Usually when we get back from a cruise, after unpacking, doing some shopping, starting the washing, backing up the photos and videos, and backing up the backups of the photos and videos, the first thing I do is commence a write-up putting down immediate reactions and thoughts about how we felt the cruise went. This serves to act as a point of reference to me for comparison when I eventually get around to the more detailed write-up a year or two down the line and memories have had time to solidify or be refreshed by the imagery then being processed properly. In this case we returned to the country still in the midst of a heatwave and I’ve needed a little longer to find the energy levels to get to this. Yes, a cruise can be relaxing for many people, but we’re the sort of people who have late nights and lots of alcohol so we often return in need of a break. Each to their own.
We have recently completed our first Fred Olsen cruise (we don’t count the party night on Black Watch), and if you’ve been following along on “the socials” or paid any attention to this site and its occasional newsletters then you’ll know that this was a week’s cruising around Ireland with three port stops (two new for us) and some scenic sail-bys aboard Borealis.
We were allocated a 14:30 boarding slot and either we were the only people allocated that slot or a lot of people got on earlier than they should have because we dropped off our one big case, walked into the near-deserted terminal, showed our papers, threw our hand luggage into the scanner, picked up our room card, then boarded the ship and found our cabin all in the space of under ten minutes.
We’d opted for a picture window-style, ocean-view cabin on Borealis, figuring it would give us some natural light without bankrupting us. Older, smaller ships, such as all of Fred Olsen’s fleet, have a steep price curve for the rooms with better facilities. A budget for everyone, though.
The room was spacious and we did enjoy the views on occasion as we were low down to the water on deck one (cabin 1831) but we would most likely opt for an inside cabin on a future cruise (and we have because we’re cruising with Fred on Borealis again in early 2027). The reasons are for light (generally for this class of cabin) and noise (specifically for this cabin location) issues. The curtains didn’t do a great job of blocking light, which might be okay in winter time or for those who like to get up early, but it was a daily pain for us night owls who often stayed up until the nightclub staff dropped sufficient hints to tell us to go to bed so they could too. The noise issue in this room was because we had a tender port, and for a tender port the ship opens up a pontoon section low to the water so people can board the tender boat. That section was right below us and wow, the sound of that door opening up on hydraulics (along with associated clunking, crashing, and reverberations) an hour or so before anyone can even leave the ship is not something I can recommend after a late night of drinking. It’s not something you can see on the deck plan for Borealis, but it’s an area to avoid on both sides of the ship if possible if there are any tender ports on your itinerary.
Okay, so let’s go over the generalities of Borealis. A late 90s ship, formerly MS Rotterdam operated by Holland America Line, and with a capacity of 1400 passengers and 600 crew. She felt warm and welcoming right from the start thanks to her size and the above average service levels from the crew. A couple of venues were popular and could get busy around activities but there were plenty of locations around the ship to find a seat in peace and quiet, or to listen to music. Staff knew our names and cabin number by the end of the first day. The food was good without ever being exceptional, but nothing was bad. The drinks range was extensive and standardised across the ship with the exception of the specialist tea room where some fine teas and tea-based cocktails could be purchased separate from any premium drinks package (which we had).
Evening dining was set time (we went late) and we shared a table for six. They were lovely people – two athletic sorts from Ipswich, two more sensible ones from Wales – and we got on really well, particularly with the Welsh couple who we had so much in common with and found ourselves bumping into all the time. We may prefer freedom-style dining but we understand it’s not really possible on ships like this and it was thoroughly enjoyable. We weren’t keen on the buffet seating system where you’re shown to a spot. Yes, it stops people hogging spaces they don’t need but when there are empty tables it’s not fun for anyone to eat your breakfast elbow-to-elbow with strangers. We’re not morning people. However, the Poolside late breakfast and lunch options were an excellent alternative to the buffet and we made good use of this instead.
A wide wraparound promenade (with occasional access to the huge bow viewing area when conditions were okay) along with a large aft deck area behind the buffet provided enough outside space for this cruise, and the area around the lido deck pool could count if the roof were retracted on sunnier itineraries. The balance of interior to exterior space felt about right.
There was an odd structure in the middle of the aft deck space (pictured above) that nobody could quite figure out what to do with. Instructions indicated that you should walk barefoot and in shorts/bathers around it after pressing the button to start the jets of water, but nobody could find the button. Eventually, we worked out that they were on the chrome rails in the central section. And who was the first person to walk through while getting soaked by misting sprays (and while soaking lots of other people with misting sprays as the wind carried it all over the deck)? That would be me.
