Guides
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines insider’s guide (UK small-ship)
Written by PerkJolt's AI desk from official sources; facts checked on the dates shown. We may earn a commission from links; it never changes what we recommend.
Promise: by the end of this page you will know whether a three-ship, UK-based cruise line fits the trip you want, and which two numbers to look up before you pay a deposit. Trip length: most sailings are one to two weeks; longer voyages exist. Best months: varies by region; Norway's fjords are a summer product, warmer-weather routes suit the shoulder seasons. Budget band: fill in from the sailing page: £____ per person for your cabin, plus the fees on the cost sheet. Best for: travelers who like a calm, traditional pace and smaller ports.
At a glance
- Three ships: Bolette (1,273 guests), Borealis (1,299 guests) and Balmoral (1,275 guests) (checked Oct 21, 2026).
- Borealis is described as adults-only (checked Oct 21, 2026). Check the badge on each sailing.
- Gratuities are already included in the cruise fare (checked Oct 21, 2026).
- Freedom Fare deposit is 15% for cruises up to 27 days; balance due at least 90 days before departure (checked Oct 21, 2026).
- Saver Fare is paid in full at booking, and the page says no refunds (checked Oct 21, 2026).
- The Oceans Club loyalty program joins you automatically after your first cruise (checked Oct 21, 2026).
- Specialty dinner at Colours & Tastes is £20 per person booked ahead or £25 on board for current bookings (checked Oct 21, 2026).
- The line sails from five UK ports, which is handy if you are flying into the UK first (checked Oct 21, 2026).
Why this line
Fred. Olsen is a small fleet that sells itself on smaller ships, central docks and lesser-known destinations such as Norway's fjords and the Azores (checked Oct 21, 2026). If you picture a 6,000-guest resort ship, this is the opposite. Dinners are a nightly five-course à la carte menu in the main restaurants, afternoon tea is complimentary, and the vibe is more country-house than waterpark.
For an American reader the practical catch is that this is a UK business. Prices are in pounds, departures are from UK ports, and the usual way in is a flight to London or another UK gateway. That can be a feature: it pairs a transatlantic points flight with a week at sea.
Three free things to do first
- Open the ship page for the vessel you are considering and read the guest count, the restaurants and the child policy. Borealis and Bolette are sister ships; Balmoral is the older, smaller-tonnage ship.
- Compare Freedom and Saver fares side by side on the official FAQ. The difference is mostly flexibility and what is bundled, and it decides whether a change of plans costs you.
- Price the flight leg in points. Per our transfer chart checked 2026-10-08, Chase, Amex, Capital One and Citi all move 1:1 to British Airways or Virgin Atlantic where listed, and Chase→Hyatt is 4 Chase points to 3 Hyatt points for a hotel night before sailing. See the full guide for the search walkthrough.
What's not worth it (lite)
Do not pre-pay for extras you have not priced. Specialty dining, Chef's Table and premium afternoon tea are optional, and the complimentary afternoon tea in The View or Thistle is already included. Skip the premium version unless you want the pianist and the setting.
A day on board, in plain terms
On a typical sea day the rhythm is simple. Breakfast is easy in The View or The Poolside (Bolette and Borealis) or Thistle (Balmoral). Mid-morning is for the spa, the library or a lecture. Lunch is casual. Afternoon tea is complimentary and daily, which is the day's anchor. Dinner is a five-course à la carte meal in the main restaurant, and the evening ends in the show lounge or one of the bars (checked Oct 21, 2026). Timings vary by ship and sailing, so read the daily programme.
Questions to ask before you pay
- Is this sailing adults-only, and what is the age rule if it is not?
- Which fare am I looking at, Freedom or Saver, and what happens if I need to cancel?
- Does the quoted price include taxes and fees, and what is the final total in pounds?
- When is the balance due, and is there a second deposit date because the voyage is long?
- What is the Wi-Fi price, and what does the Premium Drinks Package include?
The budget logic in one paragraph
Plan your budget
Your trip budget worksheet
Prices change daily, so we don’t quote them. Fill this in from the official fare pages.
| Item | Your amount |
|---|---|
| Because gratuities are included, the fare is closer to the real cost than on many lines. The things that move your total are your cabin grade, the flight to the UK, shore tours, specialty dinners and Wi-Fi. Fill in the blanks: fare £ | |
| flights $ | |
| or | |
| points, extras £ |
Free printable tip
Print the one-page day plan at the end of the full guide and put your sailing code, balance date and reservations number on it. Reservations is +44 1473 746175, as shown on the tipping page (checked Oct 21, 2026).
Who should skip it
If you want a ship with a water park, a big casino or a US homeport, this is not the line. If you are happy with a quieter pace and a smaller footprint, the three-ship fleet is easy to learn: read three ship pages, compare two fares, and you have the whole decision in front of you. Spend an evening on those pages before you spend a dollar on flights, since the flight is the part you cannot change cheaply once it is ticketed.
Where to go next
The full guide covers fleet classes, cabins, fees, deposits, loyalty tiers, paying with points, a cost sheet with blanks, packing and a printable one-page plan. Related: /guides/cruises/ for other lines.
This is the free lite guide. The full day-by-day guide, with maps, photo stops, rain plans and the points playbook, is part of PerkJolt All-Access.
Good to know before you go
Fred. Olsen's official pages were checked on 2026-10-21. Packages, fees, itineraries and port calls move, so confirm them on the line's official page or app before you book or sail.