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Formally serving in the Holland America fleet under the name Rotterdam as an extremely popular ship due to her stylish design and medium size, Borealis lives up to her new name, giving 1,404 lucky passengers the chance to take in the wonders of the Northern Lights in Fred. Olsen’s classic yet modern take on luxury. Offering itineraries departing from as close to home as Liverpool, guests won't have to travel far to enjoy the comfort and adventure of a Fred. Olsen cruise.
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Ship Stats and Features
Year Entered Service
1997
Wheelchair Accessible Cabins
26
Number Of Decks
10
Number Of Elevators
12
Number Of Pools
2
Number Of Restaurants
6
Adult Only
Yes
Maximum Capacity
1,404
Crew
615
Refurbished
2020
Ship Facilities
Dining
Serving up delightful Fred. Olsen cuisine at all its restaurants, you'll love each and every meal during your time onboard Borealis. If you're looking for an elegant and sophisticated venue perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner, the two-tiered main dining room invites you inside, where you'll be treated to world-class service by the dedicated crew. What's more, with plenty of other restaurants to choose from, including both speciality and those included in your fare, you'll be able to try a different menu each night of your holiday.
Entertainment
No cruise holiday would be complete without evenings spent soaking up the entertainment options, and with Fred. Olsen's Borealis you'll be delighted by what's on offer. As well as live performances at the theatre, you'll also find culinary demonstrations which show off some of the best foods and wines from ports of call you'll visit during your journey.
Meanwhile, if you're looking for somewhere to enjoy a drink, you'll find plenty of bars and lounges, with a range of venues- from cosy to lively and late-night- meaning you'll find somewhere to suit your mood. What's more, if you're feeling truly daring, why not head to the casino and try your luck on the games tables and slot machines?
Things to do
When it comes to making the most out of your time at sea onboard Borealis, guests won't be disappointed by the variety of ways in which they can spend their down time. Alongside getting to know other guests, admiring the views from the deck and exploring the ship, be sure to book in a session at the spa where you'll find treatment rooms, a hydrotherapy pool and even a thermal spa. Alternatively, for those who want to relax without the additional cost of the spa, the all-weather pool is the ideal spot, with loungers and a retractable roof meaning you can wind down and let the afternoon pass you by.
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Customer reviews for Borealis
Lovely cruise on the beautiful Borealis. Staff so friendly.
couple
6-10 cruises
5 Jul 2025
Lovely ship, the staff were very helpful, well turned out, knowledgeable and friendly. The talks we attended were interesting, informative and accessible. The food was of a high quality and delicious, it was always easy to get a table in the self service restaurant, it’s nice that the chefs serve you even tho you chooses so it keeps you moving. We ate in the main restaurant each evening and the menus were varied and tasty, the waiting staff were proffesional and friendly and it seemed that nothing was too much trouble. The scenic cruising around the fjords was spectacular. The entertainment in the theatre was varied and excellent. The quizzes were light hearted and fun. All in all an excellent cruise.
couple
6-10 cruises
5 Jul 2025
Spacious interior cabin with well appointed decor throughout the ship. The crew were invariably polite and helpful. The company dancers were amazing and the shows were well choreographed - very entertaining. Only attended a couple of talks which were interesting. Impressed by how this cruise line caters for singles with regular meetings with several crew attending. Only disappointment was that the WiFi package has set number of days rather than for duration of voyage - meant no WiFi on last day or paying double for 6 unused extra days. Not disappointed by itinerary and efficiency of shore excursion organisation but still quite expensive. Overall I enjoyed the space and lack of crowds on a smaller ship. Pity they don't operate in the southern hemisphere!
user
1 cruise
10 Jun 2025
Having only been on a large ship it was wonderful to try a much more intimate one with Fred Olsen. The size of the ship was perfect, the food and dining experience was very special and 2 waiters shone out to us (see photos of name badge). The entertainment was world class and we had to check if we were at a west end show! Fantastic cruise xxxx
couple
2-5 cruises
3 Jun 2025
