Our flagship vessel proudly bears the name of Fred. Olsen's Great Grandmother, Bolette. Exuding classic, elegant style, and featuring spacious and comfortable public areas, with just 690 cabins, our flagship leads our fleet of smaller ships by example.

Bolette provides our guests with plenty of space to relax within the bars, lounges, theatres and wide open deck spaces. In the Observatory, you’ll be able to enjoy one of our Signature Experiences of scenic cruising, through the large panoramic windows – the perfect accompaniment to the commentary you’ll receive as you learn more about the waterways and fjords you’ll be sailing along.

The Auditorium hosts cooking demonstrations, where you’ll see our talented chefs create our Treats of the Region dishes, and have the chance to sample them too. Up on deck eight, you’ll find the Lido Bar and swimming pool. The retractable roof means you can enjoy a swim all year round, wherever you’re cruising. Of course, with our friendly staff providing the personal and attentive service they’re renowned for, there’s an intimate feel to the on board experience too.

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 Bolette 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 Bolette 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:

• Bolette | Bloomsbury & Terrace Restaurants
  

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.

Our casual dining restaurants are:

Bolette | The View

Booking ahead is highly recommended for all our Speciality Dining options, and reservations can be made using the pre-book button in your 'My Cruises' account from 13 weeks before and up to 1 day prior to departure. Please note, there is a £15 per person supplement for Colours & Tastes and Vasco. Speciality dining booked on board is chargeable at £20 per person*. Our Traditional Afternoon Tea Service is charged at £13 per person. 

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.