Oh Dear! How much damage has been done??

[PenGwyn10]

"It's like being on a great big old people's home on this ship. I suppose I shouldn't've said that.......but it is," said the lady passenger extolling the virtues of her cruise on the Balmoral.

 

BBC2's 'The Cruise. A Life At Sea' has done Fred Olsen no favours. Most of the featured passengers were elderly, some frail, some with mobility problems most of whom walked slowly around on shore tours rarely taking part in activities once ashore. Yes, Fred Olsen welcomes and caters for these passengers and looks after them very well and rightly so.

BUT although the vast majority of passengers are in the 55-80 plus age groups most are fortunate to be fit and healthy.

We have sailed on Balmoral, Braemar, Black Watch and have spent energetic times on tours, white water rafting, river tubing, zip lining, driving dune buggies, snorkelling and scuba diving. Yes we are in our 60s and we are fortunate to be in excellent health and fitness and enjoy activity tours.........not just us but also many other passengers our age and older. We use the gym, swim and go dancing every evening till midnight. There is great fun and plenty of life on board a Fred Olsen ship.

 

Balmoral is not God's Waiting Room even though the BBC portrayed it as such. If we had watched this series having never cruised we would have given Fred Olsen a wide berth.........'scuse the pun!

[Cashew14]

"It's like being on a great big old people's home on this ship. I suppose I shouldn't've said that.......but it is," said the lady passenger extolling the virtues of her cruise on the Balmoral.

 

BBC2's 'The Cruise. A Life At Sea' has done Fred Olsen no favours. Most of the featured passengers were elderly, some frail, some with mobility problems most of whom walked slowly around on shore tours rarely taking part in activities once ashore. Yes, Fred Olsen welcomes and caters for these passengers and looks after them very well and rightly so.

BUT although the vast majority of passengers are in the 55-80 plus age groups most are fortunate to be fit and healthy.

We have sailed on Balmoral, Braemar, Black Watch and have spent energetic times on tours, white water rafting, river tubing, zip lining, driving dune buggies, snorkelling and scuba diving. Yes we are in our 60s and we are fortunate to be in excellent health and fitness and enjoy activity tours.........not just us but also many other passengers our age and older. We use the gym, swim and go dancing every evening till midnight. There is great fun and plenty of life on board a Fred Olsen ship.

 

Balmoral is not God's Waiting Room even though the BBC portrayed it as such. If we had watched this series having never cruised we would have given Fred Olsen a wide berth.........'scuse the pun!

 

Less people booking, more chance of an upgrade? :D

[Lanky Lad]

I think it's common knowledge that longer cruises tend to be have more older passengers. You pretty much have to be retired to spend 3 months on a ship. The only way I could spend so long on a ship would be to get a job on board. :D

[Popsey Wopsey]

Well on some cruises they are .:p

[Mark_T]

I think for us at least, the overall impression we've been left with is that we need to be considerably older before we'd ever contemplate a world cruise.

 

We'd also probably avoid world cruise segments as well as it may be hard to avoid the rather 'cliquey' atmosphere that seems to separate those actually on the world tour from those merely dropping in for a segment or two ...

[1160451]

Mark has it spot on. We went on segment of a P and O world cruise and wow you could tell the world cruisers from us 3 weekers.

It did not feel like a normal cruise, we felt as though we were intruding into their home. We like a laugh and maybe become a touch loud, well the looks we got. No "mornings" when you got in the lift or any eye contact you could tell them straight away.

By the way that programme about the Balmoral has not shown, as far as I have seen, the highlight of any FO cruise the dolphin racing....... I can hardly wait until the month end when we are on her to Norway. Dress suit and Dolphin racing can it get any better....:)

[simonpjd]

It is quite sad actually. After this can you imagine any cruise line agreeing to let a film crew on board. So what could have been a really good lively series that would attract more passengers they have had the opposite. And no chance of more series - which is also a shame as it is always good to see life on board.

But you can understand why the coffin dodgers are there. They could probably get a 3 month trip for around £70 a day. Well my poor old mum was in a home just for a couple of weeks and we were paying twice that for basically b&b. If I am fit enough I may join them myself - in about 25 years time.

[onlyonetrevorfrancis]

I disagree with the sentiments here to be honest and posted as such on the other thread.

