Sister ship of our flagship Bolette, Borealis joined us 2020, and is perfectly suited for enjoying scenic cruising of the world's lesser-known waterways. From cruising past remarkable landscapes and historical sites to capturing the beauty of the natural world.

Redecorated and refurbished when she joined our fleet in order to meet the high standards of the Olsen family, Borealis features a wonderful series of lounges, bars, elegant restaurants and wide-open deck spaces, as well as 702 beautiful cabins and suites; perfectly suited to the Fred. Olsen style of cruising. From January 2026, Borealis will be excusively for adults, so you can relax in the company of other like-minded guests.

Enjoy Scenic Discoveries from the perfectly-appointed Observatory, where guests will be able to see outstanding natural scenery and iconic landmarks, accompanied by commentary from our on board teams; or sample delicious Treats of the Region in the Auditorium where our talented chefs will prepare dishes that are local to the exciting destinations you're visiting. Our friendly crew will be on hand throughout your cruise, providing the personal service they're known for. 

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.

Guests will find a range of cabins and suites on board Borealis so they can choose the cabin type, layout and price to suit.

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 Borealis 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:

• Borealis | Borealis & Aurora 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:

• Borealis | The View

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.

You'll find that there's plenty to keep you entertained during the day on board Borealis, whether you prefer to while away the hours relaxing or engaging your body and mind. The ship's facilities include two swimming pools, two jacuzzis and an impressive spa with a Thermal Spa, Aroma Room, Hydro Pool, two saunas and nine treatment rooms, while there are tennis and basketball courts and a Culinary Theatre – which hosts fantastic cookery classes and demonstrations – too.