I was lucky to be invited by Fred Olsen to visit their Flagship Bolette for the day. After a quick embarkation, we went to The Observatory which has floor-to-ceiling windows for great views. We were treated to pasties, cake and tea which was set up like afternoon tea perfect start to the day.
Then we began our tour of the ship and went straight to the Atlantis Spa & Fitness Centre. Here they have a hairdresser which have windows so views of the ocean or port whilst getting your hair done. There are also treatment rooms available for spa treatments, and you can have access to the spa facilities, Jacuzzi, Steam Room and sauna for a fee of £20.00. For the more active there is a spacious gym with complimentary fitness classes. On the Lido deck, you have access to the Lido bar and Poolside restaurant. This is where the main pool and 2 hot tubs are and the roof is retractable so the lido can be used in all weather.
There is a choice of restaurants to choose from, You have the poolside restaurant for Late Breakfast and lunch for those who would like to eat al fresco. The View is the main buffet and is open for all meals, There are 2 speciality restaurants to choose from which can be pre-booked for £10.00pp or £15.00pp if booked onboard. Vasco is one of the speciality restaurants which offers a taste of India with Goan traditions The other speciality restaurant is Colours & Taste which offers a range of Asian food from Japan, Thailand, China & Philippines. The main restaurant for a 5 course a la carte menu is the Bloomsbury Terrace Restaurant which is two-tiered. We were lucky enough to have a 3-course lunch here and the food was divine and were very full afterwards and then they brought out chocolates to have with our coffees.
There are lots of areas for you to relax onboard the Bolette, There is the Oriental Tea Room which is very pretty and pink, here you can choose from a wide selection of tea during the day and they also offer a tea-tasting experience which is popular on sea days and in the evening, they do tea- inspired cocktails. The Bookmark & Lounge is perfect for an afternoon coffee and to relax and read a book. In the evening you have the Neptune Lounge which is a two-tiered theatre where all shows are held. However, there are plenty of other bars to choose from including The Morning Light Pub & Lounge, Ocean Bar & the Piano Bar.
I was also able to view most of the cabins they offer, Interior Cabin, Ocean View Cabin, Premier Cabin, Balcony Cabin & the Olsen Suite. I was very impressed with the size of the cabins they were all very spacious and all had a sitting area as standard and it did not feel cramped.
Overall, my perception of Fred Olsen Cruises has completely changed since I have been onboard the Bolette. I was pleasantly surprised and can see why they get so many repeat clients. I can highly recommend Fred Olsen especially for small ship cruising as they don't ever sail with no more than 1200 passengers.
