Fred Olsen Cruises – Balmoral Ship Visit
I was recently lucky enough to be invited on board the Fred Olsen Balmoral ship. So I took myself along for a tour to find out more about the brand. As one of the few cruise companies offering regular sailings from the Port of Tyne, I wanted to check out Fred Olsens Cruises and see what was on offer. So, here’s my review of the ship. Disclaimer, I haven’t actually cruised with Fred Olsen. My review is purely based on spending a day on the ship and what I thought of the facilities on board.
An Introduction to Fred Olsen
Fred Olsen is currently offering cruises to Iceland, the Norwegian Fjords, the rivers of France and Portugal, the Scottish Highlands, Germany and the Mediterranean out of the Port of Tyne. Fred Olsen also has some longer voyages, and grand voyages departing Newcastle. These will take in more of the Mediterranean including Spain, the Greek Islands, the Amalfi Coast and Turkey. As the Fred Olsen ships are slightly smaller than many of the newer ships, they can cruise into places other ships just can’t get to. This gives you a new perspective on the destinations you’re visiting.
All of the cruises run by Fred Olsen also feature signature experiences designed to celebrate what makes cruising with Fred Olsen different. They can include itinerary insights, scenic discoveries, treats of the region, sky at night and ship and the sea. Fred Olsen will bring experts on board their ships to give more of an insight into a particular destination or event which coincides with the cruise. There might be whale-watching experts on board a cruise to Iceland. Or experts in the Northern Lights on one of their search for the Northern Lights cruises. They will also offer cooking demonstrations to try the cuisine of that sailing destination.
My Visit
From the moment I boarded the ship, it struck me how friendly all of the staff on board were. We were led through to the Observatory which has amazing panoramic views, and where breakfast was waiting for us. We had a selection of yummy pastries to choose from and chose our tea from a special menu. The service was amazing, very efficient yet completely unobtrusive.
After we’d enjoyed time to get to know each other and sampled breakfast, we set off for a tour of the ship. First stop was the bridge where we chatted with one of the assistant captains. He showed us how they sailed the ship and talked us through the staff who would usually be on duty, safety drills etc. He then let us all try on a captain’s hat and pose for our photos! It was super interesting to see an area behind the scenes that a lot of people wouldn’t get to see.
The Cabins
We then went off to have a look around the cabins on offer and there are some absolutely stunning ones. A good thing about Fred Olsen is they have cabins for pretty much anyone. There is a range of interior cabins, ocean view, balcony cabins and suites. The ship has various cabin configurations with some cabins on the ship dedicated to single travellers. There are also twins, doubles and cabins for 3 or 4 if you are travelling with children. There are also several accessible cabins on board.
The suites were absolutely gorgeous and I was surprised by how spacious they were. The Premier Suite we toured had its own sitting area, dining area and a walk-in wardrobe in it! Even the standard cabins were a good size and would be perfectly comfortable. The cabins followed the theme of the rest of the ship, decorated in a classic style. They feel very cosy and welcoming. It was lovely to see little touches in all of the cabins. The passengers’ tickets and paperwork were laid out for them. Snacks, bottles of wine, fruit platters and champagne were also left in some of the cabins. All ready for the next passengers.
Onboard Life
The public areas of the ship were next. We walked through all of the dining venues, bars, and lounge areas. We also checked out the gym, spa and of course the two pool areas. There were plenty of areas on board to spend some time relaxing, chatting, dining or enjoying the entertainment. When the ship got busier later in the afternoon it was great to see people relaxing with a coffee, curled up with a book or newspaper, or enjoying a drink in one of the many bars. We also got to sample a non-alcoholic cocktail in the Oriental Tea Room which was absolutely beautiful.
After our tour of the ship, we went for lunch in the Avon Restaurant. Now I’m no food writer but everything we had on board was amazing. We got to sample two of their starters, a goat’s cheese dish and a prawn bisque. I then choose the steak with potatoes and pearl onions in a garlic cream which was cooked exactly how I like it. Then for dessert a fresh raspberry mille-feuille. Let me tell you, I was very full after that! Again, the service was amazing. Our water glasses were never empty, plates, cutlery and glasses appeared and disappeared in the blink of an eye. All of the staff were extremely attentive however without ever feeling like they were in your way or overbearing.
The Ship
Afterwards as we were walking around the ship, there were plenty of passengers boarding for that evening’s cruise to Iceland. There was a real range of ages on board. From the older end of the market to couples and families who looked to be in their 30s/40s (however I am terrible with ages!). There were also a couple of children on board.
Although Fred Olsen doesn’t sell themselves as a family cruise line, they do allow children to sail with them. They don’t have any dedicated children’s facilities on board their ships. However, there are a couple of cruises over the summer holiday period where they will bring children’s hosts on board to run a kid’s club. If there is a cruise where lots of children are travelling, they will bring hosts on board. I think Fred Olsen would be the perfect cruise for older children. Their cruises would also be great for families with children who aren’t bothered about having kid’s clubs, waterslides etc on hand.
Another thing that struck me about the ship was how reasonable the prices on board were. Full Board dining is included with a Fred Olsen cruise. If you wanted to book into either of their speciality restaurants, it would only cost £10pp if booked in advance. They charge £15pp if you book on board. This is a bargain in comparison to some other cruise companies. The speciality menus sounded amazing too! They have Vasco which is a Goan restaurant, and Colours & Tastes which is an Asian restaurant. There is a drinks package available which starts from £24.99pp per night. There are often offers on these so they can be a little cheaper. It’s great value if you like a couple of drinks while on holiday. If you’re not a big drinker, prices are comparable with UK pub prices. A pint costs around £5, a glass of wine around £6, a cocktail around £7 and a mocktail around £4.
My thoughts on Fred Olsen Cruises
What struck me about the Fred Olsen Balmoral was how cosy the ship was. It invokes the feeling of how cruising would have been before the more modern, huge ships were introduced. It had a sense of classic glamour about it.There were plenty of spaces to relax and spend some time quietly enjoying the facilities. Fred Olsen cruises would be perfect for people who are put off by enormous cruise ships with thousands of passengers on board. Although I have experienced cruising on a larger ship and enjoyed it, I’d love to experience a Fred Olsen Cruise too. Sailing to Iceland or one of their Northern Lights cruises have defintiely added to that ever-growing travel wish list.
It’s great that Fred Olsen have very much committed to sailing from the Port of Tyne. One thing the region has been lacking for some time was decent cruises out of the North East. They will have Balmoral sailing out of North Shields for the 2024 season. Fred Olsen have also committed another of their ships, the Borealis, to the region for the 2025 season. I hope this is the start of the Port of Tyne expanding their offerings to North East customers!
If you’re feeling tempted by one of the cruises from North Shileds offered by Fred Olsen Cruises, get in touch and I’ll happily talk you through the options.
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Happy travels! Michelle x
