Fred. Olsen’s ‘Top Five’ themed cruises setting sail in 2015

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is committed to offering its guests so much more than just a ‘sun tan’, and has created a number of fun, ‘experiential’ cruises in 2015, incorporating a range of special and unique themes, including comedy, gardening, history and even Elvis!

Fred. Olsen’s ‘Top Five’ themed cruises for 2015 are as follows:

1) 'Elvis at 80'

Braemar’s five-night M1510 ‘Denmark Mini-Cruise’, ex Harwich on 13^th April 2015. Prices start from £557 per person.

Put on your blue suede shoes and celebrate The King’s 80^th year in style aboard Braemar, for the full Elvis experience; travel to Denmark’s Randers, via Århus, to pay a visit to the only full replica of Presley’s’ Memphis home, ‘Graceland’, outside the US.

This homage to ‘The King of Rock and Roll’ will be full of parties, discos, film shows and two award-winning tribute acts. Long live ‘The King’!

2) ‘Film Stars & Fast Cars’

Boudicca’s 15-night D1511 ‘Monaco, Cannes & the Med’ cruise, ex Dover on 16^th May 2015. Prices start from £1,574 per person.

As part of Fred. Olsen’s pledge to take guests closer to the world’s best attractions, this cruise holiday combines star-spotting with being a spectator at one of the most famous motoring events in the world – the Monaco Grand Prix.

First stop is Spain’s Cádiz, used for dramatic backdrops to film sets, including the James Bond epic, ‘Die Another Day’. Boudicca will then set sail for Almeria, home of what has been classed as ‘one of the best movies ever made’, ‘Spaghetti Western’ ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’.

From here, the cruise sails onwards to the French Riviera, and arrives at glamorous Cannes, coinciding with the famous Film Festival; guests can try their hand at ‘star-spotting’ and may even catch a glimpse of Nicole Kidman or Brad Pitt!

Boudicca then calls at Nice, backdrop to the comedy ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’, starring Michael Caine and Steve Martin. From here, guests can take a tour to nearby Monaco to see the famous street circuit Grand Prix on race day.

The cruise then sets sail for architectural masterpiece, Barcelona. Boudicca will then make its final call in Malaga, the birthplace of Picasso.

3) ‘Superbikes & Scenic Hikes’

Balmoral’s nine-night L1505 ‘Around UK & Ireland’ cruise, ex Southampton on 31^st May 2015. Prices start from £899 per person.

This exhilarating cruise gives guests the chance to experience one of the most challenging motorcycle races in the world – the famous Isle of Man TT! Comprising 37 miles of seemingly never-ending bends, bumps, jumps, stone walls, manhole covers and telegraph poles, this is the first time that Fred. Olsen has offered this thrilling event as part of a cruise holiday.

Guests will arrive first in picturesque St. Peter Port, on the island of Guernsey. Next stop is colourful Tobermory, a quaint Scottish town on the Isle of Mull.

Balmoral will then sail onwards to Kirkwall, capital of the Orkney Islands, before calling at Douglas, on the Isle of Man. Fondly referred to as the ‘Rock’ by residents, as well as being the home of motorcycle road-racing, it has many other interesting attractions, including the 1890s Manx Electric Railway and the Great Laxey Wheel – the largest working water wheel in the world.

The final port of call is the vibrant city of Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland, famous for its Guinness and lively ‘Temple Bar’ area, where guests can experience the city’s renowned Irish hospitality, or 'craic'.

4) ‘Castles & Gardens’

Boudicca’s nine-night D1516A ‘Around UK’ cruise, ex Rosyth (Edinburgh) on 10^th July 2015. Prices start from £900 per person.

Go in search of flora, fauna, myth and monsters on this fascinating cruise, which covers the length and breadth of the UK, calling at Invergordon, Kirkwall (Orkney Isles), Tobermory (Isle of Mull), Tabert (Loch Fyne), Falmouth and Newcastle.

Visit some of the most magnificent castles ever built, each having a rich history that blends legend, power, influence and royalty. Guests on this cruise will also be able to visit some of our homeland’s most impressive gardens and grounds. Lovingly tended, some throughout the centuries, it is not just ‘green-fingered’ enthusiasts who will appreciate these magical, beautifully-designed settings, which feature some of Britain’s – and the world’s – most attractive plants.

What is more, the Duchess of Northumberland will be joining this cruise to talk about her vision for the creation of the spectacular gardens at Alnwick Castle – famous as a TV and film location for ‘Downton Abbey’ and ‘Harry Potter’ – and her fascination with poison and its use throughout history. It is also hoped that Mr. Fred. Olsen Senior himself will be on board this cruise to discuss his own ‘Poison Garden’ in Tenerife.

This will also be a cruise with a ‘twist’, featuring a 1920s-inspired British ‘Murder Mystery’ experience, the story of which will unfold across four ‘episodes’ on board, with ‘Whodunnit’ hints and clues throughout the voyage. There will also be a series of short vignettes that follow the theme of ‘Poison through the Ages’.

5) ‘You Choose Your Cruise’

Braemar’s 15-night M1527 ‘You Choose Your Cruise’ sailing, ex Southampton on 10^th October 2015. Prices start from £1,079 per person.

Tell the Captain ‘where to go’ on this new concept for Fred. Olsen! This exciting and innovative cruise gives guests the chance to ‘steer the ship’, as they vote for the next port of call as Braemar sails, from two choices every 48 hours.

The first decision to make is whether to point Braemar towardsVigo in Spain, or Leixoes in Portugal.

Next on this ‘first for Fred.’ cruise is a choice between Andalucian Malaga in Spain, or Gibraltar, with its world-famous Barbary Apes.

Braemar will then cruise to either Gaudi-inspired Barcelona (Spain), or traditional Palamós, on the Spanish Costa Brava.

The options continue, with a host of Spanish ports, choosing between either cultural Valencia or Mallorca's cathedral city of Palma; then guests mustdecide between the ancient city of Cartagena, or the classic Costa Blanca harbour city of Alicante.

Guests will then pick between Cadiz (Spain), for tours to beautiful Seville, or opt to visit the Algarve region of Portugal, with a call into Portimão. The final choice for guests on this unusual cruise is the Galician city of Ferrolin Spain, or La Coruna, also in Spain, for tours to UNESCO-listed Santiago de Compostela.

So, why not indulge your fun side and take a ‘curiosity cruise’ with Fred. Olsen this Autumn!

All prices are based on two adults sharing a twin-bedded, Inside cabin, and include accommodation, all meals and entertainment on board, and port dues.

Fred. Olsen is proud to be named a ‘Gold Trusted Merchant’ by independent review site Feefo in 2015, for the second year in a row. This accreditation is based on genuine customer feedback and, to date, Fred. Olsen has received over 10,500 reviews, with 95% of these being in the ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’ categories.

For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit the website at www.fredolsencruises.com Book online, call Reservations on 0800 0355 242 (Monday – Friday, 8am – 8pm; Saturday, 9am – 5pm; Sunday, 10am – 4pm), or visit an ABTA travel agent.