Disappointment on the Balmoral

[Host Sharon]

Fred Olsen has a high take up on formal evenings -about 90%....don't know what cruiseship you are talking about:confused:

 

Balmoral, last May. But there was a very high number of first time ever cruisers and I don't know if this affected ambience on board.

[tiggertom]

Balmoral, last May. But there was a very high number of first time ever cruisers and I don't know if this affected ambience on board.

Suprised to hear that as I have been on many Fred Olsen cruises and formal nights always have a great turnout, even on mini cruises.

[1160451]

Hi

 

On Balmoral for a week, departed 1st August. 2 Formal nights and take up was around 80%.

 

On one informal night men turned away for wearing no tie, if they had not got a jacket on.

 

Now not wishing to start a debate on the subject but I was really pleased about that.

 

I could not care less in principle, what people wear, but if it says jacket or shirt and tie then that's what it means.

Formal means formal and informal means informal and casual means casual, and they are all explained if people bother to read the handouts.

 

The original poster called formal nights "unnecessary & pretentious", well that is a matter of opinion. One of the resaons we are attracted to Cruising is the opportunity to attend formal evenings.

 

On reflection I recall my Cabins TV wires were tangled and the Dressing table light was in the way when I watched TV.

 

Take it easy and we will Cruise on the Balmoral again with no hesitation.

 

 

Happy cruising

[floweryme]

I am going on the Balmoral Fred Olsen cruise on 11-17-2011. Reading the comments has taken the excitement away. Maybe they will not apply to me, however my first cruise was on the P&O line AZURA first class in every way and the second was on SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE small and friendly, I hope 3rd time lucky too. Anyone going on this cruise??

[ISS]

I am going on the Balmoral Fred Olsen cruise on 11-17-2011. Reading the comments has taken the excitement away. Maybe they will not apply to me, however my first cruise was on the P&O line AZURA first class in every way and the second was on SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE small and friendly, I hope 3rd time lucky too. Anyone going on this cruise??

 

I have recently returned from the Dublin and Around the UK cruise on BALMORAL - my first trip on this ship.

 

She is a fine ship as with Fred's other ships the crew are friendly and it was nice to be remembered by a couple of crew who had been on other Fred Olsen ships I had travelled on.

 

If I had a gripe is that outside deck space say compared to BLACK WATCH is rather restrictive and the view from the Observatory not as good as it is on BLACK WATCH.

 

Also I thought that the gift shop wasn't very good compared, very limited selection of goods - not as good as on BLACK PRINCE or BLACK WATCH.

 

However, despite these slight niggles it didn't stop me booking a trip for next summer on her.

 

I am sure you will enjoy your trip.

 

ISS

[KenQE2]

Reading the comments has taken the excitement away.

Don't lose the excitement. I'm excited even though I'm (probably) not going. I would take best bib & tucker and enjoy it regardless of shallow non-conformists on the wrong cruise (hopefully in the minority). Do the same!

[electra2008]

I too was on the around UK Balmoral last week.

At first I was totally dissapointed. We were assigned Spey dining room, the food and sevice left a lot to be desired.

The 3rd night was a formal, as we do not do formal we ate in the Lido, the food there was excellent, okay you have to serve yourself buffet style but the atmosphere, waiters, Matre D, could not do enough for you and just because we don't do formal does not mean we slob around we dress nicely as most people did.. The food is much fresher, and you can choose just what you want rather than an overfull pre plated pile of not very good food in the Spey.

The cabins were good we were on deck 4 quite large nice bathroom and shower.

[shevlen]

Electra 2008

I think you mean The Palms restaurant. The Lido lounge is a bar and dance area. All you'll get to eat in the Lido is a selection of nibbles from the bar :)

[electra2008]

You are so right " Palms" it is I kept calling it lido when I was on it.

[ISS]

I too was on the around UK Balmoral last week.

At first I was totally dissapointed. We were assigned Spey dining room, the food and sevice left a lot to be desired.

The 3rd night was a formal, as we do not do formal we ate in the Lido, the food there was excellent, okay you have to serve yourself buffet style but the atmosphere, waiters, Matre D, could not do enough for you and just because we don't do formal does not mean we slob around we dress nicely as most people did.. The food is much fresher, and you can choose just what you want rather than an overfull pre plated pile of not very good food in the Spey.

The cabins were good we were on deck 4 quite large nice bathroom and shower.

 

I was in the Ballindalloch Restaurant for dinner and all I can say was the food was great and our waiter Chandra and his assistant who was still under training really put in a good effort. I tried Spey and Avon for breakfast on one morning each - in one I had a served breakfast rather than use the self service and I couldn't find much wrong. Nice views up there compared to Ballindalloch.

 

Also used the Palms for lunch on the two sea days to try that out and yes that was good. But I must admit for dinner when I am on holiday afloat or ashore I prefer it served to me rather than having to go and get it!

 

ISS

[Host Sharon]

I was in the Avon Restaurant, the other side of the Spey, and I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised in the excellent food and service, and to top it off you got the wonderful views of sunsets etc from the table (the restuarant is at the top of the ship).

[Host Sharon]

I am going on the Balmoral Fred Olsen cruise on 11-17-2011. Reading the comments has taken the excitement away. Maybe they will not apply to me, however my first cruise was on the P&O line AZURA first class in every way and the second was on SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE small and friendly, I hope 3rd time lucky too. Anyone going on this cruise??

 

 

Don't lose your excitment. Everyone wants/expects something different from their cruise and just because one person was disappointed in some things doesn't mean you would be. If I took any notice of every bad review I read I wouldn't have sailed on half the ships I have, some of which ended up as my favourites.

[jimsmum]

Well I'm off on the balmoral 28th oct, and i'm not losing my excitment. A holiday is what you make it, I've just come back from 2 weeks on the braemar, and it was brilliant, the only gripes i had about the whole thing, was that most things seem to be done around the 1st sitting people, but then us 2nd sitting folks have the luxury of taking our time. Having said that if that's the only thing I could find then they can't be doing to bad a job.

We loved the dressing-up on formal nights, the lovely relaxed way of the cruise, and the food was superb, in fact some nights it was wasted on us "heathens" lol

So just go with an open mind and enjoy!!!

[janneke]

I was also on the Balmoral and had lunches and dinners in the Avon resto, but we never had crabs legs. Instead we had several times crab CLAWS, and these were very tasty!

[craig_3646]

Hi I am a full time wheelchair user and normally cruise P&O. However would like to cruise on the Balmoral. Has anyone any experience/comments on the Balmaoral's cabin facilities/access/shore excursions.

thanks

craig_3646

[jeanlyon]

What a ridiculous statement that Fred Olsen cruises appeals to Daily Mail readers! My choice, if I read a paper, would be the Daily Telegraph not that it has anything to do with anthing.

 

On our Braemar cruise, we found the food excellent and better than P&O. very civilised buffet and fairly good entertainment.

 

As for dressing for dinner being pretentious, suggest you try a land-based holiday in Magalouf, might suit you better.

[Mark_T]

As for dressing for dinner being pretentious, suggest you try a land-based holiday in Magalouf, might suit you better.

 

I suspect the original poster may no longer be following this thread as they started it nearly 2 years ago.

 

Always a problem when an old thread gets bumped, I know I don't always look at the date either.

[Hawks11]

I would choose Fred every time - if only for the smoked salmon for brekkers : )

I have to agree with you there, also the Bircher Muesli and, not to everyones taste, the herring in various sauces. I have always enjoyed the food on Fred Olsen ships.