Press release - 29 April 2009 12:05

Fred. Olsen to Re-route World Cruise in 2010

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has taken the decision to change the itinerary of Balmoral’s world cruise in 2010 in order to avoid sailing through the Gulf of Aden. The 106 night cruise, which is scheduled to sail from Dover on 5th January 2010 in a westerly direction, was due to visit ports in the Indian Ocean en route to Dubai, Oman and Egypt before transiting the Suez Canal and returning to the UK via the Mediterranean.

The new itinerary will instead cross the Indian Ocean from Fremantle in Australia and return to the UK by way of South Africa and the west coast of Africa.

The decision to re-route Balmoral has been made in light of the continuing security problems that are being encountered in the region. Matt Grimes, Director of Planning for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We are very aware of our responsibility regarding the safety and well-being of passengers and staff on board our ships, so we have taken this step in light of the continuing piracy attacks that are being faced not only in the area around the Gulf, but ever further out from Somalia.” He continued: “Although our passengers will no longer visit places such as Dubai and Salalah, their cruise experience will include the breath-taking beauty of Mauritius and South Africa. The cruise will remain unchanged at 106 nights, and Balmoral will return to Dover as scheduled on 21st April.”

Fred. Olsen currently operates a fleet of five cruise ships based mostly in the UK with itineraries to worldwide destinations.

Topics

Regions

England

Fred. Olsen Cruise Line operates in the UK with four intimately sized ships for a more personal cruising experience.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Contacts

Ellis Orchard

Press contact Public Relations Manager Public Relations ellis.orchard@fredolsen.co.uk 07557672265

Georgina May

Press contact Public Relations Executive Public Relations georgina.may@fredolsen.co.uk

Lauren Gardner

Press contact Public Relations Manager Public Relations lauren.gardner@fredolsen.co.uk 07546807099

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

At Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines we are very proud of our smaller ships – Bolette, Borealis and Balmoral - and the imaginative and unusual itineraries they allow us to offer. Every cruise is hand-crafted from scratch by our team of in-house Journey Planners to make sure you are not only visiting the best destinations, but at the best time to experience them.

For us, it’s not just about where we go but how we take you there. We put as much time into planning scenic cruising as we do in choosing the destinations themselves. On board, our Signature Experiences showcase the history, culture, nature and flavours of the destinations you’ll visit – from Treats of the Region, where you can enjoy local delicacies, to our Sky at Sea star-gazing sessions where you can relax with a hot toddy out on deck while our astronomer talks you through the night sky.

Plus, with each ship carrying 1,300 guests or less, our ships are small enough for us to offer a warm, friendly and personal service where nothing is ever too much trouble, as we visit a host of exciting ports in every corner of the globe.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines