Fred Olsen Cruise Lines – Cashback, Rebates & Rewards

Our first post pandemic cruise was with P&O at New Year and we were so disappointed we applied for and got some compensation. This short cruise to Scilly and Falmouth restored our faith. Within 5 minutes of being on the ship the experience was already way beyond that of P&O. Staff were friendly and smiled at you, the officers were visible, our cabin was excellent, food & drink good & well served and I had 2 super visits to the spa. We really felt looked after and we met some really nice fellow travellers too. For the first time ever we experienced a disembarkation that was fairly organised and wasn't a rugby scrum. Why didn't I give this review 5 stars? Beware QEII terminal in Southampton which has no parking. We had to use a shuttle bus to take us and our luggage to Horizon Terminal nearly 2 miles away. Given that the average age of a Fred Olsen traveller is 67 this is silly and everyone thought it was an annoying faff. The coach had steps that resembled a ladder to get on amd off. There was apparently a disability bus but we couldn't see it. Shuttle buses need to be low floor and accessible to everyone. Annoying but it didn't spoil a lovely holiday. We liked it so much we booked to.go again!

Our first ever cruise holiday with Fred Oslen and loved every minute. We did a 5 night cruise to Amsterdam and Anthwerp with our 4 year old son. Service was amazing and as our son was the only little one on board staff always mad a fuss of him which he loved. Great facilities. Loved our time in Amsterdam and will be definitely looking to book an extended break there. Overall very impressed with Fred Oslen and would recommend to others. Sailed from Newcastle and would definitely do again.

It's our first cruise and all I can say is what a fabulous time we've had. It was our 30th wedding anniversary and we arrived to fresh flowers in our room a card,gift and a special cake at dinner. The staff were all so lovely and friendly especially Nat cabin steward Jim in the lounge and the lovely jamil our waiter at night. Food was so good and varied and the entertainment was of a west end standard especially the musicals night. Would definitely recommend

Almost everything about our cruise on Balmoral was fantastic. The staff and service was just exceptional. They are so kind, fun, nothing is ever too much trouble. Extremely well trained and dedicated. I loved the captain's daily announcements, letting us know what was happening on the ship, the weather forecasts and even a quote of the day. The entertainment was good, we especially enjoyed Elspeth and Naomi, the classical duo, and Gordon Cree. The end of cruise show by the staff was the icing on the cake and we all loved it. The food was of exceptional standard, in our opinion. The main dining restaurant was excellent. Fresh, hot, classical cooking presented in a contemporary way. The cake of the day in the cafe was always good too. We especially appreciated the taste of the region and the hard work the chefs put in. It really made the cruise. The speciality restaurants are fantastic, and good value. Both Vasco and Colours and Tastes were supremely good and we felt so looked after. The only bum notes were - I needed some medical assistance whilst on board and it was an absolute fiasco. They hadn't a clue. They did decide not to charge for it in the end, but I still have to mention it because it was quite distressing. The cruise had to depart from Dover instead of Southampton. I understand this was due to encountering bad weather on the way back to the UK. I appreciate these things are not entirely in the control of Fred. Olsen but the way the transfer was managed on the ground was pretty chaotic and a bit unpleasant. Cattle in a pen springs to mind. Our bathroom had a lingering smell of damp/mold. Whilst not cruise-ruining, it wasn't brilliant. We paid for the freedom fare thinking it would have some benefits. We weren't aware of any. It didn't seem to affect our shuttle options, we weren't offered or consulted about any cabin upgrades, we didn't have priority embarkation and disembarkation was done by deck and cabin. Why pay the extra?? Aside from these minor grumbles, the whole cruise was a fantastic experience, which is why we are giving Fred. another go on the 12th of May. Let's hope it's 5 stars next time. What really made it was the beautiful Balmoral. Timeless decor, promenade deck, teak everywhere, cosy feeling. Wonderful, cheeky, smiling staff who could not do enough for you. Our favourite of the bar staff was Saffron who handled everything like a pro. Thank you.

We have this week returned from our cruise to Northern Norway,In Search of the Northern Lights. I feel I would like to comment on a review which I have just read about the same cruise. We loved the cruise, loved Bolette and found all crew members courteous ,friendly and helpful. The embarkation port WAS changed from Tilbury to Southampton but we were very happy as we live near Portsmouth.You can’t please everybody all of the time. Yes, one port visit was cancelled due to bad weather but this was explained fully on several occasions by Captain Jozo who is after all responsible for the safety of all passengers and crew. Yes, on the last day at sea ,I developed Covid so had to be isolated for 24 hours. I don’t think this is any way the fault of Fred Olsen but simply a reflection of the number of people on board and the virulence of the virus in the population. I felt that all staff treated me professionally and courteously and although I missed out on my last day,I was supplied with everything I needed. We loved our time on Bolette and our exploring of Norway and look forward to our next time.