Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is a UK-based, Norwegian-owned cruise shipping line with four cruise ships. The company is owned by Bonheur and Ganger Rolf and is headquartered in Ipswich, Suffolk, in the United Kingdom. The company is part of the Fred. Olsen Group.
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Subsidiary | |
Industry | Shipping |
Founded | 1848 |
Headquarters | Ipswich, United Kingdom |
Products | Cruise ships |
Parent | Bonheur |
Website | www.fredolsencruises.com |
History
The company originated in Hvitsten, a small town on Oslofjord in Norway, in 1848 by three Olsen brothers, Fredrik Christian, Petter and Andras, who bought their first ships and began an international shipping company. The company is now into the fifth generation of the family and operates various companies skilled within the cruise and passenger shipping trade, as well as aviation, ships' crewing, ship building and offshore industries. The Fred. Olsen group also has business interests in the luxury hotel sector, estate management,[1] property development and electronics companies.[2]
In May 2006 Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines announced the purchase of a new vessel, Norwegian Crown, from Norwegian Cruise Line. Following delivery of the vessel in November 2007, she was dry-docked for refurbishment and lengthening, with a pre-built 30 metre centre section added. She was renamed Balmoral and entered service early in 2008. This was followed by the extension of Braemar in summer 2008. A new centre section was added, with new cabins and public rooms, increasing the size from 19,000 GT to 24,000 GT (approx).
In July 2020, Fred. Olsen bought the former Holland America Line ships Amsterdam and Rotterdam for $37m[3] to be delivered in September 2020. Two older vessels are planned to get sold.[4]
Fleet
Current fleet
Ship | Built | Entered service with Fred. Olsen | Gross tonnage | Flag | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Black Watch | 1972 | 1996 | 28,613 GT | ![]() | ![]() | |
Boudicca | 1972 | 2005 | 28,388 GT | ![]() | ![]() | |
Braemar | 1993 | 2001 | 24,344 GT | ![]() | ![]() | |
Balmoral | 1988 | 2007 | 43,537 GT | ![]() | ![]() | |
Brabant | 2006 | 2018 | ![]() | First river cruise for Fred Olsen | ![]() | |
Future fleet
Ship | Built | Will enter service with Fred. Olsen | Tonnage | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Borealis | 1997 | 2020 | 61,849 GT | former Rotterdam; Holland America Line | ![]() |
Bolette | 2000 | 2020 | 62,735 GT | former Amsterdam; Holland America Line | ![]() |
Former ships
Ship | Built | Years in service | Tonnage | Notes | Fate | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Black Prince | 1966 | 1966–2009 | 9,499 GRT 11,209 GT | Built as a combination ferry/cruise ship/reefer ship. Rebuilt into a cruise ship in 1987. | Scrapped in October 2013 as Ola Esmeralda. | ![]() |
Blenheim | 1970 Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Ltd | 1970-1981 | 10,427 GRT 12,244 GT | Built as a larger version of Black Prince and Black Watch combination ferry/cruise ships. Sold to Scandinavia World Cruises 1981. Burnt out 1984. Rebuilt and continued as Discovery 1. | Scrapped 1997. |
Destinations and cruise holidays
For most of the year, the ships are based in UK ports. A winter Caribbean fly-cruise programme on Braemar operates from Barbados.
Destinations include Northern Europe, the Baltic, the Mediterranean, the Adriatic, the Canary Islands, the Caribbean, Africa, Canada, the United States and South America
Operations
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines operates smaller scale cruise ships, ranging in size from 24,000 to 43,000 GT (approx), currently a fleet of four cruise ships, the ambience on board is traditionally British.
References
- http://www.fredolsen.co.uk/
- https://www.ancoram-solvere.com/index.php/clients/fred-olsen-cruise-lines
- https://www.tradewindsnews.com/cruise-and-ferry/deep-distress-fred-olsen-swoops-for-two-carnival-ships-funded-by-sellers-finance/2-1-843697
- "ACQUISITION OF CRUISE VESSELS AND FLEET OPTIMIZATION". 2020-07-15. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. |
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines official website
- (in Swedish) Fakta om Fartyg: Fred. Olsen (covers ships of all Fred. Olsen brands, past and present)
- Cruisepage.com Review
- Photos of Black Watch and other Fred Olsen cruise ships
- Photos of the current Fred. Olsen Cruises fleet