cruises – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines unveils new 2025/26 programme from Rosyth with chance to win £1,000 cruise voucher

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has unveiled its brand new cruise programme for 2025/26, featuring a host of specially-timed sailings where guests can embrace the local way of life, seek out native wildlife and witness spectacular natural wonders.

The new programme from Rosyth has been carefully curated to ensure guests are visiting destinations at the very best time of year with opportunities to witness spectacular waterfalls and geysers in Iceland, visit Europe’s biggest sea shanty festival and explore the enchanting islands of Arctic Norway.

To celebrate the launch, guests who book a cruise from the new 2025/26 Worldwide programme between 5^th and 12^th March 2024, have the chance to win up to £1,000 off a cruise of their choice. Five runners up will also win a £200 voucher to use towards a future cruise booking. *

Destinations include the Mediterranean and North Africa, the Baltic, Arctic Norway, Iceland and Greenland, the British Isles and far-flung gems in the Caribbean, South America, Africa and Australia.

Martin Lister, Head of Itinerary Planning and Destination Experiences at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “This has been a phenomenal programme for our team of Journey Planners to curate, as it will see our fleet of smaller-sized ships visit all seven continents of the world.

“Guests who join us on board in 2025 and 2026 can expect to see some breathtaking scenery including eye-catching fjord mountains, dramatic coastlines, icebergs, remote islands and beautiful bays.

“They can visit captivating cities, fairytale castles and charming old towns packed with ornate and striking architecture and experience natural phenomena such as the Northern Lights, the Midnight Sun, stunning sunsets and flowers in bloom at the very best time to see them.

“Some of the highlights include chances to visit the beautiful Norwegian Fjords in the spring, when the waterfalls are at their strongest; to see fields of lavender and sunflowers in bloom in the French Riviera and enjoy a world cruise discovering idyllic islands and cities rich in culture.”

Guests can also look forward to a host of specially-curated activities on board, from chances to join an astronomer for stargazing on deck; to spot marine wildlife with conservation charity ORCA, or sample authentic flavours from the destinations they will visit.

Those making a booking can also take advantage of dedicated launch offers, with up to £20 per person per night to spend on board on selected five to 13-night cruises; the choice of up to £20 credit per person per night or free door-to-door transfers within up to 200 mainland miles from the port on sailings of 14 to 28 nights. There are also a series of dedicated offers for solo travellers.

Rob Mason, Head of Cruise at Capital Cruising, said: “Congratulations to the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines team as they launch an exciting new cruise programme.

“The Port of Rosyth offers the perfect regional location for people who can depart from here and cruise directly to many brilliant destinations with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

“This year will be our busiest cruise season on the River Forth and we are seeing cruise holidays increase in popularity in Scotland each year.

“We look forward to welcoming passengers to our ports and we would of course encourage anyone new to cruise, to book one of the many amazing itineraries to Europe or farther afield.”

Highlights of the 2025/26 cruise programme include:

Balmoral’s 10-night L2512 ‘Scenic Scottish Isles and the West Country’ cruise, departing from Rosyth on 7^th June 2025. Prices start from £1,649 per person.

Enjoy scenic cruising of Scottish islands such as Fingal’s Cave
Experience the foot-tapping Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival
Visit the Gardens of Heligan or Eden Project

Itinerary: Rosyth, Scotland – Cruising by Duncansby Stacks, Scotland – Cruising by The Needle, Scotland – Cruising by Old Man of Hoy, Scotland – Lerwick, Scotland – Cruising by the Small Isles, Scotland – Cruising by Dutchman’s Cap (Bac Mor), Scotland – Cruising by Fingal’s Cave, Scotland – St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly – Falmouth, England – Dartmouth, England – Portsmouth, England – Rosyth, Scotland
For more details: Visit L2512 ‘Scenic Scottish Isles and the West Country’

Balmoral’s 10-night L2513 ‘Norway’s Arctic Islands and Mountainous Vistas’ cruise, departing from Rosyth on 17^th June 2025. Prices start from £1,599 per person.

