Our Next Reunion

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We're Going Home - It's Confirmed

The 2027 reunion is heading to Portsmouth, the city where Andromeda was built, launched, and commissioned. Where it all started. Whether you haven't been to a reunion before or you've been to every single one, this is a weekend you won't want to miss. And now the details are locked in.

THE DATES

Friday 5th and Saturday 6th March 2027. Early arrivals welcome from Thursday, and you're welcome to stay on into Sunday and Monday if you want to extend the weekend.

THE HOTEL

The Royal Maritime Hotel, Queen's Street, Portsmouth, PO1 3HS. Hotel website

Five minutes' walk from Portsmouth Harbour train station, under ten minutes from Gunwharf Quays, a short stroll from the Historic Dockyard. If you're coming by train, you barely need a taxi. We've negotiated discounted group rates for association members — see below.

WHAT HAPPENS OVER THE WEEKEND?

Thursday and Friday morning are for early arrivals,  checking in, catching up, spinning dits, getting the lamp swinging in the bar. No programme, no obligations. Just good company and a head start on the socialising.

Friday lunchtime onwards — the informal DTS at The Ship Anson on The Hard from 12:00. No booking, no dress code, no minimum stay. Walk in, find the bar, see who's there. If you've never been to a reunion before, this is the easiest possible way to start.

Friday evening — make your own plans. The hotel has Horatio's Restaurant and a bar menu, and Gunwharf Quays is a short walk away with plenty of options. Most people split into small groups and find somewhere that suits.

Saturday is the main event. The AGM in the morning (kept short, followed by a tot), a free afternoon to explore Portsmouth, the Historic Dockyard, or hold your position at the bar, and the annual Gala Dinner in the evening at the Royal Maritime Hotel. Three courses, smart dress, medals welcome, and the kind of night that reminds you why you keep coming back.

Sunday and Monday — for those staying on — wind things down gently. Breakfast, farewells, and a last chance to swap dits before everyone heads home.

ACCOMMODATION — ROOM RATES

All rooms include breakfast.

• Classic Double/Twin — £85.50 for two people / £77.40 for one
• Budget Double/Twin — £76.50 for two people / £68.40 for one

Example cost: Friday and Saturday night in a Classic Double, plus Gala Dinner for two — £263 in total. Other combinations are available depending on what suits you.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR ROOM

Book directly with the hotel reception team on 023 9298 2182 (Option 1), quoting the booking code: GA000984.

Rooms can be cancelled up to 18:00 the day before arrival, so there's no risk in booking early. Our strong advice: book now. Portsmouth fills up fast and rooms at this rate won't last.

You're also welcome to book your own accommodation elsewhere if you prefer. Either way, you're welcome at all events.

THE GALA DINNER — SATURDAY 6TH MARCH (Membership Required)

A three-course Gala Dinner at the Royal Maritime Hotel. £46 per person (Paid to the Association - Not Hotel - Payment Details below). You do not need to be staying at the hotel to attend. You do not need to be booked into accommodation anywhere. If you just want to come for the dinner, come for the dinner.

Menu — pick one from each course:

First Course 

A. Duck and Port Pâté — red onion marmalade, sourdough 

B. Prawn Salad — Marie Rose sauce, brown bread and butter 

C. Homemade Leek and Potato Soup (V)

Main Course 

D. Chicken Ballotine wrapped in smoked bacon — cranberry cream jus, fine beans, herb-roasted new potatoes 

E. Roast Topside of Beef — Yorkshire pudding, pan gravy, roast potatoes, vegetable medley 

F. Roasted Halloumi — spiced Mediterranean vegetable ragù and rice (V)

Desserts 

G. Profiteroles filled with cream — rich chocolate and toffee sauce 

H. Homemade Apple and Blackberry Crumble — crème anglaise 

I. Chocolate and Coconut Tart — raspberry coulis (VG)

Followed by coffee or tea with mints.

HOW TO BOOK THE GALA DINNER

Step 1 — Send your menu choices to hmsandromedasecretary@gmail.com with your letters (e.g. A, D, G).

Step 2 — Make payment for the Gala Dinner. £46 per person 

• Payment methods will be given to you by the Secretary once you confirm your Menu Choices by email

Note: Members do not have to have booked a room in the hotel to attend the Gala Dinner. 

Deadline: Friday 13th February 2027. Cancellations before that date are fully refundable.

DO I HAVE TO COME FOR THE WHOLE WEEKEND?

No. Come for a day. Come for the Saturday only. Come for the Friday DTS at the Ship Anson and nothing else. Come for the Gala Dinner only. There's no minimum stay, and you're not locked into anything. We'd genuinely rather see you for an hour than not see you at all.

DO I HAVE TO BE A MEMBER?

Not to come along. The reunion weekend is open to everyone — members and non-members alike. If you want to drop in for the Friday DTS or an evening in the bar, just turn up. You'll be welcome.

If you'd like to attend the Gala Dinner and the AGM on Saturday, we ask that you're a paid-up member. Membership is £10 a year,  that's it. Details are on the Join Us page.

WHO'S WELCOME?

Anyone who served aboard HMS Andromeda (F57) at any time between 1968 and 1993. Any rank, any branch, any role. Royal Navy, Royal Marines, or attached personnel.

Partners, families, and friends are welcome too. This isn't a closed shop — it's a reunion. The more the merrier.

WHY PORTSMOUTH?

Because this is where she was born. Laid down at Portsmouth Dockyard on 25th May 1966, launched on 24th May 1967, commissioned on 2nd December 1968. If you served aboard Andromeda, Portsmouth is where your story with her began — even if you didn't know it at the time.

We rotate the reunion around the country — north, midlands, and south — so nobody is always furthest away. This year it's the south's turn, and there's no better place for it than the city that built her.

PARKING AND GETTING THERE

By train — Portsmouth Harbour station is five minutes' walk.

By car — the hotel has very limited on-site parking on a first-come, first-served basis. Nearby alternatives include the Historic Dockyard Car Park (2 minutes' walk) at a discounted rate of £12 per 24 hours, and JA Zone street parking permits at £6 per 24 hours.

FIRST TIME?

If you've never been to a reunion before and you're not sure what to expect, have a look at the Reunions page on our website. The honest truth is this: every single person who comes for the first time says the same thing afterwards — "I wish I'd come years ago."

If you'd like someone to say hello when you arrive, or you'd like to be introduced to people who served around the same time as you, just tell us. You won't be on your own for long.

KNOW SOMEONE WHO SHOULD BE HERE?

If you served aboard Andromeda, you probably know someone else who did too. Someone who isn't a member. Someone who doesn't know we exist. Someone who's been meaning to look us up but never got round to it.

Share this page with them. Send them the link. Tag them in the comments. A text, a message, a mention down the pub — it all counts. The best reunions are the ones where someone walks through the door that nobody's seen for thirty years.

THE DETAILS AT A GLANCE

• Dates: Friday 5th and Saturday 6th March 2027
• Hotel: Royal Maritime Hotel, Queen's Street, Portsmouth, PO1 3HS
• Booking code: GA000984 (call 023 9298 2182, Option 1)
• Membership: £10/year — required for AGM and Gala Dinner
• Gala Dinner: £46 per person — Paid to the Association NOT the hotel - menu and payment by 13th February 2027. See payment details above.
• Reunion attendance: free
• Secretary: hmsandromedasecretary@gmail.com

The ship may be gone, but the ship's company isn't. See you in Portsmouth.