Fred Olsen From Scotland

Fred. Olsen offers a choice of cruises from two Scottish ports in 2009 – Black Prince cruises out of Greenock during May and June, while Boudicca is based in Leith from late June to early August.  Both ships operate a programme of northerly cruises to Norway, Iceland, the Baltic and the North Cape, as well as cruising closer to home, around the UK and Ireland.

Black Prince’s first departure from Greenock is a long cruise of 21 nights to the Adriatic, departing on 3rd May 2009.   This cruise (BP0909) visits a wealth of attractive ports, starting with Ceuta in Spanish Morocco, then Cagliari in Sardinia followed by a cruise of the Aeolian Islands taking the ship to Durres in Albania.  From here she visits the Croatian port of Split and on to Venice for an overnight stay.  Ravenna follows, then the lovely old walled city of Dubrovnik, La Goulette for Tunis and Motril in Spain – a good base for an excursion to the Moorish Alhambra Palace in Granada.  Final port of call is Leixoes for Oporto, heart of Portugal’s port industry, before returning to Greenock.  This cruise has a theme of Painting through Fred. Olsen’s ArtsClub programme of special interests on board, and the varied and historic ports visited will offer many opportunities for amateur painters to improve their skills.  Prices start from £1,920 per person.

Boudicca begins her ex-Leith programme with a 13-night cruise to the North Cape departing 21st June 2009.  This cruise (BD0914) heads north from Leith, making first landfall in Kristiansund to cruise Norway’s majestic Trollfjord, then cruises to the most northerly point – Honningsvag for the North Cape, well inside the Arctic Circle and home of the Midnight Sun.  From this stunning landmark, Boudicca cruises back down the coast of Norway, visiting Tromso, Leknes, Andalsnes and the pretty Art Nouveau town of Alesund.  Final ports of call in Norway are Skjolden, an anchor port, and the bustling fishing port of Bergen, before returning to Leith.  Prices for this cruise start from £1,551 per person.

Prices are per person, based on two sharing a twin cabin and include all meals and entertainment on board and port taxes.

For more details of these and other ex-Scotland cruises, visit www.fredolsencruises.co.uk To book, call Reservations on 01473 742424 or see your local ABTA travel agent. You can also book online.

Official Press Release Fred Olsen Cruise Lines dated 1st December 2008.

Black Prince to Retire

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has announced it will retire its vessel Black Prince in October 2009. The 441 passenger ship, which was built for the company by Flender Werft in Lubeck in 1966, will operate a series of four Farewell Cruises starting on 9th September from Liverpool, and ending on 16th October in Southampton.

When Black Prince entered service for Fred. Olsen Ltd on 19th October, 1966, it was in the role of a joint passenger/freight ferry operating between the UK and the Canary islands in the winter, and the UK and Norway in the summer. The ship was converted to a full-time cruise ship in 1987 and from February that year became a key player in the cruising market in the UK.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines managing director Mike Rodwell said: “This is a very sad announcement for the company to make as Black Prince is one of the best loved ships that caters to the UK market, and many passengers have cruised on her so often that even they have lost track of the number of holidays they have taken. We know that there will be thousands of passengers who have sailed on her who will be very sad on that final day.”

Black Prince’s Farewell Season will begin on 9th September 2009 with a ten night Around the UK cruise from Liverpool, then a three night mini cruise from Liverpool to Southampton. The season continues with a 10 night Historic Home Ports cruise from Southampton back to Southampton; followed by her final cruise of 14 nights to the Canary Islands. The ship returns to Southampton on Friday 16th October, 2009.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines currently operates a fleet of five ships mostly from UK ports on worldwide itineraries.

Official Press Release Fred Olsen Cruises dated 16th October 2008.

Changes to Balmoral World Cruise

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has increased the number of separate sectors available on Balmoral’s World Cruise of 104 nights, departing from Dover on 14th February 2009.

