From here to anywhere

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines is renowned for offering enriching and immersive itineraries, and this week it is unveiling a brand new programme of cruising for 2022 and beyond. The launch of the new schedule is always a cause for celebration for cruise lovers, but this year it feels even more so, as people dream of their holidays for the next year.

The programme includes closer-to-home excursions around the British Isles and shorter, five-night breaks for those wanting to dip their toe back into the travelling world. Of course, there are also many sailings for those looking to venture farther afield and explore our wonderful world once again, including an 80-day circumnavigation for the real adventurers.

Cruises closer to home
A big part of travel for 2022 will be making the most of our beautiful British Isles, and Fred Olsen is celebrating the very best of the landscapes, coastlines and landmarks that can best be enjoyed from the water. In addition, each cruise has been handcrafted to showcase some wonderful scenic cruising, which is considered just as important as the destinations themselves.

On northerly sailings, witness the towering columns of Fingal’s Cave and Duart Castle. Visit Skara Brae – home to Neolithic structures pre-dating Egypt’s pyramids – in calls to Kirkwall, and be on the lookout for puffins, ponies and fulmars in Lerwick. Or, venture south to delight in views of the Fal estuary and the Lizard Peninsula, and explore the famous Eden Project and 16th century Pendennis Castle in sailings to Devon and Cornwall, plus walk the Isles of Scilly’s magnificent sandy beaches.

Shorter discoveries
For those looking to set sail on a shorter cruise, there are plenty on offer, each with the opportunity to experience all that is great about cruising, from time ashore to sea days packed with entertainment on board, and scenic cruising aplenty.

Of course, the smaller size of Fred Olsen’s ships really come into their own in the Norwegian fjords, and the northerly departure ports of Newcastle and Rosyth in Edinburgh are ideally placed to showcase them at their best in just five nights. Aboard these small ships you will sail size-restricted waters, away from the well-sailed routes, right into the heart of the fjords.

But the shorter escapes are not just bound to Norway, with sailings to Belgium, France, Denmark and Spain available in six nights or fewer right across the fleet.

Reconnect with the world
Those looking to venture farther afield can revel in the autumnal beauty of America and Canada, with Balmoral to depart on a 34-night adventure in September 2023. Explorations of the Adriatic’s many treasures await on a 27-night sailing aboard Braemar in October 2022, with opportunities to walk inside the walled cities of Split and Dubrovnik in Croatia and witness many natural and man-made marvels, from the Skradinski Buk Waterfall to the canals of Venice and Chioggia.

Or for a truly remote sailing, join Balmoral for a 15-night journey to Spitsbergen in June 2022 to sail along Norway’s west coast, past glaciers and rugged mountains and into narrow fjords on a cruise specially timed to take in the eerie Midnight Sun.

Around the World in 80 Days
For the true adventurers, there is the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Phileas Fogg, with new ship Borealis to set sail on an ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ adventure in February 2023, with departures from Southampton or Liverpool. The cruise, timed to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the novel, will call into many of the ports visited by Fogg, including Mumbai, Hong Kong, Shanghai and San Francisco. But there will also be opportunities for tales of new adventures to be made, with a visit into Safaga coinciding with the 100-year anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun; chances to explore the bustling metropolises of Singapore and San Diego; opportunities to visit the Taj Mahal; and calls into Japan timed specially to capture the beautiful cherry blossom in bloom. It will also include a maiden call into Hakata, Japan.

New ports
Fred Olsen prides itself in adding more and more destinations to its programme every year, and 2022/23 is certainly no exception. Borealis’ ‘Rugged and Rural Canada’ sailing in August 2022 will call into Louisbourg for the first time; with maiden sailings to Bandol in France, Neum in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Progreso in Mexico, Liepāja in Latvia, and Kalvåg and Lyngdal in Norway also on offer.

Even more regional departure ports
With the addition of Tilbury and Belfast, following on from the introduction of Portsmouth this year, there will be even more departure ports to choose from for 2022 and 2023. It means sailings will be available from eight UK ports, with Newcastle, Liverpool, Rosyth in Edinburgh, Southampton and Dover also on the cards. These additions mean guests are always within a few hours’ reach of a port, meaning they never have far to travel to their next Fred Olsen holiday.

New ships
This will be the first full season to be sailed with new arrivals Bolette and Borealis among the fleet. The new ships, purchased by Fred Olsen in July 2020, bring a number of new and exciting facilities, including an all-weather pool with a retractable roof; grand, two-tier theatres; culinary demonstration theatres and wine tasting venues; additional dining venues; and more space throughout the ships, meaning more space per guest while on board.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ Oceans members will have a sneak peek of its 2022/23 programme from March 10, 2021, ahead of its general release on March 15.

Plus, those who book one of the new cruises will be able to enjoy a choice between a free all-inclusive drinks package or credit to spend on board.

For added reassurance, Fred Olsen has evolved its Plain Sailing Guarantee, giving flexibility to transfer any deposits paid to another cruise at any time before the final payment is made.

For more information, visit fredolsencruises.com/agent