Fred Olsen Cruise Lines

What's special about a Fred Olsen Cruise?

It's all down to the human scale of Fred Olsen cruise ships. Most carry around 900 passengers so the atmosphere's rather like an intimate house party where everyone is friendly and on first name terms. Your crew will get to know you, not just your cabin number, and your barman will surprise you by remembering your favourite drink.

The smaller size of Fred Olsen cruise ships also means they can take you right into the heart of some of the most breathtaking locations.

What is there to do onboard?

There's plenty to relax and entertain you on a Fred Olsen cruise so you can tailor your cruise holiday to suit you.

Try your hand at a traditional game of deck quoits, tone up in a fitness class, play bridge, do a spot of duty free shopping and lots, lots more.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines caters mainly for adults and although there are facilities for children this cruise line would not be as suitable for families with active children as some others.

Your night time cruise entertainment

When night falls on your Fred Olsen cruise you can join new-found friends in the Neptune Lounge for an evening of cabaret, stand-up comedy, music or dancing.

Don't miss the review shows with their little bit of West End glitter and join the fun of a theme night - there's everything from Country & Western to hits from the 60s, whatever turns you on.

Dining aboard your cruise ship

Lunch is a casual affair on a Fred Olsen cruise;

• Relax over a meal in your cabin
• Grab a bite in a café
• Eat al fresco down by the pool

At night, push the boat out and sip a cocktail before indulging in a five course dinner in one of the cruise ship's formal restaurants.

If you prefer a more laid-back dining experience, you can also eat bistro-style or the late-night buffets are a popular port of call.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the details of this page are correct at the time of publication. However, you should always check prior to booking that any essential information is accurate with either Virgin Holidays Cruises or Fred Olsen Cruise Lines.

Which Fred Olsen Cruise Lines cruise ship is right for you?

• Balmoral
• Black Watch
• Boudicca
• Braemar

With a history dating back to 1848, Fred Olsen is one of the few family-owned cruise lines still in existence. The company is still owned and operated by the descendants of Frederik Christian Olsen, who established the company more than 150 years ago.

The cruise line currently operates five ships and has a loyal passenger base who enjoy the intimate and traditional feel onboard.

Blast from the past

One of the world's few remaining family-owned cruise lines, Fred Olsen was established in 1848 by three brothers from the small town of Hvitsten in Norway.

A young captain named Fredrik Christian Olsen took it upon himself to invest in two schooners and his seafaring brothers, Petter and Andreas, soon followed suit.

The trio continued to expand their fleet, snapping up a number of small trading ships and cargo liners.

However, life was difficult for the brothers chartering the cold and harsh waters of Norway and Fred Olsen died tragically in 1875 - by which time almost half of his 22-strong fleet had been wrecked.

The two remaining brothers continued to build on the Olsen name; however it is Petter's son, the second Fred Olsen, who can be credited with helping to establish the brand as one of the biggest in Norwegian shipping.

An accomplished sailor, the young Fred commanded one of the company's vessels at the tender age of 23 and went on to assume a management position. In 1896 he placed an order for a new steamship known as the Bayard and from then on it became a tradition for Fred Olsen to give its vessels names beginning with a B.

The line continued to expand and in 1926 it took delivery of the Brabant - a new generation ship with room for 70 first class passengers and 30 in economy. The Brabant was much more modern-looking than the other ships in her fleet and heralded a new era for the cruise line.

Following the death of the second Fred Olsen in 1933, the family continued to build on the success he had created and introduced new vessels such as the Blenheim and the Black Watch, the latter of which entered service in 1966 - embarking on her fist voyage from London to the Canary Islands later that year.

The Black Prince joined the fleet shortly afterwards and the cruise line began offering a weekly passage to the Canary Islands, to huge success. By this time Olsen had also began selling winter voyages around Madeira.

Black Prince was re-modelled in the 1980s and an additional 125 cabins were added to the vessel.

Other ships added to the fleet in recent years include the Braemar, which entered service at the start of the millennium and was specially designed to offer seven-day sailings around the Caribbean. The Braemar allowed Fred Olsen to offer fly-cruises for the first time.

In 2005 the cruise line announced plans to purchase a new vessel, known as Boudicca. The ship embarked on its first cruise for Fred Olsen in 2006 and has since become a much-loved member of the fleet.

Cruising into the future

In a world where cruise ships the size of floating cities are being launched, it is still refreshing for passengers to know that they can enjoy a traditional and intimate cruise with Fred Olsen.

Today the cruise line operates a fleet of five ships; Balmoral, Boudicca, Black Prince, Black Watch and Braemar. Many passengers view these ships as a home-from-home and a warm welcome is always guaranteed.

The cruise line, which grew from humble Norwegian beginnings, now transports passengers to far-flung destinations including the Amazon and the US. The purchase of two small schooners in 1848, the ambition of three brothers and the dedication of the entire Olsen family has seen the cruise line grow into the respected and much-loved brand it is today.