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Arrive | Depart | ||||||
8th08 | JunJun | 202020 | Rosyth, Scotland, embark on the Balmoral | Late PM | |||
Edinburgh is to London as poetry is to prose, as Charlotte Brontë once wrote. One of the world's stateliest cities and proudest capitals, it's built—like Rome—on seven hills, making it a striking backdrop for the ancient pageant of history. In a skyline of sheer drama, Edinburgh Castle watches over the capitalcity, frowning down on Princes Street’s glamour and glitz. But despite its rich past, the city’s famous festivals, excellent museums and galleries, as well as the modern Scottish Parliament, are reminders that Edinburgh has its feet firmly in the 21st century. Nearly everywhere in Edinburgh (the burgh is always pronounced burra in Scotland) there are spectacular buildings, whose Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian pillars add touches of neoclassical grandeur to the largely Presbyterian backdrop. Large gardens are a strong feature of central Edinburgh, where the city council is one of the most stridently conservationist in Europe. Arthur's Seat, a mountain of bright green and yellow furze, rears up behind the spires of the Old Town. This child-size mountain jutting 822 feet above its surroundings has steep slopes and little crags, like a miniature Highlands set down in the middle of the busy city. Appropriately, these theatrical elements match Edinburgh's character—after all, the city has been a stage that has seen its fair share of romance, violence, tragedy, and triumph. Modern Edinburgh has become a cultural capital, staging the Edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe Festival in every possible venue each August. The stunning Museum of Scotland complements the city’s wealth of galleries and artsy hangouts. Add Edinburgh’s growing reputation for food and nightlife and you have one of the world’s most beguiling cities. Today the city is the second most important financial center in the United Kingdom, and the fifth most important in Europe. The city regularly is ranked near the top in quality-of-life surveys. Accordingly, New Town apartments on fashionable streets sell for considerable sums. In some senses the city is showy and materialistic, but Edinburgh still supports learned societies, some of which have their roots in the Scottish Enlightenment. The Royal Society of Edinburgh, for example, established in 1783 "for the advancement of learning and useful knowledge," remains an important forum for interdisciplinary activities. Even as Edinburgh moves through the 21st century, its tall guardian castle remains the focal point of the city and its venerable history. Take time to explore the streets—peopled by the spirits of Mary, Queen of Scots; Sir Walter Scott; and Robert Louis Stevenson—and pay your respects to the world's best-loved terrier, Greyfriars Bobby. In the evenings you can enjoy candlelit restaurants or a folk ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee, a traditional Scottish dance with music), though you should remember that you haven't earned your porridge until you've climbed Arthur's Seat. Should you wander around a corner, say, on George Street, you might see not an endless cityscape, but blue sea and a patchwork of fields. This is the county of Fife, beyond the inlet of the North Sea called the Firth of Forth—a reminder, like the mountains to the northwest that can be glimpsed from Edinburgh's highest points, that the rest of Scotland lies within easy reach. | |||||||
9th09 | JunJun | 202020 | At Sea | ||||
10th10 | JunJun | 202020 | Copenhagen, Denmark | Early PM | Late Night | ||
By the 11th century, Copenhagen was already an important trading and fishing centre and today you will find an attractive city which, although the largest in Scandinavia, has managed to retain its low-level skyline. Discover some of the famous attractions including Gefion Fountain and Amalienborg Palace, perhaps cruise the city’s waterways, visit Rosenborg Castle or explore the medieval fishing village of Dragoer. Once the home of Hans Christian Andersen, Copenhagen features many reminders of its fairytale heritage and lives up to the reputation immortalised in the famous song ‘Wonderful Copenhagen’. | |||||||
11th11 | JunJun | 202020 | At Sea | ||||
12th12 | JunJun | 202020 | Riga, Latvia | Early AM | Late PM | ||
