First time with Fred!

Hi- we have cruised several times before, mainly Thomson, Island Cruises, Cruise and Maritime. Because of the dates and itinerary, we have just booked Secrets of the Canaries on the Braemar, and are wondering how different it might be to our previous experiences.

Thinking about dress code, ability to take drinks to cabin, smoking areas?

The excursions are available to book online, but as we are visiting 2 ports in one day on both La Gomera and Fuertoventura it's a bit difficult to know how much time we have in each one. Will there be a presentation of the excursions onboard, and is this likely to be at the beginning of the cruise? (There is only one sea day quite late on)

We have taken the £10 pp per day drinks package, does anyone know if I can get a dry martini and lemonade on this package?

Thank you for any help you can give,

kate

Fred Olsen is certainly different to the lines you mention.

Your fellow passengers will probably be older than you have experienced apart from maybe C & M.

The dress code in the MDR will be strictly adhered to and is overall more formal.

Drinks package is detailed on the web site. All the shorts are house drinks. So there maybe a house martini.

Not sure about drinks to your cabin. I often carry my drinks from one bar to another so suppose you can carry a drink to your cabin. Or do you mean bringing drink from shore. Again it will tell you on their web site.

Smoking I recall on the Balmoral there were people smoking on one side of the ship outside.

Yes there are port lectures.

We have cruised with Thomson on the older ships and enjoyed but we like Fred Olsen as the ships are better appointed. Not cruised on the Dream or Majesty so can not compare.

Entertainment, if you liked C&M and Thomson I think you will like FO. Maybe not as energetic as Thomson but we like it.

Of the three lines you mention I believe the food on FO is the best.

Two ports in one day, I would always take the ships trips. Otherwise we often do our own thing and use the taxis at the ports.

If you like Ballroom dancing as we do, FO is best by far.

The sparkling wine on the AI is great, drink it all the time.

Have a great time.

Thanks for the reply.

We got our confirmation letter today with some more details (actual flight times etc) so I am feeling a bit better prepared!

We've never been to the Canaries before, either (except Madeira) so it will all be new to us, which makes it quite exciting!

We are in our 60s so don't think we will be the youngest onboard. And not looking to wear cut-off jeans or shorts in the MDR- just that OH gets a bit grumpy about wearing ties on holiday.

Fingers crossed there's a "house" martini!

kate

Like you we are cruising with Fred for the first time. I have a question for the more seasoned amongst you. We arrive courtesy of Monarch in Tenerife Airport at around 1840, say around an hour to deplane and get on buses etc. so we arrive late on Braemar well past our assigned dining hour, so is it a late night buffet for us, or what ? Like wise on departure, our check in is 1640 for a 1940 flight. I expect we have to abandon our cabin at the latest at 0900 having put our bags out the night before. what time do Fred transfer us to the airport, and what refreshments and facilities are made available to departing passengers ? The refreshments ( to be Polite) on Monarch are dire the last time sampled, and facilities at the Tenerife South are equally rudimentary. Thank you in anticipation A and P

When there is a late transfer, the normal on-board dining facilities generally keep running as usual, so you'll be able to have breakfast/lunch/afternoon tea just as you would on any other day.

The only inconvenience is having to be out of the cabin, so it is a good idea to stake out a spot to spend the day in before all the good spaces get taken :)

Another option which they sometimes offer is a tour which terminates at the airport. A much better way to spend the time than just sitting on the ship, but do check what time they expect to drop you off at the airport as you wouldn't want to get there too long before your flight.

kate52

My partner and I are early 60s, but still tend to be a lot younger than many of the Fred passengers. Having said that, we have met some friendly and fun loving people. Mind you, there are quite a lot of old fogies too, but you can avoid them. We don't really mind that, except that we tend to be in the minority when it comes to staying up late. We also always prefer late sitting for dinner. When we have been out all day there is no way we would want to have to rush back to get ready straight away for dinner. We like to take our time and have a pre dinner drink.

You can easily find out how long you have in each port of call by looking up the port authority information. I always look it up so we can organise our days. It is very rarely we ever take a ship excursion. We did a Canary Island excursion a couple of years ago and hired cars in a couple of the ports. Car hire and petrol are cheap in the Canaries and we picked the cars up in the ports. In Madeira we booked an excursion through Madeira Happy Tours and were really pleased with it.

kate52

 

My partner and I are early 60s, but still tend to be a lot younger than many of the Fred passengers. Having said that, we have met some friendly and fun loving people. Mind you, there are quite a lot of old fogies too, but you can avoid them. We don't really mind that, except that we tend to be in the minority when it comes to staying up late. We also always prefer late sitting for dinner. When we have been out all day there is no way we would want to have to rush back to get ready straight away for dinner. We like to take our time and have a pre dinner drink.

