Thinking of cruising on Fred Olsen Balmoral on 2 Nov

Hi, I a thinking about doing the 34 day cruise to the Carib on 2 November. I am a solo lady traveller who enjoys dancing. Is anyone else travelling on this trip? Also, I have never been with Olsen before and am a bit concerned if there will be enough to do. I enjoy dancing and meeting people but have read that the Olsen ships can be quite low key. I am not looking for bright lights but when you travel on your own you want to make sure there is enough entertainment in the evening and on ship days. Have previously travelled with P&O (Azura - didn't like) and Cunard Queen Elizabeth - lovely

Looking forward to any responses/advice on whether this would be the cruise for me. As I love salsa dancing the Carib and particularly a visit to Cuba appeals to me. Unfortunately my partner doesn't travel due to problems with balance when travelling so I now have to "go it alone"

I have been on the Balmoral but only for a week and that was enough. I certainly wouldn't want to spend 34 days on the ship. I found there to be very little atmosphere on board and most of the passengers was in bed by 10.30. Sorry to sound so negative. Perhaps it's because I prefer the bigger ships with lots of entertainment.

i sailed on her 3 times when she was the Crown Odyssey, and enjoyed the ship thoroughly. The lounge at the top of the ship has a 360 degree view and a dance floor.

For all of the Fred Olsen info you will ever need, check out the Fred Olsen board, here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=459

To meet others on your cruise, the Roll Call boards are used. Yours can be found here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=772

Thank you everyone and thank you Bella. I have been a bit concerned as to whether there would be enough to keep me occupied for this long trip.

Bella, which ships as a solo traveller have you found mos preferable? I was attracted to this particular cruise not because it was a Fred Olsen ship but because I would like to return to Havana and this is the safest way for me to do it

regards Barbara

Last time I travelled with Fred Olsen, they had 4 dance hosts. More dancing than most, definitely.

Thank you everyone and thank you Bella. I have been a bit concerned as to whether there would be enough to keep me occupied for this long trip.

 

Bella, which ships as a solo traveller have you found mos preferable? I was attracted to this particular cruise not because it was a Fred Olsen ship but because I would like to return to Havana and this is the safest way for me to do it

 

regards Barbara

I haven't travelled solo before. When I was on the Balmoral it was port intensive so for your length of cruise with lots of sea days I'm sure they would find enough activities to occupy the passengers, depends on what you like really. If you want to visit a particular place like you have stated then it's probably the cruise for you. Must say the food on FO was nicer than some lines I have been on and the only line that has served the food HOT, usually in the MDR it's always just lukewarm.

 

I was attracted to this particular cruise not because it was a Fred Olsen ship but because I would like to return to Havana and this is the safest way for me to do it

Hi Barbara,

We visited Havana for a couple of days from a land holiday in Jamaica some years ago, using Air Jamaica. It's a route used by many Americans who are forbidden to travel direct to Cuba

Very safe & civilised.

This was over the millennium. Air Cubana, who don't have the world's best safety record, weren't taking bookings for flights after 31st December in case their fleet was grounded by the "millennium bug" if you remember it.:rolleyes:

For reasons which you probably know, very few ships include Cuba - which is a great shame because it's an interesting island, wonderfully friendly, and very different to other Caribbean islands. Especially Havana, which has (at least, had about 15 years ago) an air of "decayed Spanish decadence".

We're returning to Havana in January on Thomson's Dream, which you may want to consider alongside Fred.

Super itinerary which also includes amongst other stops Cartagena, and Colon (no ship's Panama transit, but a full day in port which allows us a full transit by ferry then return to Colon by car).

Havana is offered as part of a 7-day cruise, or a choice of two 14-day cruises, all as fly-cruises. Not sure if they also offer a one-way trans-Atlantic crossing at the start or end of the season.

There are more similarities than differences between Fred & Thomson. Both use smaller & friendlier older vessels, both offer good-value, and direct charter flights from regional UK airports with seamless transfers.

Both cater well for singletons, with singletons grouped on their own dining tables, singletons' get-togethers, and the provision of dance partners.

Both are very "British", including sensible on-board prices and no service charges, same as P&O. Fred's "gratuities" are at half the level of US ships (similar to P&O), Thomson's cruise prices are tips-inclusive though most folk put their hands in their pockets to give an additional & genuine gratuity.

Both run very friendly ships. A combination of friendly crew (all ranks, from officers to stewards & waiters) & the ships' smaller sizes - villages rather than cities.

Balmoral is listed as 32,500 tonnes, 1340 passengers, Dream as 54,000 tonnes, 2260 passengers.

Cruise prices, including air, are generally comparable.

Average ages on Thomson are lower than Fred, so the night life tends to go on much later.

Fred's passengers are predominantly recently-retireds, Thomson's are more mixed.

