AHOY THERE! EXPO 2012 NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR GROUPS SPRING 2012 www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk
Britannia s Groups Team: Pete Chambers and Megan Blakemore WELCOME Welcome to Ahoy There! An exciting year lies ahead at Britannia! As part of Her Majesty The Queen s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations, the Yacht s Royal Barge and two escort boats will be playing a very prominent ceremonial role in the Thames Pageant on 3 June 2012. We are delighted to announce that The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will start their historic pageant journey on board Britannia s Royal Barge. Following a short spell in dry dock in January (and 2500 litres of paint and hundreds of man-hours later), Britannia is back in her usual berth at Ocean Terminal, spruced up, ship-shape and ready to be the focus of the Jubilee celebrations here in Edinburgh. We hope you will be able to visit us in 2012 and commemorate this momentous year on board The Queen s former floating palace. You can also experience our five star service for yourself and see why Britannia has, once again, been awarded the honour of being Scotland s best visitor attraction by VisitScotland - with the highest quality assurance rating ever awarded to a Scottish attraction. To make a booking call Pete or Megan on +44 (0) 131 555 8800 or email groups@tryb.co.uk Pete Chambers Group Sales Manager
Join the party As part of Britannia s Jubilee Celebrations we are welcoming back up to 90 of her former crew, the Royal Yachtsmen, 14 18 May. There will be a street party atmosphere, the bunting will be out and there will be food and entertainment on board. So don t miss the opportunity to meet the Yotties, as they are affectionately known, and hear their stories of life on board Britannia. You never know, you may even be invited to partake in their traditional daily rum rations, with a toast to The Queen! Join in Britannia s Jubilee celebrations with the Yotties The Yotties on board Britannia in 2011 A Starring Role Britannia continues to be much in demand for TV appearances! In the last few months TV crews have filmed on board for a German prime time documentary on the Royal Family, a Sky 3D Diamond Jubilee series and in a Best of British feature for BBC2 s The Hairy Bikers. Former Chef to The Royal Family, Darren McGrady, recreated one of their favourite dishes Eggs Drumkilbo which was served at both Prince Andrew and Princess Anne s weddings and at The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh s Diamond Wedding dinner! A BBC documentary, The Diamond Queen featured Andrew Marr on board Britannia and STV s Britain s Got Talent, filmed on board the ship in February, for the opening credits of their Edinburgh edition.
DRY DOCKING There was a huge amount of media interest from around the world during Britannia s trip to dry dock in January 2012 for planned maintenance work and repainting of the hull. The Royal Yacht and our maintenance crew featured across the globe on satellite and terrestrial news programmes, even appearing as Photo of the Day in the Wall Street Journal! Below you can see a selection of photos charting our dry docking something we won t see again for another two decades: Britannia heading to dry dock The crew prepare to berth Sprucing up the Yacht Raising the flag Repainting the hull A magnificent sight Britannia returning home All images Tony Marsh
In the Spotlight... Nico Beuzelin, Tea Room Manager We speak to Nico Beuzelin, Manager of our Royal Deck Tea Room, about why Britannia has that certain je ne sais quoi and his role on board the Royal Yacht: How long have you worked on board Britannia? I have enjoyed six years here altogether, the first two of which I worked mainly in corporate evening events. As Manager of the Royal Deck Tea Room, my job is to make sure everything runs smoothly and our customers enjoy the best possible experience. What is the secret to a great cup of tea? For me, it has to be light and very refreshing, served in a silver tea-pot with fine bone china, as we do on board. Perfect! If you had to pick one favourite item off the Tea Room menu what would it be? I will never get tired of the Mull of Galloway cheddar sandwich with Britannia s own spicy tomato and caramelised onion chutney. It s delicious! What do you enjoy most about your job? I enjoy looking after the visitors. They are always so happy to be on board and especially in the Tea Room. Given the Yacht s former role as The Queen s floating palace, people expect high standards and we always try to exceed their expectations. What is your favourite part of the ship? I know I am biased but it has to be the Tea Room! The set up and the view are amazing. We are so lucky to have such a beautiful workplace - our customers often comment on that. Visitors enjoying a glass of fizz, and the wonderful views from the Royal Deck Tea Room Out and About! Spring is a busy time for our Groups Department both in and out of the office. Pete, our Groups Sales Manager recently attended the Coach Tourism Council (CTC) 2012 Conference in Chester, and headed south, to Wembley Stadium, for the ETOA March Marketplace (MAMA) to meet clients from Europe and the UK & Ireland. And England football fans of a certain vintage needn t worry, Pete assures us the pitch at Wembley remains intact! An important date in spring will be VisitScotland Expo 2012 in our home city of Edinburgh, 25-26 April. As in previous years we will be on the Scotland s Heritage group stand, so if you are attending the show please drop by to say hello to Pete and Megan and sample some hospitality Britannia style! Pete Chambers, Group Sales Manager
