Our smallest ship, Balmoral, is a classic gem, offering an intimate cruising experience. She has wonderful facilities - five beautiful restaurants, seven bars and lounges, two pools and lovely wide open decks which are perfect for when Balmoral is scenic cruising.

Thanks to her smaller size, Balmoral is perfectly suited to sailing narrow waterways and docking closer to the heart of destinations that larger ships can’t reach.

She can navigate Norway’s scenic Åkrafjord, sailing beneath a low-hanging cable that blocks bigger vessels, and reach Langfoss – widely regarded as one of Norway’s most spectacular waterfalls. In France, Balmoral can journey along the scenic River Seine, winding past picturesque countryside and charming villages en route to the beautiful town of Rouen in Normandy. She’s also able to sail the Kiel Canal – passing through its lock and gliding beneath low bridges (with her mast lowered), while larger ships must divert north of Denmark to access the Baltic.

Balmoral's crest proudly replicates the British royal family's Scottish residence Balmoral Castle, with a nod to Fred. Olsen's historic links with Scotland and where the family still have an estate today.

We know from the wonderful feedback we receive that our crew are at the heart of the Fred. Olsen cruising experience.

Typically, gratuities are charged at £5.00 per person, per day for guests aged 12 and over. This amount is split equally between your stewardess and restaurant waiter, and will be automatically added to your on board account. While very much appreciated, these gratuities are voluntary, and therefore can be adjusted or removed completely at Guest Services on board the ship if you wish; and you are welcome to tip personally if you prefer.

For those guests sailing before our 2026 cruises, we are confident that you’ll wish to reward staff on board for the attention you receive, and while tipping is entirely at your discretion, we pride ourselves on the service offered to our guests.

For your convenience, you can also pre-pay gratuities before your cruise. We'll check with you at the time of booking if you’d like to pay prior to your cruise.

Pre-payment for cruises departing before 2026 can be made any time up to 5 days before departure by simply calling our Guest Services team on 0800 0355 145 or e-mail guest.services@fredolsen.co.uk

For those guests booked on a Freedom Fare, gratuities on all 2026 cruises will be included in your cruise price, ensuring our team and the service they provide you are a priority.

Our Guest Services team are available from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday.

You’ll find a range of cabins and suites on board our ships, so you can choose the cabin type, layout and price to suit you. Much of the accommodation has been refitted as part of our extensive, fleet-wide refurbishment programme making the stylish, comfortable cabins even more of a home from home.

We've thought of everything to ensure your time on board with us is as enjoyable, relaxing and carefree as possible.

All of our cabins are equipped with climate control, an interactive smart TV, hairdryer, desk, phone, fridge (which can be stocked as a mini-bar) and tea and coffee making facilities as standard.

OUR SUITE DREAMS PACKAGE

Offered with our compliments in all our Suites, our Suite Dreams package includes a few little luxuries to make your time on board Balmoral even more special.

Priority check-in and a bottle of sparkling wine on arrival will ensure you're perfectly relaxed when you are first welcomed into your suite. Daily canapés and a fruit basket are also available, as are comfortable bathrobes and slippers. Binoculars are on hand, along with a world atlas, for you to use - ideal for our Scenic Discoveries, where you'll marvel at the beautiful islands, lochs and seascapes Balmoral will cruise past.

Dining is an important part of your cruise with us and there is always plenty of variety for you to enjoy: Delicious five-course dining in our main restaurants; speciality Asian dining at our signature restaurants, Vasco and Colours and Tastes; our casual, self-serve dining experience with table-service drinks; and, on Bolette and Borealis, there’s a menu of light bites at the poolside during the day.

All of our food is freshly prepared on board, including our mouth-wateringly delicious homemade bread.

Our restaurant teams take great pride in the food they prepare for you and they love nothing more than to chat and share their passion with you.

And, of course, our warm and attentive waiting team are always on-hand to assist you.

Our on board dining experience

Each of the main restaurants on our ships are beautifully decorated, where we know you’ll enjoy sampling outstanding food created by our talented chefs, who take great pride in making tasty meals using fresh ingredients, and for our Treats of the Region, they’ll source local ingredients to prepare dishes that are popular in the destinations you’re visiting.

We have two dinner sittings, first sitting is at 6.00pm and second sitting is at 8.00pm*, which you request when you make your booking, and our Maitre’D is more than happy to meet with you to discuss any special dietary requirements you may have.

