Cheers to World Cocktail Day
This month, we joined in the fun of World Cocktail Day – marking the anniversary of the cocktail’s first official definition back in 1806 – with a fleet-wide celebration.
Our talented bar teams got creative, each crafting a brand-new cocktail and mocktail to compete for a permanent spot on our bar menu.
Guests were invited to vote for their favourite drinks, and we’re delighted to share that the winning creations came from the team aboard Borealis, with their Borderless Breeze cocktail and Continental Crush mocktail taking top honours. Click here to recreate the winning tipples for yourself.
A huge congratulations to the Borealis team for their creativity, flair and fantastic mixology, and thank you to all the guests who helped us raise a glass in celebration.
To inspire your next drinks party, take a look below at two delicious cocktail recipes for you to try at home.
Borderless Breeze Cocktail
25ml Bacardi white rum
20ml Archers peach schnapps
100ml mango juice
10ml lime juice
Fill a shaker with two scoops of ice. Add all ingredients and shake well. Pour into a hurricane glass and garnish with lime wheel, lime twist, cherries and mint leaves.
Continental Crush Mocktail
50ml mango juice
100ml strawberry purée
50ml passionfruit juice
Soda water
Muddle strawberries in a hurricane glass, then add mango and passionfruit juice. Stir well, add one scoop of ice and top with soda water. Garnish with a strawberry and mint leaves.
Inspiring the next generation at sea
We were delighted to welcome 26 travel and tourism students from West Suffolk College aboard Borealis for a five-night study trip to the Netherlands, as part of our commitment to supporting young people and championing careers in tourism. Sailing from Newcastle, with calls into Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the cruise offered a unique chance for the students to experience life at sea and explore career paths in the cruise industry.
Throughout the trip, students joined an engaging programme of talks, ship tours and hands-on sessions. From visiting the bridge and crew areas to trying their hand at mocktail-making and learning about environmental initiatives, they gained valuable insight into how our ships operate and the variety of roles involved.
They also had the opportunity to chat with team members both on board and shoreside, covering everything from hospitality and guest experience to engineering and sustainability.
“It was such an amazing experience,” said 18-year-old Tiffany from Ipswich. “I learnt that sustainability is very important to Fred. Olsen they are developing lots of plans to build on what they’ve already created.”
It was a pleasure to host such an enthusiastic group – we hope the experience helped inspire future careers within the industry.
Celebrating a remarkable milestone
This month, Balmoral was honoured to celebrate a truly special occasion as one of our wonderful guests, Mrs Dumville Puzey, marked her 101st birthday on board.
Our on-board teams made Mrs Puzey’s milestone extra memorable with a personalised cake, fresh flowers and, of course, a joyful chorus of “Happy Birthday” from everyone on board.
Wishing Mrs Puzey continued joy, good health and happiness – and thank you for letting us be part of your special day.
Reflection, celebration and giving back
On 8th May, we marked the 80th anniversary of VE Day across our fleet and at our Ipswich office, taking time to reflect, remember and give thanks. A two-minute silence, patriotic decorations and themed events helped us honour the end of World War II in Europe and those who served.
Thanks to the generosity of our guests and teams, we’re proud to share that we raised an incredible £2,779.56 for the Royal British Legion, supporting veterans and their families.
On board Borealis and Balmoral, guests enjoyed a traditional street fayre with nostalgic games, from bean bag toss to guessing the weight of a cake. Borealis also hosted a veterans’ get-together, a VE Day trivia session, a singalong and a classic British afternoon tea, while Balmoral guests were treated to a themed piano set in the Observatory by pianist Steve.
Bolette held a reflective service, followed by a nostalgic 1950s and ’60s-themed party, with British flags and décor bringing the day to a fitting close.
Thank you to all our guests and crew who helped make this meaningful celebration so special.
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