Your cruise at a glance
Hand-crafted highlights
This short yet rewarding spring Bank Holiday cruise gives you the chance to uncover the beautiful and rugged coastlines of the British Isles. Before revelling in the beauty of a scenic cruise around the Channel Islands, Balmoral will head to the remote island of St. Mary’s in the Scilly Isles, home to picturesque countryside, charming towns, and historic fortifications, and during this time, the exciting World Pilot Gig Championships. The Cornish coast follows with a call into Falmouth, only accessible to smaller ships, where you can immerse yourself in local traditions and culinary delights, like Cornish pasties, delicious cream teas, and fresh seafood. Both destinations on your cruise boast climates that are perfect for growing plants, and you will be well-placed to discover why at horticultural sites such as the Eden Project, the Lost Gardens of Heligan, and Tresco Abbey Gardens.
Explore the ItineraryHighlights
Explore Southern England's islands & coastlines
Your cruise aboard Balmoral will afford you the opportunity to explore the rugged coastlines and picturesque islands in the south of England. The Isles of Scilly archipelago sit as sparkling jewels located just off the coast of Cornwall, with their own subtropical climate ideal for growing exotic plants and flowers and a sanctuary for a wide range of marine and birdlife.
World Pilot Gig Championships
Every year, during the first May Bank Holiday, the Isles of Scilly come alive with the World Pilot Gig Championships, a thrilling event that has grown from a friendly race in the 1990's into an exciting global competition. Crews from all over the world, including many from the South West, gather to compete in four races over two days. The longest race, from St. Agnes to St. Mary's, is followed by three shorter races from Nut Rock to St. Mary's, and the event concludes with a heartwarming final, where all the gigs "raft" together to celebrate the winners. As guests on board Balmoral will be in Scilly at this time, don't miss this one-of-a-kind spectacle! In the lead-up to the event, we'll be joined by a local boat builder who will share captivating stories about the World Pilot Gig Championships and offer a fascinating look at how the traditional wooden gigs are crafted. Guests can choose to join spectator boats for a closer view of the races or watch the action from the beautiful Isles of Scilly.
Immerse yourself in the Cornish way of life
The Cornish way of life is a celebration of tradition, community, and being connected to nature. Freshly caught seafood, including Scilly crab, island-raised beef and duck, traditional Cornish pasties, and delicious cream teas, are some of the key ingredients of the cuisine of this region and must surely be sampled. Gardening is a popular pastime due to the warmer climate in the south of England, where colourful booms adorn the landscapes, and verdant gardens like Tresco Abbey Gardens are home to an array of exotic flowers grown in vivid hues, while fishing continues to be a vital source of income, supporting families and maintaining maritime customs.
Delve into a climate made for horticulture
Characterised by mild temperatures, the climate in Cornwall is ideal for horticulture and nurturing beautifully lush gardens like Tresco Abbey Gardens on the Isles of Scilly, where a diverse collection of exotic plants and flowers thrive in the sheltered setting. The restored Victorian landscapes of the Lost Gardens of Heligan offer hidden treasures of intriguing woodland walks, rare plants, and wildlife, taking visitors on a journey through history. Meanwhile, from Falmouth, join us on a tour to discover the innovative Eden Project, which showcases diverse ecosystems within its iconic biomes, such as the world’s largest indoor rainforests and the calming Mediterranean Biome, which help preserve Cornwall's commitment to preserving the natural world.
Cabins, Prices & Offers
Cabin Options On Your Cruise
* Prices correct as of 23:00 26/04/2025, based on the lowest available Cruise Only fare, and on two people sharing a twin cabin. Please call +441473746175 for live availability & prices.
* Prices correct as of 23:00 26/04/2025, based on the lowest available Cruise Only fare, and on sole occupancy. Please call +441473746175 for live availability & prices.
Cabin Grades
Balcony Junior Suite (BJ)
Balmoral's Balcony Junior Suites have a large cabin area and private balcony
| Freedom Fare | From £1,899 pp |
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360°
Balcony Cabin (BA)
Located on Lido deck & Bridge deck Balcony Cabins have a private balcony and spacious cabin area
| Freedom Fare | From £1,749 pp |
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360°
Ocean View (F)
Two portholes in Balmoral's F Grade Ocean View cabins offer ocean views
| Freedom Fare | From £849 pp |
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360°
Interior Cabin (I)
I Grade Inside cabins on Balmoral offer everything you need on a cruise.
| Freedom Fare | From £799 pp |
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360°
Single Interior Cabin (M)
M Grade Single Interior cabins are perfect for a relaxing cruise
| Freedom Fare | From £1,299 pp |
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360°
Balcony Junior Suite (BJ)
Balmoral's Balcony Junior Suites have a large cabin area and private balcony
| Freedom Fare | From £3,608.10 |
|---|
360°
Balcony Cabin (BA)
Located on Lido deck & Bridge deck Balcony Cabins have a private balcony and spacious cabin area
| Freedom Fare | From £3,323.10 |
|---|
360°
Ocean View (F)
Two portholes in Balmoral's F Grade Ocean View cabins offer ocean views
| Freedom Fare | From £1,485.75 |
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360°
Interior Cabin (H)
Balmoral’s H Grade Interior cabins offer all the features you need on a cruise
| Freedom Fare | From £1,485.75 |
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360°
Single Interior Cabin (M)
M Grade Single Interior cabins are perfect for a relaxing cruise
| Freedom Fare | From £1,299 |
|---|
360°
What's Included
SO MUCH ALREADY INCLUDED
To make your journey even more special, we include so much as standard on board our cruises.
