P&O has asked wine expert and TV presenter Olly Smith to choose the perfect sparkling wine to mark the launch of Britannia - the biggest ship to be built for the UK market.
Thousands of bottles of Brut NV and Rosé 2011 from the Wiston Estate will be enjoyed during various events that are scheduled to take place around the launch in March next year - including one very special bottle of bubbly that will be smashed against the side of the ship during her naming ceremony.
As well as selecting the official wine for Britannia's launch, Olly Smith's wine bar and eatery, The Glass House, will also have a space aboard the ship.
The 1,082ft Britannia will carry 3,600 passengers. It features four swimming pools, and 13 bars, restaurants and cafes.
Britannia's maiden season will see the ship sail from Southampton to the Mediterranean, the Norwegian Fjords, the Canary Islands and the Baltic Sea. It will offer a range of short breaks, as well as a special round Britain cruise. The ship will then transfer to the Caribbean for the winter season sailing a range of 15 night fly/cruise itineraries from Barbados.
Special features on the ship include The Cookery Club, a 24-person state-of-the-art cookery school developed in association with James Martin; a three-tier feature atrium with Eric Lanlard patisserie, a charcuterie and gelateria as well as spectacular Star Burst sculpture; Sindhu restaurant by Atul Kochhar; gala menus created by Marco Pierre White; plus The Limelight Club, a combined entertainment and dining venue. There is also a £1m art collection on board with artist Claire Burke being commissioned to contribute to the collection.
A seven-night cruise on Britannia starts from £699 per person sailing to France, Spain & Guernsey. For further details and offers please contact one of our sales team.
