Omg. Fred have bought the 2 flagships of Holland America! We finally get decent sized ships in the UK!

[JMyrtle]

Yes that's " yer marn", he really makes every cruise for us and we are most disappointed if he isn't there. 

A couple of years ago in Talin we were walking back to the ship when we passed a family of a tall man in jeans and a rugby shirt accompanied by a fair haired lady and a child. 

My husband said " they looks familiar I'm sure he's off out ship" I replied " I jolly well hope so you idiot he's the captain!" 

Happy memories. 

Edited September 4, 2020 by JMyrtle

[tring]

1 hour ago, JMyrtle said:

Yes that's " yer marn", he really makes every cruise for us and we are most disappointed if he isn't there. 

A couple of years ago in Talin we were walking back to the ship when we passed a family of a tall man in jeans and a rugby shirt accompanied by a fair haired lady and a child. 

My husband said " they looks familiar I'm sure he's off out ship" I replied " I jolly well hope so you idiot he's the captain!" 

Happy memories. 

 

Brilliant 🙂

 

I hope you have got your cabin sorted, or at least that it is well in hand.

[showingdiva]

4 hours ago, Britboys said:

Fred has posted on fb that Amsterdam/Bolette is due on the 16th as per your suggestion!

 

Will ask for some timings nearer the date.   Probably similar to today's with Rotterdam / Borealis.

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, JMyrtle said:

I wonder who the captain of Bolette will be, I hope its the nice Finnish captain we had on Boudicca. 

I cannot remember his name off hand but he was the happy not the miserable one! and always ate his dinner in the Secret Garden about 7.00pm so we " exchanged pleasantries" with him  most evenings. 

 

Those of us mariners in the "colonies" have much in common with those of you mariners in 
the "mother country".  We have our favorite Captains, Hotel Directors, etc. as well.  

[tring]

11 hours ago, showingdiva said:

 

Will ask for some timings nearer the date.   Probably similar to today's with Rotterdam / Borealis.

 

The tide will be it's lowest at 8.20am on the 16th according to the tide times for the Forth Bridge:-

 

https://tides.willyweather.co.uk/dg/edinburgh/river-forth----forth-road-bridge.html

 

Will be nice to know when they arrive in the Forth as I will likely follow them and look out for any pictures posted.  Strange how much of a highlight this sort of thing has become this year as we have not a lot else to do (well those of us who are retired that is).

 

[Britboys]

42 minutes ago, tring said:

 

The tide will be it's lowest at 8.20am on the 16th according to the tide times for the Forth Bridge:-

 

https://tides.willyweather.co.uk/dg/edinburgh/river-forth----forth-road-bridge.html

 

Will be nice to know when they arrive in the Forth as I will likely follow them and look out for any pictures posted.  Strange how much of a highlight this sort of thing has become this year as we have not a lot else to do (well those of us who are retired that is).

 

Yes, although I have had my differences with Fred over the change of itinerary, I am quite excited about the arrival of the new ships and their forthcoming 'Olsenisation' 😀

[tring]

I saw some information about restaurants on one of Fred's new ship's late last night, (I think I had clicked on a Borealis link) but cannot find it now.  Must have got there from their website fb page or poss via The Bridge email.  You could scroll through a list of restaurants with a sample menu link for all (which did not work) and a blank rectangle with "image coming soon" written in it.  The restaurants were a main restaurant, self service, The Grill (outside), The Kings Room, The Pinnacle Grill and an Italian.

 

I am thinking they were perhaps loading up the details and it had been made live unwittingly and later hidden from public view.  Anyone else seen anything?  

Edited September 5, 2020 by tring

[Britboys]

25 minutes ago, tring said:

I saw some information about restaurants on one of Fred's new ship's late last night, (I think I had clicked on a Borealis link) but cannot find it now.  Must have got there from their website fb page or poss via The Bridge email.  You could scroll through a list of restaurants with a sample menu link for all (which did not work) and a blank rectangle with "image coming soon" written in it.  The restaurants were a main restaurant, self service, The Grill (outside), The Kings Room, The Pinnacle Grill and an Italian.