Explore Arctic Norway in the summertime
Witness the Midnight Sun and see Torghatten
Travel along the iconic Atlantic Ocean Road

Itinerary: Rosyth, Scotland – Crossing the Arctic Circle, Norway – Cruising by Reine, Lofoten, Norway – Leknes, Norway – Svolvær, Norway – Cruising Tjeldsundet Strait, Norway – Tromsø, Norway – Sortland, Vesteralen, Norway – Cruising by Seven Sisters Mountain Range, Norway – Cruising by Torghatten, Norway – Kristiansund, Norway – Rosyth, Scotland
For more details: Visit L2513 ‘Norway’s Arctic Islands and Mountainous Vistas’

Balmoral’s 14-night L2514 ‘Fairytale Castles and Old Towns of the Baltic’ cruise, departing from Rosyth on 27^th June 2025. Prices start from £2,099 per person.

Discover the enchanting cities of Riga, Tallinn and Copenhagen
Immerse yourself in Estonian life at the Song and Dance Festival
Uncover the Hanseatic history of the Baltic region

Itinerary: Rosyth, Scotland – Cruising Kiel Canal, Germany – Copenhagen, Denmark – Warnemünde, Germany – Riga, Latvia – Tallinn, Estonia (overnight stay) – Klaipėda, Lithuania – Rosyth, Scotland
For more details: Visit L2514 ‘Fairytale Castles and Old Towns of the Baltic’

Balmoral’s 13-night L2516 ‘French Rivers with Normandy and Bordeaux’ cruise, departing from Rosyth on 20^th July 2025. Prices start from £1,899 per person.

Sail along the picturesque River Seine, only possible on smaller ships
Join a tour to France’s capital and experience Parisian life
Discover the enigmatic Mont Saint-Michel from St Malo

Itinerary: Rosyth, Scotland – La Pallice (for La Rochelle), France – Bordeaux, France (overnight stay) – Getxo, Spain – St Malo, France – Cruising River Seine, France – Rouen, France (overnight stay) – Honfleur, France – Rosyth, Scotland
For more details: Visit L2516 ‘French Rivers with Normandy and Bordeaux’

For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ 2025/26 sailings, visit www.fredolsencruises.com/new-cruise-programme

Book online or call Reservations on 0800 0355 242 (Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm), or contact your ABTA travel agent.

Fred. Olsen makes waves with campaign pouring 175 Years in Every Single Day

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has launched a new campaign outlining how their 175 years of experience in sailing goes into making every single day count.

With new guest bookings rising significantly, the brand has now tapped into the talents of a multi-award-winning documentary maker and creative team to deliver “175 Years in Every Single Day”.

Along with a television advert, the campaign includes marketing materials and an extensive social media presence giving prospective and returning guests a unique perspective into what makes the brand stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Peter Deer, Managing Director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “On a Fred. Olsen cruise, every single thing we’ve learned over 175 years, goes into every single day of sailing with us.

“This dynamic advert celebrates everything that makes sailing with us special and unique – our smaller ships, our hand-crafted itineraries, an on board experience which is designed to enhance each journey and of course, our people.

“Our smaller ships allow our guests to travel into the furthest reaches of Norway’s lesser-known fjords, through narrow waterways and canals and to the very heart of some of the world’s most beautiful cities.

“The team who deliver our hand-crafted itineraries take us to the world’s most wonderful destinations at the very best possible times to experience them and our emphasis on the joy of the journey ensures every single day on board is as stimulating and enjoyable as possible.

“As for our people – they are at the heart of everything we do, and this comes across in this new campaign which shows our pride in the special way we work.”

To create the advert, the marketing team at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines employed support from Nick Bell and Walter Campbell, two of the most awarded advertising creatives of the last 30 years who have created campaigns in the past for famous brands like Guinness and Cadbury.

