Britannia does afternoon tea three ways: a free sitting of sandwiches, scones and cakes in the main restaurant, a paid and rather more theatrical Epicurean version created by patissier Eric Lanlard on sea days, and a simpler take in Market Cafe for a small top-up.
If you’ve been comparing P&O Britannia’s restaurants before booking, it’s worth knowing this page is about P&O Cruises’ Britannia, the modern liner that entered service in the mid-2010s. It’s a completely different vessel from the historic Royal Yacht Britannia, moored in Edinburgh, where visitors tour the former royal ship and take tea in its own tearoom. Both are worth knowing about, so we’ve covered each below.
Two Ships Called Britannia
P&O’s Britannia is a working cruise ship, out sailing regular itineraries with thousands of passengers and crew aboard at any one time. The Royal Yacht Britannia retired years ago and now sits permanently moored in Edinburgh as a visitor attraction. Beyond the name, the two have nothing to do with each other.
Visitors board via the Royal Brow, an entrance once reserved for the Royal Family, and wander decks where Queen Elizabeth II and her family lived and travelled. The Royal Deck Tearoom serves soups and sandwiches from late morning, with a discretionary service charge added to your bill.
In past seasons there’s also been a seasonal Royal Tea, running on selected Tuesdays and Thursdays in early spring. It pairs a guided tour with stories from the Queen’s life aboard, plus a menu built around her reported favourites: Coronation chicken, oak smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwiches, Victoria sponge and a Valrhona chocolate biscuit sandwich.
If it’s the cruise ship you’re after rather than the museum piece, read on.
Britannia Afternoon Tea: The Free Option in the Main Restaurant
The free sitting happens in the main restaurant, usually from mid-afternoon, with proper waiter service and tea poured from china pots rather than a help-yourself buffet. It’s a fixture that’s stuck around for good reason, given more than 2.4 million of us went cruising last year, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
Expect finger sandwiches filled with smoked salmon, cucumber or cheese, dainty little cakes, and scones served warm with jam and clotted cream. The tea list runs from English Breakfast and Earl Grey through to green tea, peppermint, raspberry and chamomile, which tracks given the UK gets through around 100 million cups of tea a day, according to the UK Tea & Infusions Association.
This sitting costs nothing and needs no booking. Britannia isn’t alone either, P&O runs the same free tea on Aurora, Azura and Ventura, and if you’re weighing up the wider fleet, our round-up of cruise ships that do afternoon tea covers the full list.
Epicurean Afternoon Tea on Britannia
The paid version is Epicurean afternoon tea, created by patissier Eric Lanlard and served in The Epicurean, Britannia’s speciality restaurant, on sea days only. P&O calls it classic afternoon tea taken to unexpected new heights, which in practice means fewer finger sandwiches and more playful, decadent sweet and savoury surprises alongside a wide range of speciality teas. It also runs on Arvia, Azura, Iona and Ventura, so if you’ve sailed another P&O ship before, the format will feel familiar.
What’s on the Epicurean Afternoon Tea Menu
Exact dishes rotate with the season and itinerary, but past menus have run to savoury gruyère cheese éclairs with brie alongside sweeter plates like a pistachio and strawberry tart and a financier cake infused with lemon and cardamom. This is fine dining plating rather than a traditional tiered stand, and staff will talk you through each course as it lands.
| Course | Example dishes |
|---|---|
| Savoury | Gruyère cheese éclairs with brie |
| Sweet | Pistachio and strawberry tart |
| Sweet | Financier cake infused with lemon and cardamom |
| Tea | A wide selection of speciality teas served throughout |
Menus get refreshed from time to time, so take the above as a flavour of what’s on offer rather than a guaranteed line-up on the day.
Gluten-free eaters aren’t left out. The standard afternoon tea menu can be adapted with advance notice, and the evening Epicurean menu, which runs to dishes like Torchon of Wild Atlantic Halibut Grenobloise and Maple Glazed Saddleback Pork T-Bone with crackling, gives a fair idea of how seriously this kitchen takes dietary requests.
Booking, Dress Code and Cost
You can book Epicurean afternoon tea through My P&O Cruises before you sail, or through My Holiday once you’re aboard. It only runs on sea days, and most cruises only have a handful of those, so slots can go quickly on shorter itineraries. Book as early as P&O allows rather than waiting to see what’s left once you’re already at sea.