We've sailed Thomson several times & thoroughly enjoyed them all, though this will be our first on Dream. Dream got off to an awful start with Thomson a few years ago, mainly aircon & sewerage woes, but that's now history.

Check out Thomson's offerings :)

http://www.thomson.co.uk/cruise/ships/thomson-dream-ship-details.html

JB :)

Many thanks for taking the time and trouble to asnwer JB. I have been to Havanna 3 times in the last 12 years, the last two were dedicated salsa dance hols which were amazing. But I don't have the energy to do an intensive dance hol anymore and I also wouldn't travel to Cuba on my own although of course I could join a coach tour. However, I didn't fancy two long haul flights and so the Southampton to southampton element of Olsen also appealed. It's a huge pity for me because my partner is badly affected by any motion so he cannot travel. We have tried it before but a complete disaster and he was sick for months afterwards. So it's me on my own or don't go at all. All my friends are partnered

I wish I had done the Thomson cruise to Cuba last year but was put off by the ship reviews. I thought I would try it this year but discovered, as you have said, that they are re-visiting Havana but only on a weeks cruise, from Jamaica. There is a back to back you can do but again its the long haul flights that no longer appeal. I am being fussy but its more a question of travelling long distance alone, the luggage, the hanging round at the airports etc. Not much fun at all

I don't expect wild night life on the Balmoral but I DO want a little bit of dance action and friendly people who don't shun me as a solo traveller! I don't play cards, nor deck games but I love meeting new people, don't care what age they are! I was dismayed however that you mention they put all the singletons on one table - I saw that happen on a P&O cruise I was in May 2013 and it was a disaster for a couple of people who got "stuck" with a couple of very difficult passengers. On the other hand I was very lucky with my table, all couples and we had a lot of laughs. Its very difficult to travel alone - I wouldn't expect people to want a solo traveller to "spoil" their holiday by expecting to be in their company all the time but on the other hand, I don't expect to have to stick with another solo traveller if we don't have anything in common either. I should hit my partner on the head and just drag him onto a ship or plane I think !!!!!!!

Your last comment is probably the way to do it, Barbara. :D

Or of course he could do the same to you - there are wheelchair services at the airport. :p

Just checked the Thomson website - although Cuba can be incorporated with the end-of-season trans-Atlantic by doing a back-to-back, that's still only the halfway house of a one-way flight.

But if flights are unavoidable, a Thomson (or P&O or Fred) charter is by far the most customer-friendly way to do it, especially at both ends of the flight - very different to the usual airport blues and luggage-schlepping. Drop your luggage at your regional UK airport (you'll not see it again 'til it arrives at your cabin door) & join your fellow-cruisers on your chartered aircraft. In Jamaica you don't go through immigration, luggage carousel, customs, you don't even go to the terminal. Your aircraft taxi's to the perimeter road & you board your transfer bus direct from the aircraft. Sooooooooooo very civilised.

I've never sailed trans-Atlantic, fearful of too many boring sea-days. Low boredom threshold & no fan of sun-bathing or reading. Had four consecutive sea-days cruising on mv Discovery and was pulling my hair out - though Discovery's serious entertainment limitations meant she wasn't an ideal ship for sea-days.

We do have some trepidation about Dream, we abandoned plans to sail her in her early days with Thomson because of the maintenance issues. Although they've broadly been resolved & the ship re-fitted, she doesn't get the same reviews as Spirit or Celebration - the two Thomson ship's we've sailed. But we're destination-led, and although we've kinda done the Caribbean to death this cruise includes bucket-list ports we've not visited plus Havana, one of the few places we're keen to re-visit.

So as long as we don't have to paddle through sewerage we know we're going to enjoy it.:D

Singletons dining together.

Wasn't thinking of tables for four. More the usual ten or twelve, where you're bound to gel with some and weight of numbers means that any "difficult" tablemates can be ignored. That's what I've seen on Thomson & I suspect the same is true of Fred. Those tables have been amongst the most lively and congenial on a ship, often the last table to leave ,& to be seen mob-handed around the ship and ashore - left me feeling quite jealous on more than one cruise.;)

You always have the option at any time of asking the Maitre D to assign you to another table - perhaps along with with those tablemates whose company you have enjoyed. Maitre D's are well-used to re-shuffling.

You'll find plenty of solos on both Fred and Thomson, no worries on that score.

JB :)

Thanks JB for all of this and for your sympathy.

I was talking to an agent today about the Olsen cruise to Cuba and he said it was an old ship full of old people. I said I am nearly 63 and he said you don't sound like it. He was very negative indeed about Fred Olsen and the type of passengers - he said it was very cliquey which put me off even more! So don't know what to do now

I will have a look at the Thomson one again, wonder why they changed the itinerary in 2014, it was lovely last year. So wish I had done it and got Cuba out of my system. I love the country and the people and the dance and music is just amazing. It was certainly a very local trip when I did the two salsa dance holidays. They laid on Cuban dancers to accompany us for the whole 2 weeks. We danced morning, noon and night in the streets, the bars and the clubs. Two of those wonderful dancers I met now live in England and run cuban salsa dance classes. I've taken a couple of their classes when I've been in London. Good for them!

