Boudicca to Europe

Boudicca looks exactly what she is; a highly styled ship, built for the top end of the cruise market in the early 1970's, that has been sympathetically upgraded over the years and tailored since her acquisition by Fred. Olsen, to appeal to a particular travelling market.

That market is mainly older British passengers who value the old traditions such as afternoon tea at four, formal dining with superbly deft service, low key entertainment, and extremely comfortable cabins. On all of these points, Boudicca scores very highly indeed.

With gracefully stepped outdoor terraces, a raked bow and a single, mid ships funnel, Boudicca definitely looks like a seventies ship. She's intimate, homely, pretty and extremely well served by her Filipino crew, some of whom have served Fred. Olsen passengers for many years. Boudicca attracts a huge level of passenger loyalty; many people return to her year after year.

The ship recently benefitted from some very welcome additions; there's the Bookmark Café, a beautiful library cum coffee shop that also happens to sell a whole, seductive swathe of chocolate goodies to go with your latte. If you're a chocoholic, this is nirvana.

The Grill is an aft facing, extra tariff dining venue, open only on selected nights, that offers a limited but delicious menu, for round £20. The fillet steak was exceptional, the entire environment one of total indulgence.

There is also a for-fee High Tea, a reservations only event served up in the forward facing Observation Lounge. Imagine several different varieties of tea (I recommend the Imperial Gunpowder) combined with tier after tier of wicked cakes, fingers sandwiches and irresistible scones, presented with all the trimmings, as a string quartet plays in the background. It's quite something, and is almost always a sell out.

Cabins run from compact insides with fixed single beds, all the way up to some sumptuous, expansive upper deck balcony suites. Boudicca is a ship with great character and style, and what she might lack in terms of modern, cutting edge facilities, she more than makes up for in sheer quality, style, and excellent service.