 

I am thinking they were perhaps loading up the details and it had been made live unwittingly and later hidden from public view.  Anyone else seen anything?  

This sounds like the current set-up on Amsterdam as a HAL ship. Pinnacle Grill is their top-notch speciality restaurant, they have an Italian adjacent to the Lido Buffet called Canaletto and the King's Room is adjacent to the mdr and is used for private dining and also as a conference room.

[tring]

2 minutes ago, Britboys said:

This sounds like the current set-up on Amsterdam as a HAL ship. Pinnacle Grill is their top-notch speciality restaurant, they have an Italian adjacent to the Lido Buffet called Canaletto and the King's Room is adjacent to the mdr and is used for private dining and also as a conference room.

 

Perhaps I was in a system that gave details for the ship in her original guise from a Borealis link.  I was using a fairly new phone and I am new to a smart phone, so gets very confusing.  Have not really used it for calls and my GP rang yesterday morning for a bboked telephone appt and I did not even know how to answer the call - I was frantically trying to 'click' the green phone image, but I found my husband who told me I need to swipe up.

 

I still use the desktop for most postings and usually sit at it for some time late morning (or later) on most days and I do think it is far easier to use.

[Britboys]

I've just had a look at Bolette under 'Ships' on the Fred website and it is similar - definitely a work in progress and doesn't really look like it should be there for public consumption. There are tabs for Dining & Restaurants, Bars & Lounges etc but says for instance "Main Show Lounge.  Poss re-name Neptune", "Crows Nest - Poss to re-name Observatory" and "Explorations Café - Poss become Bookmark Café". Interestingly, both the casino and kid's club have "tbc" after them...

All pretty much what I would expect really.

[Britboys]

2 minutes ago, tring said:

 

Perhaps I was in a system that gave details for the ship in her original guise from a Borealis link.  I was using a fairly new phone and I am new to a smart phone, so gets very confusing.  Have not really used it for calls and my GP rang yesterday morning for a bboked telephone appt and I did not even know how to answer the call - I was frantically trying to 'click' the green phone image, but I found my husband who told me I need to swipe up.

 

I still use the desktop for most postings and usually sit at it for some time late morning (or later) on most days and I do think it is far easier to use.

I was viewing on my tablet for the info I have put in my post above.

I had to laugh at your experience with your first smartphone - I was exactly the same the first time I received a call on my first one - frantically jabbing the little green button, oblivious to the fact that you have to swipe up 🤣🤣🤣

[tring]

35 minutes ago, Britboys said:

I've just had a look at Bolette under 'Ships' on the Fred website and it is similar - definitely a work in progress and doesn't really look like it should be there for public consumption. There are tabs for Dining & Restaurants, Bars & Lounges etc but says for instance "Main Show Lounge.  Poss re-name Neptune", "Crows Nest - Poss to re-name Observatory" and "Explorations Café - Poss become Bookmark Café". Interestingly, both the casino and kid's club have "tbc" after them...

All pretty much what I would expect really.

 

That's it.  I now remember selecting Bolette as I thought it more likely I would find something, given her on sale date.  The extra comments (e.g. poss re names and whether restaurants will be included or pay for) have been added since last night.  One notable addition for me is the 'Allocated dining' comment for the MDR, yet there seemed to be comments suggestion freedom or open style dining may be offered, though perhaps alluded to the alternative dining options.  Must say we are disappointed, but perhaps it would make sense from Fred's perspective as he needs to drum up support for any pay for restaurants somehow.  He has an original clientele which are largely adverse to extra payments, partly as they have never had to in the past, but that is what bogger ship's are all about of course.  With the cruise price hikes though, I still think he will have trouble getting many takers for the fancy restaurants as well, especially if he keeps up the food standard to what he has so far in the main restaurant.  There have been cut backs in things like lobsters etc. in recent years, but we still find the food good, especially compared to the P&O  MDR's we have experienced of late.

