Fred. Olsen might not have the biggest cruise ships in the world, but that’s exactly why so many people love them.
These smaller ships can sail into places that huge mega-ships simply can’t reach, giving Fred. Olsen cruises a completely different feel from the giant floating resorts most people picture when they think of cruising.
And while the fleet is relatively small, the ships aren’t all the same. Some feel more modern. Some are better suited to scenic cruising. And one has become a firm favourite among loyal Fred. Olsen guests for a very specific reason.
So which Fred. Olsen ship is actually the best fit for you?
The Fred. Olsen Fleet
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines currently has three ocean cruise ships. None of the ships were built for Fred. Olsen, having been purchased and refurbished before joining the fleet. There are five ships that used to sail for the fleet but have been sold or scrapped.
The cruise line also briefly operated a river cruise arm, chartering the Amadeus Princess ship to sail as the Brabant. This was only available from 2018 until 2020, when the cruise line decided to move away from river cruising.
Fred Olsen Ships By Age
Here’s a look at the current ships in the fleet, ranked by age from newest to oldest.
| Ship | Built | Joined Fred. Olsen | Former name(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bolette | 2000 | 2020 | MS Amsterdam |
| Borealis | 1997 | 2020 | MS Rotterdam |
| Balmoral | 1988 | 2007 | Crown Odyssey Norwegian Crown |
The Newest Fred. Olsen Cruise Ship is Bolette
The newest ship is Bolette, both in terms of when she was built (2000) and when she joined the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines fleet (2020, at the same time as Borealis). She was purchased from Holland America Line, where she had sailed as MS Amsterdam.
Bolette and Borealis joined the fleet as part of a big refresh of the cruise line. Two former ships – Black Watch and Boudicca – were retired at the time, and in 2022, Braemar was also retired.
Those ships were smaller with a lower capacity, and they were starting to show their age, too – especially Black Watch. A fleet upgrade was needed to improve the quality of the ships and add some capacity.
Fred. Olsen Ships By Size
Let’s take a look at how the ships compare from a size perspective.
| Ship | Gross tonnage | Length | Width | Total decks | Passenger capacity | Crew capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bolette | 62,735 | 237m | 34m | 12 | 1,338 | 645 |
| Borealis | 61,849 | 237m | 34m | 12 | 1,360 | 662 |
| Balmoral | 43,537 | 218m | 32m | 11 | 1,325 | 551 |
Fred. Olsen Cruise Ships Are Small to Medium Sized
Fred. Olsen cruise ships are small to mid-sized cruise ships, aimed primarily for an older adult audience. The ships have a passenger capacity of around 1,300 each, helping to keep queues to a minimum.
If you’re looking for megaships packed with all kinds of impressive activities, Fred. Olsen is probably not the cruise line for you. However, they do still have a lot of smaller activities during the day, and plenty of enjoyable evening entertainment too.
The largest ship in the Fred. Olsen fleet is Bolette, the former MS Amsterdam. She is 237 metres (777 feet) long, has 12 decks and a maximum passenger capacity of 1,338. Her internal volume measures 62,735 gross tons, around a quarter of the biggest ocean cruise ships in the world.
The smallest Fred. Olsen cruise ship is the Balmoral, which joined the fleet in 2007. She is 218 metres (715 feet) long, has 11 decks and a maximum passenger capacity of 1,325. Her gross tonnage is 43,537 GT, around 30% smaller than Bolette and a sixth of the size of the biggest cruise ships.
Detailed Info About Each Fred. Olsen Ship
Here’s a more in-depth look at each of the ships in the fleet.
Bolette
History of Bolette
Bolette is the newest ship in the fleet, and one with a relatively simple history. She was built for Holland America Line in 2000 and sailed as the MS Amsterdam, where she was the fourth and final ship in the R Class.
In July 2020, Holland America Line and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines announced a deal. The MS Amsterdam and MS Rotterdam would be sold to Fred. Olsen, and a few months later, the transfers went through.
Since then, Bolette has been the flagship of the Fred. Olsen fleet.
Itineraries for Bolette
Bolette primarily offers cruises from the UK from the ports of Liverpool and Newcastle, sailing to destinations including the Norwegian fjords, Iceland, the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands.
Deck Plans for Bolette
You can see the Bolette deck plan here.
Borealis
History of Borealis
Borealis shares a similar history to Bolette. She started life as the MS Rotterdam for Holland America Line, the original ship in the R Class.
But she was sold to Fred. Olsen as part of the package deal in 2020, taking the place of Black Watch and Boudicca.
Itineraries for Borealis
Borealis primarily sails from the UK ports of Southampton and Liverpool, offering itineraries to destinations such as the Norwegian fjords, Iceland, the Mediterranean and a 98-day world cruise in January 2027 which will see her visit destinations across South America, the South Pacific, Australia, Asia and South Africa.
Deck Plans for Borealis
You can see the Borealis deck plan here.
Balmoral
History of Balmoral
Of the three ships in the current fleet, Balmoral is the one with the longest history.
She first launched in 1988 as the Crown Odyssey, sailing for Royal Cruise Line. This was a Greek company that was bought by Norwegian Cruise Line in 1989, although it operated as its own brand until 1996.