There are now three new additional sectors available, all with extremely competitive discounts.  Sectors are:-

 Singapore – Yokohama

 Yokohama – Los Angeles

 Los Angeles – Dover

The 22-night middle sector of the world cruise is from Singapore to Yokohama (BL03425) and visits Ho Chi Min City in Vietnam, Hong Kong, China and South Korea before reaching Japan.  Prices for this fly/cruise are from £1,798 per person.

Next new sector (BL03456) is of 26 nights from 6th April 2009 and is from Yokohama to Los Angeles, via Alaska, Canada and the USA, priced from £1,982 per person.

Final sector (BL03461) is a US and Caribbean cruise from Los Angeles via Mexico, South America and the Caribbean sailing back to Dover via the Azores, and is priced from £1,575 per person.

These new cruise sectors are in addition to the three sectors already on sale, so there are now six different sectors to choose from.  The original sectors are:-

 Dover – Singapore (32 nights)

 Singapore – Vancouver (40 nights)

 Vancouver – Dover (35 nights)

All prices are per person based on two sharing an inside twin cabin and include all meals and entertainment on board, port and airport taxes and flights where indicated.

Lol Nichols, general sales manager for Fred. Olsen said: “Our world cruises visit such a fantastic array of wonderful ports worldwide, but of course there is a limited number of people with the time and resources to take a complete world cruise.  By increasing the number of sectors available, we are offering a greater choice of more manageable sectors at a very competitive price, so more people can be a part of this wonderful cruise.   These new shorter sectors offer great value for money as all meals and entertainment on board are included in the price.”

For more information see www.fredolsencruises.co.uk  To book call Reservations on 01473 742424 or see your local ABTA travel agent. You can also book online.

Official Press Release Fred Olsen Cruises dated 10th November 2008.

Fred Olsen Revised Itineraries

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has announced a revision to itineraries for two of its ships for the summer 2009 and winter 2009/2010 seasons. The new programme affects Braemar and Boudicca, and dramatically reduces the number of fly/cruises the company will be offering over the next two years.

Originally scheduled to operate a summer season of fly/cruises using the port of Civitavecchia as a base, Braemar will, on return from the Caribbean in early May, now operate cruises from Dover to northern Europe and Iceland, the Baltic and Mediterranean. The ship will return to the Caribbean in November for its normal fly/cruise programme based in Barbados instead of Miami.

Boudicca remains unchanged until December 2009 at which time the previously published programme of Caribbean fly/cruises from Barbados is replaced with an extended ex Portsmouth series until after Christmas when the ship will relocate to Southampton. Cruises from Southampton include a 28-night Caribbean round trip, as well as itineraries to the Canary Islands and the Mediterranean.

All the new itineraries will be on sale from Wednesday 20th August.

The changes have been made in light of likely sustained higher fuel costs, which particularly affect long-haul fly/cruise programmes.

Nigel Lingard, marketing director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:  “Our fly/cruise programme was originally designed and costed on operating costs in effect almost two years ago. However, with the dramatic increase in fuel prices we have taken the decision to offer a more cost effective programme. This also gives us the opportunity to further widen the choice of ex UK cruises for our traditional clientele.”

Fred. Olsen operates a fleet of five ships, based mainly in a variety of UK ports, on itineraries ranging from a two-night mini cruise to 104 nights around the world.

Official Press Release Fred Olsen dated 22nd August 2008.

Fred Olsen Launches Winter Warmers Brochure

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has launched a mini-brochure of selected winter cruises, many of which offer an additional bonus of free onboard credit. There are cruises aboard all five ships – Balmoral, Black Watch, Boudicca, Braemar and Black Prince – to destinations including the Caribbean, Canaries, Iberia and West Africa, all offering autumn and winter sun.

Black Prince’s “Contrasts of Greece” cruise departs Liverpool on 10th November 2008 for 21 nights (BP828).  Ports of call include Almeria, Cagliari (Sardinia), Souda Bay, Greece, Thira (Santorini), Piraeus (Greece) and Valletta (Malta) and the cruise has an ArtsClub theme of Comedy offering extra entertainment for no extra cost.  Prices for this cruise start from £1,224 per person, with an additional £200 on board credit per cabin.