Rīga has an upscale, big-city feel unmatched in the region. The capital (almost as large as Tallinn and Vilnius combined) is the business center of the area while original, high-quality restaurants and hotels have earned Rīga some bragging rights among its Western European counterparts. The city also doesn't lack for beauty—Rīga's Old Town (now a UNESCO World Heritage site) is one of Europe’s most striking examples of the art nouveau architectural style. Long avenues of complex and sometimes whimsical Jugendstil facades hint at Rīga's grand past. Many were designed by Mikhail Eisenstein, the father of Soviet director Sergei. This style dominates the city center. In many ways, the wonder of Rīga resides less in its individual attractions and more in the fabric of the town itself. In the medieval Old Town, an ornate gable or architrave catches the eye at every turn. The somber and the flamboyant are both represented in this quarter's 1,000 years of architectural history. Don't hesitate to just follow where your desire leads—the Old Town is compact and bounded by canals, so it's difficult to get totally lost. When the Old Town eventually became too crowded, the city burst out into the newer inner suburbs. The rich could afford to leave and build themselves fine fashionable mansions in the style of the day; consequently, city planners created a whole new Rīga. Across the narrow canal, you'll find the Esplanāde, a vast expanse of parkland with formal gardens and period mansions where the well-heeled stroll and play. Surrounding this is the art nouveau district. Encompassing avenues of splendid family homes (now spruced up in the postcommunist era), the collection has been praised by UNESCO as Europe's finest in the art nouveau style. The best examples are at Alberta 2, 2a, 4, 6, 8, and 13; Elizabetes 10b; and Strēlnieku 4a. If the weather permits, eschew public transport and stroll between the two districts, taking in the varied skylines and multifaceted facades, and perhaps stopping at a café or two as you go. The city has churches in five Christian denominations and more than 50 museums, many of which cater to eclectic or specialist tastes. | |||||||
13th13 | JunJun | 202020 | At Sea | ||||
14th14 | JunJun | 202020 | Saint Petersburg (ex Leningrad), Russia | Early AM | Late PM | ||
Commissioned by Tsar Peter the Great (1672–1725) as "a window looking into Europe," St. Petersburg is a planned city whose elegance is reminiscent of Europe's most alluring capitals. Little wonder it's the darling of fashion photographers and travel essayists today: built on more than a hundred islands in the Neva Delta linked by canals and arched bridges, it was called the "Venice of the North" by Goethe, and its stately embankments are reminiscent of those in Paris. A city of golden spires and gilded domes, of pastel palaces and candlelit cathedrals, this city conceived by a visionary emperor is filled with pleasures and tantalizing treasures. With its strict geometric lines and perfectly planned architecture, so unlike the Russian cities that came before it, St. Petersburg is almost too European to be Russian. And yet it's too Russian to be European. The city is a powerful combination of both East and West, springing from the will and passion of its founder to guide a resistant Russia into the greater fold of Europe, and consequently into the mainstream of history. That he accomplished, and more. With a population of nearly 5 million, St. Petersburg is the fourth largest city in Europe after Paris, Moscow, and London. Without as many of the fashionably modern buildings that a business center like Moscow acquires, the city has managed to preserve much more of its history. Here, you can imagine yourself back in the time of the tsars and Dostoyevsky. Although it's a close race, it's safe to say that most visitors prefer St. Petersburg's culture, history, and beauty to Moscow's glamour and power. That said, St. Petersburg has begun to play a more active role in politics in recent years, as if it were the country's northern capital. It may be because of the affection the city holds in the heart of the country's political elite, many of whom are natives of the city. New high-speed trains now travel between Moscow and St. Petersburg, a new international airport and metro stations have just opened, and some crumbling parts of the city are undergoing reconstruction. St. Petersburg revels in its historic beauty but also embraces the new. | |||||||
15th15 | JunJun | 202020 | Saint Petersburg (ex Leningrad), Russia | Early AM | Late PM | ||
