Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines welcomes the America’s Cup aboard 'Boudicca' in Bermuda

Guests on board Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Boudicca were lucky enough to get a rare glimpse of the America’s Cup last month, when the world-famous trophy was brought on board the 880-guest ship during a special themed cruise to Bermuda. Fred. Olsen’s Boudicca was the only cruise ship in Hamilton, Bermuda to receive this privilege during the America’s Cup, which took place on 24^th and 25^th June 2017.

The Official Public Host of the 35^th America’s Cup, Tucker Thompson, also took time to visit Boudicca in Hamilton, and treated Fred. Olsen guests to a presentation on the history of the Cup and hosted a Q&A session on board, much to the audience’s appreciation.

Fred. Olsen’s 26-night ‘Bermuda & the America’s Cup’ cruise set sail from Liverpool on 9^th June 2017, and visited the paradise island of Bermuda, so that guests could join in the excitement and exhilaration of the 35^th America’s Cup, with overnight stays in idyllic St. George’s and the capital, Hamilton.

The America’s Cup was founded in 1851, and is a competition for one of the oldest trophies in international sport, combining the skills of the world’s best sailors and the world’s fastest boats, as they sail across the water at speeds close to 50mph!

Miles Gardner, Tours Manager on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Boudicca, said:

“I was looking forward to this cruise immensely, as it was my first America’s Cup experience. As a company, we have offered America’s Cup cruises in the past, but never in such an amazing location as the beautiful island of Bermuda. The official course this year was located on the Great Sound, a natural amphitheatre, which generated breath-taking racing.

“After a great deal of research and discussions with the America’s Cup organisers, we were able to offer our guests three very special shore excursions to help them to make the most of the race action: ‘The Event Village Ticket’, which allowed access to the America’s Cup Village, at the Royal Naval Dockyard, to watch the race on large screens and follow all the excitement as it unfolded on the Great Sound; ‘The Event Village Grandstand Ticket’, which gave guests the chance to soak up the atmosphere from a Grandstand seat, with spectacular views of the finish line; and the final exclusive VIP option, ‘The America’s Spectator Boat Experience’, where guests could witness the action on the water, right from the edge of the racecourse.

“The Spectator Boat experience was the one for me! On the last day, I managed to join our guests on board the boat, which featured a large flat-screen TV on the wall, so that we could all see what was going on in the Event Village before the race began, and then the different views of the course when the race started. As an added bonus, we enjoyed TV commentary from Tucker Thompson throughout, who was broadcasting from the Village, and we were one of only a handful of boats to be equipped with this facility.

“I would say that having the America’s Cup on board for our guests to see just enhanced the overall experience of this exhilarating cruise, and being able to welcome Tucker Thompson on board was a real pleasure and honour.

“My first America’s Cup cruise was an experience that I will never forget, and which I will always remember fondly.”

Fred. Olsen’s ‘Bermuda & the America’s Cup’ cruise, which returned to Liverpool on 5^th July 2017, also offered guests a range of other destinations rich in natural beauty and steeped in history, including the fascinating Portuguese old towns of Oporto and Funchal, and the stunning, varied landscapes of the Azores Archipelago.

Photo caption:

Lyndsey Milne, Hotel Manager of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Boudicca (fifth from right), and the ship’s crew were proud to welcome the world-famous America’s Cup on board in the Neptune Show Lounge during the 35^th America’s Cup, held in Hamilton, Bermuda on 24^th and 25^th June 2017.

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