The Fred Olsen Balmoral is a classic cruise ship often used to give tourists a close-up of the spectacular Norwegian coastline. Here's what to expect onboard following its recent refit at the end of 2024.
Regular readers will know I’ve spent a lot of time on Fred Olsen’s Balmoral over the past two years. It’s a cruise ship that spends a lot of time in Norway, especially in the Norwegian fjords and on northern lights itineraries in Arctic Norway.
Cruising to Norway has never been more popular. It's certainly not for everyone, but a ship is a wonderful way to experience the very best of Norwegian nature.
Of course, there are many options to see Norway on a cruise ship. Many people think of a Hurtigruten coastal voyage, but that's not the only option. You can also sail directly from the U.K. or Germany with traditional cruise lines.
One of those lines that departs regularly from Britain to Norway is Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. Regular readers will know I speak about life in Norway to guests travelling with Fred Olsen.
The Refit—Ready for 2025
Having now cruised on Balmoral more than any other cruise ship, and following its extensive refit at the end of 2024, it was time to update this article! If you’ve cruised on Balmoral before, you may be surprised at the improvements.
Firstly, the buffet restaurant has been completely overhauled and is now a much more pleasant and spacious environment. The visuals, sound and lighting in the main show lounge has been overhauled, elevating all talks and performances.
Many cabins have been improved, with new bathrooms installed in many of them. Perhaps most importantly of all, improvements ‘behind the scenes’ have worked wonders to reduce vibration and noise in many parts of the ship.
It’s still an old vessel and remains a little rough around the edges in parts, so if you want a brand new ship that doesn’t feel like you’re at sea, this isn’t for you.
But for those who value tradition, Balmoral is a truly classic cruise ship that welcomes a hardcore set of guests back year after year. Read on to discover why!
Watch a Tour of the Balmoral
First things first, I know many of you prefer videos. If that's you, check out this full ship tour video before scrolling down. It includes the updates for 2025!
If you enjoyed the video, read on for more details a lot more photographs from inside and outside the ship.
Introducing Fred Olsen Balmoral
Before my first cruise on Balmoral, my biggest concern about it compared to the other Fred Olsen ships (and other cruise ships) were its age and its size.
While the small size of the Balmoral meant we could enjoy much better scenic cruising opportunities than on bigger ships that sail on Norway cruises, I was worried it would be too small to keep me occupied on a relatively long cruise.
I also wondered how much the ship would show its age, considering it was built in 1988. It has sailed with a few other cruise lines and was even chopped in half and extended as it joined the Fred Olsen fleet!
Before the refit at the end of 2024, there were quite a few niggles with the ship, most notably the relatively small size and limited seating of the buffet restaurant. Some of these things have now been addressed, making a cruise on Balmoral in 2025 a much more pleasurable experience.
Yet there is plenty on board the ship that shows its 35-year-old nature. Much of it—such as the beautiful tiered aft—is a throwback to traditional ship design that adds to, rather than detracts from, your trip.
If you’re wondering what it’s like cruising on a 35-year-old vessel, then come on board, and I’ll show you around!
Balmoral's Outside Deck Space
I usually start a ship tour with the cabins, but not this time. Hands down my favourite feature of the Balmoral is the outside deck space, in particular this tiered section at the aft of the ship..
This design provides lots of different spaces over decks 7 to 11 to enjoy wonderful views throughout the cruise.
Deck 7 is also the promenade deck and while the promenade isn’t as wide as the other ships in the fleet, you can still walk around the entire ship. That’s something I do time and time again throughout my cruises.
The promenade offers great spots for scenic cruising and wildlife watching. When there is an onboard wildlife team, guest photographer, or artist-in-residence, this is where you’ll find them for much of the voyage.
The front of the promenade sometimes gets a little crowded especially for scenic cruising, approaching bridges, or approaching ports, but there are many other good vantage points on the ship for all the scenic cruising on the itinerary.
I mention bridges, and this is a good time to highlight the fact that Balmoral’s small size means it often passes under low bridges. In Norway, this includes the Rørvik Bridge and the Tjelsundet Bridge, bridges that many other cruise ships have to avoid.
The back of the promenade opens up into this larger outdoor deck with a swimming pool and hot tubs, both popular even on chilly mornings.
