Cruise specialist Rebecca Kyte took her family away for a half term holiday aboard P&O Cruises ship Britannia. As a seasoned cruiser, with a child who is used to a mega ship with waterslides, how would Britannia stack up as family-friendly ship?
For Starters…
Some say that your holiday starts from the moment you step onboard, so getting through the terminal building is always an important part of the journey. I have to say that the whole process was very slick in Southampton. Just half an hour was spent boarding Britannia, and, on the final day, we were actually sat in our car by the time we were to meant to be disembarking the ship! That came as a lovely surprise considering that it’s half term holidays!
Family Cruising To The Fjords
I’m not going to hold out on you here. Our week, as a family of three, on Britannia was simply amazing!
Booking the sailing was tough decision though. I know that my super adventurous 12-year would probably rather be on a mega ship with water slides, and that’s just not P&O Cruises. We knew that we wanted to go to the Norwegian Fjords, and, it turns out that Britannia offers a good mix of classic cruising and modern day sailing.
As a family we like to spend time together, as my son is not one for the organised kids’ clubs. So, from card games in the Crow’s Nest, archery in the sports arena, quoits on the Sun deck, the customary pool tournaments in Brodies and even a dip in the pool (a welcome weather surprise), not a moment was wasted.
My Family’s Cruise Highlights
My son will tell you that his highlight of the trip was working his way through the mocktail menu! While my husband enjoyed the varied lectures on art and space. And me? What’s not to love about sipping fizz on the balcony as we sailed through the Fjords!
Dining
The service was simply fantastic. We had an incredible waiter on our first night, who entertained us throughout with puzzles! We enjoyed this so much that we used the Freedom Dining to our advantage and ensured that we dined with him twice more!
For dining experiences though, I have to say that The Beach House was the perfect place to be as we sailed out of Flam.
If you’re treating yourself to a speciality dining option then the Lobster Biriyani (Kalyera Mappas) in Sindhu is to die for!
And, of course, we couldn’t miss the new gelato doughnuts with our afternoon tea at the Market Place.
Ports of call
As I suspected, Flam was the absolute highlight. The train journey is 100% worth it. What amazing views throughout, and the surprise at the waterfall… well! Once back in town we visited Ægir BrewPub, the Viking inspired bar, which was really fun. Flam’s a delightful town that, whilst fuelled by tourism, still feels unspoilt. There’s plenty to do here for multiple return visits!
Our favourite activity as a family was the RIB-safari in Nordfjordeid. It’s a thrilling and fun trip, that gives you a completely different perspective of the fjords scenery.
This was simply an exceptional cruise with a beautiful itinerary. Onboard there was delicious food and exemplary service. I can confirm that Britannia really does do fun for all.
The best thing about this holiday was knowing that my son was safe and having fun with his newly made buddies on board. And, not a single thought was given to water slides!
If I had to pick any negative bit of this holiday, it would be the fact that we had to come home.
If you’re inspired by Rebecca’s family adventure onboard Britannia, then get in touch with our cruise specialists on 02380 658 386. Alternatively start your P&O Cruises holiday search here.
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