 

I think only the dining options were showing last night and was excited to see an accommodation link added, until I realised it only lead to a comment saying, "Deck plans coming soon"  Mmmmm.  Oh well looks like the place to watch - just hope they do not see these comments and pull the public viewing, which as you say, I am sure is not intended as yet 🙂 

 

Edited September 5, 2020 by tring

[Britboys]

15 minutes ago, tring said:

 

That's it.  I now remember selecting Bolette as I thought it more likely I would find something, given her on sale date.  The extra comments (e.g. poss re names and whether restaurants will be included or pay for) have been added since last night.  One notable addition for me is the 'Allocated dining' comment for the MDR, yet there seemed to be comments suggestion freedom or open style dining may be offered, though perhaps alluded to the alternative dining options.  Must say we are disappointed, but perhaps it would make sense from Fred's perspective as he needs to drum up support for any pay for restaurants somehow.  He has an original clientele which are largely adverse to extra payments, partly as they have never had to in the past, but that is what bogger ship's are all about of course.  With the cruise price hikes though, I still think he will have trouble getting many takers for the fancy restaurants as well, especially if he keeps up the food standard to what he has so far in the main restaurant.  There have been cut backs in things like lobsters etc. in recent years, but we still find the food good, especially compared to the P&O  MDR's we have experienced of late.

 

I think only the dining options were showing last night and was excited to see an accommodation link added, until I realised it only lead to a comment saying, "Deck plans coming soon"  Mmmmm.  Oh well looks like the place to watch - just hope they do not see these comments and pull the public viewing, which as you say, I am sure is not intended as yet 🙂 

 

I'm thinking "Allocated Dining" is merely to distinguish the fact that everybody will have an allocated time and table in the mdr. Of course, Fred has already slowly started introducing extra charge restaurant options on the current ships but looks like they will be expanded on the two new ones.

I'm still intrigued as to whether they will have any sort of theme for the main restaurant names. Presumably the Scottish names will go. Maybe they will go with a current cruising trend and just call it "The Dining Room" - which is what they are currently named.

[tring]

57 minutes ago, Britboys said:

I'm thinking "Allocated Dining" is merely to distinguish the fact that everybody will have an allocated time and table in the mdr. Of course, Fred has already slowly started introducing extra charge restaurant options on the current ships but looks like they will be expanded on the two new ones.

I'm still intrigued as to whether they will have any sort of theme for the main restaurant names. Presumably the Scottish names will go. Maybe they will go with a current cruising trend and just call it "The Dining Room" - which is what they are currently named.

 

That is what I meant regards Allocated dining, though we were hoping there may have been an option other than having a set sitting in a main restaurant.  From what is mentioned, I think they will use the main names as on the other ship's, though with more options there will need to be new names for the other restaurants as you suggest.

 

Fred senior's family escaped from Norway during the WWII and he has spent the majority of his life in Scotland, still living there now as I understand, though the parent company, Bonheur is Norwegian.  Fred Jnr who now runs the cruise company, and has turned up in videos recently, lives in Tenerife - would be nice to see that influence, but unlikely I suppose as they clearly want to keep the British link as their target market.  We will see.  I wonder if much will come out before Monday or if that will be the first time we will see the revised itineraries, deck plans and prices - I am assuming they will be available by then........

 

 

 

[saatuk]

On 8/31/2020 at 12:50 PM, rotjeknor said:

You are all very lucky cruisers ! We’ve done 9 cruises on the Rotterdam and just love this ship. So sad to see it leave the HAL fleet ... I might just become a FredOlsen cruiser!

I think you'd like Fred.Olsen, Jaap.  They remind me a bit of HAL from several years ago.