Commissioned by Tsar Peter the Great (1672–1725) as "a window looking into Europe," St. Petersburg is a planned city whose elegance is reminiscent of Europe's most alluring capitals. Little wonder it's the darling of fashion photographers and travel essayists today: built on more than a hundred islands in the Neva Delta linked by canals and arched bridges, it was called the "Venice of the North" by Goethe, and its stately embankments are reminiscent of those in Paris. A city of golden spires and gilded domes, of pastel palaces and candlelit cathedrals, this city conceived by a visionary emperor is filled with pleasures and tantalizing treasures. With its strict geometric lines and perfectly planned architecture, so unlike the Russian cities that came before it, St. Petersburg is almost too European to be Russian. And yet it's too Russian to be European. The city is a powerful combination of both East and West, springing from the will and passion of its founder to guide a resistant Russia into the greater fold of Europe, and consequently into the mainstream of history. That he accomplished, and more. With a population of nearly 5 million, St. Petersburg is the fourth largest city in Europe after Paris, Moscow, and London. Without as many of the fashionably modern buildings that a business center like Moscow acquires, the city has managed to preserve much more of its history. Here, you can imagine yourself back in the time of the tsars and Dostoyevsky. Although it's a close race, it's safe to say that most visitors prefer St. Petersburg's culture, history, and beauty to Moscow's glamour and power. That said, St. Petersburg has begun to play a more active role in politics in recent years, as if it were the country's northern capital. It may be because of the affection the city holds in the heart of the country's political elite, many of whom are natives of the city. New high-speed trains now travel between Moscow and St. Petersburg, a new international airport and metro stations have just opened, and some crumbling parts of the city are undergoing reconstruction. St. Petersburg revels in its historic beauty but also embraces the new. | |||||||
16th16 | JunJun | 202020 | At Sea | Late PM | Late Night | ||
17th17 | JunJun | 202020 | Stockholm, Sweden | Early AM | Late PM | ||
Stockholm is a city in the flush of its second youth. Since the mid-1990s, Sweden's capital has emerged from its cold, Nordic shadow to take the stage as a truly international city. What started with entry into the European Union in 1995 gained pace with the extraordinary IT boom of the late 1990s, strengthened with the Skype-led IT second wave of 2003, and solidified with the hedge-fund invasion that is still happening today as Stockholm gains even more global confidence. And despite more recent economic turmoil, Stockholm's 1 million or so inhabitants have, almost as one, realized that their city is one to rival Paris, London, New York, or any other great metropolis.With this realization comes change. Stockholm has become a city of design, fashion, innovation, technology, and world-class food, pairing homegrown talent with an international outlook. The streets are flowing with a young and confident population keen to drink in everything the city has to offer. The glittering feeling of optimism, success, and living in the here and now is rampant in Stockholm.Stockholm also has plenty of history. Positioned where the waters of Lake Mälaren rush into the Baltic, it’s been an important trading site and a wealthy international city for centuries. Built on 14 islands joined by bridges crossing open bays and narrow channels, Stockholm boasts the story of its history in its glorious medieval old town, grand palaces, ancient churches, sturdy edifices, public parks, and 19th-century museums—its history is soaked into the very fabric of its airy boulevards, built as a public display of trading glory. | |||||||
18th18 | JunJun | 202020 | Visby, Sweden | Early AM | Late PM | ||
Gotland is Sweden's main holiday island, a place of ancient history, a relaxed summer-party vibe, wide sandy beaches, and wild cliff formations called raukar (the remnants of reefs formed more than 400 million years ago). Measuring 125 km (78 miles) long and 52 km (32 miles) at its widest point, Gotland is where Swedish sheep farming has its home. In its charming glades, 35 varieties of wild orchids thrive, attracting botanists from all over the world. | |||||||
19th19 | JunJun | 202020 | At Sea | ||||
20th20 | JunJun | 202020 | Oslo, Norway | Early AM | Late PM | ||