Braemar’s “Pearls of the Caribbean” fly/cruise of 15 nights (BM219) departs 8th January 2009, with flights from Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester to join the ship in Miami.  The islands visited include Dominican Republic, Curacao, Grenada, Barbados, St Lucia and Antigua, as well as Florida’s Key West.   The cruise also offers a theme of Painting through Fred. Olsen’s ArtsClub, and Flagship Golf, an exclusive golfer’s package for £400 per player.  Prices are from £1,162 per person and there is an onboard spending credit of £100 per cabin.

Balmoral’s “Colourful Mediterranean” is a 14-night cruise departing from Dover on 16th November2008 (BL027).  This cruise visits Malaga, Barcelona, Palma, Valencia, Gibraltar and Lisbon and offers both The ArtsClub with a theme of Wine and Flagship Golf, priced at £350 per person in the Mediterranean.  Prices start from £984 per person, with an additional onboard spending credit of £100 per cabin.

More details of all these Winter Warmer cruises can be found at www.fredolsencruises.co.uk.  Agents can book online via F-OCAL or AmadeusCruise, or call Reservations on 01473 742424.

Official Press Release Fred Olsen Cruises Dated 11th August 2008.

Fred Olsen Introduce Musical Cruises

Music has always been a very big part of any Fred. Olsen cruise; evening  entertainment, daytime classical recitals, live piano-playing in bars, steel bands on deck in the Caribbean – all add to the very special atmosphere on board.

Now the cruises that feature music as a key theme have been brought together in one specialist brochure, making them easier for music-lovers to select.

The Music at Sea brochure features every kind of musical entertainment – Classical, Big Bands, Rock and Roll, Jazz, Latin and Opera are all represented.

Balmoral’s cruise round the British Isles, BL025, departs Dover on 7th October 2008 for 12 nights and features the Big Band Sound in the form of Bill Tole’s Jimmy Dorsey 8, with comedy from Al “George Burns” Long and leading vocalist Lorri Hafer, who has toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra.  They will entertain guests with the unmistakable sounds of swing during the cruise, which is priced from £875 per person.

Black Watch’s Iberia cruise of eight nights departing Dover on 24th October 2008 (BW866) visits La Rochelle, Bilbao, El Ferrol (Spain), Oporto and Cherbourg.  This cruise has a theme of Jazz and Popular Classics with entertainment provided by the Phoenix Dixieland Jazz band and prices for the cruise start from £498 per person.

Black Watch’s next Iberia cruise, BW868 departs Dover on 23rd November for eight nights with prices from £495 per person.  This cruise has the same itinerary but a very different musical style is featured, with classical music provided by Classical Connections with a programme covering a wide range of musical styles from grand opera and operetta to songs from the musicals.  

The tempo speeds up on Balmoral’s 13-night cruise to the Canaries from Dover leaving 30th November.  This cruise features Rock and Roll, with the music provided by the Steve Lowe Band and the sixties theme is guaranteed to have the Baby Boomers on board rocking in the aisles!  The cruise calls at Lisbon, then the islands of Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera and Madeira, with prices from £896 per person.

Braemar is based in the Caribbean over the winter offering a season of fly/cruises.  Her 5th February 2009 departure, BM221, is a fly/cruise of 15 nights with flights from Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted to Miami and visits the islands of Dominican Republic, Curacao, Isla Margarita, The Grenadines, Barbados, Dominica, Antigua and Tortola and the very appropriate musical theme is Hot Latin.  Prices are from £1,195 per person. 

Prices are per person, based on two sharing an inside twin cabin and include all meals and entertainment on board, as well as the special musical themes, port taxes and, in the case of fly/cruises, return flights and airport taxes.

Official Press Release Fred Olsen dated 17th July 2008.

