The historic cruise line with a fiercely loyal British following
A classic stalwart of the British cruising scene, Fred Olsen Cruises is beloved by a devoted coterie of guests who are fiercely loyal to its particular brand of homespun cruising.
Founded by three brothers in 1848, the Ipswich-based company is still owned by Norway’s Olsen family, helping it to retain the cosy ambience that can be lacking in some of its larger, more corporate rivals.
Freds (as it is affectionately called) is known for its winsome mix of on-board comforts and more intimate ships, harking back to a traditional age of set dining times, formal nights, on-board lectures and captain’s cocktail parties which appeal to a more mature British clientele.
And when it comes to dining, there’s no shortage of feel-good classic favourites including shepherd’s pie and roast beef on menus, in addition to a mix of international flavours and dishes that reflect the ships’ itineraries.
Where does it cruise?
Fred Olsen steers a more novel route across the globe on imaginative and offbeat itineraries, with a key strength being the network of UK departure ports it offers.
Guests can opt for Southampton, Portsmouth, Dover, Newcastle, Liverpool and Edinburgh (Rosyth), making it one of the largest choices of any cruise company operating from the UK.
With its roots in Norway, Fred Olsen naturally prides itself in offering a more personalised taste of the fjords in “The Olsen Way”, which capitalises on smaller ships to seek out lesser-explored areas of Norway’s striking coast. It also covers the main cruising grounds of the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, UK, northern Europe and the rest of Scandinavia.
The start of each year normally heralds Fred Olsen’s annual world cruise, which in 2024 departs Liverpool and Southampton on an epic 103-night circumnavigation that heads for the Americas and through the Panama Canal before reaching Australia.
During the year, the line peps up its schedules with other long-haul explorations and in 2023 these include a 34-night cruise to the United States and Canada; a fall foliage voyage to Canada that includes a passage along Quebec’s Saguenay River; a 29-night Caribbean cruise; and a 93-night circumnavigation of Africa, featuring Egypt’s treasures at Alexandria with safari outings in South Africa and tropical islands of Sao Tome and Zanzibar.
Within Europe, highlights include a 25-night “Renaissance Italy” sailing exploring the country’s rich artistic heritage, and a 26-night cruise to the Balkans and Adriatic, visiting the Croatian cities of Dubrovnik and Split, plus Durres in Albania.
Who does it appeal to?
Fred Olsen’s three ships tend to attract an older, mainly British clientele who like the gentle pace and style of the onboard ambience.
However, in school holidays the mix of ages becomes more varied with multi-generational groups as some passengers bring children and grand-children, and younger guests are catered for by Little Skippers children’s clubs on family-friendly sailings.
The line is also a traditional favourite among solo cruisers, as its ships have a higher-than-average number of single cabins and caters for them with exclusive social gatherings and seating solo guests together at dinner. There are even gentleman hosts and dance couples to spin singletons around the floor at the regular tea dances.
Many Fred Olsen customers return time and time again – the line claims to have more repeat guests than any other cruise line – and are greeted by crew members who welcome them back as old friends, such are the warm bonds that form between them.
The company prides itself on getting under the skin of destinations with its “Signature Experience” programme. This covers five initiatives including Treats of the Region, with cookery demonstrations of local delicacies, and Ship and the Sea which focuses on Fred Olsen’s maritime heritage, including talks with ship captains.
The tours programme also aims to give an authentic flavour by visiting local families and indigenous groups. Exhilarating alternatives are offered on RIB (rigid inflatable boats), carried on each Fred Olsen ship, while a partnership with wildlife charity Orca, which sends volunteers on selected sailings, adds an extra dimension to whale- and dolphin-spotting.
There’s much to appeal to British tastes on board, with arts and crafts classes and bridge sessions, a well-stocked library, and afternoon tea served to the tinkling ivories of the resident pianist.
Live shows and singalongs, cabaret and comedy acts fill the evenings, which have designated dress codes. There’s usually at least one formal night and occasional theme nights each cruise, with a favourite being the red-white-and-blue-themed British nights.
The Fred Olsen fleet
Bolette
1,338 passengers
Fred Olsen’s flagship joined the fleet in September 2020, having previously sailed for Holland America Line, ushering a new level of ship facilities for the line.
Named after Fred Olsen’s great grandmother, it can travel at higher speeds and reach destinations more quickly, thus paving the way for increasingly ambitious itineraries with additional destinations and more time for scenic cruising.
Bolette ushers in a grander style with signature features and six restaurants, including stately two-tiered main dining venues – plus a dedicated art studio and an auditorium for cookery demonstrations and cinema evenings. It is the first Fred Olsen ship to have a retractable roof over one of its two swimming pools.
Borealis
1,360 passengers
A near-identical sister ship to Bolette, it also joined the fleet from Holland America Line in September 2020 and similarly boasts the high-speed capability that lends itself to more far-reaching itineraries. There’s a similar line-up of on-board amenities to Bolette, including speciality restaurants Colours & Tastes, serving Asian cuisine, and Vasco, whose Indian dishes are inspired by the line’s Goan chefs.
The atrium centrepiece on both Borealis and Bolette is a gloriously intricate clock tower, while there’s old-style glamour in abundance in the two-tier theatre-style Neptune Lounge, with its sultry colours and velvet seats. Both Borealis and Bolette also have a wider choice of lounges with the addition of the Ocean Bar and Piano Bar.
Balmoral
1,325 passengers
The oldest ship in the Fred Olsen fleet, having joined in 2007, Balmoral is also the smallest. This means it can navigate some of Europe’s more slender waterways, such as the Seine River, where it sails inland as far as Rouen; along the Gironde and Garonne rivers to Bordeaux, and the Kiel Canal, linking the North and Baltic seas.
Its design follows classic cruise ship lines and it boasts a homely ambience, but having been stretched, with a 30-metre section inserted in the midship, there’s a light and airy feel, too. Injecting an exotic flavour to the line-up of lounges is the Oriental Tea Room with its mix of blends and varieties from Japan, China and Taiwan. Another favourite across all three Fred Olsen ships is the Morning Light pub, offering a selection of British and international beers – just the thing to inspire the brain cells for popular quizzes held here.
Only with Fred Olsen
The Signature Experience programme features five such activities on every sailing, including Sky at Sea star-gazing on deck, Scenic Discoveries, where guests join guides to spot wildlife and scenic points of interest and an Itinerary Insights programme of lectures and talks.
November 9 will mark the third time Fred Olsen’s three ships come together, a reunion marked in Madeira with the ‘Fleet in Funchal’ celebration, marked with a quayside fiesta and programme of events.
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