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Why Go?
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 Fred. Olsen Braemar Photos
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Friendly British ship, great for traditional cruisers
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Enrichment and arts & crafts classes galore
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Sails a mix of itineraries from the U.K
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Ship was lengthened in 2008
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Itineraries and Ports of Call: Caribbean - Southern • Caribbean - Western • Middle East & Africa • Transatlantic
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Braemar Review
Fred. Olsen's Braemar may not be the flashiest ship at sea, but it's definitely one of the friendliest. Wherever you sit -- out on deck, in the lounges or waiting for a drink at the bar -- you are guaranteed to be able to turn around and have someone to engage in a pleasant and warm conversation. One solo traveller on my summer sailing to the Canary Islands told me she liked cruising on Braemar purely for this reason.
Braemar was originally built in 1993 as the 19,089-ton, 727-passenger vessel Crown Dynasty for the now-defunct Crown Cruise Lines. It joined the Fred. Olsen fleet in 2001.
In 2008, Braemar went into dry dock at Hamburg's Blohm + Voss shipyard where it was given a massive overhaul and facelift. The ship emerged as a shiny, new, 23,000-ton, 929-passenger vessel with an extra 31.2 metres in length in the mid section. (Editor's note: When you are standing next to the ship in port, see if you can make out where the cut was. It's pretty easy to spot!) Along with this addition came 70 new cabins, a new lounge (The Observatory), a second restaurant (The Grampian) and an expanded sun deck with one new pool and plenty of room for bathers.
One of the biggest changes that past passengers will notice is the Braemar Room on Deck 5 -- it leads into the new Scottish-inspired Morning Light Pub (which debuted on sister ship Balmoral in early 2008). Prior to the refit, the area was more of a walkway, but now the extended Braemar Room has become more of a public room in its own right, with Aztec and nautical-themed decor. The area is also home to a new library, card room and Internet room.
Braemar is clearly a ship that attracts repeat passengers, and much of this is due to the friendliness of the passengers and the camaraderie a small ship engenders. Many conversations on my cruise started with "Last time I was on Braemar..." or "We sailed on the ship before the extra space was added...." But, instead of acting cliquey, the repeat passengers were very welcoming, even offering cruising tips to Fred. Olsen newbies.
Braemar is a truly British ship -- with tea served in abundance, British guest speakers and a Daily Mail print-out paper available each day in reception. It's also quite traditional, with formal dining and plenty of enrichment classes. For this reason, the ship attracts the senior crowd, particularly in the winter. However, during a summer cruise, there were, rather surprisingly, 54 children onboard. The kids do have a daily programme, but the older ones like to create their own entertainment with the new friends they make. Because of this, die-hard Fred. Olsen fans should probably avoid the school holidays.
Read Complete Braemar Review
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Fred. Olsen Ships: Balmoral • Black Prince • Black Watch • Boudicca • Braemar
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