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Britannia Refit


philsuarez
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No sign of the central staircase being opened up or the canopies in the aft section to reduce the soot problem on the balconies which someone mentioned in a previous thread. She goes in on 7th October, her first cruise after the refit is 23rd October. It would be nice to hear from anyone on this cruise just what has been done, we are not due to sail on her until Sept 2020 but I would be very interested to know.

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I notice that other cruise line's refit rhetoric has much more hyperbole than P&O, nothing wrong with that, MSC state that for summer 2021 sailings out of Southampton that Magnifica will be re-imagined to provide an even more exotic cruise experience. It may well be exaggerated but it does whet passengers appetites far more than the  new carpets and soft furnishings that P&O seem to think will bring in the punters.

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10 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I notice that other cruise line's refit rhetoric has much more hyperbole than P&O, nothing wrong with that, MSC state that for summer 2021 sailings out of Southampton that Magnifica will be re-imagined to provide an even more exotic cruise experience. It may well be exaggerated but it does whet passengers appetites far more than the  new carpets and soft furnishings that P&O seem to think will bring in the punters.

MSC also mention that they are offering British touches such as “pie and mash” - a bit too exotic for me I think!

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14 hours ago, Rupert2251 said:

No sign of the central staircase being opened up or the canopies in the aft section to reduce the soot problem on the balconies which someone mentioned in a previous thread. She goes in on 7th October, her first cruise after the refit is 23rd October. It would be nice to hear from anyone on this cruise just what has been done, we are not due to sail on her until Sept 2020 but I would be very interested to know.

We’re joining her on the 23rd so will try and work our what’s changed since our last visit in 2016

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We are on this cruise, last port is Lisbon I guess the we will restricted access to parts of the ship from leaving the Canaries Isles as the crew prepare her fit refit

We have experienced this once before as there as there a lot of items that have to be removed for safe keeping etc

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Britannia’s Refit

For her next chapter, P&O Cruises are maximising your favourite areas on Britannia. The atrium will be given a new lease of life to create a lively social hub at the heart of the ship. There will be a new colour scheme and a fresh design direction, relaxed entertainment and a lively scene with music and informal performances under the starburst chandelier.

Deck 7 on Britannia

The Java café on deck 7 will now serve alcoholic drinks. 

The photo gallery will also be getting some TLC, including the welcome addition of a Dixons electronics hub featuring the latest imaging, computing and audio tech from Amazon, Apple, Beats, Bose, Canon, Fitbit, GoPro, Microsoft and Sony, among others.

Deck 5 on Britannia

P&O Cruises are introducing a permanent new art gallery next to Blue Bar on deck 5 by the atrium.

The Market Café also on deck 5 has already benefited from new furniture and décor, and a brand-new menu including decadent ice-cream creations, made in exclusive collaboration with Hampshire dairy Jude’s.

Shopping on Britannia

Britannia will feature a host of new premium brands and a more interactive environment, including try-before-you-buy tasting tables and consultation areas in our beauty and make-up zones. Jo Malone, Tom Ford, Edinburgh Gin, Michael Kors accessories and exclusive fine jewellers, Clifton, will be joining the line-up.

Oasis Spa and Salon

Two ‘express spa’ pods will boast a range of treatments. In one pod, you’ll enjoy high-tech massages; in the other, a zero-gravity lounger will offer express skin treatments as well as LVL lash treatments. There will be two innovative new experiences in the thermal and hydro-pool suite. Brace yourself for the therapeutic benefits of the Arctic cold room and let everyday stresses ease away in the aroma steam room.

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Thanks for that info Officboy.

 

Great to see they're added more seating in the atrium - very much needed. Then I realise that some of that capacity looks like its coming from one side of the Blue Bar being turned in to the Art Gallery.

 

Great for the Gallery - their current location feels a bit of an after thought. Downside is, they're not adding as much seating into the atrium as expected.

 

Dixons in the photo gallery? Hmm.. ok I suppose. There's certainly plenty of space over there. Guessing that some of the screens will be removed, or worse bunched closer together.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Officeboy said:

Britannia’s Refit

For her next chapter, P&O Cruises are maximising your favourite areas on Britannia. The atrium will be given a new lease of life to create a lively social hub at the heart of the ship. There will be a new colour scheme and a fresh design direction, relaxed entertainment and a lively scene with music and informal performances under the starburst chandelier.

Deck 7 on Britannia

The Java café on deck 7 will now serve alcoholic drinks. 

The photo gallery will also be getting some TLC, including the welcome addition of a Dixons electronics hub featuring the latest imaging, computing and audio tech from Amazon, Apple, Beats, Bose, Canon, Fitbit, GoPro, Microsoft and Sony, among others.