Dining & Lounges
- À la carte breakfast, lunch & dinner
- Daily casual dining options
- Late night Supper Club
- Afternoon tea
- Self-service tea & coffee
- In-cabin dining & snacks
Treats & Pastimes
- Evening shows
- Live music & dancing
- Dance classes
- Lectures & talks
- Cookery demonstrations
- Traditional deck games
- Daily games & quizzes
Relaxation & Fitness
- Swimming Pools
- Jacuzzis
- Fitness Centre
- Fitness Classes
Life On Board
Introducing Balmoral
Beautiful Balmoral is small enough to navigate some of Europe’s most picturesque waterways so guests can enjoy hours of scenic cruising. Balmoral retains a warm, civilised atmosphere and features comfortable accommodation, stylish restaurants and plenty of open deck space.
Balmoral
Beautiful Balmoral is small enough to navigate Europe’s most picturesque waterways so guests can enjoy hours of scenic cruising. Balmoral offers a warm, civilised atmosphere and features comfortable accommodation, stylish restaurants and plenty of open-deck space.
Sample Shore Tours
At each port of call on your cruise, we carefully research and hand pick Shore Tour options for you, designed for you to see as many of the world's best destinations as possible.
Below, you will find some sample Shore Tours which will give you an example of what to expect on your cruise. Your Shore Tours will be available to book approximately 8-13 weeks prior to departure via your My Cruises account.
Tresco Abbey Gardens
Explore the sub-tropical botanical paradise of Tresco Abbey Garden home to an impressive collection of 20,000 plant species, some heralding from as far as New Zealand. As you explore this ‘Perennial Kew’, keep your eyes peeled for red squirrels darting about in amongst the trees.
££££
St. Mary's
Wildlife Sea Safari Trip
Embark on a wildlife cruise around the Scilly Isles, exploring the rugged edges of the Eastern Isles, home to Atlantic grey seals and seabirds like gannets and puffins. Cruise past Annet and the Western Rocks, spotting shipwrecks and seals, and sail past Norrard Rocks and Men-A-Vaur, abundant with seabirds and seals.
££££
St. Mary's
The Eden Project
££££
Falmouth
The Lost Gardens of Heligan
££££
Falmouth
Your Guest Speakers
We’ve arranged for some wonderful guest speakers to join us for this cruise. They will be delivering a programme of insightful talks and activities to deepen your cultural, artistic and historical understanding of the destinations we will be exploring, well as helping you to enjoy the natural beauty of the places we visit.
Colin Jones
Colin holds a diploma in horticulture and will be joining us during our sailing to deliver engaging talks about the gardens we will be visiting.
Gary Italiaander
Gary Italiaander has an international reputation as a Photographer, Image Restorer, Interviewer, Educator, Musician, Author and sought-after Guest Speaker.
Having shown musical ability at a very young age (beginning with the harmonica), Gary studied at the London College of Music under the Directorship of Dr W S Lloyd Webber. He qualified as a piano teacher and music specialist completing a further year’s study at the University of Reading.
After a few years teaching, a significant change of direction took place into the world of Photography where he came to the attention of Harrods who invited him to open the Italiaander Portrait Gallery, from where all portraiture for Harrods clients was commissioned internationally for a number of years. When Gary left Harrods, it was to allow greater freedom to travel to assignments abroad and time to develop other significant projects.
Jennie Lee-Douse
Born and raised in the South of England, Jennie is a former Madam Toastmaster with Toastmasters International, and Professional Licentiate Dance Teacher of many genres. Jennie is a Dance Historian who lectures on Dance Genres their countries of origin, culture and modern day impact, There is also a natural crossover into her lectures on Musical influences, and Big Band Sounds. Her career with dance at a professional level, has taken her to numerous ports of call as a Dance Instructor and Hostess , as well as running her own successful dance school which achieved success at the world renowned Blackpool Tower Ballroom.
Mark Norman
Folklorist and Author, Mark will be joining us throughout your cruise to provide an insight the Cornish Way of Life.
Treats & Pastimes
In addition to our Signature Experiences, we have a selection of lovely Treats & Pastimes for you to enjoy when on board. Just check your Daily Times each day for full details.
Enhance your cruise
Each of our cruises has been carefully designed for you to get the very best out of your time on board; and now you can enhance your cruise to make it even more special.
Need Some Help?
Take a look at our FAQs
The handy checklist below has been created to assist in making sure you remember all the important things to pack for your cruise.
Visa and health requirements can change at any time. It is your own responsibility to ensure that you check with a professionally qualified source and comply with such requirements. UK passport holders will need visas for certain Fred. Olsen cruise holidays and will be advised at the time of booking. Your cruise booking information will also detail any requirements applicable to your holiday.
On certain sailings we offer two types of cruise fares; Freedom and Saver Fares.
Our single guests feel right at home on board our ships; Fred. Olsen have the reputation of sailing the friendliest fleet afloat.
Disembarking when your ship's at anchor is a very different experience to when it's docked portside. Getting ashore in this instance often involves the use of the ship's tender, which is accessed via the steps of a secure gangway.