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Fred Olsen Cruise Lines fleet

Fred olsen bolette, fred olsen borealis, fred olsen balmoral, review of fred olsen cruise lines.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines (fredolsencruises.com) is a Norwegian-owned, UK-based cruise shipping company headquartered in Ipswich (Suffolk UK). The company is part of Fred Olsen Group (family-owned, by Bonheur and Ganger Rolf). Other subsidiaries of Fred Olsen Group (headquartered in Oslo Norway ) are the shipping companies Fred Olsen Express (fast-speed ferries in the Canary Islands) and Fred Olsen Energy (crude oil tankers).

In November 2022, Fred Olsen announced that is looking for a buyer for MS Braemar . The 30-year-old vessel was sold in December 2023 to Villa Vie Residences.

Company History

The cruise company and travel brand Fred Olsen was established in 1848 (in Hvitsten Norway) by three Olsen brothers (Petter, Andras and Fredrik-Christian) with the purchase of their first ships and starting international passenger shipping.

Today, this family-owned business (into its 5th generation) operates several companies specializing in cruise ship travel, ship crewing, shipbuilding, and even in aviation and offshore industries. Fred Olsen Group also has business interests in the sectors of property development, estate management, luxury hotels, and electronics.

The cruise company's current President and CEO is Samantha Stimpson.

In July 2022, Fred Olsen Jr resigned, being the Fred Olsen Group's Chairman and Board Member for 29 years (between 1993-2022).

Fred Olsen's Head of Itinerary Planning and Destination Experience is Martin Lister.

Fred Olsen ships are smaller-sized but attractive with stylish bars and lounges, smartly furnished staterooms and premium restaurants. Airy public areas provide excellent places to read, have a drink and relax at sea. Daily scheduled activities, uncrowded pool decks, luxury spas are among the other reasons to book cruise vacations with Fred Olsen.

Fred Olsen purchased its first ship in May 2006 - Norwegian Crown (now Balmoral), bought from NCL Norwegian Cruise Line . In November 2007, the vessel was drydocked for lengthening and refurbishment, adding a 40-m long pre-built midship section. The ship (renamed MS Balmoral) entered service in 2008. This project was repeated in summer 2008 with the extension of MS Braemar. The vessel's size was increased from 19,000 to 24,000 GT tons.

Fred Olsen provides traditional, home-like cruising with unhurried onboard life - the main reason for the company's many repeating customers. The liners offer a variety of itineraries with different durations - from a few days (European mini-cruises) to Around the World Voyages . Brochure 2018-2019 ("Venture to the four corners of the world") included two World Cruises - 107-night ( Black Watch , departing from Southampton on November 12, 2019, prices from GBP 9,850 pp) and company's ever-longest itinerary - 168-night ( Boudicca , departing October 3, 2019, prices from GBP 15,000 pp).

On March 7, 2017, Fred Olsen announced its most successful sales day ever. Total bookings were over GBP 3 million for that day. Most of the bookings were made by top-tier loyalty club members, following the official release of Fred Olsen's 2018-2019 cruise itinerary program. The increase in bookings over the same launch day in 2016 was 15%. By the new program, all 4 Fred Olsen ships had planned visits to 228 ports/islands in 73 countries. The program also featured 91 scenic cruising destinations included in 135 unique itineraries.

The company enjoys a high repeat booking rate. To attract first-timers, since 2013 Fred Olsen offers "Enjoyment Promise". By this initiative, a full cruise full refund is guaranteed to anyone who doesn't enjoy the company's cruising vacation product. The cruise line guarantees that if passengers find that the experience is not for them, they can leave the cruise ship at the next available call port. The "Enjoyment Promise" offer applies only to new bookings and first-time customers.

Occasionally, Fred Olsen offers short-breaks (themed as "Taster Cruise") allowing potential customers to book 1-night UK cruise deals. This is a perfect opportunity to sample the company's product without committing too much money or time. Booking these 1-night deals doesn't require purchasing travel insurance. Package price includes Drinks Package added for free. Optional flights from Belfast or Derry can be added with cruise port transfers for GBP 1000 pp. For cruise passengers who don't want to fly, overnight ferry ( Belfast Ireland to Birkenhead England) can be added with cruise port transfers for GBP 100 pp.

In August 2017, the company contracted Speedcast International Ltd to provide fleetwide full package communication (voice and data) services. Speedcast (renowned provider of remote communication and IT solutions) installed on all Fred Olsen ships satellite VSAT terminals plus land-based 4G data connectivity. The new technology allows seamless, automatic switching between various networks ensuring highly reliable connectivity at all times. The new network also provides connectivity between the company's offices and the fleet all over the world.