 

I'm really interested in seeing what they do with Rotterdam.

[rotjeknor]

15 hours ago, saatuk said:

I think you'd like Fred.Olsen, Jaap.  They remind me a bit of HAL from several years ago.

 

I'm really interested in seeing what they do with Rotterdam.

I am looking at summer 2021 cruises in Europe now that HAL only has the Statendam sailing out of the Netherlands in the summer and the Rotterdam not until the last week of august.
Hopefully another ship will join them , otherwise FredOlsen seems a very good alternative.

[Britboys]

22 hours ago, tring said:

...Oh well looks like the place to watch - just hope they do not see these comments and pull the public viewing, which as you say, I am sure is not intended as yet 🙂 

 

Looks like we've been rumbled - the page seems to have disappeared now...😂

[gstewart]

Five Freds together now at Rosyth. It’s getting a bit crowded.

[tring]

3 hours ago, Britboys said:

Looks like we've been rumbled - the page seems to have disappeared now...😂

 

Yes, I noticed that last night.

 

Bolette has calls at Bassens (the industrial port I mentioned), for Bordeaux, and there has also been changes from Aviles on Boudicca to Gijon on Bolette.  They are what I was thinking may happen for our cruise, but does not look like we will get notification until later in the week now as I have noticed that once cruises have been re-allocated the cabins are released back onto the booking system (as happened when your cabin became available), so a lot more cabins become available.  If I am right on that there are only a couple of Black Watch cruises done so far.

 

If our itinerary changes as it looks like it will, that would leave us with tender/shuttle buses on 4 out of 5 ports as well as the lack of scenic cruising of Bordeaux City and chance for an easy night out on a cruise where the price was hiked because it was 'a River Cruise'.  May as well be booked on a P&O monster really, rather than what we would expect on a Fred cruise.  Anyway gives us time now to decide if we want to cancel the booking (or enter into negotiation with Fred), before our notification comes.  

 

Will be interesting to see what comes out tomorrow and what prices Fred thinks he can charge. 

Edited September 6, 2020 by tring

[Britboys]

42 minutes ago, tring said:

 

Yes, I noticed that last night.

 

Bolette has calls at Bassens (the industrial port I mentioned), for Bordeaux, and there has also been changes from Aviles on Boudicca to Gijon on Bolette.  They are what I was thinking may happen for our cruise, but does not look like we will get notification until later in the week now as I have noticed that once cruises have been re-allocated the cabins are released back onto the booking system (as happened when your cabin became available), so a lot more cabins become available.  If I am right on that there are only a couple of Black Watch cruises done so far.

 

If our itinerary changes as it looks like it will, that would leave us with tender/shuttle buses on 4 out of 5 ports as well as the lack of scenic cruising of Bordeaux City and chance for an easy night out on a cruise where the price was hiked because it was 'a River Cruise'.  May as well be booked on a P&O monster really, rather than what we would expect on a Fred cruise.  Anyway gives us time now to decide if we want to cancel the booking (or enter into negotiation with Fred), before our notification comes.  

 

Will be interesting to see what comes out tomorrow and what prices Fred thinks he can charge. 

Well I guess Bassens is considerably better than Le Verdon and I have no doubt that the on-board experience of Borealis will be much better than one of P&O's monster ships - but I too would be very disappointed not to be in the heart of Bordeaux. You would still get a fair bit of cruising along the Garonne but getting off the ship in the middle of town has a lot to be said for it.

I too will be very interested to see the prices - especially for the cruise I am on!

[tring]

51 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Well I guess Bassens is considerably better than Le Verdon and I have no doubt that the on-board experience of Borealis will be much better than one of P&O's monster ships - but I too would be very disappointed not to be in the heart of Bordeaux. You would still get a fair bit of cruising along the Garonne but getting off the ship in the middle of town has a lot to be said for it.

I too will be very interested to see the prices - especially for the cruise I am on!

