Balmoral

Beautiful Balmoral is small enough to navigate some of Europe’s most picturesque waterways, including the Kiel Canal and River Seine, so guests can enjoy hours of scenic cruising. She retains a warm, civilised atmosphere.

Guests on board have plenty of space in which to relax, in elegant and comfortable lounges, bars and public areas, including the alfresco Poolside restaurant, the Marquee Bar with its comfortable rattan sofas and beautiful open promenade. Boasting two separate swimming pool decks, Balmoral is perfect for scenic cruising.

unique features


gratuties

Gratuities for our dedicated service team are not included in the cost of your holiday. While tipping is entirely at your discretion, we pride ourselves on the service offered to our guests, and are confident that you’ll wish to reward staff on board for the attention you receive.

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 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 can be made anytime up to 5 days before departure by simply calling our Guest Services team on 0800 0355 145 or e-mail [email protected]

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

facilities

  • Adults only
  • children facilities
  • smoking (some)

accommodation

Deck

dining

Whether you're visiting far-flung destinations on an epic Grand Voyage or taking a relaxing short trip to European cities, dining on board Balmoral is always a highlight of any cruise. With six fantastic dining venues to choose from, you'll always find there's a tempting selection of dishes, all perfectly prepared by our expert chefs.

Take a seat in the beautiful Ballindalloch, Spey and Avon restaurants∘ to start the day with a breakfast cooked just the way you like it, or indulge with a mouthwatering five-course á la carte dinner∘ every evening; and help yourself to the tempting buffet at the Palms Café. For an extra special treat, The Grill offers cooked-to-order steaks and seafood; while al fresco dining at its finest can be enjoyed at the newly installed The Poolside.

Fred. Olsen’s team of talented chefs are passionate about creating great food. Their vibrant choice of dishes means you can enjoy everything from British favourites to exciting new tastes from around the world and specialities from the destinations you are visiting.

On board bakers and pastry chefs ensure freshly made breads, pastries, cakes and biscuits are available each day.

Sommeliers are on hand to help you choose the perfect wine or champagne to accompany their meal and they love to create signature cocktails from the regions being visited.

Main restaurants:

The elegant main restaurants are at the heart of the Fred. Olsen dining experience and are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Every evening, enjoy a delicious five-course à la carte menu. Changing daily, guests will find options including steaks, seafood, freshly made soups, pasta and salads. They also feature regional dishes, so you will have the chance to experiment with local cuisines alongside their usual favourites.

For a more relaxed experience, guests can visit the buffet restaurant where they will find a delicious choice of freshly prepared options each day.

Speciality restaurants:

Colours & Tastes – Fred. Olsen’s Colours & Tastes restaurant features a tempting variety of Asian Fusion dishes, from spiced grilled meats and seafood to gyozas, dim sum and sushi. Located on board Bolette, Borealis and Balmoral.

Vasco - Named after the famous explorer Vasco Da Gama, Vasco offers a fresh and modern take on Indian cuisine. The menu is inspired by their chefs from Goa and focuses on the unique culinary traditions of this area – a place where the tastes of Europe first met the tropical warmth and spices of western India. Located on board Bolette, Borealis and Balmoral.

Speciality dining is available for £10pp when booked in advance or £15pp when booking on board.

entertainment

Whether you want to relax and watch the world go by, or fill your day meeting fellow guests and taking in our entertainment programme, we have plenty of options for you to try.

Enjoy wonderful live music in one of our bars, join a sociable gathering with other guests at our Book Club or perhaps sip a coffee as you take in the scenic sea view. Details of all daily events can be found in your Daily Times.

health fitness

Cruising with Fred. Olsen is about being able to rest, relax and leave all the daily stresses of life at home behind, and on board Balmoral it's easy to switch off from it all. You'll find there's plenty of ways to unwind, from a sunrise stroll along the promenade to visiting the Atlantis Spa for an indulgent treatment accompanied by beautiful scenic views. With fantastic fitness facilities and a range of classes on board too, you don't have to stray too far from your lifestyle while on holiday either.

kid & teen

Children of 6 months and over are very welcome on our ships. On peak-time holiday cruises, our Little Skippers Club keeps kids between 5 and 11 years old entertained with a variety of fun activities. They will enjoy arts and crafts, discos, treasure hunts and loads more, all run by our friendly team of hosts and hostesses*.

A list of the day's events are included in the Little Skippers Club's mini-version of the Daily Times, which also shows the separate pool times for kids. Activities also stretch across the evenings, to suit the individual needs of families on board. Please note: our Little Skippers Club also welcomes children under 5, however parents must provide supervision at all times. The club operates subject to minimum numbers being achieved.

**Please note we will not be operating any Little Skippers clubs aboard our Welcome Back sailings this summer. This is because cruising restart guidelines require all guests, including children, to remain in their household or dining bubbles on board.

enrichment

A Fred. Olsen cruise is about making the most of your time away from it all. This is why we provide a variety of experiences, events and classes for our guests, to ensure that every day enjoyed on board our smaller ships is as rewarding, varied and memorable as possible.

Activities vary from cruise to cruise, and are highlighted each day in your copy of The Daily Times. They could include insightful lectures from expert guest speakers; engaging arts and crafts sessions, such as watercolour tutorials; dancing and singing lessons; and much more.

LEARN SOMETHING NEW

Lots of our guests like to use their sea days or longer voyages to try their hand at something they haven't done before, so we host sociable activities like learning to play the ukulele or singing in a choir. Or you can refine your craft skills, practice your watercolours and learn some photography skills in our new Olsen Art Studio.

specifications

Llyd No
8506294
size
medium
Style
classic
Type
ocean
Year of Launch
1987
Year of last refit
2024
Gross tonnage
43537t
length
218m
width
32m
speed
18kts
decks
10
language
en-GB
currency
GBP
No of Passsengers
1325
No of Crew
551
No of Cabins
710
wheelchair access
9