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Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Reviews 

14,320
TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

4.6

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Looking at 9,110 reviews, reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company. Customers consistently praise the friendly, helpful, and professional staff for their attentiveness and excellent service. Many reviewers highlight the high quality of the food, with extensive choices and exceptional dining. The overall holiday experience, including entertainment and organization, is frequently described as excellent and well-planned. However, some customers noted that excursions could be expensive with limited time at locations, and certain ports were less interesting. A few also felt food quality, particularly in buffets or regarding temperature, was occasionally inconsistent, and some mentioned ships showed signs of age.

What people talk about most

Staff

Consumers find staff to be positive, with many reviewers consistently praising the crew for being friendly,... See more

Service

Clients share positive opinions on service, with many reviewers consistently praising the courteous,... See more

Holidays

Reviewers mention positive feedback about holidays, with many expressing that they had a great or lovely time... See more

Quality

Customers consistently note positive experiences with quality, particularly praising the excellent food,... See more

Location

Customers had ambiguous experiences with location, with some finding the ports visited interesting and the... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Couldn't fault the company.Very courteous staff and nothing too much trouble. Outstanding evening shows. Lots daytime activities to choose from. Excellent waiting at tables on Borealis. Beds comfy a... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful friendly, helpful staff and crew at every level. Good food with plenty of selection, especially important for me as a vegetarian. Amazing entertainment, both in the evening at the thea... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

All crew friendly and curtious, food superb and choice extensive. Shore trips we did were well planned and reasonable value. Ship was superb (Bollette) - perfect size not too big. Entertainment of... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

8First time cruising with Fred Olsen and it was excellent. The Bolette is a lovely spacious ship. Lots of areas to eat, drink or relax in. A variety of onboard activities organised & self regulated.... See more


Company details

  1. Cruise Line Company

About Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Written by the company

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines operates a fleet of three elegant, smaller-sized ships, Bolette, Borealis and Balmoral. The size of our ships allows us access to more interesting places, and means we can dock in the heart of some of the world’s most beautiful cities, and our itineraries are carefully crafted so that our guests travel to these amazing places at the very best time of year.

On board, Signature Experiences showcase the history, culture, nature and flavours of the destinations you will visit – from Itinerary Insights, where special guest speakers and local experts will host talks, workshops and demonstrations to provide a deeper understanding of the destinations, to Treats of the Region, where guests can enjoy local delicacies and learn how to create delicious regional dishes.

Plus, with each ship carrying 1,300 guests or less, our ships are small enough to offer a warm, friendly and personal service where nothing is ever too much trouble.

At Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, we channel our 175 years of experience into making your holidays simply unforgettable by meticulously crafting our cruises to provide an experience that helps to create memorable journeys for our guests.

With sailings from five departure ports around the UK, your next Fred. Olsen cruise is closer than you think.


Contact info

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We channel 175 years of experience into making your cruise memorable.

4.6

Excellent

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

14K reviews

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4.6

All reviews

(14,320)

9,005 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Often it's the little things that have…

Often it's the little things that have the biggest impact. Fred Olsen ensure that the little things are not overlooked.
Embarkation and disembarkation are seamless and stress-free.
Hot plates, freshly cooked eggs and toast, as I said they worry about the small things, that really make a difference.

21 July 2026
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

July's one week cruise around Ireland…

July's one week cruise around Ireland was very relaxing and we were well looked after both in our premier suite, at meals and around the ship.
As this was a short cruise we did not take any organised tours but enjoyed two brief self guided times ashore.
We would have liked more detail on the ship's progress to know which landmarks we were seeing.

16 July 2026
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Probably the best cruise we’ve ever had

Probably the best cruise we’ve ever taken, even after years of trying other lines and enjoying them also — exceptional value, superb food, comfortable accommodation, outstanding staff, and top‑class entertainment. Well done Fred!

16 July 2026
Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Pleasant trip

Delightful staff and excellent show team and lectures. Food not always hot and menu was repetitive. Very costly for single travellers.

14 July 2026
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Reply from Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Dear Mr Thomas,

Thank you for your review.

It's wonderful to hear your positive comments about our crew, entertainment team and guest lectures. We are, however, disappointed to learn that you found the menu repetitive and that some meals were not served at the temperature you expected.

We also recognise your concerns regarding pricing for single travellers and appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback.

Kind regards,
Jessie
Guest Relations

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Fred Olsen cruises are always the best …

Fred Olsen cruises are always the best especially for more mature people but carters for all age adults. Not many cruises they offer include children.Plenty of activities if you want them & food entertainment & service exceptional. I wouldn’t go with any other cruise operator.

21 July 2026
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We could not find any fault with our…

We could not find any fault with our cruise. Staff were exceptionally professional and attentive. Food was of the highest standard with excellent choice. Service was faultless. Entertainment was designed to suit all tastes. Plenty of choice for either participating in activities or having quiet time. No children on board enabled peaceful and restful holiday. The art work and artefacts on display were also delightful.

21 July 2026
Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Felt looked after, but...

Felt well looked after, but lost stars because dining arrangements shambolic for breakfast and lunch in the main restaurant. Also excursions very expensive. Otherwise, I had a good time.

9 July 2026
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines logo

Reply from Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Dear Ms Davis,

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are pleased to hear that you felt well looked after by our team and that you had an enjoyable time overall.

We are sorry to learn that the dining arrangements at breakfast and lunch in the main restaurant did not meet your expectations. We appreciate how important a smooth dining experience is and will ensure your comments are shared with the relevant teams for review. We also understand your concerns regarding the cost of excursions and thank you for sharing your perspective.

We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you onboard again soon.

Kind regards,
Jessie
Guest Relations.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

This was our first cruise and it was…

This was our first cruise and it was everything plus more than I expected.
The room was ideal, the food was absolutely delicious and great variety.
The staff were fantastic always smiling and cheerful and couldnt do enough for you.
We had an issue with our room which was sorted immediately.
I had my birthday on the cruise and they surprised me with a cake
Will definitely book another cruise. From the booking to ending the cruise was so straightforward and stress free.
We did 3 excursions which were well worth the money

9 July 2026

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