Watch the 175 Years in Every Single Day advert.

The TV advert was directed by Kit Lynch-Robinson who has worked on The Grand Tour, Top Gear and Clarkson’s Farm and was Series Director for the Chris Hemsworth hit TV show Limitless. The advert is set to an orchestral, Cinematic Pop version of Sail! by AWOL Nation.

Throughout 2021 and 2022, Fred. Olsen refined their strategy for 2023 and beyond. With two new ships, they identified their target guests, added new cruises and on board experiences and have also reinvented their brand identity to appeal more to this target audience.

Jackie Martin, Marketing and Sales Director from Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “After a tough few years for everyone in the travel industry, we are delighted to have a very clear view of how we will continue to build on this year’s successes.

“This bold campaign marks a significant step forward for a brand with such a proud maritime heritage. We have really enjoyed the slightly unconventional creative approach we took, working directly with Nick, Walter and Kit which delivered a campaign we are all very proud of. It is now time to showcase all that our experience has to offer.”

The company has won numerous awards and most recently has been shortlisted for Customers at the Heart of Everything, Best Customer-Centric Culture and Best Customer Service at the UK Customer Experience Awards 2023 and for Best Ocean Cruise Line, Best Specialist Cruise Line, Best for Solo Travellers, Best for Excursions and Best for Cuisine in the Wave Awards 2023.

This year, Fred. Olsen was also awarded a silver Investors in People accreditation.

For more information about Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, please visit www.fredolsencruises.com, call Reservations on 0800 0355 242 (Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm), or contact your local ABTA travel agent.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines to partner with Go Stargazing for 26 cruises in 2024

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has teamed up with astronomy organisation Go Stargazing for a series of cruises setting sail next year.

The new partnership will see astronomers join a selection of 26 cruises on board Bolette, Borealis and Balmoral to destinations including Norway, Iceland, the Azores and the Canary Islands throughout 2024, encouraging guests to look up at the night skies.

The stargazing experts will spend time on deck helping guests aboard navigate the dark skies with laser-guided tours of the constellations, observing fascinating celestial objects from the Moon’s craters to distant galaxies and experiencing phenomena including meteor showers and the Aurora Borealis.

James Moss, Journey Experience Coordinator at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We know that our guests love sitting on the open deck, snuggled in a blanket with a hot chocolate or a toddy, looking up at the beauty of the night sky.

“Now, thanks to our partnership with Go Stargazing, we will be able to offer 26 incredible itineraries where an astronomer will join our guests on-board and bring the darkness to life.

“The itineraries include the likes of the Natural Wonders and Wildlife of the Azores and Madeira in April and In Search of the Northern Lights at Christmas in December.

“To have the Go Stargazing experts on-board, sharing their vast expertise and insight, is something that we know our guests will enjoy and enable them to get even more from cruising with Fred. Olsen.”

In addition, the Go Stargazing team will host various presentations and answer questions about all things astronomical.

The new partnership ties in with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Signature Experience, the Sky at Sea, which celebrates a sunrise at sea or the beauty of the night sky from the deck of the ship.

Neill Sanders, Director of Go Stargazing, said: “The entire Go Stargazing team are delighted to be embarking on this exciting new journey with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, working in partnership to truly showcase magnificent dark skies.

“These itineraries offer an incredible opportunity to see some truly phenomenal sights including the Milky Way, the Aurora, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies as well as witness the likes of the solar eclipse in April and the Perseid Meteor Shower in August.

“Out at sea there is little to no light pollution, meaning the skies are at their darkest. It’s the perfect place for people to look up, and for us to share our passion and enthusiasm for astronomy.”

The cruises that Go Stargazing will be joining include a host of specially timed sailings to coincide with natural wonders and destination events with departures from Liverpool, Newcastle, Dover, Southampton and Portsmouth.

Details of some of Go Stargazing’s sailings with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines are as follows:

Balmoral’s 14-night L2402 ‘Discovering Cultural Morocco’ cruise, departing from Southampton on 18^th January 2024. Prices start from £1,799 per person.

