Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, Balmoral, Mediterranean Review

In July 2018 my wife and I went on our first cruise on the Balmoral, with Fred Olsen line, to the fjords of Western Norway. The cruise was fantastic in every respect, in terms of scenery, the quality of the accommodation and service on board, the trips and the general ambience. The following year, in late August 2019 my wife and I went on a further cruise on the Balmoral from Newcastle to the Atlantic coast of Spain, Portugal and north-west France. Unfortunately, the cruise was disappointing in comparison with the previous one to Norway. Whilst the places we visited were very interesting and the trips where well-organised, in overall terms the cruise was disappointing. We were placed in an outside cabin on the third deck, which was very noisy. Despite complaining to the accommodation officer on board, the problem remained unresolved, which meant that my wife in particular returned home feeling tired rather than refreshed from the experience. The quality and variety of the food served in the restaurant for the evening meals, was of a much poorer standard compared with previous year. Following our return home, we lodged a complaint with Fred Olsen line and have been given a voucher for £300, as compensation, but this has to be spent on a further cruise, which we are reluctant to do in the current circumstances.