Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

As a family-run cruise line, we really take your experience personally. While the cruise industry has gone for bigger ships, brimming with more and more people, we have always believed that smaller is better. We treat passengers as guests, we dock at smaller ports in more interesting places and we avoid overcrowding both aboard and ashore. At capacity, our smaller ships will only ever sail with between 900 and 1,400 guests.

We have a small team of specialist itinerary planners. They take great pride in handcrafting each journey, to ensure we show you hidden gems as well as highlights on each of our sailings. It is a passion that has won us the Cruise Critic award for Best Itineraries for five consecutive years.

Cruise from four regional UK ports to hundreds of destinations worldwide in the classic style and comfort of our smaller-sized ships. For most of the year, the ships are based in Britain, with cruises departing from Rosyth (Edinburgh), Newcastle, Liverpool and Southampton.

We believe smaller is better

We are incredibly proud of our fleet of smaller ships. Each has been elegantly designed and they all look and feel like ships (not hotels or holiday resorts); with wide open deck spaces as well as lounges and restaurants which have been meticulously planned to ensure you have a wonderful experience.

With fewer guests, our crew can really get to know you and what you like. And the atmosphere on board our ships is always warm and civilised.

The smaller size of our ships also allows us access to more interesting places, such as Norway’s lesser-known Fjords as well as European cities with narrow waterways and size-restricted bridges. It also means we can dock in the heart of some of the world’s most fascinating cities.

STARGAZING CRUISES

Fred. Olsen is proud to work in partnership with Go Stargazing, a diverse group of amateur and professional astronomers, instrument scientists, dark sky consultants, education providers and tourism experts with a shared passion for enthusing public interest in astronomy. Their team of astronomers deliver practical stargazing sessions across the United Kingdom, showcasing the incredible dark skies throughout the UK, from Northumberland Dark Sky Park to the South Downs Dark Sky Reserve.

Viewing the night sky is a remarkable experience, but doing so away from light pollution on a Fred. Olsen cruise takes it to a whole new level. The night sky viewed from the middle of the ocean is breathtakingly beautiful, with a vast expanse of stars twinkling brightly in the darkness.

In August 2026, a team from Go Stargazing will be on board our fleet of ships to share their insights and knowledge with you about the fascinating solar eclipse phenomenon. Don’t miss the chance to experience this celestial event with us!

STARGAZING SESSIONS

The stargazing sessions that Go Stargazing astronomers hold on deck will be informal, informative and entertaining. You will enjoy laser-guided tours of the constellations, learn how to identify planets and view deep-sky objects such as galaxies and nebulae using binoculars. You can take home this knowledge and share it with family and friends. 

Guests will enjoy stories of legends and mythology using the starry skies as a backdrop, just like our ancestors once did. Exciting topics such as ship navigation using stars and nautical folklore will give you a unique perspective on the relationship between seafaring and the night sky.

There may also be the opportunity to take advantage of astronomical events such as meteor showers, which occur regularly throughout the year, solar eclipses and conjunctions where celestial objects align to create a fantastic view. 

Witnessing impressive night-time views and using incredible facts and figures from astronomical distances to the sizes of stars, our on-deck stargazing sessions are designed and delivered in a way that makes them unforgettable.

ORCA CRUISES

PROTECTING THE WORLD'S WHALES AND DOLPHINS

As part of an official partnership, Fred. Olsen are proud to be working with marine wildlife charity ORCA, who will be sending teams of volunteers on a selection of Fred. Olsen sailings. 

The conservationist team's objective will be to locate whales and dolphins, observe their behaviours, and to provide guests with a unique experience, offering you the opportunity to take an active role in marine science and conservation. The cruises will also enable ORCA to collect vital data on the species and numbers of marine life sighted and identify wildlife hotspots, feeding directly into the charity’s Cruise Conservationist Programme and its conservation work. 

Pop along to one of their guest lectures, or find them on deck to ask them any questions you may have. With the help of ORCA, you may be lucky enough to spot several whale and dolphin species, whilst learning more about ORCA's conservation efforts.