Another great name in the history of international shipping, the Norwegian Fred Olsen company has been operating ships as a family-run firm since 1848. Nowadays, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines operate from the UK and build on their proud heritage with a fleet of five medium-sized cruise ships.
Dining and entertainment are designed with British passengers in mind. Cuisine is of above average standard and levels of service are high, with an emphasis on friendliness and responsiveness – making for a relaxing cruise holiday.
Black Watch, Black Prince and Braemar would particularly suit older travellers, with a little more formality enjoyed on Black Watch, however the whole fleet provide a comfortable and enjoyable cruise experience for adults of all ages. Their latest ship, Balmoral, is their largest and began its life with Fred Olsen in 2008.
See our Fred Olsen 2008 Late Deals and our Fred Olsen 2009 Early Booking Offers.
Cruise Review of
Fred Olsen Cruises
Still owned and operated by the family that founded it, the Fred Olsen Cruise Lines company is keen to compete with the large multinational cruise operators by offering something distinctive. Their five ships are generally intimate in size and character, with the emphasis on providing a very traditional cruise experience for mostly British passengers. The inventive ArtsClub programme of theme cruises (eg painting, dancing, golf and even The Archers radio show) hints at the passengers who will get the most from a Fred Olsen cruise.
Destinations
By using a wide range of UK cruise departure ports – Southampton, Dover, Leith, Greenock, Liverpool, Dublin, Belfast and Newcastle – Fred Olsen has made its cruises a convenient option for UK travellers.
From short break trips (1-3 night voyages to destinations such as Cork, Guernsey and Rotterdam) to a 107 night Round the World adventure, Fred Olsen offers a wide range of itineraries including Northern Europe and Baltic, Greenland, Mediterranean, Caribbean, the Far East and South America.
Cuisine
With good quality food and service from the Filipino staff, dining on Fred Olsen ships is a very pleasant affair with passengers changing for dinner (black tie on formal nights). Drink prices remain reasonable too.
Family cruises with Fred Olsen
Despite being a favourite amongst older travellers, it’s quite common to find several generations of families cruising together during school holidays. Older children however will find facilities on other cruise lines to be more appealing.
Gratuities (Tips) / Currency
Gratuities are at the discretion of individual passengers. No extra service charge will be added to transactions in the ship’s bars and lounges. You should allow £2.00 per passenger per day for your cabin steward/ess, and the same for your restaurant waiter. Onboard currency is the British pound. |