We took part in numerous trivia contests across the week, winning a few, and also took part in a team game show one evening where we were on the winning side too, so ended up picking up tokens to use in the onboard shop (and we did) plus a bottle of Cava to bring back with us. Having the drinks package didn’t encourage us to drink the free fizz on the ship, but we were also not averse to paying for a few extras since we’d somehow managed to book this cruise with £100 on board spend too (and hadn’t realised). We had a Wimbledon Afternoon Tea one day (great view from our spot in the Observatory sailing past Tory Island) and attended a Martini tasting (which we’d seen other Borealis cruisers do and which looked like – and was – a lot of fun) as well as an Irish Whiskey tasting, plus one speciality dining meal in the Colours & Tastes restaurant for Italian night.
The Martinis were all ones we could have got aboard for nothing because of our drinks package but the entertainment was good, and if you’re not on the drinks package then it’s excellent value because in addition to four Martinis (you don’t have to drink them all there at that time) you also get any others you mix up and shake in front of everyone. As a result we let others do it when we were invited because they’d get more from the deal. Aren’t we nice!?
The whiskey tasting was excellent. I’d expected that, like the Martinis, these would be drinks you could get on board but that wasn’t the case. The woman running the event had shopped in Killybegs (our first port) specifically for a range of different bottles. Five very different whiskeys and one whiskey liqueur as well as lots of information and nibbles to go with it, including one of the best tiramisus we’ve ever had. Apparently, themed or regional whiskey (or whisky, depending where you are in the world) and wine tasting is something that Fred Olsen do (think: Japanese whisky tasting, or Mediterranean wines, for example) so it’s something that sets them above and apart from the more generic offerings we’ve encountered on P&O and Princess in the past.
I think the only moan I had for the week on Borealis (other than having to leave, of course, but that’s a given on any cruise) is that I really don’t like formal night rules. You don’t have to wear a suit jacket around the ship or in the lounges. Good. You don’t have to wear a suit jacket at your dinner table. Excellent. You do have to wear or be holding a suit jacket while walking the fifteen metres from the restaurant entrance to your table. What? We did the first formal night fully suited and booted, but I went for my more smart casual approach on the second (which is still smart trousers, collared shirt, so the smarter end of casual) and was turned around to go and get my jacket from the room. Just utterly pointless. A personal thing. I did it, I didn’t kick up a stink then, but it did annoy me as other than saying it was a formal night there were no indications what was or wasn’t permitted. Never mind. I suspect we’ll run into the same issue with Cunard next year when we try them and it will annoy me then too.
A quick look at the itinerary. This was billed as Legends and Landmarks of Ireland and featured a sea day to get to the Irish coast, some scenic cruising around the northern part of the country, then port stops in Killybegs, Galway, and Cobh with some more scenic cruising interspersed, and one final sea day home. Of the scenic cruising elements, sailing past Sliabh Liag was my personal highlight.
Killybegs was where we thought we’d struggle. Despite being Ireland’s largest fishing port it’s a small town and there wasn’t a whole lot on the map to see. We didn’t fancy the excursions offered so went for a wander just to get some air (and maybe a drink). It’s a delightful place. We strolled a few kilometres along the shore to some hermit houses, came back, did some shopping, found an excellent pub with great barman for several lovely drinks, then I climbed a small hill to check out some tourist attractions (a religious well and a ruin) near the ship. Sometimes a place just feels nice and warrants your attention, and that’s Killybegs.
Our tender boat to Galway was about twenty minutes long and full of excitement. It leaked on the way to the port, soaking the trousers of a group sat near the front. The way back saw our learner pilot (we guess) struggle to dock, then ram Borealis so hard that paint came off not just outside the boat and ship, but also cracked the enamel on the interior of the boat. That was different. We also heard later from people in the ship that they’d heard and felt the collision but hadn’t known what it was.
We expected more from Galway, to be honest. On the map it seemed large enough to have lots of interest, but it just ended up feeling like any medium-sized city anywhere. There were a few sights in the main part of the city, but small, and in some cases no longer serving their historical function so… I mean, ooh, look, a former castle for something or other that’s now a bank. Woo. Ah, some important bit of ruins of a doorway that’s behind perspex and recycling bins. What an attraction. Maybe skip the city next time and venture further afield.
And finally, Cobh, which we’d visited years before on a Sunday when almost everything was closed. This was much better this time around. The morning here saw us explore the town once more, make our way to the cathedral and visit it (there’d been a mass there on the previous occasion), do some shopping, and visit the local museum (which was small but superb and worth it just to read the RMS Lusitania bits). In the afternoon, after lunch back aboard the ship, we did a not-very-well-organised but otherwise great trip to Spike Island. You can do this on your own for cheaper and if you fancy walking around at your own pace, but our guided tour allowed us to venture into the tunnels too and we got to visit the Captain’s Bar where Spike Island rum was available for tasting. And delicious.
So, yes, overall, absolutely loved the Fred Olsen cruising experience, and Borealis was a lovely ship so we’re happy that we’ll be on her again – albeit on a shorter hop just across the channel – in about six months.