Sign up to our newsletter for all the latest cruise news, reviews, photos and answers...
All these Fred. Olsen Cruises - Braemar Cruises Reviews are written by REAL cruise passengers & we DO NOT moderate or change any of the review. You can agree or disagree by posting up your own comment. If you write your own review we will send you a Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising for FREE, Get Fantastic Deals On Fred. Olsen Cruises 2013
Live cabin availabilty and fares of 20 cruiselines
Over 35,000 reviews
Over 15,000 photos
Over 200,000 Q&As
Please enroll to use the site
We will only ask for your email address once and then you can have access
to read ALL reviews, prices, information and lots more. We will not give
your email to any third parties.
We use cookies to make this site as useful as possible. They are small text files we put in your browser to track usage of our site.
Learn more about them.
I travelled on Fred Olsen Braemar for the Christmas in the Caribbean cruise 2010/2011.The experience was definitely 3 star, not 4 star as some sites seem to state.
If I'd had the chance to read reviews about engine noise in some cabins I would have been very wary about travelling on this ship. Unfortunately I was allocated cabin 3148 which was, according to the ship plan, 1 cabin away from the engine casing. Many nights the engine noise was horrific and the experience was similar to trying to sleep in a washing machine. My travel agent warned that I might experience some vibration in this cabin! I have since found a review about a passenger who travelled in 3146, right next door, and this person had to be treated for exhaustion after the experience. I made up my sleep in the afternoons when in port but this meant that I missed out on some activities. I did not complain to passenger services as I was warned by a fellow passenger that the woman in charge of this desk was very unpleasant to deal with.
What really upset me was to find out that I was charged around 85% more than the shared fare for what was an identical cabin on the same deck. Another single passenger at our dining table had paid around 95% extra. Why crucify single passengers - it's bad enough being solo without such high penalties. I know that some of the luxury cruise lines are charging between 10% and 25% single supplement which I feel is more like it.
On the positive side, the crew were fantastic and I'm sure this is what brings much repeat business. Unfortunately it's not going to be enough to make me choose Fred Olsen again. I'll have to save a bit longer to get a better, more comfortable cruise.
Quality of Food
Food mostly good - lack of variety at lunch buffet. Dinners were good.
Entertainment
Good choice but the Neptune Room was so crowded that the second sitting dinner passengers were unable to find seats.
Shore Excursions
Shore excursions very pricey for what was on offer. The 55 minute helicopter trip over Montserrat was £50 more expensive that that offered on Azamara at the same time of year.
Others were mediocre but costly.
Staff
My cabin attendant & dinner waiter were both outstanding. I have gluten intolerance and the staff went out of their way to help me enjoy the dining experience.
Children's Facilities
n/a
Onboard Activities
Cabins
Cabin very noisy when sailing, overpriced, decor very dated - stuck in the 80s.
Comment
by Aitken, Poynton (05 Feb 11 12:34)
about
this REVIEW
I found Mr Perkins review very interesting We too travelled on the Braemar 25 November -9 December 2010 on a Caribbean cruise and whilst we had a balcony suite on deck 7 cabin 7006 it was very noisy and creaked like mad and rattled. Did not sleep well at night as the sea was rougher than I imagined it would be in the Caribbean and some nights I felt I was going to be tossed out of bed. Also we felt the bathroom was far too small and the toilet system kept breaking down. For the price we paid we felt that the cabin facilities were poor although we enjoyed the food and entertainment and trips we did. On sailing days we did not like sitting on the sun deck like rows of sausages as the chairs were far too close together -something to do with the boat being made bigger and the extra passengers perhaps? Aitken of Poynton 5 February 2011
Comment
by McKinlay, lincoln (29 Jan 11 12:43)
about
this REVIEW
I cannot understand that you didnt ask for a move? I was on the ship Dec 9th -14th and it was only 3/4 full. Our dining friends asked to move due to the same experience as you, there was no animosity and they were moved within half an hour. If you dont ask then they cannot move you.
Comment
by Perkin, Weybridge (30 Jan 11 08:56)
about
a COMMENT by McKinlay (29 Jan 11 12:43)
I was told that I had managed to book the last single cabin on the ship - singles are treated differently to those travelling as couples. I also mentioned in my review that I was told that the person on the passenger services desk was unpleasant to deal with so wanted avoid this at all costs.
