May We Have A Fred Olsen Forum?

[Guest Anorak33]

I see there is an Easycruise forum now, well Fred Olsen have 4 ships now, fifth coming soon and are an interesting cruise line with many more passengers than Easycruise.

 

If you want someone to give a hand with it I'd be interested.

 

Just in case our US members haven't heard of Fred Olsen its Norwegian owned (not NCL) by Fred Olsen (a real person) but the ships are totally British in atmosphere.

 

A comfortable experience and may be booked online direct if your regular travel agent doesn't handle it.

 

A dedicated forum would be very valuable for all us past and wouldbe FO passengers.

[bettysu]

:( My husband and I are fairly new to cruising - twice on the Black Prince to the Canaries. When looking for reviews it was very hard to get good feedback - bad or good. A dedicated forum would be great.

:D The Black Prince was fabulous!!! It may not be the most glamorous or newest but it was certainly extremely welcoming and friendly.

[merecat]

:) I agree ,from what I heard from a informed person ,the fleet will grow to 8 ships eventually ,with probably new builds . So I do think they should have their own forum. The only true British cruise fleet.Merecat

[TropicalClimez]

Fred Olsen cruises are:) simply the Best!

[runboy]

I agree too! Please can we have a Fred Olsen section?

[TropicalClimez]

Was on Freddys ship 4 times this year. Great staff, food & fun.

Cruised a lot. The Trans atlantic crossing was great..blue skies & calm seas.

Hello & have a good week.:)

[TropicalClimez]

:( My husband and I are fairly new to cruising - twice on the Black Prince to the Canaries. When looking for reviews it was very hard to get good feedback - bad or good. A dedicated forum would be great.

:D The Black Prince was fabulous!!! It may not be the most glamorous or newest but it was certainly extremely welcoming and friendly.

 

yes! Olsen ships are the best! Cruised 4 times this year. Trans Atlantic crossing was fantastic. I love taking my father,he has always a great time.

All the best, Tropicz

[mamabelleuk]

I too will add my voice to a request for a forum for Fred Olsen. I am booked to go on 24th November and like others, have had a problem finding any information on this cruise line which has an enormous British following.

[Surfgirl]

I just heard that my favorite ship (NCL Crown) is being sold to Fred Olsen. So.. I looked at the website, and I'm VERY interested in this cruise line. I really hate big ships, and this looks like what I'm seeking.

 

I hope there is a new forum. I would love to learn all about this line, and read reviews from passengers. Are there any Americans on board.. or would I be the sole yank?

[merecat]

I too will add my voice to a request for a forum for Fred Olsen. I am booked to go on 24th November and like others, have had a problem finding any information on this cruise line which has an enormous British following.

 

 

Hi ,I presume you mean Boudiccas three week one , I,m also on this ,have been on Black Watch and had a great time.If you have,nt sailed with Fred before I,m sure you will enjoy it. Merecat.:)

[TropicalClimez]

I too will add my voice to a request for a forum for Fred Olsen. I am booked to go on 24th November and like others, have had a problem finding any information on this cruise line which has an enormous British following.

 

Hi ,

When next are you cruising with FredO?

Yes,it's hard finding info ....I suggest you write to VAL, bm.future.cruise.manager@fredolsen.co.uk...she is TERRIFIC and very helpful..tell her Mary. She has been so helpful & kind,always "steered" me in the right direction!

Take care,Best Wishes :)

[TropicalClimez]

:( My husband and I are fairly new to cruising - twice on the Black Prince to the Canaries. When looking for reviews it was very hard to get good feedback - bad or good. A dedicated forum would be great.

:D The Black Prince was fabulous!!! It may not be the most glamorous or newest but it was certainly extremely welcoming and friendly.

 

 

That the charm of FredO. All Freds' ships are great we feel....but you are correct,hard to find info.

:) Tropicz

[ellyg1824]

I think a forum for fred Olsen would be a great idea !! I've been on the Black Prince quite a few years ago and loved the smaller ship mentality. My Parents have been on the prince, black watch and braemar and are flying back on 23/24 Nov from 15 night Panama/Caribbean cruise on the Braemar. When I was researching the cruises/ships when they were looking to book I found the number of threads going for Olsen to be limited.:(

[sparkieplug24]

I would like to add that I agree that Fred Olsen should have its own forum. I am on Black Prince next April and trying to find information on the ship from independent sources has be quite difficult.

