Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines commences its 2011 cruise programme from Portsmouth International Port

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ 880-guest cruise ship, Boudicca, will be operating her second cruise season from Portsmouth International Port in autumn 2011, with guests enjoying the improved facilities of the newly-opened Passenger Terminal when they embark on their holiday.

  Matt Grimes, Director, Planning, Ports & Logistics, for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines said: “We are very pleased to be returning to Portsmouth International Port. With the improved road access and the new state-of-the-art Passenger Terminal, our guests will have an even better experience this season.  

“It has always been our philosophy to use as wide a variety of regional ports as possible, to allow easy access and greater convenience for our guests. Boudicca will be returning again in 2012 with a longer cruise programme from this port, starting in October 2012, and running right through to April 2013.”  

Martin Putman, Port Manager of Portsmouth international Port, said: "We're delighted to welcome Boudicca, and to offer her passengers premium facilities that are a perfect match for those they'll find onboard their Fred. Olsen cruise. With its excellent transport links, Portsmouth International Port has always been a great place to start a cruise. Now, with our brand new terminal, the relaxed holiday starts the moment you arrive at the Port."  

The 2011/12 season of five cruises starts on 1^st November 2011, with a long cruise to the Mediterranean, and on to Egypt. This exciting, 25-night cruise, D1124, will first visit Motril in Spain, then the Italian ports of Cagliari, on the island of Sardinia, and Trapani on Sicily, before travelling eastwards to ports in Turkey, Cyprus, and – a real highlight – the Egyptian port of Alexandria. The cruise also includes a maiden call into the Algerian capital, Algiers, the second largest city on the Maghreb.  

Additional attractions on this cruise include a theme of ‘Watercolour Painting’ through the onboard cruise enhancement programme, Vistas, and live entertainment from ‘The Phoenix Jazz Band’ and comedian Dave Kristian, as part of the ‘Music & Laughter’ programme. Prices for this cruise start from £2,425 per person, based on two adults sharing an outside twin cabin, Grade ‘E’.   

Boudicca’s next departure from Portsmouth is a 14-night cruise to the sunny Canary Islands, D1125. Guests travelling to the port will benefit from the improved road access, with the recent opening of the new Hindhead Tunnel on the A3. This late autumn cruise visits Leixoes (for Oporto) in Portugal, with the opportunity to tour the famous Port wine lodges, then on to the Canary Islands of Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma, and the pretty garden island of Madeira. The final port is Vigo, on Spain’s west coast, before Boudicca returns to Portsmouth.   

This cruise also offers live entertainment through ‘Music & Laughter’; this time it is classic Sixties’ pop from the legendary ‘Tornados’, the first British band to have a Number One hit in both the UK and the USA with ‘Telstar’. There is also comedy from Rikki Jay. Prices start from £948 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade ‘I’.  

The next cruise aboard Boudicca is a magical visit to some of the Scandinavian and northern European Christmas Markets. This seven-night cruise, D1126, visits Sweden’s Gothenburg, with a Christmas market at nearby Liseberg, then the cosmopolitan Danish city of Copenhagen, where a late stay allows for a visit to the Tivoli Gardens, stunning in its Christmas finery. A cruise through the Kiel Canal takes Boudicca to Bremerhaven in Germany, then Belgium’s Ostende, with tours to Brussels or Ghent, each of which has a superb Christmas market, so guests will be spoilt for choice! Prices start from £664 per person, based on two adults sharing an outside twin cabin, Grade ‘E’.  

A mini cruise is a perfect taster for anyone new to cruising, and Boudicca has a three-night cruise to the historic Belgian city of Antwerp, D1127, departing on 17^th December 2011, and staying overnight, before returning to Portsmouth. There will be Christmas festivities on board and plenty of time to explore Antwerp, by day and night, on this cruise, with prices starting from £326 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade ‘H’.  

Boudicca’s final cruise in her 2011/12 season from Portsmouth is a Christmas cruise to the Canary Islands. This 16-night cruise, D1128, departs on 20^th December 2011, and calls first at Casablanca, Morocco, for some last-minute Christmas shopping, before Christmas Day at sea. Christmas Day on board is celebrated in the traditional way – there is a sumptuous feast, a visit from Santa Claus for younger guests, as well as carol singing, festive entertainment, quizzes, and of course a ship glittering with Christmas trees and decorations. Boudicca then visits the islands of Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and Madeira, for some welcome winter sun over the festive season. New Year’s Eve is spent in Funchal, Madeira, where the dramatic fireworks display is not to be missed – in fact, it is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest.  

An added attraction on this cruise is a programme of live entertainment through ‘Music & Laughter’ – jazz from ‘Colin Bryant & His Hot Rhythm Orchestra’, and comedy from Rikki Jay. Prices for this very special cruise start from £2,299 per person, based on two adults sharing an outside twin cabin, grade ‘E’.  

All prices are per person, and include all meals and entertainment on board – including live entertainment through the popular ‘Music & Laughter’ programme – and port taxes.  

Find out about all Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ departures from Portsmouth by visitingwww.fredolsencruises.comYou can book a cruise online, by calling Reservations on 01473 742424 or through any ABTA travel agent.