Oslo is the capital of Norway and is also its largest city, situated at the head of Oslo Fjord and surrounded by hills and forests. Home to some 50 museums and full of galleries, cafés, a sculpture park and the Royal Palace, this vibrant city with its handsome 19th-century buildings and wide streets has much to offer. Its history dates back 1,000 years, and includes a rich seafaring heritage that ranges from the Viking era to Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon Tiki expedition. Discover more about this exciting city on our varied selection of excursions. | |||||||
21st21 | JunJun | 202020 | At Sea | ||||
22nd22 | JunJun | 202020 | Rosyth, Scotland, disembark the Balmoral | Early AM | |||
Edinburgh is to London as poetry is to prose, as Charlotte Brontë once wrote. One of the world's stateliest cities and proudest capitals, it's built—like Rome—on seven hills, making it a striking backdrop for the ancient pageant of history. In a skyline of sheer drama, Edinburgh Castle watches over the capitalcity, frowning down on Princes Street’s glamour and glitz. But despite its rich past, the city’s famous festivals, excellent museums and galleries, as well as the modern Scottish Parliament, are reminders that Edinburgh has its feet firmly in the 21st century. Nearly everywhere in Edinburgh (the burgh is always pronounced burra in Scotland) there are spectacular buildings, whose Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian pillars add touches of neoclassical grandeur to the largely Presbyterian backdrop. Large gardens are a strong feature of central Edinburgh, where the city council is one of the most stridently conservationist in Europe. Arthur's Seat, a mountain of bright green and yellow furze, rears up behind the spires of the Old Town. This child-size mountain jutting 822 feet above its surroundings has steep slopes and little crags, like a miniature Highlands set down in the middle of the busy city. Appropriately, these theatrical elements match Edinburgh's character—after all, the city has been a stage that has seen its fair share of romance, violence, tragedy, and triumph. Modern Edinburgh has become a cultural capital, staging the Edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe Festival in every possible venue each August. The stunning Museum of Scotland complements the city’s wealth of galleries and artsy hangouts. Add Edinburgh’s growing reputation for food and nightlife and you have one of the world’s most beguiling cities. Today the city is the second most important financial center in the United Kingdom, and the fifth most important in Europe. The city regularly is ranked near the top in quality-of-life surveys. Accordingly, New Town apartments on fashionable streets sell for considerable sums. In some senses the city is showy and materialistic, but Edinburgh still supports learned societies, some of which have their roots in the Scottish Enlightenment. The Royal Society of Edinburgh, for example, established in 1783 "for the advancement of learning and useful knowledge," remains an important forum for interdisciplinary activities. Even as Edinburgh moves through the 21st century, its tall guardian castle remains the focal point of the city and its venerable history. Take time to explore the streets—peopled by the spirits of Mary, Queen of Scots; Sir Walter Scott; and Robert Louis Stevenson—and pay your respects to the world's best-loved terrier, Greyfriars Bobby. In the evenings you can enjoy candlelit restaurants or a folk ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee, a traditional Scottish dance with music), though you should remember that you haven't earned your porridge until you've climbed Arthur's Seat. Should you wander around a corner, say, on George Street, you might see not an endless cityscape, but blue sea and a patchwork of fields. This is the county of Fife, beyond the inlet of the North Sea called the Firth of Forth—a reminder, like the mountains to the northwest that can be glimpsed from Edinburgh's highest points, that the rest of Scotland lies within easy reach. |
The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.
Balcony Junior Suites have a sitting area and balcony, bath and/or shower, and a fridge/mini bar.
Twin Inside cabins onboard Balmoral are all approximately 160 square feet in size, and have a bathroom with a shower and/or bath. All Inside cabins also have interactive television.
Some cabins may have movable beds that convert into one double bed. Please ask at the time of making your booking.
Marquee Suites all have a bedroom and sitting area, balcony, bathroom with bath and/or shower, and a fridge/mini bar. All suites onboard Balmoral have interactive television.
