Fred Olsen Boudicca Reviews

A most enjoyable cruise round the UK and Dublin. Check-in went very smoothly, the ship was spotlessly clean and the food was excellent. The staff were very friendly and efficient. The drinks prices were reasonable, unlike some other cruise lines. We were kept up-to-date very well by the Captain which was particularly important one day when the weather was bad and we had a change of plan in connection with the ports we were due to visit. We were very impressed with the Cruise Director who was much better than those we had met on cruises with other lines. 

We went on the Boudicca around the British Isles back in Sepember this year. It was our first cruise with Fred Olsen and we weren't disappointed with the cruise at all. We did get the cruise at what we thought was a bargain price. We set sail from Rosyth and arrived in the Orkneys the following day. We enjoyed this very much as we have never been that far north before. The next two stops were Belfast and Dublin. They were particulary good as we went on a tour around the area where all the troubles had been in Belfast. Then in Dublin we again did a city tour and stopped off at the Guinness store.We made it to the top floor and enjoyed a lovely glass of Guiness that everyone claims tastes better than the stuff you buy in a pub. Our next port of call should have been Milford Haven but as bad weather was predicted we stayed an extra night in Dublin. We then sailed to St. Peter Port in Guernsey which was a pretty place. Finally our last port of call was Portsmouth, then back to Rosyth in Scotland. Our cabin was adequate and the food on board was good. On the whole the entertainment was very good. The theatre could be better as it is all on one level so unless you are at the front it can be difficult to see. We went to a couple of lectures which we found very interesting. We would certainly consider another Fred Olsen cruise if the right itinery came up and also the price.

This was only our second cruise experience which turned out to be a very pleasant experience with a comfortable cabin and very friendly and helpful staff. The experiences offered by the ship when at sea were diverse and excellent as were the evening entertainment packages. Even the feelings brought by Force 10 gales were memorable and part of luck of the cruise, even if we did miss our visit to Sweden. On the other hand we were fortuitous with the weather on some of the port visits. Oslo, Turku, St Petersburg and Copenhagen. What was frustrating was that we seemed to be visiting ports on the wrong days. E.G. Turku on Sunday when very little was open; Helsinki on Monday when ALL museums were closed. St. Petersburg was beautiful but the visit to the Hermitage was slightly disappointing as we were restricted to artworks only of which very little was Russian. This seemed to be due to the fact that the scripts read by our guides was limited to those areas when we would also have liked to have seen artefacts from a broader spectrum. We returned home very relaxed after our 12 days having thoroughly enjoyed our holiday.

Booked a Round Britain Cruise having been attracted by a competitive price. Have cruised some twenty times previosly found the cabin as the usual standard. Entertainment came up to and exceeded expectations unlike many non-British based cruise lines who fail due to language problems. Restaurant cuisine above average with promt waiter service with attractively served meals. Trips (as is the norm) quite expensive so we booked a taxi to take us to the Giants Causeway sharing a 7 seater for 4 of us at about half the price and extra places thrown in. Weather in the Irish sea interupted the schedule but she ship although small by many comparisons dealt with the conditions admirably. There needs a complete review of boarding at Rosyth as the queuing wasnot acceptable. We queued outside the building, then in the queue inside standing then forward a few feet for over an hour. Fortunately the ship mellowed us having found the bar. On the same ship again 26/11/11 so it can't be bad.

This was the first cruise my husband and I had ever been on and so we approached it with a little trepidation! However, we thoroughly enjoyed the whole aspect of cruising.  Must admit, we only live 12 miles from our departure port which was a massive plus! We found that life onboard the ship was very relaxed, the staff were very helpful and hard working. The food was excellent and the entertainment first class. Cleanliness and hygiene were essential as far as the staff were concerned, we soon became accustomed to the hand spray before being allowed into any restaurant! There were lots of things to do on board and time passed all too quickly!

