annieuk

Hi, have only just found this site and registered. It's the first one I've found that has a good section devoted to Fred Olsen.

Our very first cruise - the one that made me an addict - was on Braemar in 2003. We were celebrating our Silver Wedding Anniversary and weren't sure what to do. My brother said we ought to visit the Caribbean, some friends returned from a Med. cruise on Braemar and were full of it so we decided to book. Our other friends thought we were mad as my husband had done a lot of ocean sailing and racing when he was younger and people who sail sometimes look at cruising ships and say "that's not sailing". Anyway we had a fantastic time.

Our cruising since has been with P&O - we like the larger ships - not too large, wouldn't fancy Ventura. When I saw the 3 night cruise advertised on Boudicca I thought it would be lovely to go with FO again. We live near Southampton so it's very easy. We have just received our tickets and I'm very impressed with the wallet. With P&O you just get a slim see-through wallet. We have been told our boarding time is 13.50. Do most people stick to their proper time and is it worth arriving a little in advance of 13.50? We have booked the car in with CPS who we have found to be great. This time we will be going from the QE II terminal - we've only gone from the Mayflower Terminal before.

Do FO serve tea in the afternoon? Our other cruise with them was a Fly cruise so we didn't arrive until nearly dinner time.

It's amazing that you can get so excited at only a 3 day cruise. I'm really looking forward to going on a FO cruise again.

Annie

middy

Hi Annie Welcome aboard CruisingTalk
Have to say when going from an English port have never arrived at the alloted time always early, I would be quite happy to have to wait whilst I was there as to me it's part of the holiday. Though each time we have actually been allowed aboard ahead of time. (FO NCL RCCL) Mind you that might not be the experience of everybody. Sure the Buffet was open when we boarded Braemar in Dover.
As you say the wallets the tickets arrive in are rather nice.
When is it you sail?

__________________
Middy


Cruises completed on.
Edinburgh Castle, Thomson Topaz, MV Van Gogh (2) Thomson Emerald. Airtours Seawing. Thomson Spirit. Princess Sun. Thomson Celebration (2). Splendour of the Seas. Celebrity Constellation. Fred Olsen Braemar.Thomson Calypso (2). NCL Gem, Celebrity Century, Independence of the Seas. P&O Artemis

annieuk

Hi Middy, thanks for your reply. We go on Sat. 18th Oct. for 3 nights. Really looking forward to it. Last October we did 3 nights on P&O's Oriana and we found that 3 nights really makes you feel you have had a break. I know it's not like a 'proper' cruise but as we live so near to Southampton it's a lot better than say going off for a 3 night land based trip. When we have gone with P&O from Southampton we have left home at 11.30 and been sat having a drink on board by 12.15, magic!

Annie

swan

I believe this cruise has been cancelled at short notice due to Boudicca haveing rudder problems.

Ally

It has been cancelled, just one of those unfortunate things. At least the problem didn't happen in mid Atlantic which would have been the case had it been next week....

http://www.cruisingtalk.com/boudicca...d-repairs.html

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Ally - CruisingTalk Administrator

1965 - Cunard Queen Mary
1967 - Cunard Queen Elizabeth
1970 - Cunard Queen Elizabeth 2
1971 - P&O Oriana
1972 - SS France
1975 - SS Leopard
1977 - P&O Canberra
2005 - NCL Norwegian Jewel - Shakedown Cruise - Jersey
2005/6 - NCL Norwegian Crown - Chile, Cape Horn, Falkland Islands, Uruguay & Argentina - Christmas/New Year cruise
2006 - Fred Olsen Braemar Mini Cruise - Amsterdam & Zeebrugge
2007 - Fred Olsen Braemar Transatlantic - Jamaica, Cuba, Bahamas, Bermuda & Azores
2007 - Fred Olsen Braemar Mini Cruise - Guernsey & Amsterdam
2007 - NCL Norwegian Gem - Shakedown Cruise - Amsterdam
2008 - Costa Allegra - Hong Kong, Philippines, Borneo, Brunei, Singapore, Saigon, Da-Nang & Sanya

Coming up next.....

10/10/2009 - Costa Classica - Grand Oriental Cruise - Shanghai, Nagasaki, Tokyo, Kobe, Naha, Keelung and Hong Kong - 16 Nights Cruising in: 308 day(s), 18 hour(s), 51 minute(s)

neil

There is a report on another website that the Boudicca needs to be dry-docked for the rudders repairs to be done.

Not sure if there is any dry-docks still in use at Southampon, but her cancelled cruise and the following cruise are due to depart from Southampton.

It would be interesting to know if any discount offers are made by Fred Olsen, on a future cruise, as a result of the three day cruise being cancelled.