I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to experience Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines with 2 other ladies from Miles Morgan Travel. We experienced the Balmoral, the smallest ship in the Fred. Olsen fleet and sailed to Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
We started our trip by train, which I would recommend to anyone who wants a stress-free journey. If you do travel by train, it is so easy to get to the cruise terminals, as there are plenty of taxis situated outside of station. We travelled to the Horizon cruise terminal, and this took us around 5 minutes and cost £7.
The check-in process at the port was quick and easy for everyone travelling. Your luggage is checked in straight away and is then delivered to your cabin onboard. After checking your bag in and security, the main desk will check over all your documents and will link a payment card to your ship key. Fred Olsen, like so many, is now a cashless ship, so any onboard purchases are linked to your ship card. This can then be found on your tv in your room or pop down to guest services and they can help you too.
Once onboard, we were greeted by the amazing staff and a simple touch was the live band, serenading us as we boarded! All the staff were more than happy to guide you to your cabins and to point you in the right direction of the main areas.
During our trip, we were fortunate to have our own ‘Superior Balcony Cabins’ at the back of the ship on deck 9. We were directly below a restaurant and due to this I was expecting noise, but it was a very calm and peaceful location.
The balcony cabins were wonderful, with plenty of space to relax inside the cabin and to enjoy the benefits of the chairs and sun loungers on the balcony too.
When entering the cabin, you will be met with a welcome book, details on your dining times with locations and much more! If you haven’t been on a Fred. Olsen ship before, they also provide some maps too!
If like me you have any food allergies, there will also be an invitation to meet with the Maitre d’e. In this chat he can go through your allergies and the menu with you in depth. This was very useful and makes for a stress-free trip.
After settling into ship life, it was time for the best part of the day, the sail away party! Everyone gets together on the top deck listening to the live music from the resident band as we start our voyage.
That evening, after a cocktail masterclass, we dined in the Ballindalloch restaurant, the main restaurant onboard. There are 2 menus that you can choose from here; one in which the dishes reflect the port of call and the other has options which are available every evening. There was plenty to choose from and something for everyone.
Day 2
On the second day, I thought “What is the best way to start my morning before a full day of exploring?” Of course, it was to sit on my balcony with a cup of coffee, relaxing as we sailed the North Sea, an opportunity you don't get every day!! The food on board the balmoral was phenomenal and the breakfast was no exception! There were plenty of options to suit everyone onboard, including room service offering a continental breakfast to a Buffett in the main restaurants on board. I tended to eat at the palm cafe most mornings, which was the main buffet restaurant. Here you could find fresh pastries and bread, fresh fruit, cooked breakfast items and an omelette station.
Our morning consisted of exploring the wonderful ship and viewing the activities that were available for the guests on board. To help make the most of your day, the entertainment team put together ‘The Daily Times ’. Through this leaflet, you can see what is happening during the day and to also take part in some of Fred Olsen’s signature experiences. They have something for everyone onboard including a daily quiz, talks about the ports of call, dance classes, stargazing, wildlife spotting with ORCA and so much more!
We carried on the day with a behind the scenes tour of the entertainment department, where they showed us all of their costumes, props and also gave a talk on the different types of entertainment on board. Fred Olsen offers dance classes (with the resident dance hosts), a magician, stand-up comedian, theatre-type shows, live music and so much more!
The afternoon was a moment I will not forget in a hurry. We were incredibly fortunate to watch history in the making on board the Balmoral. We were able to witness the moment that 2 ships were in the North Sea Canal local at the same time, the first time in history. What makes this moment even better was that both ships were Fred Olsen! This is just another way in which Fred Olsen likes to create unique, unforgettable experiences.
In the evening of the second day, we were fortunate to dock alongside the Bolette, another one of Fred Olsen’s ships. The beautiful Bolette is only a few years old and was originally a Holland America Ship, which has since been refurbished to fit in with the Fred Olsen brand. This ship is truly stunning and is a lot bigger than the Balmoral, but still fits in the small and intimate ethos that Fred Olsen promotes.
The Bolette doesn’t differ that much from the Balmoral, as it still has similar restaurants, bars, entertainment programmes and unique experiences. The cabins are also similar. One thing to mention regarding the cabins on the Bolette and the Borealis, if you would like a balcony cabin, you would have to select a suite or higher-grade cabin in order to benefit from this. The Bolette & Borealis, instead of balcony cabins, have ‘Terraced’ cabins where your cabin door will open onto a public promenade; however, you can still benefit from your own reserved sun loungers here too.
We finished our evening in our first port of call, Amsterdam, where we were docked overnight. With Fred Olsen ships being so small, they have the added benefit of docking right in the heart of the cities. This meant the ship was docked overnight, only a 15-minute walk away from the centre. Perfect for exploring the city at night.
Day 3
On our third day we made the most out of the excursions Fred Olsen had to offer. These excursions are available to book through your online account 4 weeks prior to travel. Alternatively, these can be booked on board, but I would recommend to pre-book to avoid disappointment! We were lucky enough to take part in the ship’s escorted tour to Keukenhof Gardens to view the tulip fields. The trip was run very smoothly by Fred Olsen, with the timings of the tours released on the ‘Daily Times’ the night before and the tickets available to be picked up from guest services before the trip.
