Press release - 22 April 2020 10:41

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines confirms pause in ocean sailings will extend beyond 23rd May 2020

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has confirmed that it will be extending its pause in sailings beyond 23^rd May 2020 in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Peter Deer, Managing Director at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:

“At this stage I am not able to confirm a date when we can expect to resume normal operations, as what I don’t want to do is set an expectation and not be able to deliver what we promise.

“What I can say is that we are keeping a very close eye on the latest guidance from the relevant authorities, including the UK Government and Public Health England, as well as overseas policies.

“We are very clear on our position that we will not resume cruising until we know that it is safe for us to do so. The safety of our guests and crew is always our utmost priority, and this is especially true now. All guests on affected cruises will be notified with at least 30 days’ notice before their cruise was due to depart.

“It is regrettable that we won’t be welcoming guests back on board at the end of May as we had initially hoped, but we can’t wait to start sailing again as soon as the world is ready for us to do so.”

On 13^th March, Peter Deer announced that all Fred. Olsen ocean sailings would be paused until 23^rd May 2020.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines will be assessing all upcoming cruises from 23^rd May in date order. The first five sailings aboard its European river cruise ship, Brabant, have also been cancelled.

Any guests who are booked onto cancelled sailings will be contacted by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, with at least 30 days’ notice prior to the planned departure date.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines' ocean fleet - Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch - will remain in Scotland’s Firth of Forth, just outside the Port of Rosyth, during the company’s pause in cruise operations

For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit www.fredolsencruises.com

Topics

Regions

England

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

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Contacts

Georgina May

Press contact Public Relations Executive Public Relations georgina.may@fredolsen.co.uk

Lauren Gardner

Press contact Public Relations Manager Public Relations lauren.gardner@fredolsen.co.uk 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