Fred Olsen’s Braemar Transformed

The major refit and lengthening of Fred. Olsen’s cruise ship, Braemar, is now complete and she is about to recommence her cruise programme from Southampton.

Braemar arrived at the Blohm + Voss Repair GmbH shipyard in Hamburg on 13th May for work to begin on inserting a new mid section into the vessel.

The operation to cut the vessel in half was completed on 17th May.   The new section was then moved into place and the forward section of the ship connected with the new part.

The 31.2 metre section has created additional accommodation allowing us to increase the total passenger capacity from 727 to 968.   Much of this accommodation will also include balconies, bringing the total number of cabins and suites with this facility to 70 (including the Owner’s Suite).

The greatest addition to passenger facilities can be seen on Marquee Deck (Deck 8).  Braemar now boasts a brand new Observatory Lounge, with magnificent viewing facilities, in common with her sister ships Balmoral, Boudicca and Black Watch.  There is also a new dining facility, the Grampian Restaurant, and a completely transformed pool area, with two swimming pools, a dedicated children’s pool and pool bar to enhance life on deck.

Another new enhancement is the Morning Light Pub next to the Neptune Lounge on Lounge Deck (Deck 5). The first Morning Light Pub is on Balmoral and is a popular place to relax with a drink and enjoy live evening entertainment.  Morning Light was the name of the largest fully rigged vessel owned by the Olsen family in the 19th century.

On Bridge Deck (Deck 7) there is a new Arts and Crafts Room, a peaceful haven which will be used for talks, lectures and tuition as part of Fred. Olsen’s ArtsClub programme of special interests – this is aft, close to the Skylark Lounge.

Some of the existing facilities have a new location – the Hair and Beauty Salon and Fitness Centre have moved to Atlantic Deck (Deck 3), midships, and the Internet Room is now on Lounge Deck (Deck 5) along with the Card Room and Library.   Nothing has been lost in the transformation, however, and many wonderful new spaces have been created. The ship may now carry more passengers, but the additional public space will ensure they never feel crowded and the increased number of balcony cabins and suites answers an ever-growing demand for this kind of high quality accommodation.

Marketing director Nigel Lingard said: “By lengthening and enhancing Braemar we have created space to carry more passengers on one of our most popular ships, but have retained that ‘small ship’ friendly feeling. I am confident that our regular customers will be delighted with the improvements we have made and we also look forward to welcoming many new faces aboard Braemar in the coming months.“

Official Press Release Fred Olsen dated 14th July 2008.

Fred Olsen Announce Fuel Supplement Charge

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has announced a new fuel supplement on cruises from summer onwards featured in its new 2009/2010 first edition brochure.

This charge will be £4.00 per person per night for the first two passengers in a cabin, up to a maximum charge of £80 per cruise;  and £2.00 per person per night for 3rd and 4th passengers in the cabin up to a maximum charge of £40 per person per cruise.

The supplement will apply to all new bookings on cruises featured in the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Worldwide 2009/2010 1st edition brochure (with the exception of cruises also featured in the Fred. Olsen Cruse Lines Worldwide 2008/2009 3rd edition brochure, which will maintain the £5.00 per person per night supplement).

This charge will be effective from 1st July and will apply to all new bookings.Potential customers are therefore urged to confirm their bookings before 1st July in order to avoid this increased charge.

Official Press Release Fred Olsen dated 30th June 2008.

Fred Olsen Launches New Brochure For 2009-2010

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has just launched its brochure of worldwide cruises for 2009-10, offering its greatest ever choice of ships, destinations and departure ports.  The brochure features a total of 312 different ports and 134 countries and islands visited in the cruise programme.  A total of 160 cruises is featured in the brochure.

With a fifth ship - Balmoral - joining the fleet in February 2008, and Braemar undergoing a major refit and lengthening in spring 2008 to increase capacity, the cruise line goes from strength to strength.

