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Springtime Gardens of Europe
Balmoral
23rd Apr 26
7 Nights
1
Newcastle, England
2
At sea
3
Honfleur, France
The charming port city of Honfleur sits at the confluence of the River Seine and the English Channel in northern France. Walk around the distinctive Vieux-Bassin harbour to explore the quaint 16th to 18th-century town houses and the wood-built Saint Catherine's Church. Stroll though the intriguing cobbled streets, window-shop at the stylish boutiques, and stop for a cup of coffee at one of the waterfront cafes. Venture up the hillside to admire the 17th-century Notre Dame de Grâce chapel or step back in time at Musee de Vieux Honfleur and Blockhaus de la Gare. Escape to the tranquil surroundings of Naturospace which is alive with tropical butterflies, birds, and plants.
4
At sea
5
Rotterdam, Netherlands
The Dutch maritime city of Rotterdam is your next port of call. See the city's oldest harbour, Oude Haven, before taking a look at the 'glass palace' of Van Nelle Fabriek — an UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the ever-changing exhibitions at the Kunsthal and the expansive collection of Dutch and European art at Museum Boijmans van Beuningen. Ride to the top of Euromast observation tower for 360-degree city-wide views, stop by Miniworld Rotterdam to view the city in miniature, or pop into the Kubuswoningen cube house and museum.
6
Zeebrugge (for Bruges), Belgium
The modern port of Zeebrugge sits in the centre of Belgium's coast alongside the North Sea. Wander around the marina and visit the Seafront theme park; which is set in the old fish market and focuses on local seafaring and fishing heritage including a Russian submarine. Nearby Knokke-Heist is home to the F for Freedom Museum; where the dioramas evoke the area's WWII history. Travel along the coast to experience the De Fonteintjes wetland and dunes. Zeebrugge is also the gateway to Bruges via the Baudoin Canal - where you can look forward to up-close views of glittering jewels at the Diamond Museum, the world of chocolate making at the Choco-Story, and the art of lace making at the Lace Centre. Belgium's vibrant capital city of Brussels is also easily accessible with its Grand Place, Manneken Pis statue, and Heysel Park's iconic Atomium.
7
At sea
8
Newcastle, England
Why Book
Balmoral
Overview
Balmoral is named after the Scottish residence of the British Royal Family, and the Scottish theme runs throughout the main dining venues – the Ballindalloch, Avon and Spey – where guests can enjoy tantalising menus prepared by our expert chefs. Featuring 710 well-appointed rooms and suites and a selection of comfortable lounges, bars and inviting public areas, Balmoral provides guests with ample space in which to relax and share a memorable cruise experience with hundreds, not thousands, of fellow travellers. And, as Fred. Olsen’s guests have come to expect, there is always an array of superb entertainment on offer throughout the day, from lectures and hobby classes to live cabaret and comedians, ensuring you can make the most of your time on board. Balmoral is small enough to navigate size-restricted waterways such as the Kiel Canal, providing fantastic scenic cruising opportunities, and retains the warm, intimate and friendly atmosphere that the Fred. Olsen fleet is renowned for.
Food & Drink
Dining is an important part of your cruise with us and there is always plenty of variety for you to enjoy: Delicious five-course dining in our main restaurants; speciality Asian dining at our signature restaurants, Vasco and Colours and Tastes; our casual, self-serve dining experience with table-service drinks; and, on Bolette and Borealis, there’s a menu of light bites at the poolside during the day.
All of our food is freshly prepared on board, including our mouth-wateringly delicious homemade bread.
Our restaurant teams take great pride in the food they prepare for you and they love nothing more than to chat and share their passion with you.
And, of course, our warm and attentive waiting team are always on-hand to assist you.
Our on board dining experience
Each of the main restaurants on our ships are beautifully decorated, where we know you’ll enjoy sampling outstanding food created by our talented chefs, who take great pride in making tasty meals using fresh ingredients, and for our Treats of the Region, they’ll source local ingredients to prepare dishes that are popular in the destinations you’re visiting.
We have two dinner sittings, first sitting is at 6.00pm and second sitting is at 8.00pm*, which you request when you make your booking, and our Maitre’D is more than happy to meet with you to discuss any special dietary requirements you may have.
*Please note second sitting dining time in the main restaurants on embarkation day and on formal evenings will be at 8.15pm.