See Saturn and Jupiter and observe the changing phases of the Moon
Visit impressive mosques and explore bustling souks
Enjoy time taking in the Moorish sites of Lisbon

Itinerary: Southampton, UK – Funchal, Portugal – Agadir, Morocco – Casablanca, Morocco (overnight stay) – Tangier, Morocco – Lisbon, Portugal – Leixões, Portugal – Southampton, UK
For more details: Visit Balmoral’s L2402 ‘Discovering Cultural Morocco’ cruise

Bolette’s 14-night T2408 ‘Natural Wonders and Wildlife of the Azores and Madeira’ cruise, departing from Liverpool on 19^th April 2024. Prices start from £1,899 per person.

Explore volcanic sites in the Azores
Learn to take night-time photos with an experienced astrophotographer
Go in search of whales with ORCA

Itinerary: Liverpool, UK – Praia da Vitoria, Portugal – Ponta Delgada, Portugal – Cruising by Santa Maria, Portugal – Cruising by Cabo Girao, Portugal – Funchal, Portugal (overnight stay) – Lisbon, Portugal – Leixões, Portugal – Liverpool, UK
For more details: Visit Bolette’s T2408 ‘Natural Wonders and Wildlife of the Azores and Madeira’ cruise

Balmoral’s 14-night L2437 ‘In Search of the Northern Lights at Christmas’ cruise, departing from Southampton on 22^nd December 2024. Prices start from £2,599 per person.

Witness the Northern Lights around the time of peak solar activity
Celebrate Christmas Day on board Balmoral
Experience the maritime tradition of crossing the Arctic Circle

Itinerary: Southampton, UK – Crossing the Arctic Circle, Norway – Bodø, Norway – Cruise Tjeldsundet, Norway – Tromsø, Norway (overnight stay), Alta, Norway – Cruise Tjeldsundet Strait, Norway – Trondheim, Norway (overnight stay) – Ålesund, Norway – Southampton, UK
For more details: Visit Balmoral’s L2437 ‘ In Search of the Northern Lights at Christmas’ cruise

For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit the website at www.fredolsencruises.com Book online, call Reservations on 0800 0355 242 (Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm), or contact your ABTA travel agent.

To find out more about Go Stargazing, visit www.gostargazing.co.uk

To celebrate this new partnership, a competition to win a cruise for two to see the Northern Lights will be announced at 12noon on 1^st September. Follow Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and Go Stargazing on social media for updates.

Free drinks or door-to-door transfers on selected 2023 sailings from Rosyth with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is offering guests free door-to-door transfers or an all inclusive drinks package on a selection of 2023 itineraries from Rosyth, with sailings starting from £1,099 per person.

Running from 6^th September to 31^st October inclusive, guests booking a selected cruise of 16-nights of less can enjoy a free all inclusive drinks package, or, for selected cruises of 17-nights or more, guests will benefit from free door-to-door transfers for up to 200 UK mainland miles to the port.

A variety of hand-crafted itineraries are featured in the offer, with chances to experience some of the cultural traditions of Spain and Portugal, witness the midnight sun in rugged and remote Spitsbergen or discover Scandinavia’s Viking heritage.

Clare Ward, Director of Product and Customer Service at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We are really proud of our hand-crafted itineraries, and our Journey Planners curate each cruise specially to make sure we are visiting at the best time of year and exploring beyond the typical tourist trails.

“Whether that’s venturing to see the midnight sun in rugged and remote Spitsbergen, cruising into the heart of the breath-taking Norwegian fjords or experiencing the world-famous Kiel Week Regatta in a scenic sailing to Germany, I am sure there will be a cruise to tempt you.

“We know these added value packages mean a great deal to our guests. With a drinks package, you can relax in one of our bars or lounges with your favourite tipple as you recharge after a day of exploring ashore.