2018 was the company's record year for cruise sales, with November 19 (Monday) being the year's most successful sales day (nearly GBP 1,6 million). Also in 2018 started charter operations Fred Olsen's first dedicated riverboat Brabant/fka Amadeus Princess . The 156-passenger ship cruises on the rivers Moselle, Rhine, Main, and the Danube.

Fred Olsen's 2020-2021 schedule (ocean and river voyages) listed a total of 277 ports/destinations in 90 different countries (6 continents) on 170 itineraries.

In August 2023 was signed the partnership with Go Stargazing (2002-founded, UK-based astronomy organisation) for 26 voyages scheduled for 2024 on 3x ships (Bolette, Borealis, Balmoral) visiting destinations like Norway, Iceland, Portugal's Azores, and Spain's Canary Islands. This partnership provided passengers on the select voyages to be assisted by Go Stargazing's experts offering laser-guided tours of constellations and insights into celestial objects, as well as the opportunity to observe sky phenomena like meteor showers and the northern lights/Aurora Borealis.

Fred Olsen cruise and ferry fleets' cellular services (onboard Internet/WiFi/connectivity) are provided by WMS-Wireless Maritime Services LLC (Miramar Florida-based company).

Fred Olsen Ferries

"Fred Olsen Express" (1974-founded as "Ferry Gomera", headquartered in Tenerife ) is also part of Fred Olsen Group. The company provides regularly scheduled inter-island passenger shipping services via fast ferries in the Canary Islands. The company's main rival in this market is Naviera Armas .

Fred Olsen Express has a fleet of nine Ro-Pax ships (including 2 trimarans under construction , scheduled deliveries 2020-2021). Among these vessels is the world's first trimaran ferry (HSC Benchijigua Express, launched 2005) with a capacity of 1350 passengers and 357 vehicles. Each of the new trimarans is powered by four Rolls-Royce engines (MTU Series 8000 M71L / 20-cylinder) with combined power output 36,4 MW. Trimaran's max capacity is 1100 passengers and 276 cars. Max speed is 38 knots (44 mph / 70 kph).

Currently, Fred Olsen ferries operate 12 routes in the Canaries, connecting the islands Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, La Palma, and La Gomera. Crossings travel time range between 25 min (Lanzarote - Fuerteventura) and 4 hours (Lanzarote - Gran Canaria).

Fred Olsen fleet meets 2015-2018-2021-2023

For the first time ever, on July 28, 2015, all four Fred Olsen liners (the whole fleet) came together in Bergen - Norway's second-largest city after the capital Oslo .

The four vessels arrived at 8 am and left the port at 6 pm.

• MS Balmoral was on an 8-night "Norwegian Fjords" cruise from Southampton UK (July 25). Arriving from Stavanger Norway , it docked at Bontelabo Terminal.
• MS Black Watch was on a 9-night "Cruising the Fjordland" cruise from Liverpool UK (July 23). Arriving from Flam Norway , it docked at Skolten South Terminal.
• MS Boudicca was on a 7-night "Glaciers, Fjords and Waterfalls of Norway" cruise from Newcastle UK (July 26). Arriving from Newcastle upon Tyne, it docked at Skolten North Terminal.
• MS Braemar was on a 14-night "Falls, Fjords and Faroe Islands" cruise from Dover UK (July 18). Arriving from Akureyri Iceland , it docked at Festningskaien Terminal.
• The day-long festivities in Bergen included quayside live music performances (marching drummers, singers, music bands), onboard entertainment (afternoon show, open deck party, live band music), onboard treasure hunt, "water cannon" send-off show as all Fred Olsen ships were leaving the port.
• All four Fred Olsen ships visit Bergen every year since 1997.
• Following the "fleet meet" day, Balmoral continued to Flam, both Black Watch and Braemar to Eidfjord, Boudicca - to Alesund.

On September 10, 2018, for the company's 170th anniversary, Fred Olsen's fleet docked together in Cadiz (Spain) . The 4 themed cruise itineraries ("Captains in Cadiz") were open for booking on September 28, 2017. Port's excellent facilities are located within the city and allowed all 4 liners to be berthed alongside each other.

• All 4 liners sailed into Cadiz harbor at ~8 am and ~4000 passengers were welcomed by "Los Sones de Cadiz" (music band). The ceremony was attended by Fred Olsen Junior, as well as the city's Mayor, Cadiz Port Authority's President, and other VIP guests.
• At 5 pm, all 4 liners departed in convoy, serenaded by a local jazz band. They were led out of Cadiz Harbour by a fire tugboat spraying water cannons. The fleet passed under "Constitution of 1812 Bridge" information: Braemar returned to Southampton; Black Watch and Balmoral went to Lisbon; Boudicca - to Ibiza.