Highlights of the new brochure include:-

• Three round-the-world cruises - two on Balmoral and one on Black Watch -plus long voyages to Canada and the USA (Balmoral) and Around South America (Black Watch).  Long cruises can also be booked in sectors with a number of options for pre- and post-cruise holidays ashore.
• Two ships - Braemar and Boudicca - offering winter Caribbean fly/cruise programmes with a choice of homeports - Miami or Barbados.
• More long voyages - Canada and the USA (40 nights), Around South America (73 nights).
• Ex-UK cruises from Portsmouth for the first time aboard Boudicca - this port joins the list of regional ports used by Fred. Olsen around the UK:- Dover, Southampton, Newcastle, Liverpool, Leith and Greenock.
• Fly/cruises from a total of 19 regional airports - Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted, Newcastle, Doncaster Sheffield, Norwich, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds Bradford, Bristol, Dublin, East Midlands, Birmingham, Belfast, Glasgow, Newquay, Durham Tees Valley, Humberside, and - for the very first time - Aberdeen.

A new selection of Civilisations cruises is also featured. These special add-on packages are aimed at discerning travellers, who are interested in culture, history and the arts and want to get under the skin of the places they visit.   Dedicated hosts and expert guides and lecturers ensure a very special experience, with exclusive shore tours and in-depth onboard sessions.

A more informal, but none the less popular extra on many cruises is Fred. Olsen’s ArtsClub programme of special interests. This eclectic programme features a whole range of varied topics - painting, comedy, wildlife, wine, gardening, antiques and even story telling and creative writing come under its broad umbrella.  At no extra cost (with the exception of wine and watercolour painting), participants in ArtsClub can enhance their experience and perhaps start a new hobby, or refresh their interest in an old one.

The now well-established Flagship Golf programme continues to attract golfers all over the world.   For a small extra fee, golfers can enjoy games ashore as well as on-board practice sessions, tuition from a PGA professional and golf-related social activities.

The choice of cruises is unsurpassed - from a two-night mini cruise, to 106 nights round the world.  Destinations include the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Scandinavia. Iberia, the Canaries, Baltic, Black Sea, Caribbean and South America. 

Cruise prices start from £141 per person, for a Black Prince two-night mini cruise “Irish Jig” departing from Greenock on 21st June 2009 and visiting Dublin and Liverpool.

Official Press Release Fred Olsen dated 18th June 2008.

Fred Olsen Extends its Portfolio of Regional Departure Ports

For 2009-10, Fred. Olsen continues to expand its portfolio of regional departure ports from the UK, as well as regional airports for fly/cruises.

As well as the major southern ports of Dover and Southampton, the cruise line operates summer cruises from both Leith and Newcastle (Port of Tyne) on Boudicca, while Black Prince sails exclusively from Liverpool and Greenock.  A new departure for 2009 will be a selection of autumn cruises operated by Boudicca from Portsmouth, to the Adriatic, Western Mediterranean, Iberia and Cape Verde. She then leaves from Portsmouth in early December to cross the Atlantic for the Caribbean, where Barbados will be her winter home port.

The fly/cruise programme also continues to expand, with two ships - Boudicca and Braemar - offering Caribbean fly/cruises with Braemar being based in Miami. The roll call of regional airports involved in the fly/cruise programme continues to expand -  there are now selected fly/cruises from Aberdeen (new for 2010),  Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Doncaster/Sheffield, Dublin, Durham Tees Valley, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Humberside, Leeds Bradford, Newcastle, Newquay, Norwich and Stansted airports.  All fly/cruises are available from Gatwick and Manchester.

Lol Nichols, UK General Sales Manager, said:  “We’re delighted to be offering this increased number of departure ports for both our fly/cruises and ex-UK cruise programme.   The addition of Portsmouth especially offers a new dimension to cruises from the south.  We never forget that our customers come from all over the UK and we aim to make their cruises as enjoyable and trouble-free as possible from the moment they leave home.   Using more regional ports and airports gives them more choice and, hopefully, makes it easier and more appealing for them to travel with Fred. Olsen.”

Official Press Release Fred Olsen dated 18th June 2008.

Next Page »