The Annual Dinner is a separate ticketed event. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis at time of online registration.
Date: Saturday 13th December 2025
Location: HMS Warrior
Duration: 18:30–23:30
Price: £75
Capacity: 240 guests
Scroll down for more information on the venue and meal.
The venue
HMS Warrior was the first iron-hulled naval vessel; launched in 1860 as part of Queen Victoria’s Navy, she acted as a strategic deterrent at the time.
HMS Warrior is a historic ship and, whilst heaters will be provided in the venue, there will be limited insulation from the December evening elements and so guests are advised to bring warm layers for if necessary. The Captain’s Cabin will be available as a cloakroom. A separate quiet room will be available on one of the lower decks.
Access is via a jetty and gangway to the Top Deck and then ladder steps with a rope banister down to the Officer’s Half Deck and Main Gun Deck. Lighting levels will be low and there are low ceiling hazards in places. Toilet facilities are down two flights of steps from the Main Gun Deck. Please see the Venue health and safety section for restrictions on footwear. The steps will be supervised by members of the Events Team.
The dinner
Guests will dine at the mess tables (10 per table) amongst the cannons on the Main Gun Deck. A bar will serve from the galley in the middle of the Main Gun Deck. Guests will be able to make their menu choices from the list below and specify any dietary requirements when registering.
Starters
- Smoked salmon and prawn cannellini with pickled cucumber and micro herbs
- Ham hock terrine, beetroot and port jelly, burnt onion and piccalilli puree
- Roast parsnip soup, parsnip crisp, pickled raisins and mulled wine reduction (vegetarian / vegan)
Main courses (served with seasonal vegetables)
- Turkey paupiette served with pig in blanket and apricot stuffing
- Slow mulled wine braised beef with shallots
- Butternut, sage and mascarpone parcel (vegetarian)
- Butternut and sage parcel (vegan)
Deserts
- Triple chocolate delice with whipped vanilla and Baileys clotted cream
- Traditional Christmas pudding with brandy sauce and redcurrants
- Vanilla and elderflower poached pear, vanilla vegan chantilly and lemon balm (vegan)
Entertainment will be provided with a quiz and sea-shanties.
Please be aware of the following details for this venue.
Venue accessibility
Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard have made every effort to make HMS Warrior accessible; however, there are limitations on the accessibility of the ship.
Access on board is via one of two gangways, the incline is controlled by the tide, which at high tide can be very steep (high tide on the 13th of December will be at 18:37 and low tide will be at 23:42). There is a chair lift that can take guests with mobility requirements from the Upper Deck to the Main Gun Deck, where the main dining event will be held. To use the chair lift, the guest must be able to transfer themselves into and out of the chair independently. The weight limit for this is 16 stone. There are two wheelchairs on board the ship that guests are more than welcome to use. Due to fire and health and safety regulations it is only possible to facilitate two wheelchair users on the ship at any one time. There is an accessible toilet located in the Cable Deck, which is at the Bow of the Main Gun Deck. All other facilities are located two decks below the Main Gun Deck.
If you have any questions or concerns about the accessibility of the conference dinner venue, please e-mail the meeting organisers annualmeeting2025@palass.org.
Venue health and safety
HMS Warrior is a historic vessel, and so guests are asked to take extra care whilst on board. Please pay attention to any safety notices displayed around the ship, adhere to areas that have been cordoned off and take the lead from Event Team staff in the unlikely event of an emergency.
HMS Warrior has trip hazards, low ceilings, limited lighting, steep ladders with rope banisters and can be slippery on a wet day. Guests are asked to be mindful of this when roaming the ship. Guests are not permitted to travel between decks or up and down ladders holding glassware or drinks, please leave any drinks on the level you are on before traversing the ladders. Smoking or vaping is not permitted anywhere on board HMS Warrior, this includes the Upper Deck. The dedicated smoking area is on the jetty.
Guests should be aware that they are dining on a historical vessel and therefore there are restrictions to the footwear permitted on board. Stiletto or very narrow heeled shoes are discouraged from the ship due to the damage they can cause to the decks but also due to the uneven nature of the decks and ladders. Heels should be no narrower than a 5 pence piece. If you do want to wear narrow heels then it is advised that you purchase heel stoppers. Shoes must be kept on at all times throughout the event to avoid splinters.
A member of the Events Team will always be present on the ship during the evening. Please do follow any instructions given by the Events Team, especially in an emergency. In the event of an emergency, the Events Team are responsible for raising the alarm and liaising with the emergency services. In the unlikely event of an evacuation the Events Team will carry out a full sweep of the ship. All guests should evacuate the ship by using the nearest ladders, exiting in a calm and orderly manner, leaving all bags and personal belongings behind. Once the sweep is complete, a roll call for all guests will be taken. The muster point is the turning circle on the Jetty.