Passing the flag

With the arrival and naming of the new member of the P&O fleet BRITANNIA ORIANA has passed the mantle which she was handed by her illustrious predecessor CANBERRA as flagship of the P&O fleet.

CGI image of ORIANA and her maiden arrival in Southampton

As has been discussed many times over the past year BRITANNIA's arrival signals a full rebranding of the P&O name with the white hull and  buff funnel giving way to the Union Flag and blue funnel livery.
In someways BRITANNIA mirrors ORIANA's own introduction into service almost 20 years when as the first custom built ship for the UK market she single handedly set the standard which all that have followed have had to live up to

CGI image of BRITANNIA and her own maiden arrival in Southampton

Much like ORIANA, BRITANNIA can boast Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as her Godmother and her naming was attended by several familer faces who had been present for ORIANA in April 1995.

Queen Elizabeth II names ORIANA while Commodore Ian Gibb looks on

 Captain Paul Brown with Queen Elizabeth II at BRITANNIA's naming