This area also plays host to the occasional grill as part of the buffet restaurant when weather allows. There’s also the occasional sailaway party! I remember one such event as we departed Honningsvåg, which was popular despite the freezing temperatures.
Some bar seating on deck 8 and outdoor seating for the deck 10 restaurants were also a feature of this wonderful space at the aft of the ship. One of the wings of deck 8 is a designated smoking area, just outside the Lido Bar and Lounge.
On my most recent cruise, the Lido Bar became very cold due to people coming in and out of the smoking area. The cruise was very cold (-12C in Alta), so I’m not sure there’s much that can be done about that. Blankets were provided for guests, though!
Up on deck 11, there is even more outdoor space in the form of a large terrace towards the back which has room for deck games and plenty of space to enjoy the scenery.
It was often less crowded up here than down on the promenade deck. Deck 11 also features another outdoor swimming pool, another pair of hot tubs, and plenty of deckchairs—though these were usually piled up on my most recent winter cruise!
On my Balmoral trips, many people ask me where the “best” place for northern lights viewing is. The answer, with no sarcasm intended, is where the northern lights are!
The darkest part of the ship is at the front of the promenade deck as it’s directly underneath the bridge. However, if an aurora display is happening at the aft of the ship, that added darkness won’t do you any good!
On relevant cruises, stargazing sessions are held outside the Marquee Bar on deck 11. During these organised sessions, lights are dimmed across deck 11, which helps with spotting stars and aurora immensely.
Cabins on the Balmoral
Despite being physically smaller than the other ships in the fleet, the Balmoral still holds a similar amount of people. There can be up to 1,325 passengers spread over 710 cabins, although in my experience there’s usually between 900 and 1,200 passengers on board.
I’ve stayed in several different ocean view cabins on Balmoral, on decks 3, 4, 5 and 8. Of course, some will now be different due to the refit, but let’s talk a look at what you can expect.
Most ocean view cabins are setup with twin beds. The majority have a large ‘picture window’ although there are portholes on deck 3, and some have a restricted view such as a handful of deck 8 cabins over the lifeboats.
Personally, I love restricted view cabins as they are usually cheaper yet still let in a lot of natural light. Often, the view is still very good.
With two people sharing an ocean view cabin, there is plenty of storage space. In the wardrobes there are enough hangers for shirts, jackets etc. I brought a few extra just in case, but they stayed in my luggage.
It might not seem it at first, but there’s plenty of cupboard and drawer space throughout the cabin.
The bathroom is a good size for a cruise ship and I never had a problem with water or the plumbing. I drank the water from the bathroom tap every day and it was absolutely fine.
In some cabins, there’s even a bath, something which is increasingly rare on a cruise ship, especially in a standard cabin. Not all cabins feature a bath, though! The showers are powerful and while not roomy, there’s enough space.
A few more details about the cabins: the TV only functions once you’ve watched the safety video.
There are TV channels, movies, the bridge camera, and you can check your onboard account on here too, as well as watch recorded lectures from the Neptune Lounge if you miss them in person.
In your cabin you’ll find a mini-fridge, a small kettle with tea and coffee replenished daily, and UK, EU and USB power points, albeit only on the desk and not by the beds. That’s one of the disadvantages of sailing on an older ship but honestly it was never much of an issue for us.
Note that the power socket situation differs in some cabins, so it’s a good idea to bring an EU adapter, just in case.
Some of the older cabins feature a fixed layout with two single beds in an L-shape configuration. Others feature twin beds that can be combined into a double upon request.
Premium Cabins
Thanks to the future cruise team I was also able to take a look at one of the Balmoral’s Premier Suites, number 1003.
As you can see this grade of cabin offers much more space including a large double bed, desk and working area, a separate dining and lounge area and this impressive balcony space featuring an outside seating area and deckchairs.
You will of course pay considerably more for such a suite, but if you have the money then why not. You would certainly get good value out of a balcony on a scenic cruising packed itinerary.
I also got to see one of the two Owner’s Suites on board. These offer even more space, with dressing rooms, two bathrooms, and a large dining table at which you could host dinners or even use as a working space.
On the first day I visited one of the self-serve laundry and ironing rooms, but later in the cruise I also took advantage of the housekeeping service for laundry.