 

I thought the first two episodes were atrocious but enjoyed the last two or three. It was interesting for me seeing more of the ship, staff and places they visited.

 

This is from an early forties cruiser who has only travelled on Royal Caribbean but I enjoyed the programme overall and will miss watching it.

[Hawks11]

"It's like being on a great big old people's home on this ship. I suppose I shouldn't've said that.......but it is," said the lady passenger extolling the virtues of her cruise on the Balmoral.

 

BBC2's 'The Cruise. A Life At Sea' has done Fred Olsen no favours. Most of the featured passengers were elderly, some frail, some with mobility problems most of whom walked slowly around on shore tours rarely taking part in activities once ashore. Yes, Fred Olsen welcomes and caters for these passengers and looks after them very well and rightly so.

BUT although the vast majority of passengers are in the 55-80 plus age groups most are fortunate to be fit and healthy.

We have sailed on Balmoral, Braemar, Black Watch and have spent energetic times on tours, white water rafting, river tubing, zip lining, driving dune buggies, snorkelling and scuba diving. Yes we are in our 60s and we are fortunate to be in excellent health and fitness and enjoy activity tours.........not just us but also many other passengers our age and older. We use the gym, swim and go dancing every evening till midnight. There is great fun and plenty of life on board a Fred Olsen ship.

 

Balmoral is not God's Waiting Room even though the BBC portrayed it as such. If we had watched this series having never cruised we would have given Fred Olsen a wide berth.........'scuse the pun!

 

Would it be alright to have filmed the cruise if all had been as fit as you? I do think they selected some people who were restricted by some disability.

I remember seeing an elderly couple waiting for the lift in the Balmoral who looked very frail. The doors opened and it was full and they had to wait. I was really concerned for them. The next day I saw them clambering in a tender to go ashore, assisted by crew members of course.

I thought the comment was OK as it came from a lady whose husband had only come out of hospital the day of the sailing and both were grateful they had taken the trip.

[Johan Bear]

My wife & I are joining the Balmoral in Dubai next January to Hong Kong, my wife is now not at all happy after watching the program. Please someone tell me it is not really like the program. We are both in our 60s but young. Help

[dancourt]

My wife & I are joining the Balmoral in Dubai next January to Hong Kong, my wife is now not at all happy after watching the program. Please someone tell me it is not really like the program. We are both in our 60s but young. Help

 

Hi Johan Bear I have done 4 FO cruises and 2 more booked and I am in my early sixties as is my husband.

 

All the cruises we have done have a had a mix of ages young and old, lots of the older passengers have plenty of energy and up for a good laugh.

 

Like other people have stated the fact that it was a world cruise you would expect the older passenger who is retired and therefore has the time.

 

 

Don't forget the program was about the vicar and his duties on board, it wasn't an advert for cruising.

 

I would tell your wife not to worry and enjoy the cruise and have fun.

 

We are booked on the Balmoral Grand Voyage 119 nights in Jan 2015.

 

Susan

[1160451]

JB.....I can assure you the impression the programme gives is not reality.

We cruise with Fred Olsen we are both early 60's and dare I say like a lively cruise.

Ok there are quite a few 70 plus but I have always found them great company and a good laugh.

Just booked 2015 Caribbean with FO and are bound for Norway on Balmoral in two weeks.

If life on board was as the perception of the programme wild horses wouldn't get us on.

I guarantee, if that's possible, you will have a great time.

[dancourt]

JB.....I can assure you the impression the programme gives is not reality.

We cruise with Fred Olsen we are both early 60's and dare I say like a lively cruise.

Ok there are quite a few 70 plus but I have always found them great company and a good laugh.

Just booked 2015 Caribbean with FO and are bound for Norway on Balmoral in two weeks.

If life on board was as the perception of the programme wild horses wouldn't get us on.

I guarantee, if that's possible, you will have a great time.

 

I totally agree with you.

 

Susan

[jessybell]

I cannot disagree more with poster who thinks joining a cruise section means nobody already onboard acknowledges you. It certainly wasn't the case when we joined Balmoral n Dubai. Everyone was extremely friendly...we were encouraged to join in all the activities and made lots of new friends. Having travelled with lots of cruise lines, Fred was definitely the best for making sure everyone had a good time.

