reception party was then held in the Atrium followed by a gala dinner and a spectacular night of entertainment, before guests then retired to enjoy an overnight stay in one of Britannia’s luxury cabins.
The liner’s maiden voyage, which will take place from March 14 to March 28, will see the ship travel to Spain, Italy and France.
During her summer season Britannia will sail to the Mediterranean, Norwegian Fjords, Baltic, Canary Islands and Atlantic Islands. In winter the ship will also travel to the Caribbean.
Lee Harrison said before they went they were really looking forward to seeing Britannia for the first time as they had only seen pictures.
“She is looking stunning and I am sure it will appeal to a lot of our clients and future cruise clients at Malvern World Travel.
“It’s important for us as agents to have this first hand experience.”
Visit www.pocruises.com/britannia for more information.