Guests in Marquee Suites will benefit from Fred. Olsen's Suite Dreams package, which include a bottle of sparkling wine, a fruit basket, and flowers or plant waiting for you in your suite when your board. Afternoon canapés delivered daily as you prepare for dinner and complimentary fluffy bathrobe and slippers. The package also includes a daily newsletter with international and national news, delivered to your door, as well as complimentary shuttle vouchers to get you right to the heart of things if your port is outside town and there are even compact umbrellas if you should need them. Other vouchers include laundry, luxury towels and pressing of formal-wear.
Outside Cabins on board Balmoral range from approximately 165 square feet to approximately 200 square feet for a Superior Outside A Grade Cabin. All Outside Cabins have a bathroom with a shower and/or bath.
Some Outside Cabins have picture windows, and all cabins have interactive television.
Some cabins have two movable beds that may convert into one double bed. Please ask at the time of making your booking.
(Some C/D grades also have a bath and cabin numbers 5001, 5002, 5003, 5004, 5005, 5006, 5007 & 5008 have a porthole, not a window).
Premier Suites all have a bedroom and sitting area, balcony, bathroom with bath and/or shower, and a fridge/mini bar. All suites onboard Balmoral have interactive television.
Guests in Premier Suites will benefit from Fred. Olsen's Suite Dreams package, which include a bottle of sparkling wine, a fruit basket, and flowers or plant waiting for you in your suite when your board. Afternoon canapés delivered daily as you prepare for dinner and complimentary fluffy bathrobe and slippers. The package also includes a daily newsletter with international and national news, delivered to your door, as well as complimentary shuttle vouchers to get you right to the heart of things if your port is outside town and there are even compact umbrellas if you should need them. Other vouchers include laundry, luxury towels and pressing of formal-wear.
Single cabins onboard Balmoral range from 130 square feet for a Single Inside Cabin, to 160 square feet for a Superior Outside Single Cabin.
All single cabins have a bathroom with shower (some may have a bathtub also) and grades J & K feature picture windows. Cabins 8061 & 8072 also have a small balcony.
All single cabins have interactive television.
Balcony Cabins feature a balcony, bathroom with shower, or bath and shower and interactive television.
Superior Suites all have a bedroom and sitting area, balcony, bathroom with bath and/or shower, and a fridge/mini bar. All suites onboard Balmoral have interactive television.
Guests in Superior Suites will benefit from Fred. Olsen's Suite Dreams package, which include a bottle of sparkling wine, a fruit basket, and flowers or plant waiting for you in your suite when your board. Afternoon canapés delivered daily as you prepare for dinner and complimentary fluffy bathrobe and slippers. The package also includes a daily newsletter with international and national news, delivered to your door, as well as complimentary shuttle vouchers to get you right to the heart of things if your port is outside town and there are even compact umbrellas if you should need them. Other vouchers include laundry, luxury towels and pressing of formal-wear.
The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.
An informal, relaxed dining venue.
The Ballindalloch restaurant is the main dining option on board Balmoral. Named after the Scottish castle it offers ocean views in a formal setting. There are two seating per night and often a special gala dinner is held here. Tables seat 2-8.
Casual lunch al fresco.
The Palms Cafe offers alternative for those times when you prefer not to stick to the set dinner times on board your cruise holiday. Casual self-service buffet, offering a less formal setting.
Featuring the same à la carte menu as the main dining room with an intimate atmosphere and panoramic views. But it's intimate design and panoramic views combine to give a unique dining atmosphere on your cruise ship.
The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.
Find card tables and competition in the card room. Bridge is always a popular pursuit onboard, so you’re sure to find players for a hand or two and more – whether casual or competitive is up to you.
Balmoral’s well stocked library is a popular area of the ship. With an array of novels, historical, geographical, autobiographical and many other books, the library onboard your cruise ship Balmoral is a true haven of peace and tranquillity.
