Joanne’s thoughts on Fred. Olsen’s Bolette
I was lucky enough to be invited to look around Fred Olsen’s ship Bolette whilst docked in Southampton. We arrived at the port and had a very speedy and easy embarkation.
Once onboard we were shown up to the observatory lounge, this was a great space to relax, look at the scenery and listen to the pianist whilst being served delicious pastries with tea, coffee or even Prosecco!! The observatory lounge had a lovely, homely atmosphere and the staff were so friendly and attentive. Our tour of the ship started with a very informative bridge visit which guests can also enjoy whilst on board. Next came the cabin tours. We visited all cabin types. I was very impressed on how spacious they were. After visiting the different cabin types, we headed for the main communal areas on the ship.
The Bloomsbury and Terrace restaurants are spacious and light. We also visited Colours and Tastes which is a speciality restaurant – Asian themed. This was a beautiful restaurant. The menus were displayed outside on a large screen which was very useful. We were told that the menus change regularly to keep them fresh. I was surprised that there was only a small supplement to dine in this restaurant. We also visited Vasco restaurant, an Indian-themed restaurant. One of my favourite rooms on the ship was the Oriental tea room where you could sample unusual teas and drinks. It had beautiful decoration and felt very calming. Next door was another favourite location, the Botanical room. This was stunning, this would be where I would choose to relax on board.
During our guided tour we visited the Auditorium. They have many guest speakers in this venue but also we discovered that behind the curtain was a show kitchen where show cooking and demonstrations take place for guests to watch. The Theatre was our next stop, the room was huge on two floors. They have nightly entertainment. Which consisted of shows, guest speakers, musicians, comedians and many special acts. On the ship, there were so many areas you could choose to relax and watch the world go by. You may choose to sit in the well-stocked library, play cards in the card room, have a martini at the bar or relax in the Oriental tearoom or botanical lounge.
The Bolette has two pools that guests can enjoy. One has a retractable roof which allows guests to enjoy the pool whatever the weather. There is also a pool at the back of the ship which I really liked. I was so surprised that for a small ship, Bolette was very well equipped with a large gym and spa area, It also had a thermal suite which had the feel of a Turkish Bath with a Jacuzzi. The treatments that you could select were very well-priced. A treat for art lovers was the new Olsen Art Studio. It was a very impressive airy space filled with various arts and craft materials. The studio hosts classes and activities that guests can enjoy.
At lunch, we were treated to delicious food in the two-storey restaurant. We had a stunning three-course meal. The steak was delicious, melt in the mouth. Again, the staff were excellent and very attentive throughout.
One of the phrases we heard during the day was small is best. This is certainly true. We were made to feel very welcome. The ship really had a warm and friendly atmosphere. The joy of cruising on a smaller ship is that you have that personal service also being on a smaller ship allows you to visit more interesting places that larger ships can’t reach. I really enjoyed my day and will be recommending Fred Olsen to my customers, especially those who wish to travel on a smaller ship.
