Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Balmoral makes maiden call at the Port of Galveston

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ 1,350-guest cruise ship Balmoral made her inaugural call at the Port of Galveston in the United States on 25th January 2012, during the first sector of her 89-night ‘Cruise to the New World’, which departed from Southampton on 5th January 2012. 

Matt Grimes, Director of Planning for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:
“We are delighted to receive such a warm welcome at the Port of Galveston, on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ first voyage to the United States since February 2010. It is tremendously exciting for our guests to be able to visit such iconic attractions as Houston’s NASA Space Center, and this goes to show why we are renowned as one of the leading cruise lines for the breadth of our destinations and itineraries.” 

After her first U.S. stop in Key West on 21st January 2012, Balmoral arrived at the ‘home of Jazz’, New Orleans – also a maiden call for Fred. Olsen – and then set sail for Galveston. During the visit, guests were able to take advantage of a wide range of evocative excursions, including an ‘Historic Galveston’ tour to explore Bishop’s Palace, the Railroad Museum, Moody Gardens, the Great Storm, the Ocean Star Off Shore Museum and NASA Space Center. Guests were also offered the opportunity to discover the many shopping and entertainment opportunities of the Historic Strand District.

Steve Cernak, Director for the Port of Galveston, said: 
“The Port of Galveston is very pleased to welcome the M/V Balmoral to Galveston Island. This ship call provides the perfect opportunity to showcase our many sites and attractions.”
Balmoral’s ‘South America Grand Voyage’ has a different and novel itinerary, taking in parts of North America, as well as Central and South America. From Galveston, the ship is continuing to Montego Bay and Ocho Rios in Jamaica, before sailing to Costa Rica, Nicaragua and El Salvador, and then onto Ecuador and Peru for a two-night stay in Callao (Lima). This cruise also visits several Chilean ports, the Falkland Islands, Uruguay, Argentina (Buenos Aires), and Brazil, a key focus of the cruise, which includes calls into Santos (for Sao Paolo), an overnight stay in Rio, then Salvador, Recife, Fortaleza and Santarem in the Amazon. The return voyage is via the Cape Verde Islands and finally Madeira, returning to Southampton on 3rd April 2012.