A friend and I decided to give ouselves a late Summer treat and try a short cruise - neither of us had cruised before so embarking at Rosyth was really exciting, and very friendly and efficient. We were delighted by the size and comfort of our cabin and the view from the big window. Sadly the weather was not great and the crossing to Orkney a bit rough but once there the tour of the island and Scara Brae was fascinating with an excellent tour guide who made the whole trip extremely interesting - I thought the tour was excellent value for money. The next day we arrived in Bergen - an enchanting city and we wished we could have spent longer there. I cannot speak highly enough of the staff, atmosphere and general spic-and span-ness of this ship - especially the dining room and waiting staff - everything was immaculate. Our only criticism, and it is a small one, was that the food was just not QUITE what I would call restaurant quality, and the puddings especially could have been better. We didnt go to the evening entertainment on the first two nights - too tired! - but on the third night we very much enjoyed the young and very energetic concert party doing a show based loosely on HMS Pinnafore - they were really great. I would love to cruise again with Fred Olsen.

Small friendly ship with room attendant most efficient. Room very clean with a few air conditioning problems sorted out almost immediately. Little extras placed in room gave the personal touch. Plenty of cupboard storage space in room. Choice of eating places adequate although the Garden resurant sometimes was over crowded for breakfast & midday meals. Selection of food good at commencement of cruise but by the end a bit repetitive although quality always remained high. The last sitting for evening meal made it late if attending the show following especially if rising early next morning for an organised tour. Tours expensive although quite interesting. Ship lectures covered a wide area of topics - something for everbody. Dance partners good for the unpartnered dancers. The Captain appeared a friendly person who occasionally liked to play the trumpet in the ball room - competent player. Overall time spent on the Boudicca was most enjoyable, generally good value with all staff most helpful.

Hello there. My name is Ronan Halliday and I was on the Spitzbergan -Svalbard cruise last year in July I think it was. I am 14 years old and I would just like to say what it is like to be on a cruise at a young age. If anyone is thinking of taking there kids. Ok first of all I am a gamer so I am used to sitting in front of a screen all day.... But even so when I was on the cruise I was never at a screen at all! Quality of Food - The Food on this cruise is Incredible!! So many choices! There’s alot of different places to eat and sometimes there are buffets sometimes like restaurant or even outside there is a place where you can eat bar meals its so cool! 5/5 Entertainment - The entertainment on this cruise was brilliant, there is comedy, magic, sing alongs, musicals etc.. Although my favourite is definitely the magic... they should do more of it... Excursions - I am not a fan of doing this type of thing but I tried it and went on 1, I was expecting it to be like a tour guide, telling us things but it was, but while doing fun things at the same time like eating fresh giant crabs!! Staff - The staff are AMAZING, they remember your name and treat you vey well, I was very happy in giving some of my own money even though I hardly get any to the staff.. I wish I could of giving money to everyone!! They are such nice people! Childrens Facility's and activity’s - Now this is the part I was wondering about when I first got on the ship. They have a room for children like a TV and everything but in time it got boring but when the Director guy heard that there was kids on board he made everything so cool! We basically asked what we wanted to do and he let us! Plus on your sheet you get everyday it tells you everything that is on for the day, like golf, table tennis, swimming, quizes, bingo etc.. You can also do this anytime with your friends etc.. Cabins – Cabins are great, we got the cheapest small indoor cabins with a window. They are really nice and clean with a great shower and bath I have hardly said anything about the cruise! It was just so good! I give this cruise ship a 10/10 for everything!! You MUST go on this no matter what age!!

After a thirty year gap this was my first taste of 21st century cruising. We departed Langton Docks in Liverpool on time though the passenger facilities were pretty minimal, the FO staff proved very helpful and we were in our cabin with luggage delivered in good time to unpack and then enjoy the departure. The four places we visited - La Coruna, Vigo, Lisbon and Leixios (Porto) all had something to offer in terms of sights and experiences and we opted to make our own arrangements requiring some limited walking, enquiries at Toursit Information Offices and a reliance on local tour buses - which resulted in substantially less cost than those on offer on board. The facilities on board were very good and only marred by a limited outbreak of gastro entiritis which took the steam room,sauna and jaccuzi out of use (understandably). Our return to Liverpool proved problematic due to high winds and we were diverted to Dublin where the FO staff orgainised our return to England via coaches to the airport, flights into Liverpool and coaches to our car park destination. A very polished operation - presumably based on experience and which enabled us to enjoy the shipboard facilities for a further day. On the whole an enjoyable cruise and one which will prompt further bookings with Fred Olsen.