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Cruise ship Britannia: Leaves on maiden voyage | |
(about 8 hours later) | |
A cruise ship named by the Queen on Tuesday has left Southampton on its maiden voyage. | |
The 3,600-passenger vessel Britannia is the largest cruise ship designed for the British holiday market, operator P&O said. | The 3,600-passenger vessel Britannia is the largest cruise ship designed for the British holiday market, operator P&O said. |
It left its home port for Gibraltar at 18:00 GMT on a cruise around the Mediterranean for 14 nights. | |
Britannia was built in Italy at a cost of almost £0.5bn and can hold 3,600 passengers and 1,500 crew. | Britannia was built in Italy at a cost of almost £0.5bn and can hold 3,600 passengers and 1,500 crew. |
As she set sail P&O Cruises tweeted: "And she's off! We've set sail! Now, time to settle in to life on board!" | |
The first stop will be Gibraltar, followed by Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Rome, then Ajaccio and Cadiz on the way back to Southampton. | The first stop will be Gibraltar, followed by Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Rome, then Ajaccio and Cadiz on the way back to Southampton. |
The 141,000-tonne ship features a 94m (308ft) Union Jack on its bow and at 330m (1,082ft), the ship is longer than London's Shard is tall. | |
The event on Tuesday, which Prince Philip also attended, marked the fifth time a cruise ship had been named by Her Majesty. | The event on Tuesday, which Prince Philip also attended, marked the fifth time a cruise ship had been named by Her Majesty. |
Britannia bears the same name as the Queen's former Royal Yacht Britannia, that was decommissioned in 1997 after more than 40 years of service. | |
The ship will be based in Southampton during the summer months and in the Caribbean over the winter. | The ship will be based in Southampton during the summer months and in the Caribbean over the winter. |