Stepping back onto
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines ship
Balmoral feels like going back home to me. I simply love this ship – the staff are so friendly and helpful, and there is an atmosphere of excitement and frivolity when everybody first embarks on a holiday (and throughout the cruise, the friendly atmosphere continues and you become so used to seeing people’s faces there’s a warm feeling of familiarity).
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to go on the
Gaelic and Garlic Discoveries Cruise with my grandparents just after I had finished my penultimate law exam, and a few weeks before my final law exam – in other words, it was the perfect way to recharge my batteries! Balmoral is part of the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines fleet, with the other ships being
Borealis and
Bolette.
WELCOME ONBOARD BALMORAL
Fred. Olsen cruises always feel so comfortable to me because they certainly know how to make you feel at home. Having travelled over 150 miles to Southampton and waited to check in and board the Balmoral, we were quite peckish to say the least – but there was Afternoon Coffee Service in the Palms Café (and Neptune Lounge) to provide a solution to that! And I must say the chocolate Guinness cake was absolutely gorgeous, with a fantastically light texture. Starting as a cruise is meant to go on; you never feel hungry whilst on board!
FOOD & DRINK ON BALMORAL
The Balmoral offers a diverse dining experience across its restaurants, tailored to suit a variety of preferences. The main dining venues—Ballindalloch, Spey, and Avon Restaurants—serve five-course à la carte meals each evening, with dishes inspired by global flavors and seasonal ingredients, such as our Gaelic and Garlic Discoveries cruise.
The Palms Café provides a relaxed buffet-style setting with an international cuisine. Specialty options include The Grill, known for its premium steak and seafood, and the Poolside, which features Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Afternoon tea and snacks are also available​.
The Colours & Tastes restaurant on Balmoral is a speciality restaurant inspired by the cuisines of Asia. This venue offers a menu featuring fresh, bold flavours, presented in a contemporary setting. It celebrates the diversity of Asian gastronomy, blending authentic ingredients with creative culinary techniques, and is one of my favourites!
Each venue reflects Fred. Olsen's commitment to delivering high-quality, imaginative cuisine, a feature that has helped Balmoral earn accolades like "Best for Dining" in the Cruise Critic awards.​
After having champagne and canapés, our first dinner on board set the high standards for the rest of the cruise. As part of the Gastronomic Vistas theme, we had different savoury treats waiting before starting the meal; Italian salami and breadsticks on the first night.
The starters course was a choice of chilled fruit cup and Scandinavian herring rolls, or soups such as the Scottish classic Cock a leekie, traditional cream of carrot and coriander, or chilled papaya, or the house salad or a salad ‘santo domingo’ (of course, you could always choose one of each course).
The main courses for the first night included Norwegian Salmon in Champagne sauce, Berlin Style Veal Liver (which I chose, and was accompanied with the juiciest peas I have ever tasted), Beef Tenderloin, fusilli pasta ‘boscaiola’ (which consisted of wild forest mushrooms and mascarpone), Smoked Mackerel and grilled aubergine, and the classic British dish Chicken Leek and Ham Pie, which my Granddad enjoyed. For vegetarians, broccoli and ricotta strudel, as well as the usual suspects of grilled chicken or fish of the day, omelettes or pasta with vine ripened tomato ragout which are always available.
To top off an exquisite first dinner, frozen baileys ice parfait, crème caramel ‘costa rica’ (also available as the sugar-free dessert) and mandarin cheesecake were the choices for dessert.
After a busy day in St Malo, it was formal night! The special pre-dinner savoury amuse-bouche was smoked salmon and cream cheese, and one of my favourite soups was on the menu: French Onion Soup! Our waiter explained that the menus were specially tailored for this particular cruise, and that the amuse-bouches before dinner were only available for the Gaelic and Garlic Discoveries Cruise as part of the Gastronomic Vistas theme; I had thought that maybe it was a new innovation introduced to all Fred. Olsen cruises since my last cruise. On the formal night, the French influence on the theme was apparent, and there were similar Irish inspirations in later menus.
