Fred Olsen might not be the first cruise line you'd think of for a young family.
But we loved it!
Small‑ship cruising might not be the obvious choice for a fun family holiday, but our first experience with Fred. Olsen completely won us over. Sailing from Liverpool for five nights, we swapped airport queues for a 20‑minute drive, a smooth embarkation and a drink in hand before we knew it. From surprisingly kid‑friendly pools and relaxed deck games to classic afternoon tea in a beautiful suite and charming ports like Weymouth and Honfleur, this trip reminded us how lovely traditional cruising can be. Here is what we really thought about Fred. Olsen, travelling as a family (and why I would 100% sail with them again).
Our two children absolutely loved it, even though Fred. Olsen doesn’t have kids’ clubs or organised children’s activities. Instead, it felt more like good old‑fashioned family time together, with plenty to keep them happy.
Two great pools: a lovely warm outdoor pool and an indoor pool with a retractable roof and two hot tubs. We found the pools, especially the outdoor one, to be really quiet most days.
Simple but fun games: on deck they got really into shuffleboard and pickleball, and when they needed some quiet time there were indoor games like chess and jigsaws to enjoy together.
Flexible dining: there was a really good children’s menu in the main dining rooms, but they were also welcome to order anything from the adult menu. Our son discovered steak and happily ordered it most evenings, which he thought was very grown‑up!
Cosy evenings: back in the cabin, free family movies meant we could snuggle up, wind down after dinner and enjoy a proper cinema‑style night without leaving the room.
Evening entertainment was centred around the theatre shows, which had a lovely traditional feel. While they weren’t as high‑tech or innovative as you might find on some of the larger, more modern ships, we really enjoyed the singing and dancing. It felt more like classic cruise entertainment, and the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly. The children especially loved it, and a real highlight for them was meeting the cast as we left the theatre each evening, stopping for a quick chat and a smile on the way out.
We also really enjoyed the ports: a relaxed beach day in Weymouth from Portland in Dorset, and time to wander the pretty streets of Honfleur in Normandy. The ship organised free shuttle buses in each port, which dropped us right in the centre, making it really easy to explore independently.
We travelled as a group of 9 and one of our party had the Olsen Suite, which was huge: a gorgeous balcony, big bedroom, bathroom, lounge, kitchen and a lovely dining area where we enjoyed afternoon tea. I would definitely recommend this cabin category if you want to really treat yourself.
The ship felt really good quality with a nice choice of bars, restaurants and lounges. We mainly dined in the main Bloomsbury restaurant; we tried the buffet a few times for breakfast and enjoyed Grill Night in Colours & Taste, which was well worth the small supplement for delicious steaks.
I also loved the traditional touches: chocolates on the pillow, a welcome pack with a foldable map of the ship and a daily printed programme telling you what’s on. In such a digital world it was lovely to put the phone down and enjoy those old‑fashioned details.
With tips included as standard plus wine, beer and soft drinks included with meals, it is fantastic value for money.
I loved our time with Fred. Olsen. While the ships aren’t the most high‑tech or innovative, they deliver traditional small‑ship cruising beautifully and I would 100% sail with them again. For multi‑generational cruising they are ideal: smaller ships that are easy to navigate, delicious food that suits all ages, and the convenience of sailing from regional ports like Liverpool and Newcastle.
