Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Reviews 

We have had the pleasure of sailing with Fred Olsen on many occasions and the tours always meet or exceed our expectations. The staff at every level are exceptional, the food is always of a high standard with lots of choice and the smaller ship is to our liking. Great value for the money!
Only slight negative is the cost of shore trips - these are not directly organised by The Fred Olsen Line.

It was our first Fred Olsen cruise,
We had a lovely cruise everyone was so helpful and friendly.
We would have been happy to stay on the ship

There was a warm and welcoming atmosphere on board. Staff were friendly, helpful and attentive without being obsequious. The food was varied, plentiful and flavoursome with something to suit all tastes. As th Borealis is one of the smaller cruise ships it meant we were able to dock without use of a tender in most ports which is extremely helpful for those with limited mobility.the excursions were varied but on occasion seemed a little rushed where stops were included but the guides were friendly and knowledgeable.

My wife and I went on a Fred Olsen cruise recently for 10 days to the Scottish Islands. It was our first cruise and the experience could not have been better! The Borealis is a fine ship with all the comforts, facilities and entertainment one could possibly want.
The food was excellent - prepared by expert chefs and their assistants and served to us by wonderful waiters who looked after us attentively all the time. We would especially mention Gusti and his assistant Chandra who were faultless in their service! Also Lilawadi and Jasmine in the Deck 8 restaurant were just brilliant! We also have to mention Michelle in the Observation room - superb cocktails and such friendly service - always with a smile!!
Our accomodation was spacious and comfortable with a roomy balcony where one could sit and watch the world go by. Our cabin steward Myra did a great job of looking after our every need - she was just superb! Nothing was too much trouble!
We have to say that all the crew deserve a huge pat on the back - so welcoming, friendly smiles and helpful no matter what we wanted, where we were going or what we were doing.
In summary, the trip exceeded our expectations. Would we go cruising again? Absolutely! From boarding to disembarking the whole cruise was well organised and hard to fault in any way. Thank you Fred Olsen! G and H. Lincs

Perfect holiday everything very good, except we were in a cabin either just below or right next door to the engine room. The noise was very loud each morning when the gangplank was got out. If I were to go with Fred Olsen cruise lines again, I would choose mid ship accommodation

The boat, crew & food were all brilliant. Onshore trips were expensive as was WiFi on board at £12 per day!
Plenty to do on board on sea days though. Gym was well equipped but pool was small.

The most relaxing cruise I have ever had, everything perfect.

The standard of food and service was first class.

First time with Fred Olsen, and it definitely won’t be our last. From the start of the holiday, the slick customer service was visibly impressive.
The staff were quite amazing, and what was lovely was the interaction with staff to those returning for the umpteenth time. I have already recommended this company to friends and family.

I couldn’t fault it in any way. A wonderful group of people looking after us, excellent food, and the beautiful Borealis taking us safely to our destinations.

Friendly helpful staff every area. Everything kept clean and sanitised. Amazing shows. Problem sleeping due to a constant tapping noise. Next time will choose a higher deck.

Everything on the ship was first class and would certainly book another cruise which incidenty I have just done for next year.
The only disappointment were the off ship tours which basically were very over priced for what they were.

Exceptionally welcoming staff across departments. Nothing to much trouble.
Our cabin cleanliness was to a very high standard.
Kadek and Christian in the Aurora restaurant made us feel relaxed and good fun.

Superb cruise on Borealis around the UK.

First cruise with Fred Olsen but not the last.

All the crew were very frindly and were very attentive .

The only thing that let the holiday down was the disembarkation of Assisted Passengers I was advised by guest Services to take my husband and another lady at 7.30 as we were a group disembarkation , as they weren’t taken they decided to manage themselves at 8.20 with great difficulty,
This helped as our coach was waiting for them , this happened before on the Norway cruise with some of the assisted passengers holding up the coach transport
I think the system probably needs a re visit
As the lady working on the port said they were slow compared to the other company the ships use .
I have no experience of this procedure but maybe group passengers could be taken off earlier to ease the system ,
Apart from this the cruise and all staff were amazing.
Disembarkation 3/8/26 and Norway 24/7/26 Borealis Southampton.

Fantastic cruise with lovely staff everywhere on the ship, including housekeeping, waiting staff and entertainers! I’ve only taken a star off because our particular cabin was very noisy when the ship docked. We would cruise with Fred. Olsen again. Thanks for a wonderful holiday.

Really enjoyed my time on the Borealis from the smooth boarding to the even smoother disembarkation. The staff were very friendly, helpful and professional. I would like to mention Neil who give great wine and whiskey tasting sessions, his knowledge was exceptional and was his humour. Food on board was very good and varied. Akshata kept my cabin very clean and neat and was always there when I needed something. Always serving with a warm smile.
All in all a great journey with all my needs met.

As a disabled lady, celebrating my 70th birthday, on Borealis, on my 60th Cruise, felt like a completely normal person, and I'm already looking forward to my B2B on Balmoral, in December 2026.

The crew are very helpful and the chef was excellent. A very friendly ship from the Captain downwards. An excellent example of people of all faiths and nationality working together.