Dress code is Evening Casual, and tailored shorts are fine, a touch more relaxed than the strict no-shorts rule at Epicurean’s evening dinner service. If you want a steer on what that looks like in practice, our guide to unique cruise outfit ideas is a decent starting point.
There’s a per-person cover charge, and it’s varied by cruise length rather than sitting as a flat fee. Menu pricing shifts over time, so check the current charge with P&O directly, or via My P&O Cruises when you book, rather than trusting an older figure you’ve seen somewhere else.
| Detail | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Venue | The Epicurean |
| When | Sea days only |
| Created by | Eric Lanlard |
| Booking | My P&O Cruises in advance, or My Holiday once aboard |
| Dress code | Evening Casual, tailored shorts accepted |
| Cost | A per-person cover charge, confirm the current amount with P&O |
Afternoon Tea in Market Cafe
There’s a third, more casual option in Market Cafe, Britannia’s all-day eatery set out in the atrium beneath the ship’s Star Burst sculpture. P&O runs afternoon tea here as well, for a small top-up on the standard buffet price.
P&O’s own materials don’t spell out the exact charge, so check with the crew at the counter or your daily programme once aboard, rather than assuming it lines up with the Epicurean price.
Where Afternoon Tea Fits Among Britannia’s Restaurants
Afternoon tea is only one slice of a much wider dining line-up. Britannia’s other venues include Sindhu, Beach House, The Cookery Club, Glass House and Limelight Club, alongside Market Cafe and Epicurean, ten dining venues in total across the ship.
Most run independently of the tea sittings, but knowing where everything sits helps if you’re trying to fit afternoon tea around a spa slot or a shore excursion.
Britannia’s Deck Plan
Britannia carries around 1,836 staterooms for up to roughly 4,406 passengers, looked after by about 1,350 crew. Sources differ slightly on the total deck count, with some counting 17 passenger-accessible decks and others 18, so treat the numbering below as a guide rather than gospel.
| Deck | Name |
|---|---|
| 5 | Landing Deck |
| 6 | Tween Deck |
| 7 | Main Deck |
| 8 | G Deck |
| 9 | F Deck |
| 10 | E Deck |
| 11 | D Deck |
| 12 | C Deck |
| 14 | B Deck |
| 15 | A Deck |
| 16 | Lido Deck |
| 17 | Sun Deck |
| 18 | Sports Deck |
Beyond the cabins, there are four swimming pools, nine Jacuzzis, thirteen lounges and bars, and twelve lifts, but no wraparound Promenade Deck, so give yourself the first day or two to find your bearings. Britannia is a Royal-class ship, sharing her design lineage with several Princess Cruises vessels, including Royal Princess and Regal Princess.
Common Questions
Is afternoon tea free on P&O Britannia?
The main restaurant sitting costs nothing. Epicurean afternoon tea, created by Eric Lanlard, carries a per-person cover charge, and Market Cafe’s version has its own small top-up.
Do I need to book Epicurean afternoon tea in advance?
You can book ahead through My P&O Cruises before you sail, or via My Holiday once you’re aboard. As it only runs on sea days, booking early makes sense, especially on shorter cruises.
What’s the dress code for Epicurean afternoon tea?
Evening Casual, and tailored shorts are fine, more relaxed than the no-shorts rule at Epicurean’s evening dinner sitting.
Is P&O Britannia the same ship as the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh?
No. P&O’s Britannia is a working cruise ship, while the Royal Yacht Britannia is a retired royal vessel moored permanently in Edinburgh as a visitor attraction.
Can I get gluten-free options at Epicurean afternoon tea?
Yes, the standard menu can be adapted for gluten-free diets, though it’s best flagged in advance rather than sprung on the kitchen on the day.
Which other P&O ships offer Epicurean afternoon tea?
Arvia, Azura, Iona and Ventura all serve the same Eric Lanlard afternoon tea in their own Epicurean restaurants, alongside Britannia.
How many restaurants does Britannia have?
Ten dining venues, including Market Cafe, Sindhu, Beach House, The Cookery Club, Epicurean, Glass House and Limelight Club.
Does Market Cafe afternoon tea cost the same as Epicurean’s?
No, Market Cafe’s afternoon tea has its own small charge, separate from and generally simpler than the Epicurean version.
Why Trust About2Cruise
We cross-check P&O’s own venue descriptions, dress code pages and independent cruise reporting before publishing, and flag clearly where pricing or scheduling details are likely to have moved on since they were last confirmed. You can read more about how About2Cruise researches its guides.
Last Updated: 16 August 2026