Whoever said that “bigger is better”?
Not us.
While the cruise industry has gone for bigger ships brimming with more and more people, we’ve always believed that small is better.
Because smaller ships bring big benefits.
They mean we can treat passengers as guests, like the family-run business we are.
They can dock at smaller ports, much closer to the parts of our planet we’re most passionate about showing.
They mean we can avoid overcrowding, both aboard and ashore, so our guests can disembark easily and enjoy the freedom to see, explore and experience.
They mean we can offer warmer, more personal levels of service.
It would be easy to scale up, cram in and cut corners, but we never will.
Because to us, the size we are is the size we should be.
S M A L L S H I P S
F O R A B I G W O R L D
Whoever said that “bigger is better”?
Not us.
While the cruise industry has gone for bigger
ships brimming with more and more people,
we’ve always believed that small is better.
Because smaller ships bring big benefits.
They mean we can treat passengers as guests,
like the family-run business we are.
They can dock at smaller ports, much closer to the parts
of our planet we’re most passionate about showing.
They mean we can avoid overcrowding, both aboard
and ashore, so our guests can disembark easily and
enjoy the freedom to see, explore and experience.
They mean we can offer warmer,
more personal levels of service.
It would be easy to scale up, cram in
and cut corners, but we never will.
Because to us, the size we are
is the size we should be.
We’re small and proud of it because years of experience have shown us that smaller ships allow us to take you on the finest cruises in the world. There are many reasons for this but we’ve distilled them down to seven:
You can visit more interesting places
Our ships can reach locations that would be impossible for larger vessels. Low bridges, intricate fjords and narrow canals all conspire against big ships, leaving their passengers unable to visit many of the wonderful places that our guests enjoy.
Sail with us through places like the Corinth Canal in Greece, France's River Seine and the Kiel Canal in Germany, and deeper into beautiful, UNESCO-listed Norwegian fjords like the narrow Nærøyfjord.
You get much closer
Big ships often have to dock miles from the places they’re visiting. Our ships, however, can dock right in the heart of some truly beautiful destinations; we glide into the centre of Seville, dock on the edge of Helsinki's market square and by the promenade in Bordeaux, and close to Copenhagen's best attractions.
We also have our RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats), on board powerboats which can take you to locations that even the smallest ships can’t each. What’s more, RIB tour guides have the expert local knowledge to ensure you get the very best from every trip.
You can get on and off more easily
Smaller ships have fewer passengers and therefore smaller groups, which can move more smoothly and efficiently both on board and ashore.
This is why, on a Fred. Olsen cruise, you’ll be able to see more, do more and enjoy more. All with a lot less hassle.
You can be kinder to the environment
We believe in reducing our impact on the environment. Our smaller ships are powered by cleaner (and more expensive) fuel, and improved engineering has significantly reduced our waste. What's more (or what's less), we've banned single-use
plastics from all of our ships.
Minimising our environmental impact is a journey that never ends, we’re always looking for greener ways to sail the ocean waves.
You’ll enjoy a more personal service on board
On our smaller ships, you’ll experience levels of service that other ships may be too big or too busy to provide. Unlike them, we’re not trying to deal with thousands of passengers, so we can provide a genuine and caring service for each guest.
We’re a family run business, not a giant corporation, so we take great pride in the way we look after our guests and go above and beyond the kind of service you can learn from a handbook or training course.
And that’s equally true when we take you ashore
As optional extras, we offer immersive shore tours so you can 'discover' rather than just 'see'. For instance, in St Petersburg, you don't just see the ballet, you meet the dancers too, while in Seville you can not only watch flamenco dancing, but also try it yourself. You could even carve your own ice sculpture at the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel in Norway.
This level of service may explain why we have such a high percentage of guests who return to our ships time and again. They’re very loyal to us. And vice-versa.
You avoid overcrowding
On a Fred. Olsen ship, you’ll have room to relax and enjoy yourself in a friendly and elegant atmosphere. And that amiable spirit continues ashore. Big ships often drop several thousands of people at one port, and suddenly the whole place is overrun.
With smaller ships and fewer guests, we can show more respect for the places we visit and for the people who live there.
