Booked this cruise over a year ago to go in search of the northern lights. Relocation cruise prior to ours was cancelled due to an outbreak of gastrointestinal cases. This meant some hygiene restrictions were still in place for first few days. This did lead to some inconvenience and slow service. Some toilets were closed. After three days the restrictions were lifted and everything got back to ...
The ship was beautifully decorated for Christmas. The service on board from every member of staff was excellent. Our cabin was upgraded for us and provided welcome extra space for three of us in a beautifully appointed suite. The entertainment was good, shows by the crew and a comedian we have seen before and thoroughly enjoyed again along with an excellent singer. Talks from the guest speakers ...
Back to cruising finally after pandemic, despite saying l would not travel with Fred again due to previous disasters, having acquired 2 newer ships we were tempted again, so we booked a short 7 day Norway trip, three weeks to go Fred rang and told us our cabin was a disaster zone and they'd have to move us, would we accept an upgrade to a Premium suite, well after a lot of thought (2 ...
Wanted the opportunity to visit Iceland and the Faroe Islands, to learn about the geology, history and way of life of the people who live there. Enjoyed the dramatic scenery. Also liked being able go sightseeing in the places visited and to try some locally brewed beers. In particular liked having overnight stops in Reykjavik and Akureyri.
Well organised with friendly staff. Comfortable cabin ...
We’d never gone Far North before. It was a ‘bucket list’ cruise. The crew, waiters and cabin staff were faultless. The ship was an ‘Olsen ship’ and we’d sailed on Balmoral several years ago so it was familiar. The shows were very good and you’d not have believed how little time they had for rehearsals.
The talks were interesting but told you nothing about each destination. For that you had to ...
We chose the cruise as it was easier for us to reach Liverpool and was less likely to be affected by an increase in Covid infections
The ship itself is very well refurbished from Holland America line. It is excellently appointed and did not disappoint in this regard. For health reasons we selected using the Freedom fare, a Premier Suite close to a lift and friends. We have mobility issues and ...
Wanting to celebrate Christmas and New Year away from the doom laden 2021, our plans had to be changed due to the uncertainty of travel to the U.S. A lucky chance took us to this cruise which included the Canary Islands for Christmas and to the fabulous firework display in Madeira for New Year.
We have travelled with Fred only once before and found the whole experience comfortable and ...
Fred Olsen’s Bolette; veranda cabin; mid Oct 21. Dover to Barcelona.
Boarding was smooth with a flow test simple & organised.
Always plenty to do on a Fred ship though for some reason they always started one or two minutes before the appointed time. The evening entertainment was a bit average.
Food was generally good and we often plumped for the pool café (whatever it’s called) for ...
There were lots of good things about this cruise. Embarkation and disembarkation were wonderfully swift and painless. there was no pressured up-selling, such as we'd experienced on other, more high-profile cruise lines. The food was good, even for a vegetarian like me; the drink prices on the Balmoral are far cheaper than on other cruise lines; the coffee bar is superb, with prices much cheaper ...
Delighted to say that on this cruise the regular afternoon teas were a huge improvement on last years which were a disaster. Someone must have read my last report.Still an unacceptable waiting time for orders taken in bar sometimes, but staff worked off their feet. All crew members had very pleasant attitude and were keen to engage with passengers if encouraged to do so. Atlanrtic deck cabin was ...