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Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines ships are really exceptional, and rather than build one enormous ship to suit everybody, the cruise line has built its reputation on a smaller, more personal way of cruising, with Bolette, Borealis and Balmoral docking closer to port centres, sailing narrower stretches of water and giving…
Read MoreFred. Olsen Cruise Lines ships are really exceptional, and rather than build one enormous ship to suit everybody, the cruise line has built its reputation on a smaller, more personal way of cruising, with Bolette, Borealis and Balmoral docking closer to port centres, sailing narrower stretches of water and giving guests a crew who tend to know their name by the second day at sea.
Working out which Fred. Olsen ship is right for you comes down to a few things, and this guide walks through each ship so you can choose with confidence before you call one of our Cruise Experts.
Bolette is the largest ship in the Fred. Olsen fleet by tonnage, at 62,735 GT, carrying 1,338 guests across 690 cabins and 10 passenger decks. She joined the fleet in 2020, having previously sailed for Holland America Line, and was refurbished in Fred. Olsen’s style before her first UK sailing.
Bolette’s main dining is split between the Bloomsbury and Terrace Restaurants, both offering à la carte menus each evening, alongside the more intimate Australia Room. For a relaxed lunch or breakfast, The View and The Poolside serve casual, table-service dining with ocean views, while Colours & Tastes brings a rotating speciality menu of Asian, Italian and grill dishes for guests who fancy something different.
Eleven bars and lounges give guests plenty of places to settle in for the evening, including the Observatory Lounge and the Lido Bar, while a single Show Lounge and the Auditorium host the evening’s entertainment. Two swimming pools, one under a retractable roof, sit alongside the Atlantis Spa, a thermal suite and a fitness centre, and quieter corners such as the library, card room and Olsen Art Studio suit guests who would rather spend an afternoon away than join in.
Bolette’s itineraries range widely, from short cruises to Belgium and the Netherlands to longer voyages around the Norwegian Fjords and Canary Islands. She also calls at Dover, making it an easy choice for guests in the South East.
Borealis carries 1,353 guests across 702 cabins, making her the fleet’s fullest ship by capacity, at 61,849 GT and 237.9m in length, with 10 passenger decks. She joined the fleet in 2020 and, from 2026, is Fred. Olsen’s adults-only ship.
Borealis mirrors Bolette’s approach to dining, with the two-tiered Aurora and Borealis Restaurants forming the main evening venues, plus the intimate Arctic Room and traditional afternoon tea service. The View and The Poolside cover casual dining through the day, while Colours & Tastes and the newer Fresco, a Mediterranean-inspired alfresco venue, add speciality options for guests who want a change of scene.
With 11 bars and lounges, including the panoramic Observatory Lounge, plus a Show Lounge and the Auditorium for entertainment, Borealis has the same relaxed, sociable feel as the rest of the fleet, minus the noise of a family holiday. A swimming pool, two jacuzzis, the Atlantis Spa and a fitness centre round out the daytime, while the library and card room offer a slower pace for anyone who prefers it.
Borealis covers much of the same ground as Bolette, from the Norwegian Fjords and the Mediterranean to itineraries around the British Isles and Northern Europe. Her adults-only status makes her a particularly popular choice for couples looking for a fjord cruise or a longer winter escape without a family holiday feel.
Balmoral is the smallest ship in the fleet, at 43,537 GT and 218.91m in length, with nine passenger decks and a capacity for 1,250 guests across 710 cabins. It is precisely this smaller size that lets her reach ports and waterways the larger two ships cannot.
Balmoral’s main dining is spread across three venues, all offering the same à la carte menu: the Ballindalloch Restaurant and the window-lined Spey and Avon Restaurants. The Thistle Restaurant offers a lighter, buffet-style alternative for breakfast and lunch, and Colours & Tastes provides the fleet’s familiar rotating speciality menu for an evening with a different flavour.
Balmoral carries nine bars and lounges, including the Observatory Lounge, and is the only ship in the fleet with two show lounges, giving a little more choice of evening entertainment across a shorter voyage. Two swimming pools, four jacuzzis, golf nets, the Atlantis Spa and a fitness centre keep the daytime just as full, while the library, card room and boutique shops offer a change of pace.
Balmoral is closely associated with the Norwegian Fjords, where her size allows her into narrower waterways such as Lysefjord and Sognefjord, as well as ports along the River Seine that larger ships cannot reach. She also sails to the Caribbean and carries the fleet’s largest number of dedicated single cabins, making her a popular choice for solo cruising.
At Bolsover Cruise Club, we offer Fred. Olsen cruises across the Norwegian Fjords, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and beyond, on all three ships in the fleet. Explore our itineraries and sailings today to find the Fred. Olsen cruise that’s right for you.
There is no single best Fred. Olsen cruise ship, but here’s a quick guide to what each ship does best:
| Best For | Ship | Why |
| First-timers wanting familiar surroundings | Bolette | The largest ship by tonnage, with the widest choice of dining and the most passenger space to explore. |
| A quiet, adults-only escape | Borealis | Exclusively for guests aged 18 and over from 2026, with the same destinations and dining as the rest of the fleet. |
| Reaching the narrowest fjords and waterways | Balmoral | Her smaller size lets her dock in ports the other two ships cannot, including deep into Norway’s fjords. |
| Solo travellers | Balmoral | The largest number of dedicated single cabins in the fleet, alongside a full programme of solo meet-ups. |
| Longer, unhurried voyages | Bolette or Borealis | Both carry the fleet’s most extensive Caribbean and world voyage itineraries. |
From 2026, Borealis is exclusively for guests aged 18 and over, giving couples, friends and solo travellers a quieter, more settled atmosphere onboard, without changing anything about the destinations, dining or standard of service Fred. Olsen is known for.
Bolette is the biggest by tonnage, at 62,735 GT, though Borealis carries slightly more guests at full capacity.
Largely, yes. All three sail to the Norwegian Fjords, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the British Isles and the Caribbean, though Balmoral’s smaller size lets her reach a handful of narrower ports the other two cannot.
Get ready to book your next cruise getaway with all of the major cruise lines available here at Bolsover Cruise Club. If you need help choosing between Bolette, Borealis and Balmoral or booking a cruise, please do not hesitate to contact us. A member of our team will be happy to assist you.
