Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is excited to announce that, in 2021/22, its fleet of smaller, more intimately-sized ocean ships – Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch – will be visiting no fewer than 224 destinations in 73 countries, on 93 different itineraries, with durations between three and 153 nights. This includes 88 different areas of scenic cruising. Complementing the UK departure ports of Southampton, Dover, Liverpool, Newcastle and Edinburgh (Rosyth), Fred. Olsen will also be offering an expanded programme of exotic fly-cruises in 2021/22.
Furthermore, Fred. Olsen has unveiled a ‘new look’ ‘Worldwide Cruise Holidays 2021-2022’ brochure, aimed at simplifying and refreshing the famous brand and making it easier for guests to decide where in the world they would like to explore.
Peter Deer, Managing Director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:
“We are thrilled to be introducing our new itineraries for 2021/22, underpinned by our desire and commitment to help our guests to explore, to discover and not just to ‘see.’ For us, smaller ships bring big benefits, and we feel that we are just the right size for us.”
Fred. Olsen’s new 2021/22 ocean cruise programme will feature 12 maiden calls: Bluff and Picton in New Zealand; Crotone, Gallipoli, Milazzo and Monopoli in Italy; M’Diq in Morocco; Port d’Alcudia in Mallorca; Sandakan in Borneo; Savina in Formantera, in Spain’s Balearic Islands; Setubal in Portugal; and Trelleborg in Sweden.
Focussing on its small-ship strengths, Fred. Olsen’s new 2021/22 worldwide itineraries highlight the following key themes:
Small ships…can visit more interesting places
Fred. Olsen’s shallow-drafted Braemar made history in October 2019, when it traversed Greece’s historic Corinth Canal, at just 24-metres wide at its narrowest point – much to international acclaim! In April 2021 and September 2022, Braemar will return on another two outstanding ex-UK ‘Greek Islands & Corinth Canal’ voyages, of 25 nights each, showcasing small-ship cruising at its best. Braemar will also be undertaking two new 10-night Corinth Canal fly-cruises from Valletta, Malta, which will visit four different Greek Islands, as well as offering the chance to take in the ancient Acropolis from Piraeus and Olympia from Katakolon, birthplace of Olympic Games.
Boudicca’s 28-night ‘Transpacific Voyage with French Polynesia’ fly-cruise from Costa Rica to Auckland, New Zealand in November 2021 offers remote exploration to places that are difficult to reach, and culturally very different. Guests will get the chance to cross the largest ocean in the world and sail past remote and sparsely-populated islands, including volcanic San Benedicto, Sorocco and Clarion, part of the Revillagigedo Islands isolated off the coast of Mexico.
Boudicca’s follow-on 13-night ‘Exploring Cultural New Zealand’ fly-cruise from Auckland, to Sydney, Australia in December 2021 offers cultural experiences synonymous with New Zealand – from the indigenous Māori to the Scottish, and scenic cruising within the forest-topped mountain peaks of the Fiordland National Park, exploring Dusky Sound, Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound.
Small ships…can get much closer to beautiful destinations
Fred. Olsen’s smaller ships can dock in the heart of beautiful destinations, navigating low bridges and shallower waterways.
In Seville, Spain, sail the Guadalquivir River right into the city centre. In Helsinki, Finland, Fred. Olsen can dock on the edge of the market square. In Bordeaux, France, explorations begin right at the end of the gangway. In Copenhagen, Denmark, the Little Mermaid statue and Amalienborg Palace are just a short walk from the ship.
Small ships…show Norway at its best departing from five UK ports
A Norwegian fjords sailing with Fred. Olsen – the fjords specialist – is always an unforgettable experience. The cruise line celebrates its Norwegian heritage by navigating into some of the most intricate fjords, sailing direct from the UK.
Balmoral’s new ‘Northern Fjords of Norway’ cruise from Newcastle in August 2021 offers unique and size-restricted scenic sailing to Trollfjord, Nordfjord, Nærøysundet, Lodingen Channel, and Torghatten, and calling at the lesser-known ports of Leknes, Bodø and Åndalsnes, as well as passing Svartisen glacier. Due to the departure ports northern UK location, this incredible itinerary can be achieved in just nine nights.
Small ships…mean that guests can enjoy a relaxed, uncrowded time ashore
Fred. Olsen offers itineraries that are planned purposefully to avoid the busy tourist times, so that guests can get a real feel for the destination and access the places that they want to see much more easily.
Braemar’s 14-night ‘Uncrowded Caribbean Islands with Havana’ itineraries, in January and February 2022, feature lesser-known destinations, such as Kralendijk, Bonaire, and avoid guests being overwhelmed by thousands of other cruisers, as they will not be in port alongside multiple big ships; for instance, Braemar will be the only ship docked in Port Royal, Jamaica and Basse-Terre, Guadaloupe.
Fred. Olsen’s new 2021/22 itineraries will be released to its Oceans loyalty club members from 4thMarch 2020, and will go on general sale from Monday 9thMarch 2020.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines offers first glimpse of new river itineraries and maiden calls for Brabant in 2021, with ‘FREE Dining Drinks & Tips’ offer
Fred. Olsen has also offered its first glimpse into its 2021 river cruise programme on smaller-sized Brabant, when the ship will be embarking on 28 itineraries across the Danube, Rhine, Main and Moselle, with ’FREE Dining Drinks & Tips’ taken care of on all bookings made by 5th May 2020 inclusive.
Carrying just 156 guests, Brabant’s shallower draft and shorter length, at just 110 metres, allows sailings to places that the larger ships cannot reach. This includes right into the heart of Luxembourg’s riverside towns and through the Danube Delta to the edge of the Black Sea in Romania, where few other river ships venture.
Brabant’s 2021 season includes four maiden calls, three of which are debuting on the ‘Rhine and its Historic Highlights’ itinerary. There is Mainz, with its thousand-year-old cathedral and birthplace of the printing press in Europe; Worms, famed for its role in the Reformation; and Bonn, home of Beethoven and Haribo, as well as the architectural, botanical and cultural highlights you’d expect from the former capital of West Germany.
Also a first for 2021 is Esztergom, seat of the Catholic church in Hungary on the Danube. The city’s Basilica is the country’s tallest building, and inside is the largest painting on canvas in the world.
2021 will also see the introduction of departures from Mainz, allowing for more convenient transfers to and from Frankfurt Airport.
Clare Ward, Director of Product and Customer Service at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:
“We have put an even greater emphasis on our slower-paced approach to river cruising this year, spending longer in ports to give our guests more time to explore, and taking our time in the most scenic areas along the Dutch waterways, Rhine, Moselle, Main and Danube.
“Scenic cruising plays such an important part in any river cruise, so our itineraries have been crafted to ensure we are sailing past unmissable highlights at the best times of the day, be it an afternoon spent castle-spotting along the Rhine Gorge, a sunset sail of Austria’s vineyard-covered Wachau Valley, or a day spent taking in the wonders of the Danube’s Iron Gates.
“In 2021, we are offering our first ever ‘Mystery River Cruise,’ where each port of call will be kept under wraps until you arrive, bringing with it a sense of intrigue and excitement.”
Each guest will receive ‘cruise companion’ guides to allow independent exploration in each port, including insider tips for making the most of the cruise, as well as details of enriching shore excursions. Sent to guests before they set off, they are designed to build excitement and help them plan all of their personal ‘must sees,’ whether they venture ashore independently, book a tour package or pick just a few excursions that stand out.
Fred. Olsen’s new 2021 Brabant river cruise itineraries will be released officially in May 2020.
For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit the website at www.fredolsencruises.com
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