The new itineraries will be unveiled to existing guests today and will go on general sale from March 10, 2015.
Fred. Olsen will be sailing from ten regional UK departure ports in 2016/17 – Southampton, Dover, Harwich, Tilbury, Falmouth – a new addition – Liverpool, Newcastle, Rosyth (for Edinburgh), Greenock (for Glasgow)and Belfast.
The 2016/17 cruise programme will include a record 23 maiden calls: Arendal (Norway), Baltimore (Maryland, US), Fort William (Scotland, UK), Tasiilaq (Greenland), Pyramiden (Svalbard), Holy Loch (Scotland, UK), Laguna San Rafael (Chile), Isla de San Andrés (Colombia), Gloucester (Massachusetts, US), Klaksvik (Faroe Islands), Charlotte Amalie (St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands), Falmouth (Jamaica), Banana Coast (Trujillo, Honduras), Tampa (Florida, US), Rosslare (Ireland), Aabenraa (Denmark), Rovinj (Croatia).
In addition, there will be six ‘mystery’ maiden calls, which will only be revealed to those guests who book a place on Fred. Olsen’s first-ever ‘Maiden Call Mystery Cruise’.
In 2016/17, Fred. Olsen’s 1,350-guest flagship, Balmoral, will be sailing from Newcastle for the first time, with 11 departures, representing a 45% increase in capacity from the port. Departures include the fjords, round UK and an 11-night Spain, Portugal & Guernsey cruise.
Nathan Philpot, sales and marketing director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, commented on Balmoral’s deployment to the Port of Tyne in Newcastle, ‘where we have a rapidly-expanding and very loyal cruise market.’ Historically, this is a very important port for Fred. Olsen, as Newcastle is where we built a dedicated Fred. Olsen terminal and started sailing from in 1906, he added.
Boudicca will also be cruising from the port of Falmouth for the first time in 2016/17 – offering a 12-night ‘Canaries & Portugal Spring Break’ (18+ only) and a ten-night ‘Land’s End to John O’Groats’ voyage.
Fred. Olsen will be reconfirming its commitment to the port of Liverpool in 2016/17, with 15 calls on Boudicca.
The line is increasing its sailings from Tilbury 50% on Black Watch, with six departures and six cruises on Black Watch from Rosyth (Edinburgh) in 2016/17, including a nine-night Ireland cruise and a 13-night ‘Scandinavian Capitals & St. Petersburg’ sailing.
Fred. Olsen will be offering a further 18 ‘18+’ cruises in 2016/17, for adults-only.
‘2015 is also a very special year for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, as it is the 200th anniversary of the first ‘Fred. Olsen’ –Fredrik Christian Olsen, the founding father of our company – and so we are taking this opportunity to celebrate our history and heritage. Mr. Olsen was born in 1815 and started the Fred. Olsen Company in 1848,’ said Philpot.
Black Watch and Boudicca will be embarking on two Grand Voyages in January 2017, visiting 67 ports in 38 countries between them.
The line will also be visiting 84 scenic sea passages and waterways in 2016/17, including the 350-mile Strait of Magellan, in Chile, which links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; Loch Fyne, one of the longest sea lochs; the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro; and the winding Stockholm archipelago. Fred. Olsen’s fleet will also be sailing into the heart of cities and towns, such as Portoferraio, on the Italian island of Elba, Seville, in Spain, and Bordeaux, in France.