An Evening to Remember Bruce MacBride, Fine Dining Manager, prepares the State Dining Room In addition to the news coverage of Britannia s trip to dry dock earlier this year, our Fine Dining Manager, Bruce MacBride, also featured in the media as we prepared for reopening to the public. Bruce is pictured in the State Dining Room, with white gloves and a spirit level, making sure each place setting is just right. This illustrates the meticulous attention to detail, and standards of service for which Britannia has always been renowned. Days of preparation and countless hours of hard work go into every evening event held on board Britannia, from exclusive corporate events to private dining. Every detail is considered; from fresh flowers to the finest crystal, gleaming silver cutlery to personalised menus bearing Britannia s crest. Add a red carpet welcome, a piper, the clink of champagne glasses, a pianist at the Baby Grand, fine wines, exquisite cuisine, candlelight, and the wonderful views across the harbour, and you have all the ingredients for a truly exceptional evening. If you would like to mark the Diamond Jubilee or host a very special event for your group, be it a private dinner or the ultimate in corporate entertainment, then contact our Events Team on +44 (0) 131 555 8800 or email events@tryb.co.uk Fireworks over Britannia Enjoy a fascinating private tour Small groups can now enjoy private tours of Britannia in the evening. You ll arrive by the quayside, enter the ship via the Royal Brow (previously reserved for The Queen), then be taken on a fascinating tour of the ship by one of our guides. The tour ends with a glass of Champagne in the State Drawing Room and the presentation of a Guidebook as a memento of your evening. Call +44 (0) 131 555 8800 for more information. Join our Guides for a private tour on board
Information for Groups Come and experience the special atmosphere on board Britannia for yourself. A warm welcome, great value for money, a unique experience and five-star service ensure a memorable visit for all groups. Early booking is recommended throughout the year but is essential for August during the Edinburgh Festivals and Tattoo. Our 2012 rates are listed below. To book please call us on 0131 555 8800 or email: groups@tryb.co.uk 2012 PRICES GROUP PRICES (15 OR MORE) INDIVIDUAL PRICES Adult 9.50 11.75 Senior (60 years +) 7.75 10.00 Student (with ID) 7.75 10.00 Child (5-17 years) 6.75 7.50 Admission prices for Britannia are VAT exempt. Group prices are not displayed at our tills. Price of admission includes use of the audio handset available in 22 languages. 2012 Admission Times Open daily from Last Admission January, February, March 10:00hrs 15:30hrs April, May, June, October 09:30hrs 16:00hrs July, August, September 09:30hrs 1630hrs November & December 10:00hrs 15:30hrs Britannia is open daily with the exception of Christmas Day and New Year s Day. Last admission on Christmas Eve is at 14:30hrs. Group Arrival Times When you book your tour you will be given an arrival time. Please try to arrive at the Visitor Centre as close to this time as possible. You should allow 1½ 2 hours for your visit, longer in August or if any members of your group wish to visit the Royal Deck Tea Room. Audio Tour Each member of your group receives their own complimentary audio handset. This is very easy to use and is available in the following 22 languages: Education Groups As Britannia is a historical attraction it is important, for the safety and enjoyment of all our visitors, that educational groups are overseen and accompanied on the tour by at least one adult for every ten students / children. To support this we offer a number of free supervisor places. Accessible to all Britannia s five main decks are open for your group to explore at their own pace. They are accessible for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. There are lifts to all decks, accessible toilets, audio guides for those with visual impairments, learning difficulties and also printed scripts for those with impaired hearing. Royal Deck Tea Room Sit back and enjoy stunning waterfront views as our friendly waiters serve speciality teas and coffees, freshlybaked scones, soups and sandwiches, all made on board in the Royal Galleys. Please note it is not possible to pre-book this facility. Gift Shop Back on dry land, you will find a fabulous range of gifts, china and traditional games, Britannia souvenirs and some of the finest Diamond Jubilee commemorative gifts available. Also available online at www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/shop
HOW TO FIND US Britannia is berthed alongside Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre in Edinburgh s historic Port of Leith, only a 15 minute drive from Edinburgh city centre, Waverley Station or the Forth Bridges and about 20-25 minutes from the Airport. Ocean Terminal is home to over 70 shops and restaurants and a cinema. There is a convenient coach drop off / pick up area beside the main entrance to Ocean Terminal and free coach parking is located nearby. 2012-2013 SKYWALKMAPS Ltd GET IN TOUCH Pete Chambers / Megan Blakemore Groups Department The Royal Yacht Britannia, 2nd Floor, Ocean Terminal, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ Tel: +44 (0) 131 555 8800 Email: groups@tryb.co.uk www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk