Skip to content
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines voted ‘Best Cruise Line for Groups’ at the ‘Group Leisure Awards 2016’, for a record sixth time!

Press release -

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines voted ‘Best Cruise Line for Groups’ at the ‘Group Leisure Awards 2016’, for a record sixth time!

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has once again triumphed at the ‘Group Leisure Awards’, after being voted ‘Best Cruise Line for Groups’ by readers of leading travel title, Group Leisure magazine, for a record sixth time! The prestigious award recognises the very best groups cruise experience, from the initial booking process to onboard facilities, and the quality of excursions on offer.

Fred. Olsen was recognised at a special awards ceremony at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel on 19th October 2016, and beat off stiff competition from other finalists Hurtigruten, Norwegian Cruise Line, The River Cruise Line and Thomson Cruises.

The ‘Group Leisure Awards’ were first established in 1997, and are voted for by active group travel organisers from sports and social clubs, retired associations, special interest societies and other groups, on what they consider to be the best groups experience across 21 categories.

Ellie Fulcher, Sales Manager Groups at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:

“It is such an honour to have been voted ‘Best Cruise Line for Groups’ at this year’s ‘Group Leisure Awards’; it is an excellent publication and we are very proud to be associated with it.

“We are so thrilled that our efforts have been recognised in this significant way, and we would like to pass on our sincere thanks to all those who selected us! We have had a fantastic year, with our portfolio of group travel organisers and their groups growing and becoming more varied, as well an exciting expansion of our team, with Hayley Walker joining us as Sales Assistant – Groups in February 2016.

“We are committed to offering our groups the very best, tailor-made cruise experience, and this is thanks to the tremendous efforts of our colleagues shoreside and the Officers and crew across our fleet, who all work extremely hard to provide the very best service for our groups. We are looking forward to a successful and exciting 2017/18 cruise season!”

Feedback from Fred. Olsen’s group guests has shown that the intimate and very welcoming atmosphere on board Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch is very well-suited to the groups travel market, as well as the excellent value for money that a Fred. Olsen cruise offers. Groups receive so much included in the price of their cruise fare – all meals and entertainment on board the ship, as well as port taxes, and the opportunity to upgrade to the ‘all-inclusive’ drinks package from just £10 per person, per night.

Fred. Olsen's bespoke groups service appeals to all types of groups, including family and friendship groups, corporate and incentive groups, and all kinds of clubs, associations and societies.

Groups are welcome on all Fred. Olsen’s cruises and, depending upon the size, they may be eligible for a choice of ‘added value’ benefits. There are many extras that can also be arranged to make the experience even more special, such as a private ‘Traditional Afternoon Tea’, group dining plans, exclusive use of public rooms on board for group activities, specialist group shore tours and priority disembarkation for groups travelling by coach.

During its 2017/18 cruise season, Fred. Olsen will be setting sail from 10 regional ports around the UK – Southampton, Dover, London Tilbury, Harwich, Falmouth, Liverpool, Newcastle, Greenock (Glasgow), Rosyth (Edinburgh) and Belfast – taking guests to no fewer than 220 destinations in 70 countries around the globe.

This ‘Group Leisure Award’ follows hot on the heels of Fred. Olsen’s recent success in the Cruise Critic ‘UK Editors’ Picks Awards 2016’, where the cruise line was delighted to be voted 'Best Cruise Line for Itineraries’, for the second successive year.

For group bookings and enquiries, please contact Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ dedicated Group Sales Department on 01473 746169 (Monday to Friday, 9am until 5pm), or e-mail group.sales@fredolsen.co.uk. For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit the website at www.fredolsencruises.com

Photo caption:

Harold Burke of ‘Just for Groups!’ (far left), sponsor of the ‘Best Cruise Line for Groups’ category, presents Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Ellie Fulcher, Sales Manager – Groups (third from right), Sophie Thomas, Sales Executive – Groups (second from left), and Hayley Walker, Sales Assistant – Groups (third from left) with the coveted winner’s trophy at the ‘Group Leisure Awards 2016’ at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel on 19th October 2016, alongside special guests Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag, from the BBC’s hit show, ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.

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