“All of our cruises set sail from a regional UK port, meaning you can enjoy a stress-free check-in, avoiding long queues and delays and with the option of door-to-door transfers included on selected 2023 cruises, our guests can start to relax and enjoy their holiday from the moment they leave their front doors.”

Highlights included within this offer are:

Balmoral’s 10-night L2315 ‘German Cities with Kiel Week Regatta’ cruise, departing from Rosyth on 22^nd June 2023. Prices start from £1,599 per person. Enjoy a free all inclusive drinks package when booked by 31^st October 2022 inclusive.
Itinerary: Rosyth, Edinburgh, Scotland – Frederica, Denmark – Kiel, Germany (overnight port) – Warnemünde, Germany – Sassnitz, Germany – Kiel Canal Transit, Germany – Hamburg, Germany (overnight port) – Bremen, Germany – Rosyth, Edinburgh, Scotland
For more details: Visit www.fredolsencruises.com/cruise/maritime-germany-l2315

Balmoral’s17-night L2316 ‘Experience the Traditions of Spain & Portugal’ cruise, departing from Rosyth on 2^nd July 2023. Prices start from £2,599 per person. Enjoy free door-to-door transfers when booked by 31^st October 2022 inclusive.
Itinerary: Rosyth, Edinburgh, Scotland – Leixões (for Oporto), Portugal – Málaga, Spain – Cartagena, Spain – Valencia, Spain – Mahon (Menorca), Spain – Cádiz, Spain – Cruise mouth of River Tagus, Portugal – Lisbon, Portugal – Vigo, Spain – Rosyth, Edinburgh, Scotland

For more details: Visit www.fredolsencruises.com/cruise/spanish-and-portuguese-traditions-l2316

Balmoral’s15-night L2317 ‘Rugged & Remote Spitsbergen with the Midnight Sun’ cruise, departing from Rosyth (Edinburgh) on 19^th July 2023. Prices start from 2,799 per person. Enjoy a free all inclusive drinks package when booked by 31^st October 2022 inclusive.
Itinerary: Rosyth, Edinburgh, Scotland – Åndalsnes, Norway – Cruise Nærøysundet, Norway – Cruising Torghatten, Norway – Cruising Seven Sister Mountain Range, Norway – Cruising Trollfjord, Norway – Cruise Tjeldsundet Strait, Norway – Cruising by Djevelen Tanngard, Norway – Tromsø, Norway – Honningsvåg, Norway – Cruise North Cape, Norway – Cruise by Bear Island, Norway – Pyramiden, Norway – Cruise by Nordenskiöldbreen, Norway – Cruising Tempelfjorden, Norway – Longyearbyen, Norway – Sortland, Vesterålen, Norway – Cruising by Black Glacier, Norway – Cruising Nordfjorden, Meloy, Norway – Kristiansund, Norway – Rosyth, Edinburgh, Scotland
For more details: Visitwww.fredolsencruises.com/cruise/spitsbergen-with-the-midnight-sun-l2317

Balmoral’s nine-night L2320 ‘Discover Scandinavia’s Viking Heritage’ cruise, departing from Rosyth on 16^th August 2023. Prices start from £1,399 per person. Enjoy a free all inclusive drinks package when booked by 31^st October 2022 inclusive.
Itinerary: Rosyth, Edinburgh, Scotland – Aalborg, Denmark – Cruising Limfjorden, Denmark – Hundsted, Denmark – Cruising by the Olsen Family Home, Norway – Cruising Oslofjord, Norway – Oslo, Norway – Cruising Hidrasund & Strandsfjorden, Norway – Stavanger, Norway – Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland – Cruising by Lindisfarne & Bamburgh Castle, United Kingdom – Rosyth, Edinburgh, Scotland
For more details: Visit www.fredolsencruises.com/cruise/scandinavias-viking-heritage-l2320

For further information, visit fredolsencruises.com. Book online, call our Reservations team on 0800 0355 242 (Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm), or contact your ABTA travel agent