 

This is true, but my comparison with P&O is more about 80% of ports being shuttles or a tender and previously Fred has often finished his shuttles fairly early if on an overnight call and we have waited as long as 55mins for a shuttle back from Dublin at about 6pm.  They did not even publish departure times for the shuttles so we just had to stand and wait.  Fred just said they would go when full, yet the princess passengers had their shuttles come every 10- 15 mins.  That may possibly be better with the new ships though as there will be more passengers to transport.  The replacement port for Aviles looks fine once there, but Aviles would have been an easy walk.  That central docking is made a lot of in Fred's eyes and something we had become accustomed with.  TBH I  would prefer a totally different port that we could just access on foot for at least one of those changes which I do not see happening in this case, but I am sure newly planned cruises will not need so many shuttles.  The up river etc. cruises are always priced that bit more as well, so without much of the advantage, that means the prices really should not have been that high.

 

As you say tomorrow will prove interesting as will how well they sell, after all most of the cruise have been on sale for a while already.  I think some people may well go for a short one to see the ships though.

Edited September 6, 2020 by tring

[Britboys]

Well, I've been on to the Fred website to nave a look at Bolette's cruises. I don't know which itineraries are new apart from those changed from Kiel Canal Transits. Quite a few are already 'call for prices' so I guess many of those were like for like Boudicca itineraries. In general, prices seem pretty much in line with those for Boudicca previously. Insides and outside cabins look to be on a par to previous levels. My cruise is being sold at the same prices for this cabins but instead of including £75 obc, it is down to £50. The HAL Lanai Cabins are being marketed as Terrace Balcony Cabins and start at £2399 for my 9 night cruise 😱.  Some of the 2022 South America itinerary prices are excruciating. One 25 night cruise has a lead-in price of over £5000...

Deck plans still not yet available on the site.

Clicking on 'ships' is again taking you into the tabbed page that has been available previously but is the same 'work in progress' as it was before...

I really don't think Fred have given themselves enough time to get ready for this launch.

Edited September 7, 2020 by Britboys

[Britboys]

Further to my post #272, I see deck plans showing only cabins are now on the website. The ship page has been updated with only general details of on-board facilities and a few photos.

[tring]

34 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Well, I've been on to the Fred website to nave a look at Bolette's cruises. I don't know which itineraries are new apart from those changed from Kiel Canal Transits. Quite a few are already 'call for prices' so I guess many of those were like for like Boudicca itineraries. In general, prices seem pretty much in line with those for Boudicca previously. Insides and outside cabins look to be on a par to previous levels. My cruise is being sold at the same prices for this cabins but instead of including £75 obc, it is down to £50. The HAL Lanai Cabins are being marketed as Terrace Balcony Cabins and start at £2399 for my 9 night cruise 😱.  Some of the 2022 South America itinerary prices are excruciating. One 25 night cruise has a lead-in price of over £5000...

Deck plans still not yet available on the site.

Clicking on 'ships' is again taking you into the tabbed page that has been available previously but is the same 'work in progress' as it was before...

I really don't think Fred have given themselves enough time to get ready for this launch.

 

Deck plans were not on at first but came on about 9.10am.  Yes i have just noticed no public decks being detailed, so only guideline as to what may be above and below some cabins is the original Hal deck plans.

 

I thought some prices seemed pretty cheap compared to our cruise and others which came in at £150 pppn for the cheapest inside, but not looked at them in detail yet.  Only the first two cruises were showing when first came live - they are new as Boudicca would not have returned for the grand voyage, but I assume after that they will be revamped ones for the summer.  I am sitting with the brochure which gives lead in prices for each type of cabin (inside, outside etc.)  Will look more closely at another time.  

Edited September 7, 2020 by tring

[tring]

I see the diagram for your cruise is interesting.  Returning through Keil, but taking two nights and a day to do so.  Good old Fred, his diagrams can be a bit haywire....

Edited September 7, 2020 by tring