Fred Olsen Cruise Line, Balmoral

Christmas Markets Cruise – Balmoral 10th to 17th November 2011

My wife and I have travelled with most of the major cruise lines with the exception of Fred Olsen so when we noticed they were advertising a Christmas Markets Cruise to Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Amsterdam and Antwerp we thought that was an ideal opportunity to assess some of the very positive comments that we had heard from some of their previous passengers.

I booked direct with Fred Olsen because I had received poor service from some of the cruise agents and I was certainly impressed with the standard of paperwork that I received from them prior to the cruise. We were given a 14.00 time to join the ship at Southampton but when we arrived we were met with long queues and it took us just over 1 hour to get onboard but our first impression of the ship was that it was clean, the public areas were nicely decorated and presented and the staff appeared helpful, smart and efficient.

Our cabin 6101 was well located and the information in the cabin was also to a high standard but my first impression that something was not quite right was when I went through the paperwork and found one piece headed Christmas Markets Cruise and another Christmas Shopping but I though that perhaps they were combining some specialist groups. When we went to the first Port Shopping talk the presenter informed us that the Christmas Markets usually ran for a month before Christmas and knowing that it was more than a month to go I started to wonder if they would be open but thought that they wouldn’t have made such a mistake.

When we arrived in Hamburg we found that they had indeed made such a mistake and the markets were not open as was the case in Bremerhaven our second port of call. It was clear from some of the other passengers that they were as upset as us that the markets were not open but all we were told by the staff “was that it was out of their control”. What was also strange was that some passengers that had booked the cruise at short notice had not been informed that it was a Christmas Markets Cruise but a Christmas Shopping Trip and so they were not disappointed.

Another major disappointment came when we were due to leave Bremerhaven and the ship suffered a “technical fault” and was delayed leaving for 5 hours which meant that we had to miss out Amsterdam and go straight to Antwerp which many passengers thought was very convenient. One passenger that I spoke to who had been in the Royal Navy asked for an explanation and felt that he was insulted by the explanation that the first officer gave him and asked to see a more senior officer but still felt that the ship should have been carrying sufficient spare parts.

Whilst the ship was quite nice we tried the Ballindalloch Restaurant the first night and were not impressed with the quality of the food and drinks service and so we decided to eat in the Palms Café which we found suited our needs. The price of drinks were quite reasonable and the entertainment was good.

Unfortunately, this experience has not given us a very good impression of Fred Olsen which is a pity because so many people appear to like what is offered and have high praise for the ships and their staff. I have written to their Managing Director and look forward to receiving an explanation of how this sad state of affairs happened.

BUFFET WAS GOOD CANT GET HUNGRY. Sit down resturant was HORRIBLE. Entertaimnemt was laid back not very good. The shows could be better. Not enough going on in the day time people just read books all the time.

Not enough time a shore only a few hours it should be all day. The cabin is a nice size with hairdryer and shower stuff.

I'm 38yrs old would not go on it again.

FROM Wisbech

Still relatively new to cruising we avidly read the on line reviews of The Balmoral and were quite concerned at some of the comments made. We needn't have worried.Overall, the Balmoral delivered a high standard in practically every aspect. We were pleasantly pleased with the standard of cabin (we had a superior outside)although on a minor note the air conditioning was a bit noisy and difficult to control. Our cabin stewardess was excellent. Very helpful and attentive.

We enjoyed the food but queuing up for the restaurants was more than a little tedious. Again, we found the staff generally friendly and helpful.

We may have been lucky but we found there was a wide variety of ages and not the 'God's waiting room' some of the other reviews had led us to believe. Although keeping a teenager entertained without using the 20p a minute internet room was a bit of a challenge. The Bar prices were more or less average pub prices which was a pleasant surprise.

The pool and Jacuzzi areas were very good, but as the weather was pretty warm they were inevitably busy, but not unacceptably so.

The entertainment wasn't really our cup of tea, but in fairness there were plenty of people that that seemed to enjoy it.

We would definitely cruise the Balmoral again and would have no reservation in recommending it to others.

