The 'Queen of Punching Cards' at the 'Maritime Palace' lacks the luxury of royalty, but its style is very approachable

In 1997, as the Britannia left the port island, it also signified the return of Hong Kong. Today, this ship has long been decommissioned and is docked by the roadside in Edinburgh. Taking the opportunity of visiting Edinburgh, I made a special trip to see it, wanting to feel the royal life atmosphere. Since its launch in 1953, the Britannia has been serving as the royal yacht, hailed as the 'Maritime Palace.' However, the ship's appearance is nothing like the royal yacht I had in mind; it is so 'simple,' with very straightforward lines and a huge chimney standing upright. The ship has a huge banquet hall, which was once the place where the royal family received foreign dignitaries. Surprisingly, on this ship, I did not feel the glittering splendor of a royal yacht. It doesn't quite resemble a palace, but rather a country villa. The drawing room and the queen's bedroom on the ship are not as luxurious as I imagined. The decorations are more like those of a middle-class family from the fifties and sixties, simple and unadorned. The furniture in the bedroom is not heavy oak but is mainly in cream and light grey tones, very straightforward. This is perhaps the queen's personal aesthetic taste, which feels very approachable. The restaurant on the ship is open to the public, where visitors can have afternoon tea on board and experience the queen's leisurely time back in the day. There is also a souvenir shop on the ship, and the design of the queen's family tea bag holder is very interesting. TIPS: Britannia ticket prices: Adult ticket: 218 RMB Child ticket: 126 RMB