Fred Olsen Cruise Lines Reviews

This was our first cruise and after reading reviews online, I was worried about what to expect. We left from Liverpool, on the Borealis to the Azores, Madeira and Lisbon. Our cabin was wonderful, leading out onto the promenade deck with our own steamer chairs outside. I was concerned about the lack of privacy, but we enjoyed sitting out there chatting to people walking by. If you wanted to be quiet, that was fine too.it’s great to be able to get straight outside and walk around the whole deck if you want to.
We’d booked an accessible cabin as I have disabilities and use a rollator. There was lots of space with a great bathroom/wet room that drained well, no issues.
The service, and staff were exceptional, very attentive and helpful. I’ve never felt so well looked after! Our stewardess was a delight. The ship itself is beautiful, and the right size for me to cope with getting around. The food was great, different places to eat. The entertainment was ok, some of it not quite in tune! However, it was enjoyable on the whole. Good amount of activities on sea days, lectures, quizzes, crafting etc. Down sides were expensive excursions, rough seas on the way, and the weather could have been better, and a shambolic disembarkation for those of us waiting for the minibus. Other than that, it was a holiday to remember for all the right reasons. Take heart if you’re reading reviews and wondering if you’ve done the right thing!

Fred holidays organised our holiday including a 7 night cruise with American Queen Steamboat company. We booked this once in a lifetime holiday in January 2020 but for obvious reasons it was postponed until April this year. Just after we booked, we had a bit of money left to us so we said we wanted to add one extra night to the beginning and end of our journey. They then decided to add £7,000 to the price, whithout consultation or explanation, which took the final cost to a massive £18,000! Like many people, we were desperate for a holiday after loosing two people who meant the world to us, we really needed a break. The holiday was horrendous from start to finish, with pre booked private cars to transport us to the various parts of the holiday, the food on board the ship was dreadful, the “entertainment” which was listed as Broadway worthy, was severely disappointing and no-where near what we were told to expect. We had two days of cancelled flights home, which resulted in my Husband not being given his passport back in the terrible confusion after the second cancellation, so we had to stay another week in a hotel, at our own cost. I have since priced the exact same holiday for July 2022 and guess what, the price was just a little over the price we were given in 2020! Even though I have given these figures to Fred Holidays, they have refused to justify the increase to us, saying we bought a package holiday, so we don’t get a breakdown. I thought a package holiday was organised completely and a set price given, not one where you can pick and choose where you stay and for how long? This company couldn’t organise their way out of a wet paper bag, never mind a bespoke holiday, which they say they’re experts at. We will never use this company again and I am telling everyone not to touch them with a barge pole. I have so far written to Rip-off-Britain at the BBC and am in the process of taking legal action.

Similar to another reviewer, we too have booked the 78 night trip to South America and Antarctic. We too have since discovered that the price has reduced by £1200. This is seven months before sailing. We were encouraged to book September 2021 as places were sure to sell out. I don’t think so…. We contacted Fred who told us the same,that there are benefits to booking early such as cabin choice, restaurant choice etc… Luckily we did not book the drinks package as earlier reviewer. Another thing we didn’t realise is we will not have time to visit Buenos Aires as we want to visit Igazuz Falls. I assumed the trips would fall either side of a sea day, wrong. Prices for the trips have greatly and I mean greatly, increased from what I was told of previous tours when I questioned them before booking the cruise last year. I have also questioned this last week and was told it’s itinerary changes due to covid? We could not have the difference refunded,but did have a £150 each onboard spend added. We have travelled with Fred many times in the past but this treatment is making us question the trip, and maybe calling it off and losing our deposit too.

We, a family of 5 adults, had our first ever cruise with Fred Olsen (L2214 Shetlands/Orkney on Balmoral). Whilst we enjoyed the experience of being at sea we unfortunately didn't enjoy the cruise itself. We had a Superior Suite (for 2 adults) and a Premier Suite (for 3 adults). There were several problems, some of which are mentioned below but the worst incident was the disruption of the water supply the night before disembarkation. We were notified that the water would be off between midnight and 05:00, in reality it was 'til 06:00 and there was no hot water 'til ~07:20. Breakfast was from 06:00-08:00 and our disembarkation time was just after 07:00. We had a long journey from the port and couldn't even shower as the water was ice cold. We didn’t have breakfast either as by the time the water came back on and we'd cleaned up it was time to leave. Fred Olsen didn't make any effort e.g., supplying bottled water so that we could atleast brush our teeth. They didn't offer any apology or delay the time of departure time, we had to leave the cabins by 08:00. It's been a month since the cruise and they haven't bothered to reach out with an apology. It was expensive to book two suites and there was nothing to show for the cost, there was nothing luxurious about this experience.
The cabins were both spacious and clean but a tad dated. Unfortunately, the balconies were dirty. They were finally cleaned on the 4th day of a 5 night cruise! Again, this highlights how guests are treated, why weren't the balconies cleaned prior to departure? The 3 course meals weren't very good so we ended up eating at the buffet restaurant which at least allowed some variety.
I have given two stars as our cabin attendant, Jenneth, and the majority of waiting staff were very attentive and friendly. I don't think we'll travel with Fred olsen again as it simply isn't worth the money.