[Johan Bear]

Thanks Susan, we had looked at a leg on that 2015 cruise but no booking until we have been on this one!

Peter

[Mark_T]

My wife & I are joining the Balmoral in Dubai next January to Hong Kong, my wife is now not at all happy after watching the program. Please someone tell me it is not really like the program. We are both in our 60s but young. Help

 

Do reassure her that the reason some of us are unhappy about the show is precisely because it doesn't show the normal cruise experience we are used to.

[dancourt]

Thanks Susan, we had looked at a leg on that 2015 cruise but no booking until we have been on this one!

Peter

 

Your welcome Peter.

 

Happy cruising.

 

Susan

[jeanlyon]

Hi, we are leaving Southampton on Balmoral on January 5th and getting off in Dubai. I am in my sixties, my husband is 75 and our single friend is 77. She goes to the gym every day, has just done the Run for Life for the 9th time, I'm still working because I love it and my husband is also pretty fit. We have done a Braemar cruise and loved it. We always have a Table for 8 on second sitting, like to go the show after dinner and then go for a dance.

 

Unfortunately on that programme, it was all about people being homesick, needing to talk to the vicar and generally being worry-guts's.

 

Have a wonderful cruise and don't take notice of anything. :-)

[ladylemondrop]

Just watching it, didnt the Pirate Party look great fun? I love Olsen ships, we are very fortunate and can cruise on any cruise line we like, and have taken many cruises but Olsen is my favourite, not because I work for them, but because they are all about PEOPLE. I was very proud of what I saw on this programme, it showed how wonderful our crew, and our passengers are.

 

(I am a young un too!!)

[TOBY2]

I cannot disagree more with poster who thinks joining a cruise section means nobody already onboard acknowledges you. It certainly wasn't the case when we joined Balmoral n Dubai. Everyone was extremely friendly...we were encouraged to join in all the activities and made lots of new friends. Having travelled with lots of cruise lines, Fred was definitely the best for making sure everyone had a good time.

 

Totally agree. We joined Balmoral in Rio and were made to feel welcome by everyone. Also agree that Fred is definately the best for making sure everyone has a good time. Looking forward to joining Balmoral in San Diego in March.

[jeanlyon]

Louise, our cruise on Braemar was our first Fred after 4 P&O cruises and a couple of others on Athena and Van Gogh. I have to agree with you. It was really friendly and cosy, the theatre on Braemar was very small and the seats weren't raked enough, but hey, she's a small ship. We preferred a lot of things on Fred. The buffet for instance. You don't grab a tray and walk around getting your food and then wander around looking for somewhere to sit. You wait to be seated, then you just get a plate and your food. Also, white tablecloths and napkins in the buffet! You don't get that on P&O, it's more like a canteen.

 

We are on the Oriana in September and then back on Fred in January so it will be interesting to compare.

[ladylemondrop]

Jean, I hope you have a wonderful time, and I love your dog! :)

[jeanlyon]

Louise, I have two of them now! Flatcoated Retrievers in case you didn't know.

[Dorset Cruiser]

Mark has it spot on. We went on segment of a P and O world cruise and wow you could tell the world cruisers from us 3 weekers.

It did not feel like a normal cruise, we felt as though we were intruding into their home. We like a laugh and maybe become a touch loud, well the looks we got. No "mornings" when you got in the lift or any eye contact you could tell them straight away.

By the way that programme about the Balmoral has not shown, as far as I have seen, the highlight of any FO cruise the dolphin racing....... I can hardly wait until the month end when we are on her to Norway. Dress suit and Dolphin racing can it get any better....:)

 

We did two sectors of Aurora's world cruise this year (7+weeks) and did not find we were treated as you claim. We spoke to many of those going 'all the way round' and they were all very friendly. I doubt you could tell if they were on the whole cruise just because of the looks you got. It might have been us giving you the look if you were being too raucous ;) We had a great time and met some lovely people.

[bobstheboy]

Our first Fred Olsen cruise coming up on the Balmoral at the end of October to the Canaries. I guessed the representation given by the programs was not a true reflection as it only featured a small proportion of the passengers, namely the choir and the vicars flock.

 

We have cruised many times with most of the main cruise lines so it will be interesting to compare. One thing I will say I have never had a bad cruise yet because we love them !