WHEN she sails into Southampton in two weeks’ time, Britannia will cut a majestic figure as she ploughs through the waters with her embellished bow bearing the biggest Union Jack in maritime history.

She is every inch the British icon that P&O had in mind when it first drafted the concept of celebrating all that is great about Britian.

But as you would expect whenever an Italian has had a hand in anything, it has been done with some flair.

If James Bond did cruising, Britannia would be the ship he would choose – it is that cool.

It is not just a case of being bigger and better – although at 141,0000 tonnes it becomes the largest in the P&O fleet.

It is not just that it has all the mod cons any selfrespecting modern cruise ship has.

It is the sense of space and sophistication that sets this superior super-ship apart.

The interiors of this impressive vessel match her proud British exterior, but with more than a touch of class.

Boasting everything from refined British pubs to stylish restaurants, a cabaret lounge, studio and theatre, Britannia has everything P&O customers have come to expect from a 21st century cruising experience, but with a sense of understated luxury.

Yesterday Britannia became the property of Southampton as she was officially handed over to P&O and the south coast city became her home.

At the ceremony – in Trieste in Italy – held in Britannia’s huge theatre, dignitaries including government ministers, ship-building company Fincantieri and Carnival boss, chairman David Dingle, made the official exchange.

The flags of the UK and P&O were hoisted in place of the Italian and shipyard colours in the most poignant part of the ceremony before entertainment was provided by soul legend Jaki Graham.

Mr Dingle, who told the Daily Echo howBritannia had been the most exciting project of his tenure at the helm, said: “This has been no ordinary ship to build and taking delivery is just the beginning.

We must attract and keep passengers for the next 30 years.”

Along with her classy design, Britannia boasts a number of other unique features that set her apart from the rest of the pack.

She will be exclusively for the UK market, and she is unashamedly proud of that, as she reflects the country’s long-standing traditions and love affairs.

Foodies can enjoy a host of gastro experiences which include influences from patisserie master Eric Lanlard and cheese expert Charlie Turnbull who have been involved with the development of the on-board Market Cafe and will make personal appearances on a number of cruises.

Celebrating British cuisine extends to the fare on offer, with beers and wines from British micro-breweries and vineyards, along with a host of UK-distilled gins that will be quaffed by the clientele as they take in the vistas of farflung shores.

Guests can also get “hands-on” as the ship boasts its own cookery school which was developed and will be fronted by Hampshire-based chef James Martin.

James will be flanked by Saturday Kitchen regular Olly Smith who takes centre stage in the Glass House, a uber-cool bar which overlooks the heart of this devastatingly stylish ship – the atrium.

Like others that have gone before, Britannia’s atrium is jaw-droppingly stunning. The sculpture, which takes its inspiration from the nighttime stars which ships traditionally used to navigate the world’s oceans, sits within a framed ceiling sky of midnight blue, bursting downwards with acrylic shards and lit from above and within.

What is different, however, is how they have used the magnificent centrepiece as a focal point for the entire ship.

Here you can sit, drink and soak up the sophistication before drifting into one of a number of entertainment venues, restaurants and bars which flow from it.

The stunning design has come from P&O’s first partnership with Richmond, transferring their skills from designing luxury hotels to luxury at sea.

And they have done it with aplomb.

Attention to detail has been a cornerstone of the success of Britannia, combining guests’ comfort with stunning artistry.

From the marble tiles to the tactile walls with the added interest of sculpture and artwork, the interior can’t fail to interest guests during their days at sea.

The outside pools are also stylish, with paddling pools doubling up as staging areas for the evening shows. The spa too is a stylish oasis of calm.

To have Southampton associated with this beacon of Britishness that will be sailing across the globe is certainly a feather in our cap.

Just howright P&O have got this ship, given that it was conceived even before Britain became proud of itself with the 2012 Olympics, was illustrated when it became the fasting-selling maiden voyage in its history.

It means passengers will be flocking to Southampton to experience this floating style icon which has the “wow factor” in spades.

She will see her home city for the first time on March 6, when the celebrations to welcome her to Southampton will begin.