The large picture windows in the Observatory Lounge offer fantastic views which are enhanced with plenty of binoculars spaced around the lounge. A grand piano provides the perfect background music as you enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail on your cruise holiday.
The Morning Light Pub is decorated in a traditional style, depicting the century and a half of Fred. Olsen history. Daytime or evening you can be entertained by occasional live music or stand-up comedians.
The Lido Bar looks out over the aft pool and the stern of your cruise ship and is the ideal spot to appreciate the talents of the onboard pianist.
The Marquee Bar offers plenty of refreshment options, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. The floor-to-ceiling windows let the light flood in, letting you take in the panoramic views.
Shows, reviews and evenings of cabaret are what Balmoral's Neptune Lounge has to offer. It has ample room for passengers whichever dinner sitting you are on, so you can find a seat to enjoy the glitz and glamour of the evening shows.
Balmoral includes a gaming area where you may try your hand on the Black Jack table or Roulette wheel. There is even the opportunity to learn how to play better, with daytime sessions teaching you how to win big.
The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.
The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.
14 nights aboard the Balmoral | |||
Evening entertainment | |||
Tea & coffee facilities in cabin | |||
Welcome and farewell cocktail parties | |||
Drinks packages available | |||
Complimentary tea & coffee during the day and early evening. | |||
Daily on-board activities | |||
Port Taxes and Fees | |||
ABTA and ATOL Protection* |
Date 8th Jun 2020 |
Nts 14 |
Interior £1,699pp |
Oceanview £899pp |
Balcony £1,999pp |
Suite £2,399pp |
Date 8th Jun 2020 |
Nts 14 |
Interior £1,699pp |
Oceanview £899pp |
Balcony £1,999pp |
Suite £2,399pp |
Interior staterooms from | £1,699pp | ||
M | Single Interior Room | £3,699pp | |
N | Single Interior Room | £3,399pp | |
I | Interior Room | £1,699pp | |
H | Interior Room | £1,839pp | |
G | Superior Interior | £1,959pp | |
Oceanview staterooms from | £899pp | ||
J | Superior Single | £5,399pp | |
K | Single Ocean View | £4,599pp | |
L | Single Ocean View | ||
OS | Ocean View Room | £1,199pp | |
F | Ocean View Room | £2,039pp | |
E | Ocean View Room | £2,199pp | |
D | Ocean View Room | £2,239pp | |
SOS | Superior Ocean View | £1,399pp | |
C | Superior Ocean View | £2,419pp | |
B | Superior Ocean View | £2,499pp | |
BD | Superior Ocean View | ||
A | Superior Ocean View | £2,679pp | |
LLH | Two Bedded Room | £899pp | |
Balcony staterooms from | £1,999pp | ||
JB | Single Balcony Suite | £5,999pp | |
BC | Balcony Room | £3,359pp | |
BA | Superior Balcony | £3,399pp | |
LBA | Superior Balcony | £1,999pp | |
LBJ | Balcony Junior Suite | £2,199pp | |
Suite staterooms from | £2,399pp | ||
BJ | Balcony Junior Suite | £4,349pp | |
BJD | Balcony Junior Suite | ||
SS | Superior Suite | £4,779pp | |
MS | Marquee Suite | £5,799pp | |
PS | Premier Suite | £6,499pp | |
OW | Owner's Suite | ||
LSS | Superior Suite | £2,399pp | |
Fusion Cruises when selling travel arrangements is a trading name of The Midcounties Co-operative Ltd. Fusion Cruises is an Accredited Body Member of Midcounties Co-operative Travel Consortium. (ABTA:P6652, ATOL:6053).
Book with Confidence. We are a Member of ABTA which means you have the benefit of ABTA’s assistance and Code of Conduct.
Some of the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme but ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services offered on this website. This website will provide you with information on the protection that applies in the case of each holiday and travel service offered before you make your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.caa.co.uk