[TropicalClimez]

I think a forum for fred Olsen would be a great idea !! I've been on the Black Prince quite a few years ago and loved the smaller ship mentality. My Parents have been on the prince, black watch and braemar and are flying back on 23/24 Nov from 15 night Panama/Caribbean cruise on the Braemar. When I was researching the cruises/ships when they were looking to book I found the number of threads going for Olsen to be limited.:(

 

yes,very very limited,I don't understand why...maybe because the crowd is an older crowd? Just don't get into all of this as wedo.I don't know

but we'll keep at it.

You should go too..it's fabulous. :)

Ciao:-)Tropicz

[TropicalClimez]

I think a forum for fred Olsen would be a great idea !! I've been on the Black Prince quite a few years ago and loved the smaller ship mentality. My Parents have been on the prince, black watch and braemar and are flying back on 23/24 Nov from 15 night Panama/Caribbean cruise on the Braemar. When I was researching the cruises/ships when they were looking to book I found the number of threads going for Olsen to be limited.:(

 

yes,very very limited,I don't understand why...maybe because the crowd is an older crowd? Just don't get into all of this as wedo.I don't know

but we'll keep at it.

You should go too..it's fabulous. :)

Ciao:-)Tropicz

[Post Captain]

May I add my voice to those calling for a Fred. Olsen page on Cruise Critic? (That's a rhetorical question. Of course I may--and I do!:))

 

I've not yet had the pleasure of sailing aboard any of Olsen's ships, but from everything I've read about them and about the line itself, they're high on my shortlist of ships I'm actively looking to sample. (Particularly the Black Watch & the Boudicca.) I saw the Boudicca in Dover last May--she was docking & maneuvered right past us (we were waiting to disembark from the Constellation) at close range. She's a beauty, & looks like a proper ship, not a floating condominium.

 

Last week a friend sent me an advertisement for a 13-night cruise on the Black Watch for only $729 per person! (Yes, you read that right. I couldn't believe it myself. That's cheaper than staying home.) I phoned Olsen's U.S. agent on Monday & that afternoon filled out the booking form (they do things the old-fashioned way) & faxed it to them. Alas, on Tuesday morning the agent phoned to say that Olsen had informed them that the cruise was sold out.:( I'd imagine that such fares come up less than once in a blue moon.

 

I just heard that my favorite ship (NCL Crown) is being sold to Fred Olsen. So.. I looked at the website, and I'm VERY interested in this cruise line. I really hate big ships, and this looks like what I'm seeking.

Surfgirl, based on what I've read, the Crown will be much more attractive after Olsen refurbishes her & relaunches her as the Balmoral. For one thing, they're stripping out the chrome.

 

I hope there is a new forum. I would love to learn all about this line, and read reviews from passengers. Are there any Americans on board.. or would I be the sole yank?

I suspect I might have been the sole Yank had I managed to get aboard the Black Watch. Although Fred. Olsen is marketed in the U.S. by the one particular TA I dealt with, I would guess most American cruisers don't know about the line or its ships. The line isn't carried by the big Internet travel sites, & still seems to be a well-kept secret on this side of the pond.

 

Cheers,

 

John, shipless in New Jersey

 

BTW, Surfgirl--off-topic--would your HMS Rose be the same vessel that was used as the HMS Surprise in Master & Commander? A literary favorite of mine, as you might guess from my CC name. (I also had the pleasure of seeing the Winston Churchill moored in the River Fowey, in Cornwall, about nine years ago.)

[Surfgirl]

Surfgirl, based on what I've read, the Crown will be much more attractive after Olsen refurbishes her & relaunches her as the Balmoral. For one thing, they're stripping out the chrome.

 

I think NCL is making such a big mistake by building bigger and bigger ships. They have no character. They're like cruising in an over-the-top tacky Las Vegas Casino.

