Fred. Olsen celebrates successful second 'Brabant' river cruise season with great-value ‘Tours, Dining Drinks & Tips’ offer in 2020

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has successfully completed its second river cruise season on 156-guest Brabant, carrying more new guests than ever before. Building on its successful inaugural season in 2018, Brabant returned to the Danube, Moselle, Rhine and Main rivers in April 2019, offering guests Fred. Olsen's friendly, tailored approach to exploring the spectacular waterways of Europe, with expert speakers and tours to help to inform their understanding of the destination.

Now all eyes are firmly on 2020, with exciting new itineraries designed to take guests to places rarely visited by river, such as the scenic riverside towns of Luxembourg, along the Moselle and voyages of discovery to the Black Sea, on the wildlife-rich Danube Delta.

To encourage even more people to try a Brabant river cruise in 2020, Fred. Olsen has launched a great-value ‘Tours, Dining Drinks & Tips’ incentive: if guests book from Brabant's incredible selection of 2020 river cruises before 12^th November 2019* – and upgrade for £200 per person – Fred. Olsen will include a package of five tours, showcasing the highlights of the itinerary, plus a 'Dining Drinks' upgrade, and tips covered. (*Not bookable online – only through the Reservations team, see details below)

Jackie Martin, Sales and Marketing Director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:

"2019 has been another successful year for Brabant – now well-established, in its second cruise season – and we are delighted that many more newcomers have decided to give a Fred. Olsen river cruise a try this year, and that so many have returned again for a second cruise!

"We look forward to welcoming even more guests to experience our friendlier, tailored style of European river cruising in 2020, when we will be offering 26 itineraries, covering 43 ports of call, as well as introducing 10 maiden calls, across six different countries. We will also be taking in five brand new areas, and visiting destinations rarely explored on a river cruise.

“So, why not try a Fred. Olsen river cruise in 2020 and make the most of our tempting new ‘Tours, Dining Drinks & Tips’ offer to make exploring Europe’s finest waterways even more enjoyable?”

New for Fred. Olsen in 2020 are maiden sailings into Luxembourg, taking in stunning Grevenmacher and Remich – where few other river ships venture – as well as scenic cruises of the Danube Delta, with other inaugural calls to: Trier and Nierstein, in Germany; Cetate, Galați and Dobreta-Turnu Severin, in Romania; Donji Milanovac, in Serbia; Enkhuizen, in The Netherlands; and Vukovar, in Croatia.

Notably, every Fred. Olsen river cruise will incorporate plenty of daytime scenic cruising, so that guests can enjoy some of Europe’s most fantastic scenery – with 14 areas of scheduled scenic cruising included across the itineraries.

Among the highlights of Brabant’s 2020 cruise programme – which commences on 6^th April 2020, with a 10-night ‘Floral Holland in the Spring’ sailing – are:

- 14-night R2007 ‘Eastern Europe Discovery to the Danube Delta’ fly-cruise (flights from London / Manchester), ex Budapest, Hungary on 31^st May 2020. Prices start from £2,899 per person.

Follow the mighty Danube all the way down to the Danube Delta, rarely visited by river ships, to witness the birds and other wildlife that inhabit the area, accompanied by accomplished naturalist Chris Bielby. Experience time-honoured traditions and treasures, such as Serbian music and dancing, and taste authentic Hungarian Paprika.

Ports of call: Budapest, Hungary – Vukovar, Croatia – Belgrade, Serbia – Cruising through the Iron Gates – Vidin, Bulgaria – Ruse, Bulgaria – Cruising the Lower Danube – Galați, Romania – Cruising the Danube Delta – St Gheorghe, Romania – Fetești, Romania – Cetate, Romania – Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Romania – Novi Sad, Serbia – Kalocsa, Hungary – Budapest, Hungary (overnight stay)

For further information: Visit 'Eastern Europe Discovery to the Danube Delta' - R2007

- Seven-night R2019 ‘Sailing the scenic Moselle to Luxembourg’ fly-cruise (flights from London / Manchester), ex Cologne, Germany on 30^th August 2020. Prices start from £1,699 per person.

This route, sailing all the way down to Luxembourg, is one rarely taken by river ships. Spend time in Remich – the ‘Pearl of the Moselle’ – and marvel at the twin-spired Gothic cathedral and Ehrenbreitstein Fortress in Cologne, accompanied by Professor Andrew Hopkins, internationally recognised for his architectural knowledge.

Ports of call: Cologne, Germany – Cruising the Lower Moselle Valley – Cochem, Germany – Trier, Germany – Remich, Luxembourg – Grevenmacher, Luxembourg – Cruising the Upper Moselle Valley – Cruising the Middle Moselle Valley – Bernkastel-Kues, Germany – Traben, Trarbach, Germany – Koblenz, Germany – Cologne, Germany

For further information: Visit 'Sailing the Scenic Moselle to Luxembourg' - R2019

- Seven-night R2023 ‘Historic Gems of Germany’ fly-cruise (flights from London / Manchester) on 27^th September 2020. Prices start from £1,599 per person.

Cruise the magnificent Middle Rhine Valley, pass the ‘murmuring’ Lorelei rock, and uncover centuries of history in the winding streets, impressive monuments, half-timbered houses and pristine gardens in a number of picture-perfect Germany towns and cities, accompanied by art and architecture expert, Simon Rees.

Ports of call: Cologne, Germany – Cruising the Middle Rhine Balley & by Lorelei – Rüdesheim, Germany – Miltenberg, Germany – Wertheim, Germany – Würzburg, Germany – Bamberg, Germany – Cruising the Main-Danube Canal – Regensburg, Germany (overnight stay)

For further information: Visit 'Historic Gems of Germany' - R2023

All prices shown are based on two adults sharing a twin-bedded Standard Room, and include accommodation, all meals and entertainment on board, port / airport taxes, flights and transfers.

110-metre-long Brabant boasts all the usual hallmarks of Fred. Olsen’s 'smaller-scale' approach to cruising. Stylish, classic and comfortable, Brabant has just four decks and fewer than 80 rooms and suites, staffed by 40 crew members, giving it the more intimate, ‘country house hotel’ feel that Fred. Olsen guests know and love.

Fred. Olsen guests – who are predominantly British – will feel at home on board Brabant, with English spoken throughout, in-room tea and coffee facilities and all transactions conducted in Pounds Sterling. The British taste is also reflected in the cuisine, customer service and shore tours on offer.

River cruises with Fred. Olsen present fantastic value for guests, who are able to customise their cruises to include ‘Dining Drinks’ and tour packages, as well as balcony upgrades at industry-leading prices – from just £200 per person extra, for a seven-night cruise.

Fred. Olsen was proud to receive the prestigious 'Trusted Service Award' from independent review website Feefo after Brabant's first year of operation, demonstrating the overall quality of the cruise line's river experience and high level of customer satisfaction.

For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit the website at www.fredolsencruises.com/river-cruises 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.