I am sure you will have a great time on the Dream. Where do you live? I am near Cambridge in England. I went on the Queen Elizabeth in November and one of the people on my table was an amazing American lady in her early 70s. We hit it off straightaway and our table was also the noisiest and most fun. We still keep in touch by email. She does a lot of upmarket cruising which I can't afford otherwise we would pick a trip together.

Would be good if I could find another lady who is thinking about doing the Olsen cruise, then I know I would at least have someone to hook up with during the holiday. My fear is to go and then people are cliquey. I don't want to be lonely for 34 days!!!!!

Gotta be careful what I say, I'm older than you. ;)

The agent was less diplomatic than me about the age-range of Fred's clientele. :)

Never sailed with Fred, for that reason, but the day will come.

Not aware of them being cliquey, but Fred does have a loyal following so perhaps some like to feel that they're kindred "old hands".

I've driven many of Fred's cruise transfer coaches, I live near Southampton and have driven for both their Southampton & Dover cruises. As I said, they're predominantly recently-retireds but I always found them a hardy, friendly, & convivial bunch.

At the risk of offending others, perhaps steer clear of the true floating rest homes - Cruise & Maritime, and P&O's adults-only ships.

Thomson's passengers are at the same budget end, but include all ages and occupations. After about 11pm, activity is generally concentrated in one or mebbe two bars (incl music & dance-floor) and perhaps a deck bar. Thomson's all-inclusive drinks package runs to 2am, which demonstrates there's some sort of life somewhere til that hour.

For the longer cruises the number of retirees is bound to be higher on any ship. Certainly on Balmoral's round-trip & probably on Dream's trans-Atlantic bit.

Both ships are very British. And so is the clientele - about 99% British.

There are pros & cons to that.

Whether you make friends is up to you, not others. You come over as lively & sociable, so I don't see a problem - other than that if you cruise Havana & back to blighty (Cuban Fusion + Transatlantic sunset) you'll lose some new friends part-way through.

The big problem for singletons on Balmoral or Dream or other ships is the cost.

If you did whack hubby over the head & frog-march him to the airport it's unlikely to cost much more than going solo unless you were lucky enough to secure one of the few single cabins.

Or do you have a friend who can go with you? Even if you have to subsidise a big chunk of their fare it'll cost you no more than going solo. Perhaps a friend or relative who's owed a present or a favour?

Get that agent to check out the single and double-occupancy fares on both ships?

I get the impression that there'll be no late bargains on Cuban Fusion, because Cuba is so rarely offered. This is as early as we've booked for a cruise because we like a late bargain, but the Pride of Panama plus Cuban Fusion price has actually increased since we booked & we reckon it'll sell out at or close to brochure price.

Bruce has supplied you with a link to the Fred Olsen forum, here's one to the Thomson forum http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=497

Sadly we Brits don't tend to "do" RollCalls, the response is so poor with all Brit ships that they're hardly worth the bother - but here's the one for that Cuba + trans-Atlantic http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1949692

These are just a few thoughts from

JB :)

Hi again, many thanks for all your advice and observations. Very interested to hear that you used to drive passengers to the cruise ships. What an insight!! Bet you have some stories to tell - you should write a book!!

I still can't make up my mind about Olsen. I do make friends very easily but am most aware that couples don't want to be "burdened" with single people at any time, let alone on holiday. But I never do that anyway, I like to dip in and out and make lots of friends when I am permitted. Its only on the odd occasion that I have found that people don't want to talk to me (for some reason!) but I don't take it at all personally. But can be embarrassing to keep walking into a room on your own - Billy no mates then!!

I had thought about asking one of my friends to come along mostly at my expense but the problem is I have a couple of medical problems and sharing a cabin wouldn't be the best idea. Even my partner goes into the spare room sometimes. You get to an age where sharing isn't an option, even with your bestest friend! I will keep looking and see if something comes up that is not an arm and a leg and another arm as a singleton. Interesting you mention about the adult P&O cruises, I had been looking at them although P&) don't lay on host dancers as Cunard and Olsen do. As I said before, I am not a bridge or games person.

When you think about it the only people who can afford (time-wise) to have 34 days off are the retired. Working people would never get away with that. So with the majority being over 65 chances are that there may be more other single travellers ( widowed) than you think.

