Search for the northern lights

At check-in we found we had been moved cabin,same grade different deck, wife liked it, huge windows, large sliding door to balcony,handy to spey restaurant. First day at sea the wind whistling through the gaps in the door was very loud, filled the gap with toilet paper,3rd day getting cold heating couldn't cope temp below 15 c in cabin (have a phone app),asked for a heater none available, other cabins had asked first, Given extra blankets and promised a change of suite tomorrow, next Day given choice of two suites and picked the one without the sliding door, good old fashioned opening door well sealed, moved cabin and found they'd found an extra heater,suite was toasty . No more problems had a great cruise, saw the northern lights ,the best we've ever seen them. The entertainment was excellent and my wife thoroughly enjoyed the craft classes, the Artic train excursion was memorable, the train even had a wheelchair lift. The food was ok but not as good as the Borealis The staff as usual were outstanding our room steward Chan seemed to be telepathic and even wrote us a goodbye note In conclusion a successful and enjoyable cruise.

Excellent Cruise with Fred Olsen Balmoral

Enjoyed a 10 day cruise up to the Artic Circle on Balmoral from Newcastle. This was one of my favourite cruise itniaries that I've done. This was number 13 and was certainly not unlucky. We visited Tromsø, Alta, Molde and Alesund. We were birthed in really good locations close to the City Centres. The staff on the ship from the cruise directors, waiters, chiefs, bar staff we're excellent. They were friendly, welcoming and were always on hand to offer drinks. Fred Olsen is also incredibly reasonable from the Cruise price, speciality dinning, photos and excursions. Other cruise lines need to take note, I spent more money than usual by offering value for money. Food was excellent and choice of beverages on the drinks was limited but covered my needs. I loved the concept of being seated at the buffet and having the choice of ordering set meals. This is something I think other cruise lines should consider. Entertainment was a little hit and miss but everyone's tastes are different. We had a Comedian who was good and they had a string band who were the highlight of Entertainment. Onboard Entertainment team tried there best but we're not the best. Cruise directors were friendly and welcoming. There is something warm and welcoming about this ship. It's not too big or crowded and was a relaxing space. There is still a place for smaller Cruise ships. The cabins were old fashioned but had plenty of storage and had plenty of space. Embarkation was swift and quick and we were welcomed onto the ship. I would highly recommend this ship and Fred Olsen.

Disappointing entertainment

Embarkation at Newcastle was quick, easy and on time. It was a little disconcerting to see families with children ranging from around 4 to mid teens embarking as Fred Olsen is more suited to adults but they were all a credit to their parents as their behaviour was exemplary, and I noticed some of the entertainment team wearing Little Skippers tops but I never saw where/what they organised for the youngsters. Our suite was ready just after 13:30 and we were quick to unpack and enjoy our complimentary Cava before exploring the ship. Our suite was comfortable and kept spotless by Rose who came in twice a day. Food in all the restaurants was fresh with a varied menu including a 5 course menu each evening. Bar service sometimes was a little slow but once the team know your usual order it gets quicker. Entertainment wasn't brilliant, the 3 professional acts were good but the in-house team were nowhere near as good as those they had pre Covid. The best entertainment came from the crew show especially the raunchy dancing by the Fire department and the hilarious dance by the Maintenance team. As a gay couple we have never had any issues or discrimination on any of our cruises and have only ever cruised with Fred Olsen so cannot compare with other lines but with their smaller ships and high staff to guest ratio we are happy to continue with them.

Magical midnight sun

This was our first post-Covid holiday abroad and, after seeing chaos at airports over the last couple of years, we were delighted to find that we could sail from Rosyth, just over an hour's drive from home. The itinerary took us up the coast of Norway before heading well into the Arctic Circle, to Svalbard. This was only our second cruise and our first with Fred Olsen but we had heard good reviews from friends who had travelled on the Balmoral and we were not disappointed. Our cabin was extremely comfortable with plenty of storage space to keep it uncluttered. The crew were friendly, professional and extremely helpful, nothing seemed too much trouble. The ship may be older than most but is beautifully maintained to a high standard and is kept very clean. We saw it being polished, washed, varnished and painted throughout the cruise and with respect to infection control, there were hand sanitisers at every entrance to public areas while doors, door handles and even walls were washed down at least once a day. Over the 15 days we dined in all areas: the main dining rooms (Ballindalloch for dinner, Spey and Avon for lunch), the buffet area (Palm's cafe) and the two speciality restaurants Vasco and Colours & Tastes. We enjoy eating out and thought that the food was excellent throughout - a wide range of dishes to choose from to suit all tastes, beautifully cooked and presented, available throughout the day. There was also afternoon tea available, an ice-cream cafe (Scoops) and, weather permitting, a BBQ on the promenade deck. There was even a supper club for those peckish after 11pm but we did not try any of these simply because we just could not fit in any more food. This particular cruise attracted us because it had more sea days, a chance to really explore the ship and relax. There are numerous lounges, bars and cafe areas, all very comfortable and with large windows from which to enjoy the scenery. There is a wrap around promenade deck which is great for scenic cruising or a little bit of gentle exercise (4x round = 1 mile!) and plenty of places to sit in the fresh air. There are also 2 swimming pools each surrounded by sun loungers and with a bar, complete with attentive waiters, nearby. The Neptune Lounge on deck 7 provided a tiered theatre area for enrichment talks during the day (even a church service on each Sunday) and becoming a dance floor with show stage in the evening with all activities available to watch from the comfort of your cabin if you prefer not to go out. This ship can cater for families but our fellow guests seemed to be older, the majority were of retiral age and upwards. There might not be some of the things such as water flumes or climbing walls found on more modern ships but we found plenty to do. All in all we had a wonderful time and would recommend most highly. We cannot wait to book again!