Staff Educational: Fred Olsen Balmoral

Date posted: 05/11/19

Charlotte, from our Social Media team, received the chance to experience a cruise taster on Fred. Olsen’s Balmoral. Less than 24-hours since stepping back on dry land, Charlotte couldn’t contain her excitement to share her amazing experience with all of us!

Over to you Charlotte…

“When we arrived we were greeted by Angela from Fred Olsen who is our Account Manager, she assisted us with check-in and provided each of us with goodie bags which included a water bottle, memory stick, pen, and some brochures that all came in a Fred Olsen rucksack for an added nice touch.

“We then dropped our bags off to our cabins. We stayed in a Superior Ocean View cabin, which had a massive window which made it feel very light and spacious. There was room to place your suitcase and unpack. In the bathroom there was a bath/shower. Our cabins were on Deck 6, which was a perfect location on the ship as we were only a few floors away from everything.

“After a quick bag drop off and look around our cabin we headed for some lunch at the Ballindalloch Restaurant located on Deck 6. We were greeted by a friendly waiter who showed us to our table. The lunch at the Ballindalloch was a buffet ranging from chicken, fish, pasta, salad, chips, fruit, and a fabulous selection of cheeses and desserts.

“Next we were given a full tour of the ship and got the chance to look at the range of cabin types available; I was very impressed by the suites - the balconies were amazing with lots of space to relax and even dine outside. We then went and looked around the gym, pool, and finally the beauty and spa area.

“Prices at the spa are very reasonable and this is something I would definitely treat myself to as a customer on board. We looked at the various restaurants and lounge areas, and had a chance to preview The Grill Restaurant where we were dining in the evening. The menu was on display outside so we had a sneak peek of what we could order on the night - at this point I was really excited for dinner because the food sounded amazing! Once the ship tour had concluded we went back to our rooms to get glammed up for the evening.

“The Observatory Lounge on Deck 11 is fab for enjoying sea views as there is a long window around the entire lounge. Here we had some cocktails before we went to the Grill for our dinner. When we arrived at the Grill there was a waiter on-hand to greet us and he politely opened the door for us. It was very sophisticated and there was gorgeous views to look out to. I ordered duck spring rolls to start which was excellently presented on the plate and it was delicious - many of us ordered this and we all agreed. For my main I ordered a 10oz fillet steak (cooked medium) with a gorgonzola sauce and king prawns. The steak was out of this world and I would honestly say it was the best steak I have ever had! I finished the meal off with a Pina Colada dessert which was a coconut panna cotta topped with rum and pineapple. Overall, the meal was delicious and dining in the Grill was an amazing experience. The staff were fab and were always topping up our water and wine and we never had an empty glass. At the end the chef came out to meet us and we thanked him for cooking our meals.

“Following our meal, we headed to Neptune Bar on Deck 7 - this is the heart of the night time entertainment on board and it was jam packed. We arrived just as a comedian was starting. Next, we went to the Lido Lounge on Deck 8 where there was live music - and enjoyed another cocktail - I went for a Pina Colada as it's my favourite. The cocktails were reasonably priced at only £5 each!