Thank you Bella

I am retired and a very young nearly 63, still doing my salsa dancing...

as you say only those retired can have the luxury of going off for

34 days. I do voluntary work with a Singing Care for people with dementia

so I do enjoy the company of older people. I;ve read reviews which make the Olsen line sound like a care home, thats how its been described and there's nothing wrong in that at all. I just need to know the onboard activities also reflect for those who are older but more mobile and young at heart

Hi again, many thanks for all your advice and observations. Very interested to hear that you used to drive passengers to the cruise ships. What an insight!! Bet you have some stories to tell - you should write a book!!

 

I still can't make up my mind about Olsen. I do make friends very easily but am most aware that couples don't want to be "burdened" with single people at any time, let alone on holiday. But I never do that anyway, I like to dip in and out and make lots of friends when I am permitted. Its only on the odd occasion that I have found that people don't want to talk to me (for some reason!) but I don't take it at all personally. But can be embarrassing to keep walking into a room on your own - Billy no mates then!!

 

I had thought about asking one of my friends to come along mostly at my expense but the problem is I have a couple of medical problems and sharing a cabin wouldn't be the best idea. Even my partner goes into the spare room sometimes. You get to an age where sharing isn't an option, even with your bestest friend! I will keep looking and see if something comes up that is not an arm and a leg and another arm as a singleton. Interesting you mention about the adult P&O cruises, I had been looking at them although P&) don't lay on host dancers as Cunard and Olsen do. As I said before, I am not a bridge or games person.

Yes I have a few stories to tell about coach trips ;), but cruise transfers were more the bread-and-butter stuff.

Of more relevance were the coach tours that I used to drive. A significantly higher average age than Fred or Thomson, mainly because travel insurance issues precluded other holidays. There were always a number of singletons on my coach tours, and they quickly gelled with each-other & with the couples. Like a big family. I always used to call my tour passengers "my team".

The "family" on a cruise ship is a great deal bigger, but the comradeship is very much the same - a cruise ship is not just a floating hotel.

We cruise as a couple & sometimes with friends as well. But often we each want to do our own thing - she a dance class & me a big-screen soccer match, she sunbathing & me a film or lecture, she a book in the sun on deck & me an impromptu chess game in the shade - so we have great chunks of being singletons ourselves, but have never been short of company.

And we've enjoyed the company of lots of singletons as much as couples - at dinner, to a show, in minibus shore excursions hired at the pier, for the occasional quiz or late night drink etc. And in that respect I think we're the same as most couples. No, we don't want to cruise as a threesome with someone we meet, but mixing with others is an important part of the experience.

As you put it - "dipping in and out". :)

Yes, very few younger folk on Fred. And rarely any kids.

But from what I've seen of her passengers I think "care home" is very inaccurate.

Most were in their sixties, very few that I would consider "elderly".

I rarely carried zimmers and such for Fred's cruise transfers.

But I don't know the on-board activities, or their bed-times.;)

Mebbe try to get other opinions on the subject, particularly from cruise-specialist agents and from Fred's customers.

I think dance partners generally are hand-picked from those looking for a free or discounted cruise rather than a "job". That's the case with Thomson, and it seems to suit all concerned.

Fred or Thomson+flight, not sure you'd do too badly with either.

Number of sea-days wouldn't suit me, but wouldn't even on a mega-ship with all the whistles & bells & toys. :rolleyes:

But words of warning about any cruise ship & any destination

Ports are sometimes missed.

Wind & weather.

Mechanical issues.

Strikes by dockers.

Civil or political unrest.

Etc.

A fact of life with cruises. Usually just a bit of a disappointment, but your cruise is geared to Cuba, so if Cuba were missed ..................???

Prospects are good - out of hurricane season, berthed rather than tendered, pretty weatherproof approach channel & dock, no unrest on the horizon.

But a small risk is still there.

JB :)

Dear John Bull,

You are the tops! I have never seen a post of yours that was not informative. I appreciate you taking the trouble to post all of these long information filled items.

Hi JB sorry for delay in replying - I am hosting a Christening this weekend for my God Son and am just prepping for the wrecking crew to arrive! Just a 5 min sit down for me after all the cleaning!

Life has overtaken events now - I was referred last week by my GP for an appt to see an ENT specialist and the good old NHS at its best, has sent me an appt for 10 Nov. I don't want to postpone it to do a cruise as I need to get to the bottom of my current problem. Plus which the insurance co would want to know I am in the pink. so that's that for now! I might try and get on the Queen Eliz at the end of Nov if I am ok, she is visiting some lovely ports in the Med

Thank you for all your tips. I and others have learnt alot. You are a mine of information! Don't forget to let me know how your Dream cruise goes. Would love to hear all about it. This is a great website for meeting other cruisers (excuse the pun!!) and learning from other's experiences. Great fun. Thank you ever so much for all your help. I will let you know what cruise I eventually book once the consultant has given me the all clear. Then i will get my dancing shoes on, throw a load of M&S food in the freezer and leave my partner to the cat and the remote control !!