The next fleet-meet was initially planned for April 4, 2020, in Port Funchal (Madeira Island) . All 4 itineraries (themed "Four Freds in Funchal") included as activities welcome ceremony, live music performances, specially-prepared food menus, fun competitions between the crew and passengers of each boat. However, due to the global health crisis, the fleet rendezvous was canceled and rescheduled for October 22, 2021 ("Four Ladies in Lisbon") in Port Lisbon Portugal .

Next are listed the 4 itineraries planned for the "Four Ladies in Lisbon" (fleet-meet 2021).

• (Braemar) 27-night "Iconic Sites of Croatia and Italy" roundtrip from Southampton (September 30, from GBP 3800 pp)
• (Balmoral) 16-night "Heritage Sites of the Med" roundtrip from Newcastle (October 12, from GBP 2000 pp)
• (Borealis) 15-night "Exploring the Azores and Portugal" roundtrip from Liverpool (October 18, from GBP 2000 pp)
• (Bolette) 15-night "Escape to the Canaries" roundtrip from Dover (October 18, from GBP 1900 pp)

Next are listed Fred Olsen's "fleet-meet in Funchal" itineraries scheduled for 2023. Prices ranged between GBP 2000-2100 per person.

• (Bolette) 15-night "Spain & Portugal with Fleet in Funchal" roundtrip from Southampton (October 29)
• (Balmoral) 15-night "The Canary Islands with the Fleet in Funchal" roundtrip from Southampton (October 30)
• (Braemar) 15-night "Discovering Cultural Morocco with the Fleet in Funchal" roundtrip from Dover (October 30)
• (Borealis) 14-night "The Azores with The Fleet in Funchal" roundtrip from Liverpool (November 1)

(Coronavirus crisis) passenger shipping pause 2020-2021

Due to the COVID pandemic, Fred Olsen suspended the entire cruise fleet's passenger shipping operations (all vessels - ocean and riverboats) canceling all voyages with pre-scheduled departures between March 14, 2020, and June 30, 2021.

River- and ocean fleets' operations were planned to resume on October 24, 2020, but were eventually canceled. Ocean voyages resumed in 2021 on July 5 (Borealis/ Maiden Voyage , cruise to nowhere from Liverpool), and on August 16 (Bolette/ Maiden Voyage , cruise to nowhere from Dover). Balmoral restarted in 2022 (May 2/Canaries from Newcastle). Braemar was scheduled to restart in 2023 (on April 28, from Southampton).

All affected bookings were fully refunded, including on prepurchased through the cruise company packages and services. All bookings on Fred Olsen cruises 2020 (any itinerary) are allowed to cancel penalty-free (up to 14 days prior departure) and rebook any Fred Olsen 2021 cruise (river or ocean).

During the lay-up period, all ships were anchored in

Itinerary of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines

Fred Olsen"s cruise fleet is UK-based (homeported) during most of the year, with roundtrips out of UK departure ports - Southampton , Dover , Falmouth , London-Tilbury , Harwich , Liverpool , Newcastle , Rosyth (Edinburgh) , Portsmouth , Greenock-Glasgow and Belfast Ireland . MS Braemar"s winter Caribbean fly-cruise program is from homeport Bridgetown Barbados and provides connecting flights from Manchester and London Gatwick.

Fred Olsen"s itineraries are in popular destinations like the Baltic, Norway Fjords, Mediterranean, Canaries, Caribbean. Longer itineraries include " Around the World " and "Around South America" voyages. The list of cruise destinations operated by Fred Olsen ships includes Mediterranean (also Adriatic), North Africa (Morocco), Canary Islands, Transatlantic crossings, Canada-New England, Northern Europe-UK (Around Britain/British Isles, Iceland, Norway), South America, USA-Canada.

One of the "most British" cruise companies, Fred Olsen"s fleet consists of smaller-sized vessels. Fleet"s largest liners (two former Holland America ships) joined in September 2020 - Bolette/MS Amsterdam (2000-built) and Borealis/MS Rotterdam (1997-built). At the same time, the fleet left Boudicca (1973-built, 47-years-old) and Black Watch (1972-built, 48-years-old).

Fred Olsen cruise itinerary changes

Fred Olsen added a South Africa program on MS Boudicca (transferred to Bolette) operated with the UK to South Africa fly-cruise deals. Boudicca"s fares were inclusive of flights from London (or Manchester) to Cape Town (departure port). The 14-day roundtrip itinerary included overnights in Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, and Durban. The 3-day stay in Cape Town offers as tour options Scale Table Mountain (cable car ride), wine tours (Stellenbosch, Constantia), Camps Bay strolling, visiting the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront complex and the Newlands (cricket ground), Cape Town Harley Davidson bike tour, boating, shark diving, whales-dolphins watching.

