I was lucky to visit and have a tour of the lovely Fred. Olsen Borealis in Southampton. Once we were swiftly on board through the crew boarding area, we were taken up to The Observatory and treated to an afternoon tea with fresh tea leaves and pastries. After relaxing for a while we were then off to tour the ship, which had just returned from Canada.
We saw lots of different areas of the ship including:
The Observatory - Which is a lovely large area perfect for relaxing with a bar, looking out at the sea views. The Atlantis Spa - Which contained a large gym, beauty areas, Jacuzzis and treatment rooms. They also have some incredible offers for you to hire out the relaxation area all to yourself!! The Pool Area - Perfect with its retractable roof, which makes this area usable no matter the weather. It has a lovely feel with the bar and the eating areas there was well, it's a very relaxing space.
Vasco - Which is one of the specialty restaurants specialising in Goan cuisine, If you book this restaurant on the App before travel there is just a cover charge of £10pp if you decide to book on board, then it is £15 pp Then it was on to Vasco which is a specialty restaurant. Colours & Tastes - is another specialty restaurant specialising in Asian Fusion and again with the same cover charges. Theatre - was quite large and featured performances, magicians, astronomers, and other acts. Shows are on at 8pm & 10pm
Cabins
We viewed a various range of all the cabins they offer, all starting on Deck 7. Interior cabins, which in my own opinion are the largest I have seen on any cruise ship! Adapted premier suite cabins, that really gives the wow factor and perfect for a special occasion. I was impressed by the standard balcony cabin; they are a very good size. They also have an impressive 50 solo cabins on board.
Atrium & Lounges
The atrium is very impressive, you are met by a huge clock so tall that it can be viewed over 3 floors. It is a definite wow and center point of the ship. There are so many places to take a book and chill, for example, The Morning Light Pub & Lounge with its elegant areas to and play traditional bar games, The Bookmark Cafe & Lounge, which has a patisserie (these are chargeable). The Earth Room inspired by Charles Darwin & Sir David Attenborough where you can read and relax, sometimes they have guest speakers. The Botanical Room, which as you can guess is green and features everything regarding the garden, which is very stunning. They have even replicated this in their head office!
We had lunch in Aurora & Borealis Restaurant which was superb! Their attention to detail was great with the menu rolled up like a scroll, they paid very close attention to people with allergies, which was very reassuring. The dining room was impressive with the beautiful ceiling and it's a very large area.
Fred. Olsen think of all the details, the art around the ship is stunning, every corner you turn there is either a painting of all different styles, furniture, floors they really have put a lot of thought into the re design of this ship that they purchased whilst everything was in lockdown, in fact they were the only cruise line to purchase a cruise ship when many others were worrying if they would ever cruise again. They are not fans of making announcements every 5 mins and they want you to have a relaxing time. If you are lucky enough to be on a Northern Lights cruise, music will seep through your television to wake you up gently! They even have 2 launderettes on board that you can personally use yourself, all it cost is £2 and the tumble dryers are free.
TOP TIPS!
- Download the Fred. Olsen App
- Pre book the specialty restaurants on the app before departure and pay only £10 pp extra cover charge. If you pay once on board the cost is £15pp
- Do not disregard the Terrace cabins - These were my biggest surprise, yes you are on the promenade and people walk by, but now I have viewed this cabin, I honestly say it is not a problem, you have 2 lounges outside your door, so you have your own space and access to the upper decks.
- Consider an obstruction picture window cabin - In my opinion after viewing these, the picture window was large, that I honestly felt that the obstruction would not be an issue.
- As we are close to Southampton, yes, it is convenient for all the Mediterranean cruises, however, do not disregard the other ports as we can offer flights from our local airports which means you explore other itineraries.
- Take advantages of their 2 launderettes on board that you can personally use yourself, all it cost is £2 the tumble dryers are free
All in all, I was really impressed by the Borealis from the outside. She looks small, but inside she is like a tardis! She is personal & friendly and worth considering for your next cruise.