When the brand was made defunct, the ship became part of the main NCL fleet and was renamed Norwegian Crown. She sailed for four years before NCL bought Orient Lines and transferred the ship to that brand, with her name reverted to Crown Odyssey.
In 2003, she was returned to the NCL fleet, refurbished, and given the name Norwegian Crown again. She sailed for the cruise line until 2007, when she was sold to Fred. Olsen and became Balmoral, named after the estate in Scotland.
Itineraries for Balmoral
Balmoral offers one of the most varied cruise programmes in the Fred. Olsen fleet, sailing from UK ports including Newcastle, Southampton, Dover and Rosyth to destinations such as the Norwegian fjords, Iceland, the Baltic, the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands and even longer worldwide voyages.
She also operates popular Fly-Cruise itineraries, allowing guests to fly overseas and join the ship in various Mediterranean destinations such as Malta and Cyprus.
Deck Plans for Balmoral
You can see the Balmoral deck plan here.
Fred. Olsen Ship Features
In terms of onboard features, the ships are all very similar. There aren’t really unique features, but there are some subtle differences in the number of bars or pools. Here’s a full comparison of the features of each of the ships:
| Feature | Bolette | Borealis | Balmoral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Bars and Lounges | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Show Lounges | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Swimming Pools | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Hot tubs | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Fitness Centre | YES | YES | YES |
| Atlantis Spa | YES | YES | YES |
| Thermal Suite | YES | YES | YES |
| Shops | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Golf Nets | No | No | YES |
| Library | YES | YES | YES |
| Card Room | YES | YES | YES |
| Laundry Room | YES | YES | YES |
| Art Studio | YES | YES | No |
There are very few unique features to mention. The only one that is truly unique is the option of practising your golf swing on Balmoral, while the Art Studio is an option on both Bolette and Borealis. But otherwise, the ships all have very similar features.
In terms of accommodation choices, things are a little different. There are some cabins you can only find on the newer ships, and Balmoral has some exclusive options too.
Here’s a breakdown of the accommodation options on the Fred. Olsen fleet:
| Cabin/Suite | Bolette | Borealis | Balmoral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olsen Suite | YES | YES | No |
| Premier Suite | YES | YES | YES |
| Balcony Suite | YES | YES | No |
| Marquee Suite | No | No | YES |
| Superior Suite | No | No | YES |
| Balcony Junior Suite | YES | YES | YES |
| Single Balcony Suite | YES | YES | YES |
| Superior Balcony Cabin | No | No | YES |
| Balcony Cabin | No | No | YES |
| Terrace Cabin* | YES | YES | No |
| Superior Ocean View with Picture Window | YES | YES | YES |
| Ocean View with Picture Window | YES | YES | YES |
| Single Ocean View with Picture Window | YES | YES | YES |
| Ocean View with Porthole | YES | YES | YES |
| Single Ocean View with Porthole | No | No | YES |
| Superior Interior | YES | YES | YES |
| Single Superior Interior | No | No | YES |
| Single Interior | YES | YES | YES |
| Interior | YES | YES | YES |
Terrace Cabins are like a Balcony Cabin, but instead of a private balcony, your French Doors open out directly onto the ship’s promenade. So it’s not quite as private.
For more information about cabins, check out these guides:
Older Fred. Olsen Ships
Boudicca
Boudicca was a popular Fred. Olsen ship which was retired in 2020 to make way for the arrival of Bolette and Borealis. Once retired, she was eventually scrapped in a shipyard in Turkey in 2021.
Black Watch
Black Watch was a long-serving ship for Fred. Olsen. She joined the fleet in 1996 and sailed until 2020, when she was also retired ahead of Bolette and Borealis joining the fleet. She was scrapped in India in 2022.
Braemar
Braemar is the third Fred. Olsen cruise ship to have been retired within the last few years. She retired in 2022 following 21 years of service for the cruise line.
Braemar has now been renamed as Villa Vie Odyssey, and will offer an epic 43-month itinerary with guests living permanently on board.
Even Older Fred. Olsen Ships
The cruise line had two earlier cruise ships as well. Blenheim was built in 1970 and served for Fred. Olsen until 1981, when she was sold to Scandinavia World Cruises. Three years later, she burnt out, was rebuilt and sailed as Discovery 1.
The first ship in the fleet was Black Prince, which set sail as a combination ferry/cruise ship in 1966. In 1987, it was remodelled into a full cruise ship and sailed for the cruise line until 2009.
Final Word
Fred. Olsen’s ships may be smaller than the giant mega-ships operated by many cruise lines, but that’s exactly what gives them their charm.
The experience across the fleet is fairly consistent, with all three ships offering a traditional style of cruising focused on destinations, friendly service, and a relaxed onboard atmosphere. The biggest differences come down to size, cabin options, and itinerary choices rather than flashy onboard attractions.
Bolette and Borealis feel slightly more modern thanks to their more recent arrival in the fleet, while Balmoral remains a favourite among many loyal Fred. Olsen guests thanks to her smaller size and classic cruise feel.
I’ve sailed on both Borealis and Bolette myself and was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed them. If you want to know more, make sure you also read my full Borealis review and Bolette review.
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