This was our first cruise and we were not disappointed. It was everything we had hoped for and more. Our accomodation was lovely, spacious and spotlessly clean. Our only fear was sitting at a table with strangers but by the end of the cruise we had become friendly with a lovely couple from Surrey. The food was outstanding, presented to a high standard and delicious. We enjoyed the shows each evening and particularly the formal evenings, the Captains cocktail party was a splendid occassion with plenty to drink and eat. The ship maybe old but has been refurbished to a very high standard and cared for by a dedicated crew. The crew in particular were very kind,helpful and polite. Have booked again for April 2011

Most of the waiting staff on the Balmoral, Fred Olsen Cruise Line, were excellent and the food's not too bad either. There was an outbreak of norovirus on board and it was dealt with very badly. Almost 300 passengers suffered and they (and their travelling companions) were confined to their cabins, in some cases for up to 10 days! We could not land on Cape Verde Islands (which was most people's reason for choosing the cruise!) and went to the Canaries (again) instead! I cannot recommend this ship whatsoever. The Cruise Director treated everyone very badly. Entertainment is very poor.

This was our first cruise and, despite the engine problems, and the fact that we docked in Southampton instead of Dover, we absolutely loved it. Problems happen, but it's how they're dealt with that matters. The Captain and crew ensured that follow-on travel was put in place, that any additional expenses caused by the inconvenience would be reimbursed, and generally that we were well looked after.

I think I would have liked a few more talks or perhaps a film show - sometimes the days at sea were a little long, although that's probably because we had to miss our last port and thus spent far more time at sea than was intended. In summary, this cruise took us to places we had never been, introduced us to places we will re-visit, and has opened our eyes to a most wonderful way to travel. We will certainly book another cruise and would have no hesitation in booking on the Balmoral again.

Before embarking on Balmoral my favourite ship was the Braemar. First impressions were very good and Balmoral became my favourite - decor, spaciousness, deck layout. I will definitely book again on this gorgeous ship. Fred Olsen excelled themselves again with their staff who cannot do enough for you. Especially during the very difficult days when we experienced engine problems and our final port of call had to be cancelled and our home port was changed from Dover to Southampton. The captain in conjunction with Head Office did everything he could to ensure that our days on board and homeward travel was made as painless as possible.

The evening entertainment (in the Nepture lounge) was excellent full marks to the Balmoral Orchestra and Balmoral singers and dancers. The comedian and muscian (especially the cellist) were also very good.

I hope to see you using Balmoral for Caribbean cruises in your itinerary in the future.

We booked last minute so price was good. Captain was very funny at the cocktail party. Staff ignored customers, food overcooked and boring, comedian was rude and jokes from 1970's, no wow factor. Having been with RCL and Star Cruises I was very disappointed

Fred Olsen Cruise Line, Balmoral was our first cruise, taken with some apprehension, we can hardly wait for our second. Fred Olson company has a magic way of staff selection and training, the service is truly out of this world and we shall be spending our next holiday back on the Balmoral, hopefully going to the Baltic. Sincere thanks to everyone responsible for our wonderful experience.

I've cruised with Fred Olsen before, on the old Braemar to the Fiords. Pretty ship, great food, well designed and a Captain who did everything possible to make the trip a memorable one.

Decided to go to Norway again, this time from Dover to Bergen on the refurbished Balmoral for a week of waterfalls and glaciers. Spectacular scenery, but with regard to the ship - how different! 70's style decor, found it uncomfortable and thought it was badly designed.

With regard to the food, this was a source of some amusement at our table in the main restaurant every evening. Lamb patties as a starter, for example, sounded quite appetising; but actually consisted of one pattie the size of a walnut!

Generally the food in this restaurant in my opinion did not live up to its menus. We ate some very strange and poorly executed concoctions that all of us decided were not be fit to present to any guest in our own houses!

Breakfasts and lunch buffets were OK - i.e of regular hotel standard. But in my opinion compared to the old Braemar, the food was a washout.

There were 2 armchairs in my double cabin, I found both too hard to sit on. There was no overhead lighting for reading in bed and no dressing table or desk with a draw beneath for their make-up. Equally, I was not the only lady who found the fixed bathroom hairdryer useless. I have mobility problems and cannot stand to dry my hair.

All lifts closed on us without warning. Considering the number of passengers with walking difficulties, this should be a simple matter to remedy.

I have bruises on my arms from being trapped between these steel contraptions on several occasions - until I learned to use my walking stick to force them open until safely inside!

From comments overheard, it seemed that first time cruisers liked the ship. But as a seasoned cruiser who was paying the full price, I was deeply disappointed. However, there are 2 sea-plane trips on the agenda, and if you want the best experience and are prepared to pay the price - GO!