By
Michele Witthaus |
Several ‘firsts’ were presented as Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines showcased its upcoming itineraries at an event in London on 4 March.
The line will launch its first ever river cruising product in an oceangoing ship with itineraries on Braemar, which is suited to several European rivers thanks to its shallow draft. Braemar will navigate waterways such as the Guadalquivir River in Spain, the Kiel Canal and the German fjord of Flensburg.
Other new itineraries include the company’s shortest ever Canada cruise (16 days), aimed at those with limited holiday time, and the first Caribbean cruise from Scotland. The culmination of the Northern Lights spectacle will be catered for with cruises from Tilbury in November 2014 and February 2015.
The company will emphasise its Norwegian roots with a renewed focus on fjord cruising in that country, offering a ‘Fred’s Norwegian Fjords’ itinerary. These cruises will offer an insiders’ view of Norway, said the line’s planning manager, Martin Lister. “We took the very expensive decision to use Norwegian coastal pilots, who know the fjords extremely well and are able to guide the ships into narrow fjords and other areas with restricted access,” he explained.
Another cruise concept that will be launched from 2015 is a ‘Tell the captain where to go’ cruise, in which passengers will vote on the final itinerary. Early details were also released of a murder mystery cruise, to be run in conjunction with the Duchess of Northumberland and including tours of famous poison gardens.