Skip to content
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines commemorates Sir Bobby Robson’s  80th birthday and helps to raise a million!

Press release -

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines commemorates Sir Bobby Robson’s 80th birthday and helps to raise a million!

To commemorate Sir Bobby Robson’s 80th birthday on 18th February 2013, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines will make a donation of £80 to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation for every booking made within eight days of this significant date, i.e. between 18th and 25th February 2013 inclusive, on its special ‘Sir Bobby Robson Cruise’, W1308, aboard Black Watch.

Furthermore, Fred. Olsen is an Official Supporter of the Sir Bobby’s Breakthrough Auction & Ball in 2013, and has donated a ‘2014 World Cruise for Two’ as a star prize, which will be promoted in a two-week global text-to-win auction. It is hoped that this will help the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and Breakthrough Breast Cancer to raise £1 million jointly by the Autumn.

Sir Bobby Robson fought cancer an incredible five times during his life. Sadly, 17 years after his first diagnosis, he lost his long and courageous battle, on 31st July 2009. The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation focusses upon the early detection and treatment of cancer and the clinical trials of new drugs.

Fred. Olsen’s three-night ‘Sir Bobby Robson Cruise’ – the last of its four sailings from Harwich, Essex, the closest cruise port to Sir Bobby Robson’s team, Ipswich Town Football Club – departs on Saturday 15th June 2013, and visits vibrant Amsterdam, with an all-day and late-night stay. Black Watch then returns to Newcastle, Sir Bobby’s home town, on Tuesday 18th June 2013.

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

“The idea of the ‘Sir Bobby Robson Cruise’ is to link the supporters and communities of Ipswich and Newcastle and the two statues of Sir Bobby Robson that stand proudly outside the football stadia of each club. By calling at Amsterdam, it provides an opportunity for those from Sir Bobby’s former club, PSV Eindhoven, to join the cruise.

“This is a very special cruise for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines; having our headquarters in Ipswich means that we that feel a very special bond with Sir Bobby Robson, and by offering local cruise departures from Newcastle between June and August 2013, we are the region’s local cruise line. We are delighted to be offering this unique cruise, themed to his life-saving Foundation.”

Fred. Olsen has already made a significant donation to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, and there will be dedicated fundraising activities on board Black Watch in support of this very worthy cause.

Fred. Olsen has secured some leading footballing names as guest speakers to talk about Sir Bobby Robson's life and achievements on board: George Burley – ex-player and former Manager of Ipswich Town Football Club; John Wark – voted in the ‘Top 10 Footballers’ ever to have played under Sir Bobby; Allan Hunter – ’78 FA Cup winner under Sir Bobby; and Bryan Hamilton – ex-player and former Manager of Northern Ireland. The cruise line has also approached other former Newcastle, England and Dutch players who had a long association with Sir Bobby Robson, such as Alan Brazil. Fred. Olsen is also expecting that Lady Elsie Robson will be joining the mini-cruise as ‘Guest of Honour’.

Prices for the ‘Sir Bobby Robson Cruise’ start from £229 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin cabin, and include all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes. There is no extra charge for joining the guest speakers in their talks and recollections of Sir Bobby. Fred. Olsen is also offering complimentary transportation to those living in Newcastle to join the cruise in Harwich, as well as complimentary transportation back from Newcastle for those joining in Harwich.

The cruise coincides with the recent announcement that the Football Association, celebrating its 150th year, will name a new ‘National Football Day’ on 10th August as the ‘Sir Bobby Robson Day’ in his honour.

Topics

Categories

Regions


Fred. Olsen Cruise Line operates in the UK with four intimately sized ships for a more personal cruising experience.

Contacts

Ellis Orchard

Ellis Orchard

Press contact Public Relations Manager Public Relations 07557672265
Georgina May

Georgina May

Press contact Public Relations Executive Public Relations
Lauren Gardner

Lauren Gardner

Press contact Public Relations Manager Public Relations 07546807099

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

At Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines we are very proud of our smaller ships – Bolette, Borealis and Balmoral - and the imaginative and unusual itineraries they allow us to offer. Every cruise is hand-crafted from scratch by our team of in-house Journey Planners to make sure you are not only visiting the best destinations, but at the best time to experience them.

For us, it’s not just about where we go but how we take you there. We put as much time into planning scenic cruising as we do in choosing the destinations themselves. On board, our Signature Experiences showcase the history, culture, nature and flavours of the destinations you’ll visit – from Treats of the Region, where you can enjoy local delicacies, to our Sky at Sea star-gazing sessions where you can relax with a hot toddy out on deck while our astronomer talks you through the night sky.

Plus, with each ship carrying 1,300 guests or less, our ships are small enough for us to offer a warm, friendly and personal service where nothing is ever too much trouble, as we visit a host of exciting ports in every corner of the globe.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Fred. Olsen House, White House Road
IP1 5LL Ipswich, Suffolk
United Kingdom