Now, let’s take a look around the rest of the ship, which differs in layout considerably from the other Fred Olsen ships.
Deck 3
The lower decks are mostly cabins. Deck 3 is usually used for gangway access, and it’s also home to one of the self-service laundry rooms, the medical centre and the arts and crafts room.
When I first cruised on Balmoral, the arts and crafts room wasn’t utilised, but it’s since been refurbished and its now a lovely space for, well, arts and crafts! Both activities attract a keen crowd and it’s nice to see this recognised and the space improved.
Deck 6
Deck 6 is the main deck and it’s here you’ll find the atrium with the guest services and destination services. The bottom of the atrium doubles as the Oriental Tea Room, and there is often seating available here.
There is also a small shop with Fred Olsen merchandise. Farther down the corridor you’ll find a photo gallery, which was improved in the refit with digital touch screens.
This is a big improvement on the old physical photos and means your photos are available much sooner. You’ll also find a small flower shop here.
Keep going down this corridor and you reach the Balmoral’s main dining room, the Ballindalloch. The Ballindalloch is open for breakfast and lunch with open seating as well as the fixed seating dinners, which are offered over two sittings, usually 6pm and 8pm.
At both breakfast and lunch there’s a small buffet available as well as an a la carte menu, which I think is a good, flexible way to operate a restaurant when a lot of people are going to head off on port excursions, for example.
Deck 7
Deck 7 known as the Lounge Deck is where I spend much of my time on board, and you surely will too.
At the front of the ship, the Neptune Lounge hosts the daytime talks and the evening shows as you would expect, but it’s also the venue for dance classes and evening dance sessions between the shows.
It’s more of a show lounge rather than a fixed theatre as on the other ships, and I actually prefer the flexibility this offers. There’s also a bar at the back of the lounge, and this offers table service before the shows.
Recent improvements include a new floor, a new digital screen at the back of the stage, new sound and lighting, and a new projector system for presentations. All in all, the improvements have made a big difference to all talks and shows here.
The central part of deck 7 is dedicated to lounge space, although there are a few small shops and boutiques here, selling mainly clothing and jewellery, as well as the future cruises desk.
This lounge area has become the garden room, and it’s now a more pleasant place to spend time. Before the refit, it felt like you were sitting in a corridor, and now it actually feels like a lounge. There’s gardening-related books to browse too.
The Bookmark Cafe is a popular spot on the ship throughout the day, and especially during the evenings when live music from the string trio is often on the daily schedule.
The cafe serves premium coffees and teas along with a selection of chocolates and cakes that aren’t available anywhere else on the ship. As the name suggests, the Bookmark Cafe is also home to a library of fiction and non-fiction titles.
Heading back along deck 7 you’ll come to the Morning Light Pub. As this is located next to the buffet and just one deck above the main restaurant, it is a good place for a pre-dinner drink, during which times a musician performs here.
There is a good selection of beer beyond the draught selection, my personal favourite being Adnam’s Ghost Ship brewed in Suffolk, where the Fred Olsen HQ is based.
That's a nice touch, as is the maritime theme throughout the pub. Finally, the pub’s indoor shuffleboard table got some good use throughout the cruise.
Towards the end of my first cruise on Balmoral, the whole length of the lounge deck from the entrance to the Neptune Lounge right down to the Morning Light pub played host to the Summer Fayre, with games aplenty, all to raise money for the RNLI.
Just off this main stretch, the card room is a spacious area used for bridge lessons and tournaments, but also other activities including shop seminars.
Thistle Restaurant
The biggest and most noticable improvement for guests in the recent refit is the overhaul of the buffet restaurant. Palms has gone, to be replaced by Thistle. But this is far more than just a name change.
The concept is the same, with a self-serve setup in the central area, and there are still seating hosts to welcome and seat you on arrival. But there is far more seating, and you’ll be asked to share far less frequently than before.
This has been achieved by relocating the tea and coffee stations, installing square rather than round tables, and getting rid of the specialty restaurant Vasco. Unfortunately, Vasco was my favourite restaurant, but I do think the improvements in the buffet overall made this the right decision.
Thistle is open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and a late night ‘supper club’, all included in your cruise fare.
