Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, Borealis Review

Borealis

This was Fred's first international sailing since March 2020 and we cant fault them. Yes, there was lots of admin required as a result of the virus but it was handled very well and was worth a little inconvenience to get us back cruising and loving Fred again.

Iceland as a destination was superb and although all tours were escorted (we couldn't get off and just wander around) all were excellent and well worth the money.

Borealis was gorgeous and everything felt brand new (as indeed it was). Every aspect of the ship was well thought through although we felt there was little distinction between the different drinking areas - they all seemed to blend into one rather than be distinct areas.

The Bookmark cafe loyalty card was a great idea and the Borealis and Aurora dining restaurants were amazing - what a lovely setting. Food in these restaurants cant be faulted - all absolutely delicious. Food in the small cafe in the Lido was delicious too and just a nice size for a snack but sometimes the live bands in the Lido were too loud for the pool area - bands that sounded great in the Oceans Bar were too loud in the Lido.

All staff were excellent (as is usual on a Fred cruise) but a shout out to the following - Kenny (Spa), Gede (Lido Bar), Kyle (Lido Bar and Oceans Bar), Deedee (Lido Bar and Moonlight Bar), Roger (Aurora restaurant) and Hazel (manager of the restaurants, Aurora in particular was where we encountered Hazel).

We absolutely loved being back on board and have talked about our trip continuously since we got back. We cant wait for our next Fred trip which is booked for next year. Welcome back Fred :)