Discover ‘Scenes from the Silver Screen’ on a Fred. Olsen ‘UK set-jetting’ cruise

For the very first time, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is offering guests the chance to visit film locations featured in top blockbusters and hit TV shows, including James Bond’s Skyfall, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Braveheart, Game of Thrones, Broadchurch and Poldark, on a ‘UK set-jetting’ cruise! Guests looking for a ‘location vacation’ can choose between two ‘UK Scenes from the Silver Screen’ sailings in 2017: the first is a 10-night cruise aboard Braemar, departing from Southampton on 21^st May 2017; and the second is an eight-night adventure aboard Balmoral, departing from Newcastle on 6^th August 2017.

Nathan Philpot, Sales and Marketing Director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:

“There is an increasing trend amongst holiday-makers to want to visit the set of their favourite TV shows and films, and Fred. Olsen’s brand-new ‘Around the UK & Ireland’ cruises are bound to be attractive to these ‘set-jetters’. For instance, we saw a surge in demand for our Arctic voyages after Sky Atlantic’s TV thriller Fortitude was aired, and similarly following the BBC’s recent series, Ireland with Simon Reeve, which prompted heightened interest in the ‘Emerald Isle’.

“Many cruisers want to experience something unique and extra special on their holiday: visiting a destination in a ‘new way’, such as taking a tour to the mighty Glencoe in Scotland – which was featured in 2012’s 007 adventure Skyfall – or visiting the Poldark Mines and St. Agnes Head in Falmouth – the backdrop for the BBC’s romantic drama Poldark – offers even the most seasoned traveller a chance to discover something they may never have seen before!”

Details of Fred. Olsen’s two ‘UK Scenes from the Silver Screen’ cruises, which are available to book from 9^th March 2016, are as follows:

- Braemar’s 10-night M1712 ‘UK Scenes from the Silver Screen’ cruise, ex Southampton on 21^st May 2017

Guests will arrive first in Rosyth, for tours to the fascinating city of Edinburgh. Guests can take their pick of the Scottish capital’s many connections to TV and film: discover the mysterious Rosslyn Chapel, which featured in The Da Vinci Code, with Tom Hanks; head to St. Andrews West Sands, the Blue Flag beach adjacent to the famous golf course, which was used in the opening scenes of Chariots of Fire; or visit Doune Castle, from Monty Python and the Holy Grail and the historical TV drama series, Outlander.

Next is a call into Fort William, which is located at the end of Loch Linnhe. Guests can marvel at Glencoe, arguably Scotland’s most historic glen, which was the filming location for the final scenes in the James Bond film, Skyfall; or take in the Glenfinnan Viaduct, where iconic moments of Harry Potter and the Chambers of Secret and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban were filmed.

Braemar will then spend a full afternoon cruising past Loch Linnhe, Corran Narrows and Duart Castle, in Scotland.

Belfast, in Northern Ireland, is the next port of call; on just a short journey from the city, guests can visit some of the top filming locations from Sky Atlantic’s highly-successful fantasy television programme Game of Thrones, including the Castle Ward Estate – the setting for the fictional land of ‘Winterfell’.

An overnight stay in the lively city of Dublin, in Ireland, follows. Guests can visit Trinity College, where the film Educating Rita, starring Julie Walters and Michael Caine, was filmed, or Kilmainham Jail, where scenes from The Italian Job – another Michael Caine classic – took place.

Braemar then arrives in Falmouth, in Cornwall, home to sandy beaches and spectacular landscapes. The town is also the gateway to some of England’s most impressive attractions: the Eden Project, the Lost Gardens of Heligan, St. Michael’s Mount and Lizard Peninsula. It is also the setting for the iconic drama series, Poldark. Guests can go behind-the-scenes and visit locations associated with the hit BBC show, and the books upon which the series was based, plus enjoy a tour to Truro, which is said to be the inspiration behind the original stories.

In Portland, the final port of call on this unique cruise, guests can visit nearby Lyme Regis, where ITV’s British crime drama, Broadchurch, was filmed. Braemar then returns to Southampton.

- Balmoral’s eight-night L1717 ‘UK Scenes from the Silver Screen’ cruise, ex Newcastle on 6^th August 2017

Balmoral will arrive first in Oban, in Argyll, Scotland; a small, yet fascinating, area, overlooked by the prominent McCaig’s Tower. With dramatic landscapes, shaped by mountains, lochs and islands, many artists, authors and poets have been inspired by its beauty. Nearby is impressive Glen Nevis, in the shadow 1,344-metre-high Ben Nevis, where 1995 film Braveheart, starring Hollywood mega-star Mel Gibson, was filmed.

Balmoral will then cruise past Duart Castle and Firth of Lorn, in Scotland, before arriving in Belfast,Northern Ireland’s vibrant capital. Here, attractions include the remarkable Titanic Belfast exhibition and tours to the exceptional natural phenomenon of the Giant’s Causeway. Guests can also take a tour to the Castle Ward Estate, where many scenes from Sky Atlantic’s Games of Thrones are filmed, for an opportunity to try a spot of archery and take photographs of costumes from the show.

After a call into Dublin, in Ireland – where the Oscar-winning film My Left Foot, featuring Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis – was filmed, Balmoral arrives in Falmouth, in Cornwall. This beachfront town is home to the series Poldark, whose central character, played by the actor Aidan Turner, has become quite a heartthrob!

Guests will then spend a day in Portland, which clings to the south coast of the UK, via the shingle-covered ‘tomobolo’ of Chesil Beach – part of the UNESCO-listed Jurassic Coast. Portland is the gateway to a plethora of historic attractions, including Salisbury Cathedral and Stonehenge. Guests can also take a tour to nearby Lyme Regis, which was the setting for the 1981 film The French Lieutenant’s Woman – fans could visit the ‘secret meeting place’ at the Lyme Regis Undercliff, where stars Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons first met! Balmoral will then return to Newcastle.

For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit the website at www.fredolsencruises.com Book online, call Reservations on 0800 0355 242 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm; Saturday, 9am to 5pm; Sunday, 10am to 4pm), or visit an ABTA travel agent.