Balmoral cruise ship refit reviewed

Fred Olsen’s refurbished cruise liner, Balmoral, has fitted comfortably into the traditional and easy-going attitudes that make the line so popular with repeat cruise passengers.

There are regular formal dinners where tuxedos and long dresses are the majority choice, unlike on many other cruise lines where a lounge suit and short dress have taken over as ‘formal’ wear. The ‘country house’ ambience of Fred Olsen will come as something of a surprise to the American passengers who will join it from its home port, Miami. The card room and library are immense, the TVs in the cabins only average -sized. There’s no ‘dine when you please’ here, rather two seatings for dinner in the main dining rooms: Ballindalloch, Spey and Avon, although there is also a self-service buffet at Palms Court.

There’s a high number of single cabins, reflecting the fact that many of Fred Olsen’s travellers are single, often widows or widowers, who enjoy the convivial atmosphere of a cruise ship, and dance partners are available for both sexes at the (formal of course) dances that, along with card-playing, make up a large part of the ship’s low-key entertainment.