• mv Balmoral (1988) - the UK/British Isles, Baltic Sea (Russia-Scandinavia and Norwegian Fjords) and the Canary Islands leaving out of Newcastle (home-port), also from Dover and Southampton (home-port) including on Transatlantic round-trip cruises to South America.
• sold and left the fleet in 2020/ ms Black Watch (1972) - World Cruise from Southampton, Northern Europe (Norway Fjords, Russia and Scandinavia) leaving from England (Dover, homeport) and Scotland (Edinburgh-Rosyth homeport).
• sold and left the fleet in 2020/ ms Boudicca (1972) - UK/British Isles, Azores, and Madeira, the Mediterranean leaving from Liverpool (home-port), World Cruise round-trip from Southampton to the Caribbean and South America. Select departures from Greenock-Glasgow, Belfast, and Rosyth were also available.
• ms Bolette (fka MS Amsterdam, 2000-built) was acquired from Holland America Line ( Carnival Corporation ) in July 2020.
• ms Borealis (fka MS Rotterdam, 1997-built) was acquired from Holland America Line (Carnival Corporation) in July 2020.

After joining the fleet (in September 2020), Bolette and Borealis increased the company's passenger capacity by ~30%. To Bolette and Borealis were transferred the itineraries previously scheduled, respectively, for Boudicca and Black Watch.

At an extra charge, Fred Olsen cruise passengers benefit from exclusive excursions on newly-installed RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) with max capacity 12 people (each). Fred Olsen also offers all-inclusive cruise package upgrades (additional fixed price PP per day) and UK fly-cruise deals to Canary Islands (year-round discounted airfare from Southampton ).

In 2022, the company introduced 5x "Signature Experiences" (Itinerary Insights, Sky at Sea, Ship and the Sea, Scenic Discoveries, Treats of the Region) as part of its “Joy of the Journey” program.  All experiences are led by expert guides and include Sky at Sea (open-deck sunrise and sunset viewing , stargazing events, wildlife watching and nature-themed talks in the Observatory Lounge), Itinerary Insights (lectures and talks themed on culture, arts, and the history of the visited destinations), Ship and the Sea (themed on Fred Olsen company's history, including meetings with the Captains and crew), Treats of the Region (food- and dining-temed, led by the chefs and galley teams, live cooking demos for making and sampling local dishes).

OCEAN itineraries 2024-2025

Fred Olsen's 2024-2025 schedule lists specially-timed voyages to coincide with natural wonders/destination events, and opportunities to encounter wildlife/uncover rich histories across the planet. Among those are meteor showers, wildlife viewing (bird migrations, polar bears), participation in the world’s second-largest carnival (in Santa Cruz de Tenerife).

For the first time (since 2019) Fred Olsen schedules a "Mystery Cruise" (11-night itinerary without scheduled call ports) departing roundtrip from Southampton in November 2024), on which tourists will follow in the footsteps of explorers, seafarers, and navigators as they guess their next call port.

Traditionally for the brand, voyages in 2024-2025 are with departures from the UK homeports Dover, Liverpool, Newcastle/Tyne, Portsmouth, Rosyth-Edinburg, and Southampton.

Early booking and special promos offer up to GBP 150 per person in OBC/onboard credit on sailings of 5-12 nights, up to GBP 250 pp OBC and free door-to-door transfers (within up to 250 mainland miles from homeport) on sailings of 13-32 nights, plus special pricing for solo travelers.

Highlights of season 2024-2025 include:

(ship Balmoral) 5-night "Springtime Norwegian Fjords in Five Nights" leaves from Newcastle on May 23, 2024. Prices start from GBP 800 per person.

(ship Borealis) 14-night "Maritime Cities and Sailing Events of the Baltic" leaves from Dover on June 27, 2024. Prices start from GBP 2100 per person.

(ship Bolette) 27-night "Discovering the Arctic’s Wildlife and Remote Landscapes" leaves from Liverpool on July 19, 2024. Prices start from GBP 3800 per person.

(ship Balmoral) 15-night "Portugal’s Islands in Search of the Meteor Shower" leaves from Rosyth on August 7, 2024. Prices start from GBP 2300 per person.

(ship Bolette) 11-night "Spain, Portugal and the Spectacular Bird Migration" leaves from Liverpool on September 1, 2024. Prices start from GBP 1600 per person.

Mediterranean fly-cruises from Manchester and London

For the winter 2025 Mediterranean season (September 27-November 6/ship Balmoral) Fred Olsen signed a partnership with Jet2.com Ltd (1978-founded British low-cost airline) to provide fly-cruises from the UK with chartered flights leaving from London Stansted Airport and Manchester Airport.

