I was really looking forward to my recent ship visit with two of my colleagues, Mollie and Michelle and the Fred. Olsen Borealis did not disappoint.
It was over 20 years ago I sailed to Germany on the Black Watch and have very happy memories. This time we didn't leave the port of Southampton but still had plenty of time to view all the different grades of cabins and suites, together with the public areas, sample the pastries and a first class lunch of Prawns, Salmon cooked to perfection with horseradish mash and melt in the mouth Panna Cotta, not forgetting the freshly baked bread and Belgium chocolates with coffee.
The Borealis is an elegant smaller ship with a capacity of 1,353 guests. I found all public areas to be bright and spacious and every staff member happy to assist with a genuine smile and even better service if that's possible, than I remember.
After viewing most grades of accommodation and there was plenty to choose from, I was pleased to be shown a "Terrace Cabin". These are on Deck 3, Promenade Deck. My main concern is other guests walking past and be able to look in. Happy to say they cannot. Another nice touch is each cabin has their own allocated sun loungers with a terrific view.
Borealis has 2 shows in the Neptune Lounge, the first at 8pm and the later at 10pm. This way no matter which dining option you choose, you don't have to rush or worry about missing out. Talking about restaurants, besides the main ones, there is the View restaurant, this is buffet open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and warm scones with afternoon teas each day. Although we didn't have time to sample, we did check out one of the two speciality restaurants onboard, Colours & Tastes. The Japanese, Thai & Philippines menu looked amazing and the restaurant 5 star all around. A Lovely treat for only £10 per person if you book before you sail or £15 each booking onboard. Totally understand why this restaurant and the Indian Vasco speciality restaurant advise booking early.
Before lunch, we sat down in the Oriental Tea Room, another first onboard for me and happy to see on the menu, all loose leaf teas with my favourite, Green tea. Why not try their tea tasting experience on sea days. The other first I didn't know but do now, is you can rent The Thermal Spa for £25.00 per couple for an hour, amazing to have this all for yourselves and even has an outside balcony. Pure bliss.
After a fabulous lunch where we relaxed and shared experiences, we had a question and answer session in the Auditorium. Again, another surprise as I certainly didn't expect Borealis to host cooking presentations. The Auditorium is also used for presentations and cinema evenings. The seats were so comfortable I could have happily stayed all afternoon, but like all good things, they come to an end and we had to disembark.
If you feel Borealis or any of the other Fred Olsen ships are for you, please do get in contact with myself in Bath. They have some wonderful itineraries and go right into the smaller ports that the big ships cannot. I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
