The charm of small ships!

I went on the Fred Olsen ship the Braemar last week and was very impressed!  It has recently been refurbished along with the other members of the Fred Olsen fleet the Balmoral, Boudicca and Black Watch.  These ships I feel can now compete even more with the other smaller ships with their new refurbishments creating more of a boutique feel to the ships!

With so many other brands going bigger and bigger I have noticed there has been a higher demand now for the smaller ships from customers who want that small ship intimate feel.  The Braemar for example holds just over 900 passengers!  She still boasts the facilities of many big ships such as a spa, swimming pool and hot tubs, several restaurants, bars and show lounges but is much easier to get around for those who can’t walk as far.  The quality also seems to be a lot easier to maintain on the smaller ships.  I noticed this as well when sailing with cruise and Maritime on the Columbus last year and again last week on the Braemar.  The quality of the food is excellent!  This is generally the case on smaller ships as they have less to cater for.  Service is also excellent, and you get the feeling of not just being a number.

With smaller ships they also benefit from being able to cruise into ports that other ships can’t get into and sailing closer to the centre so there is no need for tenders or shuttles.  Our guide also mentioned that sailing with Fred Olsen in the Fjords is a truly wonderful experience compared to with the bigger ships as not only can they get into more ports and closer but can offer more scenic sailing that wouldn’t be possible from a bigger ship, so even more spectacular views!

You also notice when sailing on smaller ships that you bump into the same people more frequently throughout the cruise.  This helps passengers make friendships and especially benefits those travelling on their own.  Fred Olsen can offer some great single passenger rates, especially when you book early.

On my visit last week, I was especially intrigued by the art work.  It was explained that Fred Olsen are a family run cruise line and one of the brothers owns the art collection which is displayed on their ships.  I loved some more than others, but I think that’s what art work is all about and found a surprise around each corner which added greatly to the charm of the ship.

I would love to experience the entertainment on-board as it was described as something very special with a great atmosphere in the show lounges and bars and fantastic quality acts.  Drinks prices, spa prices and the cost of excursions also represent excellent value for money and with Fred Olsen working in pounds it saves us Brits even more!

I hope to sail with Fred Olsen in September so will write another blog in more depth about them then.  I am being swayed towards smaller ships though for the reasons I’ve explained above!