After our trip it was time to get all dressed up ready for the ship’s formal night. This is usually on cruises of 5 nights or longer, although it does differ per cruising company. As previously mentioned, Fred Olsen hold various ‘Signature Experiences’ to really make the most of your time on board. That evening, we took part in a cheese and wine night, sampling the wine onboard and Dutch cheese, collected when we were in port.
With formal nights, you can either choose from dining in the speciality restaurants (they get booked up very quickly for these nights) or dine in the main restaurants, which was what we did. It was amazing to taste some dishes that were specific to the region we were sailing. After the most amazing dinner, we finished the night in the Lido Lounge taking part in that nights many forms of entertainment, a silent disco!
Day 4
On the fourth day, we arrived in Rotterdam, the largest seaport in Europe. We had arrived in the city overnight, so it was nice to wake up in the morning, sit on my balcony and take in the sights of Rotterdam. The main cruise terminal is in the centre of the city, making it easy to reach the main tourist sights. There were plenty of excursions available, but we opted out of this and decided to explore the city ourselves. It was a bit of a walk into the main tourist station areas and due to this, Fred Olsen provided transport into the city centre. If you are booked on a freedom fare, this is free and if you are based on a saver fare this is £5 which is added to your onboard credit.
There is so much to do in Rotterdam, it was hard to fit it all in to a few hours! I will however definitely recommend the Rotterdam market hall! This is a unique building made up of residential housing, offices with a market hall located underneath. In here, you can buy local produce and eat your way around the world! You will be spoilt for choice.
That evening we dined in the Vasco restaurant which is one of Fred Olsen’s speciality restaurants. This restaurant, located just behind the Palms Cafe, offers a taste of India through dishes inspired by Goan Traditions. The dishes here are phenomenal and flavoursome, with everything being made fresh for customers. Vasco restaurant is not included in your cruise fare so there is a small supplementary charge. This is £10pp if you book before the cruise and £15pp if you book on board. An amazing price for what you get.
Day 5
We spent our final day sailing and experiencing everything that Fred Olsen had to offer on board. We also benefitted from a tour of the different cabins that they had to offer guests. This included their inside, outside & balcony cabins and then expanded to single cabins, accessible cabins & the suites available on each ship. A lovely little extra that Fred Olsen offers, is a complimentary ‘Suite Dreams Package’ on all of their suite rooms. Just a small touch to make your time on board extra special! This will include priority check in, sparkling wine ready for you, daily canapés & fruit basket, bathrobes & slippers. Binoculars and a world atlas are also included, perfect for the scenic discovery cruises.
We took part in 2 final ‘Signature Experiences’ on the trip which included wine tasting and afternoon tea. We were fortunate to have a private wine tasting with the Sommelier, who took us through the different wines available on board. We followed this by a traditional premium afternoon tea experience. This is served in the observatory with a beautiful musical accompaniment and served by white-gloved waiters. You can choose from a choice of premium teas or treat yourself to a glass of champagne! You are also served some delicious sandwiches, cakes, and pastries, including freshly made sweet & savoury scones.
On board, on your first night, there is usually a captain's cocktail party, where they will introduce themselves and welcome you onboard and is repeated on the last night. However, due to being on a mini cruise, the captain's cocktail party was moved to the last night. This is a lovely time to meet the captain, as well as the various staff onboard who had made the cruise a memorable experience.
Our last evening onboard was spent at my new personal favourite, ‘Colours & Tastes’, the other speciality restaurant onboard. This is a more intimate experience inspired by the tastes of Far East Asia. There is so much to choose from on the menu, you really are spoiled for choice, and I would highly recommend dining here more than once on your cruise! This can be booked before your cruise for £10 pp or can be booked onboard for £15pp. I would highly recommend to book this before your trip to avoid disappointment.
The last evening, of course we had to spend it in the Neptune Lounge to watch that night's entertainment, ‘The Ministry of Rock’. It was such a good show, and it was lovely to see everyone getting up dancing and singing. I would recommend to get there slightly earlier to get the best seat in the house!
Day 6
All good things must come to an end, and unfortunately it was time for us to leave the ship. Disembarkation is so easy and simple, and instructions are included within the daily times the night before. An announcement is made in the morning for disembarkation, starting as early as 7am. There are two ways for disembarkation; you can either leave your suitcase outside your room the night before and this is taken off the ship when you dock and is then collected when you leave. If you choose this option, you must wait to be called for your luggage and this is done by the colour of your luggage tags. The second option, which is what we did, was express disembarkation. This meant we kept our luggage with us at all times and could leave the ship when we wanted to!
When you dock, the car parks, as I mentioned, are right next to the port and it’s so simple to get to them. I would highly recommend booking a taxi for disembarkation day, as there are not many taxis available when you leave, and we were waiting for a while for one.
I would highly recommend Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines if you want to sail on a small, traditional ship that offers unique experiences and a friendly, personal service.