Balmoral's 6x Mediterranean fly-cruises 2025 were themed:

" Spanish Colors & Cultures" (10-night) from Southampton, departure September 17th

" Colourful Cliffside Towns of the Amalfi Coast" (10-night), from Valencia/September 27th

"Bays, Mountains & Islands of the Dalmatian Coast" (10-night), from Civitavecchia-Rome/October 7th

"Greek Island Odyssey" (8-night), from Dubrovnik/October 17th

"Discovering Turkish Treasures" (12-night), from Rhodes/October 25th

"Mountain Landscapes of Spain, Portugal & Gibraltar" (7-night), from Malaga/November 6th

Fred Olsen RIVER CRUISE itineraries

The company launched its new European river cruise program via a chartered vessel. Fred Olsen river cruises are operated on the 156-passenger river ship MS Amadeus Princess (renamed "MS Brabant").

Fred Olsen"s river cruise program includes itineraries on Danube, Main, Rhine and Moselle rivers, with 30+ departures and itinerary durations from 5 to 25 nights (price-inclusive of luxury land tours and excursions). The new program was specifically planned to include a large amount of daylight river cruising, allowing passengers to enjoy as long as possible the riverside scenery along the itinerary routes.

The new river cruise itineraries on Brabant include Dusseldorf to Amsterdam (Holland), Dusseldorf to Nuremberg , Nuremberg to Budapest (Hungary), Budapest to Bucharest (Romania), Dusseldorf to Basel (Switzerland), and Bucharest to Dusseldorf.

Every Fred Olsen river trip is due to incorporate a lot of daytime scenic cruising so that travellers can enjoy some of the most fantastic European scenery with 14 areas of scheduled scenic cruising that are included across the itineraries. Brabant passengers can also benefit from the introduction of the brand's new enrichment program with almost every voyage featuring an onboard speaker, specifically tailored to the itinerary.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines related cruise news

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Villa Vie Residences' ship Odyssey (fka Fred Olsen's Braemar from 2001 to 2024) arrived in Belfast (Northern Ireland) on April 28th after an extended...

Fred Olsen's ship Balmoral to offer exclusive Mediterranean fly-cruises in 2025

Between October and November 2025, Fred. Olsen's Balmoral, a smaller vessel in the fleet, will offer a series of Mediterranean sailings, with...

Fred Olsen UK unveils 2025 Mediterranean fly-cruises from Newcastle

The UK-based Fred Olsen Cruise Lines unveiled 2025 fly-cruise Mediterranean voyages from Newcastle upon Tyne (England UK) included in the schedule to...

Port Tallinn (Estonia) expects 100 cruise calls in 2024 amid rising trends in sustainable tourism

Port Tallinn (Estonia) anticipates 100 cruise ship calls this year, up from last year’s 90, although the vessels are smaller, resulting in...

Fred Olsen unveils shorter itinerary segments for World Cruise 2025 (ship Bolette)

Explorers seeking their next adventure can take advantage of 3 new shorter sailings as part of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines' 2025 world cruise. The cruise...

Fred Olsen's ship Balmoral homeported in Rosyth/Edinburgh (Scotland) in summer 2024

The UK-based Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has commenced its summer season in Scotland with the Balmoral ship embarking on its inaugural cruise from...

Fred Olsen Cruise Line to broadcast major sporting events fleetwide

The UK-based Fred Olsen Cruise Line has announced that it will broadcast all UEFA European Football Championship matches, Wimbledon, and the Olympics...

Ambassador Ambience is the longest ship at Port Aberdeen (Scotland)

On June 14th, the Port of Aberdeen (Scotland) marked a historic milestone by welcoming the 245-meter Ambience ship, the longest vessel ever to visit...

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines unveils 2025 voyages on Balmoral ship

The UK-based Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has unveiled 4 new voyages scheduled for 2025, featuring destinations such as Costa Rica, the Dominicana, and...

Fred Olsen sells cruise ship MS Braemar to Villa Vie Residences

The UK-based Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has confirmed the sale of MS Braemar to Villa Vie Residences, who intend to rebrand the vessel as Villa Vie...

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• Fred. Olsen Cruise Line

Just booked my first Fred cruise!

By Priya2 , July 10 in Fred. Olsen Cruise Line

Recommended Posts

I’m quite excited having just booked the first FO cruise for hubby and me. We’re dipping our toes in with a 5 night Springtime Norwegian Fjords May ‘25 from our local terminal (Newcastle). The idea of cruising 20 minutes from home is fabulous. We’ve booked a terrace cabin (on Borialis). I know some love these and some hate them. We think we’ll really like it, but if we don’t, it’s only 5 nights. We have cruised on Celebrity and Azamara in the past, though not cruised at all since 2016. After which we took longer land holidays to some of the places we visited on cruises.

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I’m sure you will enjoy your cruise.  

While Fred ships are nothing like as plush and lack the facilities you will have enjoyed on Celebrity and Azamara they do have small ship charm.

