![](https://widgety-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/2024/07/29/22/37/23/36f6d8de-42bb-4b80-befc-c8dcd80dc476/FOCL Balmoral arriving into Olden, Norway cropped.jpg)
Balmoral, UK and Ireland
4
Newcastle to Shetland and Orkney - very lucky with the weather, mini heatwave. First time on Balmoral (prev cruises on Braemar and Borealis).
Overall good service and entertainment, although at least one show suffered from a poor choice of material. The show company was excellent, singing and dancing their hearts out.
Food generally a bit disappointing, tried one of the dining rooms twice, once for breakfast and once for lunch - food lukewarm and grey. Not enough serving staff.
The View buffet was generally excellent but slight hygiene concerns over the general use of serving equipment and the implements weren't changed often enough.
Staff seemed inexperienced and there did not seem to be enough of them across all service areas. A significant number of them seemed to struggle with English.
Surprisingly for FOCL their hygiene announcements and cleaning staff seemed on a lower level than I've seen before ?economies.
Lynne
Post Date: 05/07/2022
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![](https://widgety-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/2024/07/29/22/37/23/36f6d8de-42bb-4b80-befc-c8dcd80dc476/FOCL Balmoral arriving into Olden, Norway cropped.jpg)
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