With a fleet of four popular cruise ships, Balmoral, Boudicca, Black Watch and Braemar, there is a ship to suit all tastes. Each of them carries less than 1000 passengers, apart from the slightly larger Balmoral which carries 1350 guests.
Unlike many cruise ships, the passengers tend to be mainly British and many of the departure ports are within the UK. Fred. Olsen also offers a ‘New to Cruise Programme’ for anyone a little apprehensive about first time cruising. They will allow priority boarding at Southampton or Dover and introduce new guests to senior officers.
Advantages of a Fred Olsen Cruise
One of the most striking features of any Fred. Olsen cruise is the friendliness of the crew and the other guests. It often seems as though it is more like a gathering of friends and acquaintances, rather than fellow travellers who have recently met on a holiday journey.
Single travellers are particularly welcome and there are a number of dedicated single cabins. On board, there is a very good entertainment programme for all, which allows single guests to quickly make new friends.
At those ports which are not within walking distance of the town centre, local transport is normally provided. Occasionally a small charge will be applied. There are many ship excursions available at a reasonable cost, although members of staff are equally willing to provide local information for passengers who wish to explore by themselves.
Facilities and Entertainment on a Fred Olsen Ship
There are several dining options onboard the ships, all providing classic meals and there are two sittings for dinner. While tea and coffee is available in public areas during the day, it can sometimes get a little crowded on the days at sea. However, there are tea and coffee making facilities in each cabin, which allows the passengers a greater choice.
Loud speaker messages are kept to a minimum on the ships and guests can choose which activities to take part in by consulting the daily programme delivered to cabins the previous evening.
The evening entertainment is excellent and, again, there is an intimacy and friendliness in the way the seats are arranged in the theatre. Occasionally, local acts are brought on at certain ports. With being mainly British ships, there are usually one or two featured evenings, such as Country and Western, or British Night, when dressing up is encouraged.
Fred Olsen Fly Cruises
In addition to the UK port departures, Fred. Olsen also offers direct regional charter flights to the Caribbean on several of their overseas departures. An added advantage is that luggage is checked through from the airport to the cabin on the ship; no waiting around for bags at busy airport carousels.
Other destinations include the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, USA and Canada, Iceland and several ports around the UK and Ireland. The newer Balmoral, which offers more space and capacity, offers World Voyages from twenty four nights to seventy five nights duration.
It is evident right from the welcome aboard one of their relaxing cruise ships that Fred. Olsen Cruise Line prides itself on being a family-oriented business which largely succeeds in maintaining an almost family atmosphere among its loyal guests.
For those who prefer a more homely type of cruise, with a friendly ambience and all the facilities of a larger ship, Fred Olsen provides an affordable way to cruise many of the world’s destinations.
Rosemary Gemmell - Professional freelance writer of published short stories and articles in the UK, US and online. Author of historical romance and ...
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