Booked a world cruise recently had to cancel because of insurance and cannot get a refund. So I have decided to get in touch with the tv program RIP OFF BRITON .anyone out there care to join me on my quest .Paul

We have just returned from our cruise to the Norwegian fjords & are pleased to say it was one of the best holidays we’ve been on! As it was our first ever cruise,we didn’t really know what to expect but it was brilliant. The staff on board were all so helpful & kind.Seeing their wonderful smiling faces everyday was a bonus! We must give a shout out to Kanya & Marco in the morning light bar, to April in the Lido bar & to Victoria in the palm’s cafe for her attentiveness towards us! She was always pleased to see us no matter how often we went in there. A big thankyou to the our cabin staff,who always kept it so clean & tidy! I even came back one night to a birthday cake in our cabin! You all made my birthday so special.The shows were spectacular!So thankyou all so much! I’m sure we will be back for another cruise with you all again soon.X

Not great.. Went on the recent cruise to the Orkneys and Shetlands on Balmoral. The Isles were great. The weather was brilliant. The excursion great. The experience on board, not so. We booked this short 5 night cruise to avoid a 'posh dress' night, but Fred Olsen decided to put one on anyway. My Husband didn't bring a jacket, so we could only dine and drink in certain areas of the ship on that night. He had a smart shirt on, but no jacket.. Ridiculous. Our first cabin was awful, so they moved us. Hardly any sleep whilst on board as the cabin walls are so thin. In the bars the bar waitresses/waitors kept trying to take our drinks away before we finished them. Then they kept trying to get us to order more drinks, when we still had two thirds of our drinks. Hardly any space for waiting staff to move in the Spey restaurant, which meant they bumped into us all the time. Cutlery etc. taken away quickly in the buffet restaurant. Coffee awful. Ship needs much updating. To top it all we came home with Covid. Wouldn't recommended.

I wrote a review on the 31st may regarding Fred olsens complete lack of customer care and their deposit policy, I received a reply on the 8th June stating that their customer support team had been asked to once again contact me, guess what , no contact at all.
Once again a total lack of any kind of customer care.
I would describe them as a customer don’t care company, how long can the continue as a company with this attitude towards their customers

Been trying to get a response for 20 days now regarding a cruise I have booked for 17th July. Getting really stressed with the lack of reply as it about vaccinations that we can’t complete due to recently having covid.

We have just returned from a Fred Olsen cruise on the Borealis on the 25th May going round Spain and it was definitely the worse cruise we have ever been on from start to finish. Everything was done on the cheap especially the entertainment. The magician was a disgrace tricks that you have seen 20 years ago a singer who was well past it and people were just walking out.

The ports of call were miles away and involved a great deal of walking which was not suitable for elderly people which 95% of the people were. We booked an excursion to see Granada Palace and we were never informed it was closed and put us on a different excursion involving walking on cobbled steps of walking 4 miles which was impossible for us to do and we had terrible trouble getting a refund and then they took a cancellation fee off us which was a disgrace as they changed the itinerary not us.

I was persuaded to book the Fred Olsen cruise to South America for Jan 5th 2023 and parted with £4448 deposit over the telephone. Really should have slept on my decision and the next day was concerned that 78 days on a ship might be too much. I had also been persuaded that the drinks package on £25pp pd was a good think which of course I realized was not a good idea unless one was an alcoholic! A couple of days later I managed to get through to the sales girl who deducted the drink package. I then go on line and discover that the selected cabin Superior B was now some £1200 pp reduced (7 months before cruise starts) and also the on board spend was now 400pp instead of 300. I again contacted the sales girl who after two days replied that they would reduce to current advertised price except on board spends! I decide that despite recommendations re Fred Olsen, I did not like to situation and did not trust them anymore. Have emailed Guest Services twice to cancel but after 10 days still no reply. No doubt I will lose the deposit but am happy not to be using FO. Customer service NIL.

Was interest in booking a cruise leaving on 22 May 2022 so there was little time to waste. Tried phoning twice but was 6 and 7 in the queue waiting forever. Life is too short to hang on. So I tried their call back system on 12 and 13 May and I am still waiting. It is probably too late now so thank you Fred.

I have just come back last week from 14days at sea to Norway. Hadn’t been with Fred Olsen before , so no preconceived ideas of what to or not to expect .have cruised before with other company , and found it was all excellent .but maybe because of my age fought the cabin difficult to get into when your pushing a mobility Walker ! The step into bathroom and toilet were to low for , causing difficulty. The cabin was in a good location , but all the lounges just were altogether , and as it was cold in Norway , and we didn’t get off the ship , limited ! No info over tannoy about what activities u could go to , (in the daily paper) but not repeated over tannoy , the shows I never went to as partner didn’t want to , but they weren’t put on the tv to watch either .masks everywhere distancing from other guests , ( could understand that) but food almost cold on Arival at dinner in evening and not much better in buffet.. the staff were very attentive, but always hovering for u to request a drink , which I fouled annoying ! The choice of holiday was my partners ,but I did enjoy being waited on for the duration , but not much else .

Don’t do it!!! I have been waiting for 5 and a half hours in my car to get on board. When asked why I have paid nearly 1000 euros for a room for two nights as the first one has been in my car they suddenly don’t speak English. When I ask how long it’s going to take they suddenly do speak English… upto another 6 hours, just wait and see! I’m not even near the boat yet and I’m disgusted already.

I would like to add to my review of 6th March about my booked cruise to Spitzbergen.
Today I was contacted by Jessie and offered a solution which was acceptable to both myself and Fred Olsen.
I was made aware of terms and conditions and was willing to agree to what was offered.
Thank you, a happy passenger!