P&O Cruises has officially taken delivery of Britannia – the largest cruise ship ever designed specifically for the British holiday market.

The handover ceremony took place in Trieste, Italy, and was attended by Carnival UK executive chairman, David Dingle, senior executives from P&O Cruises, as well as senior teams from the shipyard Fincantieri, where Britannia was built.

The traditional ceremony included the exchange of flags, in which the shipyard flag is taken down and the P&O Cruises flag is flown.

Britannia’s captain, Paul Brown, was also presented with the first water to touch the hull of Britannia during the official float out ceremony.

Other guests at the handover ceremony included some of P&O Cruises Food Heroes; TV wine expert Olly Smith who is represented in The Glass House wine bar and restaurant as well as master patissier Eric Lanlard and cheese expert Charlie Turnbull who are represented in The Market Cafe and Epicurean fine dining restaurant.

Britannia will leave Fincantieri shipyard at the end of this week and arrive in Southampton on Friday March 6th.

She will be officially named on Tuesday March 10th before her maiden voyage to the Mediterranean on Saturday March 14th.