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Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ ship Balmoral set for dry dock in Falmouth

Press release -

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ ship Balmoral set for dry dock in Falmouth

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Balmoral is set to enter dry dock for a two-week refurbishment programme next month.

The contract has been awarded to A&P Falmouth, part of the APCL Group, which has previously carried out works on Bolette and Balmoral.

Work will include an ultra-high pressure water blast of the underwater hull, application of silicone paint to improve fuel efficiency and an overhaul of the propellors, bow thrusters, stabilisers and main engine gearbox.

Samantha Stimpson, CEO of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:

“We are proud to be working with APCL on our fifth drydock contract.

“Working with a UK yard means that together we are feeding directly back into the local economy, while also providing invaluable experience to A&Ps many apprentices.

“These programmes are vital, allowing us to complete essential maintenance to our wonderful smaller ship Balmoral, while also making a number of enhancements for our guests, and we look forward to completion of another busy and successful drydock.”

Additional works will include the servicing of lifeboats, davits and crane as well as overhauls of mooring winches, fans, motors and sea valves.

The signing of the dry dock contract took place in Liverpool in September.

Mike Spicer, Managing Director of A&P Falmouth, and Samantha Stimpson, CEO of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Mike Spicer, Managing Director of A&P Falmouth, said:

“Our location in the southwest of England makes it an ideal destination for cruise ship maintenance, particularly for vessels operating in this region.

“Contracts such as these not only underscore our reputation in the industry but also contribute significantly to the local economy, supporting both our workforce and apprenticeship programmes.”

A&P Tyne and Cammell Laird have also carried out significant refits of the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines fleet in recent years.

David McGinley, Chief Executive of APCL Group, said:

“APCL Group is delighted to have signed this latest contract with Fred. Olsen.

“The combination of APCL’s strategic locations, technical expertise, project management and vital maintenance work enables our Group to complete vital maintenance work under tight time schedules – minimising the downtime of Fred. Olsen’s fleet.”

For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit www.fredolsencruises.com
Book online, call Reservations on 0800 0355 215 (Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm), or contact your ABTA travel agent.

Contacts

Ellis Orchard

Ellis Orchard

Press contact Public Relations Manager Public Relations 07557672265
Georgina May

Georgina May

Press contact Public Relations Executive Public Relations

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