ENTERTAINMENT ON BALMORAL
The entertainment on the first night in the Neptune Lounge brought guests back to the disco-tastic 70’s with a show, ‘Dancing Queen’, exuberantly recreating ABBA and Queen classics, amongst other top tunes from the decade. It was a pleasant surprise to find that there was Karaoke in the Lido Lounge on the first night, although when I saw a video of my rendition of Liza Minnelli’s ‘Cabaret’ I realised that perhaps I may have to retire from attempting Karaoke in the future!
ST MALO, BRITTANY
We woke up the next morning just off the shore from St Malo, Brittany. It was somewhat foggy to begin with, and the weather conditions were pretty windy – which made getting the tender to shore a little bit problematic, and the crossing was quite rough. I would recommend from personal experience that anyone who suffers from seasickness should try to remember to take a seasickness pill first!
EXCURSIONS & GUIDED TOURS ON BALMORAL
Fred. Olsen offer various tours for St Malo, and the local region, including the Historic City of Rennes and Mont St Michel, and a special gastronomic themed tour visiting local oyster farms. However St Malo itself is perfectly lovely to explore on your own terms, and have a mooch around the cobbled streets of the walled city, or go on the local tourist train.
The key sites of interest include the cathedral of St Vincent in La Place Jean de Chatillon (named after the 11th Century Bishop who founded the Cathedral and laid its first stones), which was restored after damage in World War II, and the tomb of Chateaubriand on the Ile du Grand Bé, which can be reached at low tide. There are also various Canadian references dotted around because St Malo was the birthplace of Jacques Cartier, the explorer of Canada (there is a commemoration for him set in the floor of the Cathedral).
The Bretons are friendly, and this is the birthplace of crepes and salted caramel, so I recommend trying a crepe with salted caramel and vanilla ice cream – simple but perfect! There are also various restaurants and bistros offering moules marinière, which looked absolutely gorgeous, and seem to be served in generous portions, so would probably be great for sharing. In fact, you cannot go two yards away from a crêperie or bistro!
ONBOARD ENTERTAINMENT & ACTIVITIES
Much of the third day was spent sailing towards Cobh, but there were lots of activities available on board to while the time away: my Nan and I went to the ‘Vistas Gastronomy’ Cooking Demonstration in the Neptune Lounge where the Executive Chef Alain Henry demonstrated how to serve the entrecote steak with bordelaise sauce, which was interesting, and there were handouts available to take the recipe home; and afterwards, people could help themselves to some samples.
There was also fruit and vegetable carving in the Lido Lounge which is always very impressive to watch, and a Pub Lunch, and an Afternoon Gaelic Concert to name just a few of the other activities on board.
COBH, IRELAND
Just as we were approaching Cobh I was on the cross-trainer at the gym, which is on the fore of deck 10 and offers amazing views of the lush Irish countryside. I soon cut my work out short to dash out to take photos of the coastline, and Cobh itself, which is ever so picturesque with brightly coloured buildings facing out to sea, and the tall spire of St Colman’s Cathedral. As we docked at port, there was a group of women waiting outside the Cobh Heritage Centre wearing crinolines and waiting to welcome us.
Some of the Fred. Olsen tours for Cobh were available on arrival on the first day in Cobh, such as the Panoramic Cork and Kinsale, Scenic Kinsale by Sea Safari, Walking Tour of Cork City, and Cork City & Old Jameson Distillery (I was quite tempted by that last excursion!). Other excursions offered by Fred. Olsen for the full day in Cobh included excursions to the Lakes of Killarney & Muckross House, and Countryside Drive and Lismore Castle Gardens.
However my Grandparents and I decided to avoid the mad rush for the gangway, and to get ready for dinner and eat on board first before exploring Cobh. There were Tourist Office Reps from Cobh on board who gave great and useful advice and recommendations about where to go and what to see.
I loved that we had the opportunity to have an overnight stay in Cobh; it was the first opportunity I have ever had to see the Balmoral lit up at night, and it was beautiful. Also we were able to get an idea of the layout of Cobh so we would know where to go the next day to fully optimise the time for exploring. But most importantly, we got to pop into one of the bars in the evening for traditional Irish music. The Tourist Office Rep had given me a list of various bars which would offer Irish music and a place to sit (some of the bars seemed quite crowded and rowdy and would not be ideal for anyone with back problems, if they had to end up standing for a period of time).