*Please note second sitting dining time in the main restaurants on embarkation day and on formal evenings will be at 8.15pm.

Our main restaurants are:

• Balmoral | Ballindalloch, Avon & Spey Restaurants

Dining at our Speciality restaurants on each of our ships is a really special experience. Our talented chefs are passionate about producing superb dishes, made fresh to order, where each delicious mouthful is an explosion of flavour. Vasco (available on Bolette and Borealis) offers an authentic taste of Goa, where each menu has been created by our Goan chefs, and for a taste of Asian Fusion, Colours & Tastes offers an eclectic combination of flavours in an intimate dining setting.

Colours & Tastes - Our Colours & Tastes restaurant features a tempting variety of Asian Fusion dishes, from spiced grilled meats and seafood to gyozas, dim sum and sushi.

In surroundings as vibrant as the food itself, each dish is lovingly created by our expert chefs and designed to give you an authentic taste of the Orient – with signature dishes from Japan, Thailand, China and the Philippines.

Casual dining

Our casual, self-serve dining experience on Bolette, Borealis and Balmoral offer a feast of delicious dishes for each meal every day, making it incredibly difficult to know which appetising dish to choose! Select from a variety of salads or stir fries, catered to your request, or sample dishes at our Destination stations, where we'll feature meals related to the lovely ports of call you're visiting. They also provide a huge spread of complimentary afternoon tea options, including warm scones with jam and cream, tasty sandwiches and delectable cakes, all freshly baked on board.

• Balmoral | The Thistle

We believe that a cruise is very different from a holiday. A cruise is about being out there on the ocean, exploring the world from the vantage point of the sea, enjoying the journey itself, not just the destinations. We like to focus on that feeling of boarding your ship for the first time, the excitement of visiting new places, and the warmth and conviviality of our on board teams, ensuring you are valued and well looked after - as we say in Norway, 'I det beste selskap' - in the best of company.

On board every cruise, and alongside all the lovely food, drink, entertainment and activities you'd expect, you can enjoy some of our Signature Experiences.

Learn Something New

Your days at sea, especially on longer voyages, are the perfect opportunity to try something you haven’t experienced before.

Learning to play the ukulele, learning to dance or singing in a choir with your fellow guests are not only enriching experiences but fun and sociable too.

On every ship, we have a beautiful, purpose-built studio space dedicated to art and craft, which is fully equipped with easels, paints and art materials.

Here, the lighting is excellent and you will find it the perfect environment to take part in drawing and painting classes and learn crafts like block printing.

Beyond our Signature Experiences, there is so much more to enjoy while you are on board with us.

Once on board, you will find a copy of the Daily Times in your cabin every evening. This will tell you all about the activities and events available on the following day. But in the meantime, here is a taste of what you can enjoy...

FUN AND GAMES, QUIZZES AND PUZZLES

To ensure there’s always something stimulating and fun for your time on board, our entertainment team run a fabulous programme of activities every single day.

These include traditional deck games like Quoits, Deck Tennis and Shuffleboard as well as challenging quizzes, Bridge tournaments in our dedicated Card Room and puzzles you can solve with fellow guests.

Or, perhaps join our friendly Book Club, held in an inviting, sociable area, where you can openly and informally debate your thoughts and opinions on best-selling lighter reads, crime thrillers, traditional or contemporary classics with other like-minded guests.

THEATRE, MUSIC AND DANCE

Each of our three beautiful ships has its own Theatre Company, who proudly present live musical shows for our guests.

Our Companies are regularly joined by visiting professional artists and performers, comedians and illusionists to ensure a constantly varying programme.

No cruise experience is complete, of course, without live music and each of our ships has its own house band. We also bring classical musicians, bands, soloists and singers on board to create a wonderful programme of live music, performances and recitals.

For those who love to dance, we hold plenty of classes. Our Dance Hosts are on-hand to accompany the more proficient or teach steps for those keen to learn.

What better environments to find total relaxation in than the beautiful spas on all three of our ships?

Floor to ceiling windows offer unparalleled views of the blue skies and cobalt waters while you are pampered and cared for by our specialist beauticians, hair stylists and therapists.

Our Fitness Centres also claim some of the most spectacular views of any gyms in the world – views that are constantly changing, of course. The perfect setting for a good workout, yoga or pilates session.

And once you’ve finished your activity, how about relaxing and unwinding in our swimming pools and Jacuzzis.