There’s a staffed station to toast breads in the morning and serve soup in the evenings, and another one from which you can order eggs and omelettes in the morning, and freshly cooked dishes such as stir frys or a carvery in the evenings.
The buffet also has self-service tea and coffee stations on either side, which are open 24/7. Desserts were always available at lunch and dinner, usually including vegan and sugar free options.
I often eat here at the buffet for breakfast as it’s so much quicker and the food is often similar to what’s on offer in the main dining room anyway. Plus, I occasionally pop in just to pick up a dessert. You’re on holiday, after all!
Something which is easy to miss is the ice cream bar at the back of the buffet. This is chargable, but worth it if you’re looking for the occasional treat.
Lido Deck 8
The Lido Lounge is the Balmoral’s secondary performance space and this is used to host everything from dance lessons to evening concerts and karaoke, and even the hugely popular evening quiz.
The lounge continues through to the Lido Bar and bar service is available in the lounge, bar area and at the tables outside overlooking the pools. One of these two outside spaces is a designated smoking area.
Sports fan? Screens in both the lounge and bar show live sports, including Premier League games. If you’ve previously been on Balmoral, you may have experienced issues with signal. But since the refit, things have improved significantly and there is now much less interference than before.
Games that will be shown are announced in the daily program delivered to your cabin the evening before.
To one side of the Lido bar is Colours & Tastes, now the only speciality restaurant on Balmoral. The brightly coloured decor perfectly sets the scene for the brightly coloured menu in this Asian fusion restaurant.
Although there’s so much food included on Balmoral, I highly recommend giving Colours & Tastes a try. At just fifteen pounds (at the time of writing), it’s well worth the premium.
Highland Deck 10
Deck 10 is mostly premium and balcony cabins, but the front of the deck is home to the fitness centre and spa. This is on the small side but it usually isn’t a problem to get on a piece of equipment even early in the morning.
I still haven’t visited the spa except for a quick haircut! There are plenty of treatments available throughout the cruise, and special offers are advertised in the daily programs on port days.
Towards the back of Deck 10 are two more small restaurants, Avon and Spey. These a la carte restaurants are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and because of their shape they offer a lot of window seating.
Avon and Spey are allocated in the evening, but they are open seating for breakfast and lunch. As with the main dining room, there’s a small buffet area in addition to waiter service.
As I mentioned earlier, these two restaurants have an outdoor terrace overlooking the back of the ship, which seemed especially popular at breakfast time.
Marquee Deck 11
Finally, we reach the very top of the Balmoral. I’ve already shown the large outdoor deck here complete with swimming pool and hot tubs, but there’s also the Observatory.
Always a favourite of mine on any ship, this front-facing observation lounge offers wonderful views, most notably when we were sailing towards the glaciers of Svalbard.
I’m often found here next to the wacky carpet and artwork perusing the drinks menu and ordering a couple of tasty cocktails or mocktails from the Observatory bar.
The Observatory was also another venue on the ship that featured regular live music, usually a pianist in the evenings.
Between the outdoor deck and the Observatory is the Marquee Bar. This poolside bar is part inside and part outside and so a relaxing place to enjoy a drink with some fresh air, whatever the weather.
I hope you enjoyed this tour of the Fred Olsen Balmoral. Parts of the ship are showing their age and the physical design is a bit dated, but there is plenty to like about this ship too, and the improvements since the refit are excellent.
If you’re considering a trip to Norway on the Balmoral, I’m sure you’re going to have a great time. Thanks for reading.
This has been a wonderful virtual tour.Having done several cruises on Balmoral it brings back great memories Cannot wait to sail on Her again next year.
Thanks for reading and watching! Have a great trip 🙂
Hi David,
Excellent review of the Balmoral. We feel very much at home with Fred and have always enjoyed our cruises and encountered many people with similar tastes.
The crew are brilliant and hard working and one can enjoy a joke with them.
We are going on a Moroccan cruise in January 2024 and a Norwegian cruise in April.
Love reading about your experiences on the Balmoral! I’ve always been fascinated by Fred Olsen cruises and Norway is a beautiful country. Your photos are stunning and your review is really helpful. Can’t wait to plan my own trip!
Great review! I loved the insights into the amenities on the Balmoral. It sounds like a perfect blend of comfort and adventure. Looking forward to hearing more about your experiences on board!