Fred. Olsen Launches Worldwide Cruise Brochure 2010/11

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has just launched its brochure of worldwide cruises for 2010/11 aboard its fleet of four modestly-sized, traditional ships – Balmoral, Boudicca, Braemar and Black Watch.  The smallest ship, Black Prince,  retires from service in October 2009.

The new cruise programme offers a wide variety of destinations and many exciting ports of call around the globe.  There are more shore excursions to choose from, and a wider range of activities, offered through The ArtsClub and Civilisations packages.

Highlights of the new programme include Black Watch’s two epic voyages Around South America, and two world cruises on board Balmoral.

Boudicca will offer a programme of departures from northern British ports – Liverpool, Greenock (Glasgow), Rosyth (Edinburgh) and Port of Tyne (Newcastle) - so the retirement of Black Prince  (which was previously based in the north) will not mean an end to Fred. Olsen’s support for these departure ports, but rather an expansion, due to Boudicca’s greater capacity.

Braemar will continue to offer Caribbean fly-cruises throughout the winter, with an expanded choice of itineraries, including the Amazon, Panama Canal (taking in Ecuador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica), as well as the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

Brochure Contents

Even though the Fred. Olsen fleet will now consist of four ships from 2010 on, there is as much variety in the brochure as ever.

A total of 119 cruises will visit 260 different ports of call, in 121 different countries or islands.

The programme consists of:

• 2 world cruises
• 2 Around South America voyages
• 24 cruises to the Caribbean, Amazon and the Americas
• 17 Mediterranean cruises
• 35 sailings to Northern Europe and Scandinavia
• 20 Canary Islands and West Africa cruises
• 12 cruises to Iberia, Around the UK, and Ireland
• 7 Mini cruises

New Ports of Call

There are a number of exciting new ports of call in the Fred. Olsen 2010/11 season, particularly in the World Cruises and Around South America voyages.  These ports include Cabo San Lucas, Hilo, Lahaina, Honolulu, Samoa, Mystery Island (Vanuatu) on Balmoral’s 2010 world cruise.  Puerto Madryn, West Falkland, Robinson Crusoe Island on the Black Watch 2010 Around South America cruise.  Sulawesi, Borneo, Bandar Seri Begawan, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Malaysia, Phuket all on Balmoral’s world cruise in 2011.

On Caribbean itineraries, Braemar will visit Maracaibo, Manta (Ecuador), Corinto (Nicaragua), Acajutla (El Salvador), and Golfito (Costa Rica).

In Northern European itineraries,  Floro (Norway), and Ystad (Sweden) will both see Fred. Olsen ships for the first time, while closer to home Braemar will visit Dartmouth in Devon for the first time.

Themes

In addition to the variety of cruise length and destination, there is also a fabulous choice of activities to do on board.  The ArtsClub is an informal programme of special interest cruises covering a range of subjects from Photography to Wine Tasting, and Gardening to Computers for Beginners.  It’s free to all passengers (although a small charge may be made for materials in some cases), does not need to be booked ahead, and participants can dip in and out as they choose.

Civilisations is a more formalised programme, carrying an extra cost, and provides exclusive lectures and escorted shore tours hosted by leading experts in the given subject.  The subject matter is selected to reflect the destination, and themes include ‘Imperial Rome’, ‘Classical Greece’, and ‘South American Cultures’.  The programme must be booked prior to the cruise departure, and for the less active it is possible to enjoy the lectures only.

Flagship Golf also has an additional cost and must be booked before the cruise.  This exclusive package for golfers is available on selected cruises in the Med, Baltic and Canaries at a cost of £375 per player, and in the Caribbean on fly-cruise holidays for £425 per person.  This is the ideal holiday to combine golf with all the attractions and facilities of a cruise for a non-playing partner.

More information can be found at http://www.fredolsencruises.co.uk/.  To book call Reservations on 01473 742424 or see your local travel agent.  You can also book online.