They also offer some interesting guest speakers, more daytime activities etc. unfortunately you won’t find Celebriy,s fabulous ice martini bars 😀

We have done a few cruises on Fred and one of the joys is being so much closer to home when sailing from Rosyth (or even Newcastle). No 9 hour drive home from Southampton.

Thank you Eglesbrech. The FO board here is very quiet 🤫  

2 hours ago, Priya2 said: Thank you Eglesbrech. The FO board here is very quiet 🤫  

It used to be busier but there are now apparently several chat groups on other platforms and I think people tend to go there. Fred ships as smaller to start with so fewer people anyway.

gsmt47471015

We too have booked our first fred cruise out of Newcastle after years of procrastinating, our dealings with them up to now have been a pleasure and the reviews of the ship ( Balmoral) are mostly positive , we always approach a new line with an open mind and it will be interesting how we feel after it , also greatly looking forward to the two hour journey to Newcastle as opposed to the long drag to Southampton 😃

@gsmt47471015  there are so many of us in Scotland and North England who get fed up with the long journey South. You would think that one of the big cruise lines would look at that market and try to capture it, as the South is now saturated.

The only northern choices there seem to be are Fred and Ambassador, both small lines with older ships.

I hope you enjoy your first cruise with Fred. There are things you perhaps won’t like as much depending on who you have cruised with before but there will also be lots that you will hopefully really enjoy. An open mind is a good start.

12 hours ago, Eglesbrech said: @gsmt47471015  there are so many of us in Scotland and North England who get fed up with the long journey South. You would think that one of the big cruise lines would look at that market and try to capture it, as the South is now saturated.   The only northern choices there seem to be are Fred and Ambassador, both small lines with older ships.   I hope you enjoy your first cruise with Fred. There are things you perhaps won’t like as much depending on who you have cruised with before but there will also be lots that you will hopefully really enjoy. An open mind is a good start.

Thank you ,really looking forward to trying Fred after listening to so many other cruisers opinions of them ,which were nearly all positive.

We have sailed with various other lines ,both big and small .old and new, have no problem with older ships as they do have character ,as long as they are maintained to a decent standard.

Totally agree about the North/South issue, there must be quite a large untapped market to be captured with the right destinations other than Northern Europe and Great Britain .

July morning

We were on Balmoral at the end of May and really enjoyed the ship. I did a report if you are interested 🙂

Mymarina Bay

Also booked our first cruise with Fred sailing on Bolette out of Liverpool in October.  Clocked up 3k+ points with P&O over the past 24 years as well as Celebrity and Princess.  Looking forward to a short train journey (or taxi) to port and sailing on a smaller ship although dont think the original Arcadia was that big.

sleepingcat

On 7/10/2024 at 9:39 PM, Priya2 said: We’ve booked a terrace cabin (on Borialis). I know some love these and some hate them.

We have been on Fred several times but not recently (2019 last time) on these newer ships with the terrace cabins. Looking at photos, it looks as though they would be rather dark inside? and how about not being able to sleep with window/door open? I will be really interested in your report back. have a good cruise. 

• 3 weeks later...

I booked my first Fred cruise a couple of years ago,  Up to that point I had only gone with P @ O . I really enjoyed it and was impressed with Fred especially the food. We booked another cruise with them for the following year and again very enjoyable. So I am sure you will be fine. In fact yesterday I booked another Fred cruise, The only downside for me personally  is some of the ports they use are inconvenient  for me to use.

I went on my first cruise with Fred in May

It was also my first solo cruise. I had a fantastic time everyone was very friendly and I made lots of friends.

I have booked again for November and can't wait

One theme running here is that Fred appears to be attracting customers from P and O, as a top tier passenger with P and O  I can fully understand why 

23 hours ago, gsmt47471015 said: One theme running here is that Fred appears to be attracting customers from P and O, as a top tier passenger with P and O  I can fully understand why 

I would agree. P&O used to be one of our go to lines but they have cut back so much imo. The food is the biggest differential, the food on Fred was much better.

Add to that the local departures for those of us in the north.

Both lines have strengths but on balance for me, Fred offers more.

Really looking forward to trying Fred, we have two pre booked cruises with P and O on their adults only ships but suspect they will be our last, the cutbacks have now reached epidemic proportions and we are desperate to move away from the "stack them high sell them cheap"  model, heard so many good things about Fred, only dealt with their customer service so far but it blows P and O out of the water, if the rest of their service is as good we will be booking again  

On 8/5/2024 at 8:11 PM, gsmt47471015 said: Really looking forward to trying Fred, we have two pre booked cruises with P and O on their adults only ships but suspect they will be our last, the cutbacks have now reached epidemic proportions and we are desperate to move away from the "stack them high sell them cheap"  model, heard so many good things about Fred, only dealt with their customer service so far but it blows P and O out of the water, if the rest of their service is as good we will be booking again  

We booked Fred for similar reasons and found customer services excellent so far. (It seems a long time ago when we last had a printed excursion brochure from P&O.) We have two future cruises booked with PO, one next year the other in 2026 but if we enjoy our first cruise in October like you we will be booking again.