Comment
by Spencer, Hereford (05 Mar 11 09:20)
about
a COMMENT by Perkin (30 Jan 11 08:56)
The lady who deals with passenger complaints is actually a very nice lady, if it the one I dealt with on a couple of occassions. I have every sympathy with the poor girl ,what an awful job.
Comment
by Sailbad the Sinner, Erehwon (27 Jan 11 01:46)
about
this REVIEW
I don't like paying the huge single supplement many lines charge. Fred is one of the worst. Bad enough to pay 2x single cabin charge but Fred wanted 2x the airfare element too. Fred declined my offer to pay his asking price if I was upgraded to Business Class, or even given 2x seats, 2x drinks & food 2x luggage allowance ;-) There is a web site that shows the usual single supplements for the different cruise lines.
Comment
by wood, wakefield (26 Jan 11 22:13)
about
this REVIEW
Some Cruise Lines will charge 200% of the shared price for single occupancy.Many times it is cheaper then to pay for 2 but they have seen all this before.It is reasonable to assume that 2 Pax spends more on board than 1.So then in booking for 2 one person does not show the Cruise line assumes 1 or 2 things.Firstly the costs involved and you took the cheapest option,secondly that the second person is able to recover any loss through Insurance.They then can legally make a charge for sole occupency of the cabin.They rarely do this but it has been known.The bottom line is to never be drawn into booking the cheaper option for 2 when travelling solo because of the risks as mentioned.
A reasonable surcharge for a solo pax is around 50 or60% and many times Zero depending on the popularity and capacity.To put things into a simpler perspective a 4 star ship would charge a solo pax in an inside cabin anywhere between £80 and £100 per day certainly no more,otherwise no thanks .
Comment
by Grumpy 2, Mexborough (25 Jan 11 17:25)
about
this REVIEW
I found this review and the subsequent comments very interesting. Having cruised 35 times in all, I cruised for the first time as a solo traveller at Christmas and the New Year on Cunards Queen Elizabeth which whilst having to pay "over the top" for a cabin to myself I did think they looked after the solo traveller with coffee provided meetings every sea day and dance hosts for the ladies etc.
I was thinking of trying a little later on to get on the Fred Olsen cruise to the Canaries in late March; but never having cruised with them before and after reading this review and comments I think I may look elsewhere!
Comment
by Grumpy 2, Mexborough (25 Jan 11 17:24)
about
this REVIEW
I found this review and the subsequent comments very interesting. Having cruised 35 times in all, I cruised for the first time as a solo traveller at Christmas and the New Year on Cunards Queen Elizabeth which whilst having to pay "over the top" for a cabin to myself I did think they looked after the solo traveller with coffee provided meetings every sea day and dance hosts for the ladies etc.
I was thinking of trying a little later on to get on the Fred Olsen cruise to the Canaries in late March; but never having cruised with them before and after reading this review and comments I think I may look elsewhere!
Comment
by Blair., ANTRIM (25 Jan 11 11:46)
about
this REVIEW
Fred Olsen are exploiting poor unfortunate SINGLE-sailing passengers, many of whom have been long-standing, loyal members and members of their FOCL Oceans Club,but who are now cruising alone because they have bee recently tragically BEREAVED of their dearest loved one, either wife, or husband.
We regard this as the height of commercial cynicism, and unless Fred Olsen ungently reduces the fares for these single- occupancy cabins to the normal fare for ONE passenger, then they will continue to see business drain away, as recenlty many FOCL cruises are departing with many cabins UNOCCUPIED. Wise up Fred! Betterone fare-paying passenger paying a fair single fare, and buying and spending on-board, than nought!
Comment
by McVey, ELGIN (25 Jan 11 10:50)
about
this REVIEW
Having cruised on the Braemar twice, I found that it was not so good after it was stretched. Felt the ship moving quite a bit. I have done 20 ocean cruises with different companies but only twice on my own. I cruised on MSC Lirica for a week on my own and have kept in touch with others who were on their own. The Norwgian Epic have single cabins but I would probably get lost on this monster. !! What lines are best for single passengers with resonable supplements?
I love cruising but as the single supplements seem horrendous, I am considering river cruises as they do not seem so hefty.
Previous Cruise Reviews