 

You can easily find out how long you have in each port of call by looking up the port authority information. I always look it up so we can organise our days. It is very rarely we ever take a ship excursion. We did a Canary Island excursion a couple of years ago and hired cars in a couple of the ports. Car hire and petrol are cheap in the Canaries and we picked the cars up in the ports. In Madeira we booked an excursion through Madeira Happy Tours and were really pleased with it.

Thank you for the tips, especially the port authority info- I should have thought of that! Really looking forward to it- just hope is weather is kind to us.

kate

Thanks for the information, what about late arrivals?

2nd Question, can I get away with blazer and tie in the dining rooms or will I have to dust off the grey suit at the back of the wardrobe. Thanks in advance

2nd Question, can I get away with blazer and tie in the dining rooms or will I have to dust off the grey suit at the back of the wardrobe. Thanks in advance

Other than on formal evenings, the blazer and tie will put you ahead of the majority of others in the room.

Most people will be wearing open-necked shirts, no tie and a large percentage will not have a jacket either, especially in warmer regions.

On our last Fred cruise in September last year we found the men's dress code to be more relaxed. My OH wore his tux for formal evenings, but the rest of the time it was mainly shirt, but no tie.

We actually enjoy the formal evenings. It gives us a chance to dress up, which we rarely do at home.

So I am going to have to get my suit out of mothballs then ?

So I am going to have to get my suit out of mothballs then ?

If you wish to eat in the main dining room on formal evenings, then yes, but there are alternatives if you prefer not to dress up.

So how many formal nights are there on a 9 day cruise.

So how many formal nights are there on a 9 day cruise.

At least 2, possibly 3 in my experience.

Varies according to itinerary but it would be normal to have one very early in the cruise and one on the night before the final evening on board.

The 3rd is more likely if you have a sea day or two around the middle of the cruise.

You will be able to find out how many there are and also any theme nights before you depart.

No one has mentioned ship size. The Fred vessels are small so be prepared for a bit of movement at sea. So many ships these days are so huge that it takes a big sea to get them moving, but this is not so on Braemar. Pack a packet of Kwells just in case.

simonpjd

That's what we like about Fred, that the ships are small. A friend of mine is currently on the Norwegian Epic with 4500 passengers! I would hate that. My OH gets seasick, but it doesn't bother me at all.

No one has mentioned ship size. The Fred vessels are small so be prepared for a bit of movement at sea. So many ships these days are so huge that it takes a big sea to get them moving, but this is not so on Braemar. Pack a packet of Kwells just in case.

No Kwells available anywhere in Oxford area at the moment - strange :confused::confused: Had to buy Joy Rides at twice the price :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Strange as it may be to us year round travelers, these products are considered 'seasonal' in most stores so outside the prime holiday periods they tend to reduce stock and range :(

The man in Boots said they had not had any in for months and there had been trouble getting the hyoscine hydrobromide :rolleyes::confused: They didn't even have their own make. I have never had trouble getting them at any other time.

Just noticed they are selling them for £34.99 for 12 tablets on ebay :eek::eek:

The man in Boots said they had not had any in for months and there had been trouble getting the hyoscine hydrobromide :rolleyes::confused: They didn't even have their own make. I have never had trouble getting them at any other time.

 

Just noticed they are selling them for £34.99 for 12 tablets on ebay :eek::eek:

Eek!

There are a number of much cheaper antihistamines which help with sea sickness; I have no problem with it at all but my daughter used Phenergan which will also put you to sleep :rolleyes:

Alternatively, stem ginger from any decent supermarket should help! Good luck!

This year I went to a Chinese Herbalist. I find the nausea is horrid but the balance problems that come with it much worse. These tablets got me through the Bay of Biscay without issue and I was very grateful!

I hate taking anti histamines and find even the non drowsy ones send me to sleep!

Eek!

 

There are a number of much cheaper antihistamines which help with sea sickness; I have no problem with it at all but my daughter used Phenergan which will also put you to sleep :rolleyes:

 

Alternatively, stem ginger from any decent supermarket should help! Good luck!

Thanks Willow, I have two boxes of Joyrides. They are only half strength of Kwells, so work out twice the price :eek:

People on Thomson boards recommend Stugeron, but they make you drowsy too.

I got some tablets from my Chinese Herbalist last year. They worked a treat and stopped not just the sickness but also the horrid balance and spaced out issues too. Maybe worth a try for other people too. Another plus is that they don't make you drowsy.

I also use crystallised ginger - we had hurricane Force 12 on Balmoral. No problems at all.

My OH takes the Stugeron and says they work. Have never been seasick in my life, so wouldn't know.