Our Awards

Friends looking out to sea on a sunny day
Guests having drinks on deck

Here at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, it's all about the people, and we take great care to ensure that they are at the heart of everything we do. We’re proud to be an award-winning cruise line, voted for by those who are the best judges of how we’re doing - our guests and travel industry experts!

We’re delighted that the hard work and dedication of our teams, both on board and ashore, has been recognised through many awards in recent years and we’d love your support to help us bring even more home.

Travel Awards Timeline

2024 Awards:

  • Travel Website of the year - UK Dev Awards
  • Gold Trusted Service Award - Feefo

2023 Awards:

  • Bronze award for 'Best Customer Service' - UK Customer Experience Awards
  • Silver award for 'Customers at the Heart of Everything' - UK Customer Experience Awards
  • Gold award for 'Best Business Transformation Strategy' - Engage Awards
  • Silver award for 'Best Customer Centric Strategy' - Engage Awards
  • Silver award for 'Best Cruise Line for Expedition Voyages' - British Travel Awards

2022 Awards:

  • Favourite Ocean Cruise Lines - Wave Awards
  • Best Family-Run Global Cruise Lines - Nautical Tourism Awards
  • Silver award winner - UK Customer Experience Awards
  • Best for Solo Travellers - Cruise Critic
  • Best Cruise Lines for no- fly cruise holidays - British Travel Awards

2021 Awards:

  • 'Best ex UK Specialist' at the Cruise Adviser Awards
  • ‘Best Cruise Line' in the Group Leisure & Travel Awards
  • 'Favourite Specialist Cruise Line' at The Wave Awards
  • Highly Commended in the 'Best for Solos' category at The Wave Awards
  • 'Best Brand Partnership' at The Wave Awards

2020 Awards:

  • 'Best Ocean Cruise Line' at the Silver Travel Advisor awards
  • 'Best Cruise Line Operator for Groups’ in the 2020 Group Travel Awards
  • ‘Best Cruise Line' in the Group Leisure & Travel Awards Awards
  • Cruise Critic UK Cruisers' Choice award Balmoral won 'Best Overall' and 'Best Dining' in the mid-size ship category
  • 'Best use of Social Media' Travolution Awards
  • 'Best use of Social Media' Covid Comms Awards
  • 'Customers at the Heart of everything' UK Customer Experience Awards
  • Feefo's five-star 'Gold Trusted Service' award

2019 Awards:

  • ‘Best Cruise Lines for Groups’ by Group Leisure & Travel magazine
  • ‘Best Mid Size Ship Overall (Balmoral)’ in Cruise Critic’s ‘2019 UK Cruisers’ Choice Awards’
  • 'Best Dining for Mid Size Ship (Balmoral)' in Cruise Critic’s ‘2019 UK Cruisers’ Choice Awards’
  • 'Best Cruise Line Operator for Groups’ in the 2019 Group Travel Awards
  • ‘Gold Trusted Service Award’ from independent review site Feefo  (for the sixth year running)
  • ‘Best Ocean Cruise Line’ at the ‘Silver Travel Awards 2019’ (for the fourth year running)
  • 'Best for Itineraries' in the Cruise Critic 'UK editors' picks 2019

2018 Awards:

  • ‘Best Cruise Lines for Groups’ by Group Leisure & Travel magazine
  • ‘Best for Entertainment’ in Cruise Critic’s ‘2018 UK Cruisers’ Choice Awards’
  • ‘Best for Solo Travellers’ at ‘The Wave Awards 2018’
  • ‘Gold Trusted Service Award’ from independent review site Feefo  (for the fifth year running)
  • ‘Best Ocean Cruise Line’ at the ‘Silver Travel Awards 2018’  (for the third year running)
  • 'Best for Shore Excursions' in the Cruise Critic 'UK editors' picks 2018'
  • 'Best for Itineraries' in the Cruise Critic 'UK editors' picks 2018

2017 Awards: 

  • ‘Best for Itineraries’ in the Cruise Critic ‘UK Editor's Picks Awards 2017' (for the third year running)
  • 'Best for Solo Travellers' in the Cruise Critic 'UK Editor's Picks Awards 2017' 
  • ‘Best Cruise Line’ in the ‘2017 Silver Travel Awards’
  • ‘Best Cruise Line Operator for Groups’ in the ‘2017 Group Travel Awards’ (for the third year running)

2016 Awards:

• ‘Best Cruise Line’ in the ‘2016 Silver Travel Awards’
• ‘Best Cruise Line Operator for Groups’ in the ‘2016 Group Travel Awards’.
• ‘Feefo Gold Trusted Merchant Accreditation’
• ‘Best for Itineraries’ in the Cruise Critic ‘UK Editor's Picks Awards 2016' (for the second year running)

2015 Awards:

• ‘Best Cruise Line Operator for Groups’ in the ‘2015 Group Travel Awards’.
• ‘Feefo Gold Trusted Merchant Accreditation’
• ‘Best Cruise Line for Itineraries’ in the Cruise Critic's 'UK Editor’s Picks Awards’
• ‘Britain’s Best Cruise Line for Food’ in the Holiday and Cruise Channel’s ‘Telly Awards’
• Balmoral won ‘Best for Shore Excursions’ (Mid-Size Category) in the Cruise Critic's ‘UK Cruisers' Choice Awards 2015’
• Balmoral won ‘Best for Value’ (Mid-Size Category) in the Cruise Critic's ‘UK Cruisers' Choice Awards 2015’
• Black Watch won ‘Best for Service’ (Small Ship Category) in the Cruise Critic's ‘UK Cruisers' Choice Awards 2015’
• Black Watch won ‘Best for Shore Excursions’ (Small Ship Category) in the ‘Cruise Critic's ‘UK Cruisers' Choice Awards 2015’
• Black Watch won ‘Best for Value’ (Small Ship Category) in the Cruise Critic's ‘UK Cruisers' Choice Awards 2015’