On 7/10/2024 at 9:39 PM, Priya2 said: I’m quite excited having just booked the first FO cruise for hubby and me. We’re dipping our toes in with a 5 night Springtime Norwegian Fjords May ‘25 from our local terminal (Newcastle). The idea of cruising 20 minutes from home is fabulous. We’ve booked a terrace cabin (on Borialis). I know some love these and some hate them. We think we’ll really like it, but if we don’t, it’s only 5 nights. We have cruised on Celebrity and Azamara in the past, though not cruised at all since 2016. After which we took longer land holidays to some of the places we visited on cruises.

We have only been on Fred once, it was on Borealis in a terrace cabin. When we booked it was called a balcony cabin, which we thought was stretching things a bit, but notice they are now calling them terrace cabins! We found it fine but missed having a private balcony which we have always booked, but will not book a balcony on Fred due to the smoking issue! We didn’t find it dark, it does take a bit of getting used to being able to see out but nobody can see in. I’m sure you will find it perfectly fine. We loved that if the weather was a bit iffy they could close the roof over the pool deck, even if there was only a little sunshine, it was very pleasant under the roof. Enjoy your cruise, I’m sure you will.

1 hour ago, Lindy028 said: We have only been on Fred once, it was on Borealis in a terrace cabin. When we booked it was called a balcony cabin, which we thought was stretching things a bit, but notice they are now calling them terrace cabins! We found it fine but missed having a private balcony which we have always booked, but will not book a balcony on Fred due to the smoking issue! We didn’t find it dark, it does take a bit of getting used to being able to see out but nobody can see in. I’m sure you will find it perfectly fine. We loved that if the weather was a bit iffy they could close the roof over the pool deck, even if there was only a little sunshine, it was very pleasant under the roof. Enjoy your cruise, I’m sure you will.

Hi Lindy, thank you for sharing your experience. Happily, FO banned smoking on balconies last April 💪

2 hours ago, Priya2 said: Hi Lindy, thank you for sharing your experience. Happily, FO banned smoking on balconies last April 💪

Sadly Fred bowed to pressure and smoking will now be banned from April’25.

I too thought it was April ‘24 but emailed them before I booked a suite just to make sure, sadly they confirmed it had been delayed until April ‘25. They are so behind the curve on smoking on balconies, we just could not countenance spending over £7000 and unable to use balcony because of chain smokers as has been reported numerous times! At least you will not have that problem, which was why we booked it.

15 minutes ago, Lindy028 said: Sadly Fred bowed to pressure and smoking will now be banned from April’25. I too thought it was April ‘24 but emailed them before I booked a suite just to make sure, sadly they confirmed it had been delayed until April ‘25. They are so behind the curve on smoking on balconies, we just could not countenance spending over £7000 and unable to use balcony because of chain smokers as has been reported numerous times! At least you will not have that problem, which was why we booked it.

Oh, I didn’t know that. As you say, at least it will be implimented soon. We had a balcony suite on lovely Azamara Cruise through Antartica. Smoking was of course banned on the balconies. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop someone beside us. We complained, they were spoken to about it. The frequency reduced, but they still did it sometimes 😡

On 8/16/2024 at 6:51 PM, Priya2 said: Oh, I didn’t know that. As you say, at least it will be implimented soon. We had a balcony suite on lovely Azamara Cruise through Antartica. Smoking was of course banned on the balconies. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop someone beside us. We complained, they were spoken to about it. The frequency reduced, but they still did it sometimes 😡

Azamara is probably our favourite cruise line along with Oceania, we have never experienced  anyone smoking on their balcony, so I do commiserate, it is so thoughtless.

Due to health concerns we are avoiding airports at the moment, so Fred or even Ambassador are our options. Cruising out of Liverpool is so easy, half hour in the car, bliss! Just wish there were more options!

We are cautious too Lindy. With Fred, we can sail from a 20 minute car ride from home. How do you find Ambassador? The reviews put me off them!

• 2 weeks later...

On 8/18/2024 at 2:07 PM, Priya2 said: We are cautious too Lindy. With Fred, we can sail from a 20 minute car ride from home. How do you find Ambassador? The reviews put me off them!