 

 

I suspect I might have been the sole Yank had I managed to get aboard the Black Watch. Although Fred. Olsen is marketed in the U.S. by the one particular TA I dealt with, I would guess most American cruisers don't know about the line or its ships. The line isn't carried by the big Internet travel sites, & still seems to be a well-kept secret on this side of the pond.

 

I was the sole yank on most of the tall ships I've sailed. I find the British very charming.. although I don't understand beans for breakfast! :)

 

BTW, Surfgirl--off-topic--would your HMS Rose be the same vessel that was used as the HMS Surprise in Master & Commander? A literary favorite of mine, as you might guess from my CC name. (I also had the pleasure of seeing the Winston Churchill moored in the River Fowey, in Cornwall, about nine years ago.)

 

Yes, The HMS Rose is i the very same one! And I painted the windows while we were docked in Mystic Seaport for a few days. (they keep us busy!) and still have the yellow paint on my sneakers to prove it.

 

Unfortunately, she was sold to the movie company who then passed her off to a museum in California.. where she is permanently docked. :(

 

As for the STS Sir Winston Churchill.. sadly, the Tall Ship Youth Trust sold her to some Greek millionaire who gutted her and ruined her. Now she's up for sale again... ah.. if I only had a few million dollars. I would love to rescue her. She's my absolute favorite ship.

 

and.. btw.. we're neighbors. I'm in NJ too!

[Post Captain]

Surfgirl, Thanks for your responses. Very sorry to learn about the fate of the Winston Churchill. But I do envy you your tall ship experiences. I used to visit Mystic Seaport in my childhood, & enjoy watching the tall ships whenever they sail into the Hudson (e.g., during Op Sail one 4th of July some years ago).

 

Fred. Olsen's Balmoral (soon-to-be ex-Norwegian Crown) will be sailing out of Miami for the first months of 2008; check the F.O website for details. Of course the prices are rather more than what NCL is currently charging for cruises on this ship, but perhaps some special deals will crop up as 2008 nears. I wonder what the British/American passenger ratio will be for these sailings? The Olsen website is advertising these as fly/cruise deals for U.K. passengers. In case you haven't looked yet, I believe the F.O website has the new deck plans for Balmoral, and a description of how they intend to refit the ship.

 

(I saw the Crown off the coast of Bermuda last year--making her passage from St. George to Hamilton as we [on the Zenith] were sailing from Hamilton to St. George. I'm looking forward to seeing her in her new livery after her refurbishment. The Olsen ships [what I've seen of them] always look very tidy & well cared for.)

 

To all those who want a Fred. Olsen page/forum on Cruise Critic: Every CC forum has a moderator (aka "Host"); I suspect that an F.O forum wouldn't get off the ground unless someone comes forward & volunteers for this job. Perhaps any interested parties might drop a line to the CC editor as a way of getting this started.

[Kerry & Danny]

Yes please Fred Olsen catagory would be a good idea!

[TropicalClimez]

Left December 7th after a fantastic cruise! Great staff,music & people.

Thanks to all...........see you again,

Tropicz:)

[TropicalClimez]

Yes please Fred Olsen catagory would be a good idea!

 

I think we all are doing it! :)

Wow,did I have a great time, despite some high seas out of the Panama Canal. Diembarked Dec 7th...left a lot of great friends.

Merry Christmas all,

tropicz:o

[tom_uk]

I'll add my voice to the requests for a Fred. Olsen forum.

 

I've just booked our first Fred Olsen cruise: the 4-night Braemar mini in September 2007, Newcastle - North Sea - Honfleur - Guernsey - Southampton. It's currentlly on a very good offer on their website.

[Guest Anorak33]

PostCaptain

I was the original poster on this thread and in my post I said:

 

"If you want someone to give a hand with it I'd be interested."

 

No response from the management yet but maybe they don't read these posts, I should have emailed them as you suggest.

[merecat]

Hello Mamabelleuk ,hope you had a safer journey home than the one we suffered .Suffice to say dreadful seas , comfortable ship, poor food and service, 2 missed ports and 7 hrs, late in Lisbon,Otherwise nice meeting you ,big question ,will you travel with FO again. Merecat.:(