Deck 5 on Britannia

P&O Cruises are introducing a permanent new art gallery next to Blue Bar on deck 5 by the atrium.

The Market Café also on deck 5 has already benefited from new furniture and décor, and a brand-new menu including decadent ice-cream creations, made in exclusive collaboration with Hampshire dairy Jude’s.

Shopping on Britannia

Britannia will feature a host of new premium brands and a more interactive environment, including try-before-you-buy tasting tables and consultation areas in our beauty and make-up zones. Jo Malone, Tom Ford, Edinburgh Gin, Michael Kors accessories and exclusive fine jewellers, Clifton, will be joining the line-up.

Oasis Spa and Salon

Two ‘express spa’ pods will boast a range of treatments. In one pod, you’ll enjoy high-tech massages; in the other, a zero-gravity lounger will offer express skin treatments as well as LVL lash treatments. There will be two innovative new experiences in the thermal and hydro-pool suite. Brace yourself for the therapeutic benefits of the Arctic cold room and let everyday stresses ease away in the aroma steam room.

I saw this post as well on a certain website but held back in posting it due to copyright for agents only. Like I said no mention of the central staircase or the canopies over the aft balconies.

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We were told on Britannia in May that they were not opening the central staircase but they were going to re-programme the software for the lifts so they work more efficiently. Of course whatever they do it doesnt help when people push both buttons for up and down and get in lifts going in opposite direction just to get a space.

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48 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

We were told on Britannia in May that they were not opening the central staircase but they were going to re-programme the software for the lifts so they work more efficiently. Of course whatever they do it doesnt help when people push both buttons for up and down and get in lifts going in opposite direction just to get a space.

I do hope they don't rely on their own IT to reprogramme the lifts, otherwise it will be total chaos.

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1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

I do hope they don't rely on their own IT to reprogramme the lifts, otherwise it will be total chaos.

I should imagine they will use that fitted the lifts and programmed them initially just have come up with a better system in last 4yrs since she was built.

 

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Just a query, Reading some of the threads about the re-fit on the Britannia and one mentioned the re-fit being 7th October 2020, we are on the Britannia sailing on the 26th September and coming back on the 9th October 2020.  I take it the date of the 7/10/20 is a rough guess and the re-fit will take place on the 10/10/20

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7 minutes ago, moonstone01 said:

Just a query, Reading some of the threads about the re-fit on the Britannia and one mentioned the re-fit being 7th October 2020, we are on the Britannia sailing on the 26th September and coming back on the 9th October 2020.  I take it the date of the 7/10/20 is a rough guess and the re-fit will take place on the 10/10/20

7th October 2019 back in service 23rd October 2019.

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3 hours ago, majortom10 said:

I should imagine they will use that fitted the lifts and programmed them initially just have come up with a better system in last 4yrs since she was built.

 

Can't remember whether this was on a ship or in a hotel but..

The lifts had a panel next to them with buttons for all available decks/floors. You pressed the button for the one you wanted and it lit up. When a lift arrived it would display which of the stops requested it was going to, and those buttons went out. There were no buttons to select stops in the lifts themselves, only a display of where that lift had been programmed to stop. It appeared to work very efficiently.

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6 hours ago, majortom10 said:

We were told on Britannia in May that they were not opening the central staircase but they were going to re-programme the software for the lifts so they work more efficiently. Of course whatever they do it doesnt help when people push both buttons for up and down and get in lifts going in opposite direction just to get a space.

I think this is a major error on P&O’s behalf. Opening up those stairs is an absolute necessity, far more important than cosmetic changes. Reprogramming the lifts is not sufficient, there will still be the same number of lifts which will not magically get bigger and make the way people use them become more sensible and considerate. 

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18 hours ago, pete14 said:

I think this is a major error on P&O’s behalf. Opening up those stairs is an absolute necessity, far more important than cosmetic changes. Reprogramming the lifts is not sufficient, there will still be the same number of lifts which will not magically get bigger and make the way people use them become more sensible and considerate. 

Agree entirely. As far as I can see Britannia has only the same number (and size) of lifts as Azura/Ventura to service 500 more passengers. Add to this the absence of a full central stairwell, forcing passengers to take the lift when they might otherwise have taken the stairs, and it it is easy to see why chaos reigns at peak periods. Why people take a lift up to go down because lifts going down pass without stopping. Why it is quicker to walk to the ends of the ship and use the stairs there rather than wait for the lifts in the centre. I was told that Britannia was designed internally by someone who had previously only designed hotels and did not appreciate how many times a day cruise passengers used lifts; in hotels they tend to use them to go out in the morning and return in the evening, and not much else. Probably an urban myth, but it has the ring of truth!

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