Walking into the top of the range Premier Suite on Fred Olsen's largest cruiser - The Balmoral - my wife Sue and I were delighted by the sheer opulence of its design, space and amenities. The large bed, dressing table and side tables were in a room tastefully divided from the lounge, where we found a full sized dining table with seating for four people, a comfortable settee and two armchairs. En-route there was a large "walk-in" wardrobe with masses of space, and a bathroom complete with bath tub and shower. Another bonus was the large, very private balcony, with yet another full-sized table with chairs for four, and two comfortable sunloungers.
Purchasing a Premier Suite for the 23 day cruise from Dover to Turkey, via Gibraltar, Greece and Rhodes takes some planning and saving, unless you are a lottery winner! With a brochure price of almost £14,000 for two and some rather expensive shore excursions, you have to be prepared to dig into cash reserves. Of course, like any cruise, there is plenty of wheeling and dealing to be done with Travel Agents, and probably everyone onboard had paid a different price, but were keeping quiet about it!
If you do splash out on a suite on an Olsen ship there are some bonuses to be had. We got three decanters, filled with complimentary gin, whisky and cognac, which saved us around £70, a weekly discount of £10 on our laundry, complimentary shuttle passes, and use of bathrobes and binoculars. There is also a free pressing service for outfits worn on formal nights. Another nice touch is the daily replenishment of the fruit bowl.
Large Premier Suite on starboard bow, large bedroom with double bed, en-suite bathroom with bath tub and shower. Room divider leading into large lounge with full sized dining table for four people, settee and two chairs with wobble coffee table. Sideboard with mini bar, large flat screen television,CD player, complimentary fruit and three decanters filled with whisky, gin and cognac. Large mirrors and tasteful art work on walls. Two air condition controls, very quiet and no noised from engines or adjoining suites even though there was a locked door to Marquee Suite 1001. Very stable in all weather conditions. Large veranda with full sized, glass top, dining table and four chairs, and two very comfortable sun loungers. Lifts 10 yards away and convenient for both the Fitness Centre on the same deck and the Observation Lounge above.