We only did a 5 night, we found it fine, don’t know if we would do much longer but we did enjoy it. We had one of the top suites, purely because that was all that was available, it was huge! We booked on the Monday, sailed on the following Saturday, the joy of no flights to consider. The drinks package is more expensive than Fred’s, but much better selection. Entertainment was very good and we are not ones for evening entertainment normally. My DH thought the food in the main dining room was better than what we had on Fred, but there wasn’t enough! Overall we will look out for similar cruises on them for next year, but I think 7 nights would be our limit. One thing which we found a bit strange was when we ordered our starter and main we also had to order our dessert, not a problem just different. At least they don’t allow smoking on balconies! If you see one you fancy and the price is right, I’d give them ago. We’re glad we did!

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Jet2.com inks flight supply deals with fred olsen and princess.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and Princess Cruises have confirmed flight allocations with the UK’s third-largest airline, Jet2, to fly passengers to the Mediterranean next year. 

Between October and November 2025, Jet2 will operate chartered flights for Fred Olsen from Stansted and Manchester, carrying passengers to Balmoral which will operate six fly-cruise sailings. The cruises range in length from seven to 12 nights. 

While, for Princess, Jet2 will offer flights from four UK airports – Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle and Manchester – to the Mediterranean where they can join sailings on Majestic Princess.

Eithne Williamson, Princess’s vice-president, UK and Europe, said: “This collaboration underscores Princess Cruises’ commitment to providing exceptional service and convenience, making it easier for our guests to start their dream Mediterranean cruise from a location closer to home.”

Fred Olsen’s director of product and customer services, Clare Ward, said: “[Jet2] are renowned for their customer service and as such will complement the high standard of service that our guests come to expect from us.

“A fly-cruise is perfect for guests who want to maximise their time ashore, by reducing the time in sailing from the UK. Plus, guests can tailor their holiday by booking onto consecutive fly-cruises if they are looking to enjoy a longer autumnal break in the sunshine.”

Both cruise lines’ fly-cruise fares with Jet2 include luggage allowances of 22kg, plus 10kg of hand luggage. 

Williamson told TTG earlier this year that airlift challenges can be a booking barrier for customers and revealed that she was looking to secure flights outside London. 

“We believe airlift can be a blocker for guests," she said at the time. "It’s about working with different airports and airlines so we can match them accordingly to our guests’ needs.” 

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A residential cruise ship that's supposed to sail the world for 3 years has been stuck in Northern Ireland for 3 months

• Villa Vie Odyssey was supposed to set sail on a global cruise from Belfast in May.
• Problems with the ship mean it's been docked there for the past three months.
• Some passengers are staying positive and using the delay to take trips elsewhere.

A residential cruise ship that was supposed to travel around the world has been stuck in Northern Ireland for the past three months.

Business Insider previously reported that the  Villa Vie Odyssey  was initially set to sail from Belfast in May. The ship has been docked there because it needed updating, as it's more than 30 years old. It was previously called the Braemar and operated by Fred Olsen Cruise Lines.

Villa Vie has said issues such as the aging ship's rudder stocks and recertification have delayed its departure by three months.

The 509 cabins cost at least $100,000 each. The Odyssey is due to sail around the world every 3 ½ years , visiting 147 countries and 425 destinations en route.

While the ship is stuck in Belfast, passengers can go on board during the day but not stay on it overnight.

The cruise line's CEO, Mikael Petterson, told BI in an email on Thursday that Villa Vie had provided residents with hotels, other cruises, shore excursions, and trips to the likes of Spain, Liverpool, and Amsterdam.

It's also welcoming residents on board, "where they can get their rooms ready and connect with crew and fellow residents," he added. "It is great to see the relationships building and the community bonding as we are looking forward to the next 15 years of discovery."

One couple on the ship, Johan Bodin and Lanette Canen, previously told BI they'd traveled elsewhere during the delay, to the likes of Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and Sweden.

The couple said Villa Vie had also sent them on various excursions, including a trip to the Canary Islands and a cruise to the Norwegian fjords.

"We understand there are hiccups," Bodin told BI. "They're schmoozing us a bit to keep us happy. They're almost being too serviced-minded — I don't need to be pampered all the time."

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Holly Hennessey, from Florida, told BBC News: "We can have all of our meals, and they even have movies and trivia entertainment, almost like cruising except we're at the dock."

Angela and Stephen Theriac told the outlet they'd spent the delay traveling around Spain by train, visiting Greenland, and taking weekend trips to England.

"We keep teasing we will apply for residency here in Belfast," Angela Theriac told the BBC.

"We have eaten in every restaurant and had a Guinness in every pub," her husband added. "It is just all part of our adventure."

Angela Theriac previously told BI she and her husband had started decorating their floating condo with "personal touches," adding: "Our room is our bedroom, and the ship is our home."

Petterson, Villa Vie's CEO and founder, told BI, "We are going through the last few surveys and expect to launch within the next week."

He added that sea trials were scheduled for Monday.

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