Our main restaurants are:
- Balmoral | Ballindalloch, Avon & Spey Restaurants
Dining at our Speciality restaurants on each of our ships is a really special experience. Our talented chefs are passionate about producing superb dishes, made fresh to order, where each delicious mouthful is an explosion of flavour. Vasco (available on Bolette and Borealis) offers an authentic taste of Goa, where each menu has been created by our Goan chefs, and for a taste of Asian Fusion, Colours & Tastes offers an eclectic combination of flavours in an intimate dining setting.
Colours & Tastes - Our Colours & Tastes restaurant features a tempting variety of Asian Fusion dishes, from spiced grilled meats and seafood to gyozas, dim sum and sushi.
In surroundings as vibrant as the food itself, each dish is lovingly created by our expert chefs and designed to give you an authentic taste of the Orient – with signature dishes from Japan, Thailand, China and the Philippines.
Casual dining
Our casual, self-serve dining experience on Bolette, Borealis and Balmoral offer a feast of delicious dishes for each meal every day, making it incredibly difficult to know which appetising dish to choose! Select from a variety of salads or stir fries, catered to your request, or sample dishes at our Destination stations, where we'll feature meals related to the lovely ports of call you're visiting. They also provide a huge spread of complimentary afternoon tea options, including warm scones with jam and cream, tasty sandwiches and delectable cakes, all freshly baked on board.
Our casual dining restaurants are:- Balmoral | The Thistle
Entertainment
Beyond our Signature Experiences, there is so much more to enjoy while you are on board with us.
Once on board, you will find a copy of the Daily Times in your cabin every evening. This will tell you all about the activities and events available on the following day. But in the meantime, here is a taste of what you can enjoy...
FUN AND GAMES, QUIZZES AND PUZZLES
To ensure there’s always something stimulating and fun for your time on board, our entertainment team run a fabulous programme of activities every single day.
These include traditional deck games like Quoits, Deck Tennis and Shuffleboard as well as challenging quizzes, Bridge tournaments in our dedicated Card Room and puzzles you can solve with fellow guests.
Or, perhaps join our friendly Book Club, held in an inviting, sociable area, where you can openly and informally debate your thoughts and opinions on best-selling lighter reads, crime thrillers, traditional or contemporary classics with other like-minded guests.
THEATRE, MUSIC AND DANCE
Each of our three beautiful ships has its own Theatre Company, who proudly present live musical shows for our guests.
Our Companies are regularly joined by visiting professional artists and performers, comedians and illusionists to ensure a constantly varying programme.
No cruise experience is complete, of course, without live music and each of our ships has its own house band. We also bring classical musicians, bands, soloists and singers on board to create a wonderful programme of live music, performances and recitals.
For those who love to dance, we hold plenty of classes. Our Dance Hosts are on-hand to accompany the more proficient or teach steps for those keen to learn.
Health & Fitness
What better environments to find total relaxation in than the beautiful spas on all three of our ships?
Floor to ceiling windows offer unparalleled views of the blue skies and cobalt waters while you are pampered and cared for by our specialist beauticians, hair stylists and therapists.
Our Fitness Centres also claim some of the most spectacular views of any gyms in the world – views that are constantly changing, of course. The perfect setting for a good workout, yoga or pilates session.
And once you’ve finished your activity, how about relaxing and unwinding in our swimming pools and Jacuzzis.
Terms & Conditions
Advertised offers are based on 2 adults sharing the lowest category stateroom/cabin/suite unless otherwise stated. Single supplements may apply. Offers are subject to availability and can change without any prior notice and may go up or down in price. Cruise Line campaign(s) and saving messages are strictly controlled by the Cruise Line(s) and are subject to change or be withdrawn without notice. Flight inclusive packages, where promoted, are based on the cheapest UK departure airport so please ask for further details. Advertised hotels, if any, are suggested however are changeable at a possible additional cost. All prices and port itineraries are correct at the time of print but are subject to change by the Cruise Line(s) without prior notice. Hays Travel reserves the right to correct any errors or omissions in this brochure. Some ports of call may be tendered whereas vessels drop anchor a short distance away and use small boats to reach the shore. Full board to all-inclusive inclusions vary by the Cruise Line(s) and restrictions may apply. Some onboard facilities and items may incur a charge. Select destinations may require travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers to be completed prior to travelling. Hays Travel LTD excepts no responsibility or compensation for any incomplete forms or declined entries from the respective country or countries that the individual(s) are visiting.
Springtime Gardens of Europe
FROM £899PP
Balmoral
23rd Apr 26
7 Nights
From
£899PP