The next day was a very full day in Cobh. I had done a little research on the internet before the cruise and had heard about the Titanic Trail, which we went on in the morning. I highly recommend taking the Titanic Trail – the guide was friendly, funny and very informative, with lots of anecdotes about Cobh’s history, particularly relating to the Titanic. The walk wasn’t too arduous, as we didn’t take the steeper road up to St Colman’s Cathedral.
The Cathedral is beautifully neo-Gothic, and is also known as the Emigrants’ Cathedral as the Catholic Church decided to have it built in the 19th Century to ensure those Catholics emigrating to America remained faithful, as Cobh remains an important port in terms of being the last port between Europe and America. St Colman’s is also famous for having the largest carillon set in Britain – apparently there were initially only 42, but when an English Cathedral added a 48-bell carillon, the Irish decided to add another 7 in order to beat the English at something!
The Trail finished with a complimentary half pint of Beamish, a local stout, in the Jack Doyle Bar; I’m not a fan of Guinness so I didn’t have high hopes (probably would have preferred a free Jameson’s!), but the Beamish wasn’t too bad. We also went on the local tourist train in the afternoon, which was driven by a humorous chap who had a few grievances against politicians and bankers, which earned him a few appreciative cheers and laughs from some of the passengers. We also picked up other local tidbits and anecdotes too. Both were charming and educational options for visitors, and both enable great opportunities to see Cobh. But Cobh has lots of other points of interest, such as the Titanic Experience and the Heritage Centre, as well as easy transport links to Cork (the itinerary allowed plenty of time to visit Cork if passengers so desired, there was no rushing back to the ship on this cruise, which was a very welcome relief!).
As can be expected, the people of Cobh were friendly and exhibited plenty of the famous Irish charm and hospitality; a local brass band played for us as the ship sailed off. The itinerary allowed plenty of time in Cobh, as sailaway was at 8pm, we sailed off into the sunset! After watching the sailaway and the sunset, taking more photos of the beautiful Irish coastline, we went to the Balmoral Crew Show. The Crew Show is always the entertainment highlight for me, as the crew on board are so friendly and lovely, and really get to show off their outstanding talents, as well as their own traditional folk dances. And, this year, Gangnam Style too!
The last day we sailed back to Southampton, which gave me plenty of time to chill out and read. However, activities were provided plentifully, ranging from yoga and pilates classes, ‘Cant’ Cook, Won’t Cook’ and Cooking Demo's with the Executive Chef and ‘Special Guests’ (after all, this was the Gastronomic Vistas themed cruise!), to Nintendo Wii, table tennis and an afternoon matinee ‘Magic of the Musicals’.
The itinerary was lovely; both very charming and quaint places, and with plenty of time to explore. The food was sublime and delightful, and the crew were, as always, friendly and bubbly, and only too happy to help and make sure you enjoyed your cruise. The entertainment offered was varied and for all ages (there was a Junior Cruisers club to accommodate the children on board). In five much-too-short days, the Balmoral felt like home again, and my grandparents and I had a fantastic time and memories we will cherish.
BALMORAL CABINS & SUITES
The Balmoral offers an array of cabins and suites designed for relaxation, comfort, and style. Each space onboard reflects the ship’s dedication to providing a homely yet luxurious experience, making it ideal for seasoned cruisers and first-time adventurers alike.
Cabins
The Balmoral’s cabins cater to various preferences, whether you’re seeking budget-friendly options or premium accommodations. Interior cabins provide a cozy retreat, equipped with everything you need for restful nights. These thoughtfully designed spaces feature comfortable beds, ample storage, and modern amenities. Ocean View cabins elevate the experience with large windows or portholes
Suites
The Balmoral’s suites offer unparalleled comfort and exclusivity. Junior Suites combine spacious interiors with added perks like a seating area, making them perfect for longer voyages. Superior Suites feature enhanced furnishings, balconies, and priority services for a seamless travel experience. The pinnacle of luxury onboard is the Premier Suites, which boast expansive layouts, refined décor, and personalised service to make every moment extraordinary.
Thoughtful Touches
Across all categories, the Balmoral ensures that every guest feels at home. From plush bedding to tea and coffee-making facilities, every detail is designed for convenience and enjoyment. Complimentary toiletries, flat-screen TVs, and room service ensure your stay is as comfortable as it is memorable.
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