British-style travelers who want a mid-size ship with more space than Balmoral.
Think twice if: Built in 1997; British-focused line, prices in pounds, UK departures.
See her Europe sailings ↓ · Where is she now? → · Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines's page for this ship →
What she's like
Easy to find your way around. Fewer crowds getting off in port. About 45 tons of ship per guest. As a rule of thumb, 40 or more feels roomy and under 30 feels busy.
British line; nationality mix not published.
Our judgment, from $ (budget) to $$$$$ (ultra-luxury).
'Freedom Fare' includes gratuities and house beer, wine and draught soft drinks with lunch and dinner (waiter service). Extra: other drinks, Colours & Tastes specialty dining, shore tours, spa, Wi-Fi, laundry, mandatory cruise insurance.
Children 12 months-17 on Bolette and Balmoral; Borealis is adults only.
Relaxed: casual by day (shorts, jeans fine); smart for non-formal evenings; formal nights on some cruises (count not published).
Her Europe sailings, October 2026 to December 2027
28 sailings in Europe on the published schedule, 2 to 98 nights. Tap a start port to see how to get from the airport to the ship.
Where they start
- Southampton , 14 sailings how to get there →
- Liverpool , 14 sailings
What it costs beyond the fare
| Tips for the crew | included; Suites: included; Not added automatically |
|---|---|
| Drinks package | Premium Drinks Package upgrade (price not published); sample bar price Kir Royale GBP 12. |
| Wifi | Paid; e.g. 14+ day packages around GBP 8.00-8.50 per day / GBP 120 (table partially captured; 'subject to change'). |
| Specialty restaurants | Colours & Tastes specialty dining extra (price not published). |
| Money on board | GBP (prices quoted in pounds); not explicitly stated. |
How tipping and money work on a European cruise → · Build a full trip budget →
Her restaurants · 4 included, 1 extra
| Where to eat | Cost |
|---|---|
| Aurora Restaurant | Included |
| Borealis Restaurant | Included |
| The View (casual self-serve) | Included |
| The Poolside (casual) | Included |
| Colours & Tastes (£20 pp pre-booked, £25 on board; rising to £25/£30 for bookings after 5 Jan 2027) | Extra charge |
Which cabin to book, and which to avoid
| Cabin type | Size | Decks |
|---|---|---|
| Owners Suite (OW) | 1181 sq ft | 6, 7 |
| Premier Suite (PS) | 568-644 sq ft | 6, 7 |
| Balcony Suite (BS) | 280-290 sq ft | 6, 7 |
| Balcony Junior Suite (BJ) | 280-290 sq ft | 6, 7 |
| Single Balcony Suite (JB) | 244-283 sq ft | 6, 7 |
| Terrace Cabin (TC) | 218 sq ft | 3 |
| Superior Ocean View (B) | 214 sq ft | 1, 2, 3, 6 |
| Superior Ocean View (C) | 190 sq ft | 1, 2, 3, 6 |
| Ocean View (D, E) | 214 sq ft | 1, 2, 3, 6 |
| Single Ocean View (K) | 190 sq ft | 1, 2, 3, 6 |
| Porthole Ocean View (F) | 140-214 sq ft | 1, 2 |
| Interior (G, H, I) and single interiors (M, N) | 182 sq ft | 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 |
Good to know before you pick
- Plan key has symbols for restricted-view and fully restricted-view cabins (lifeboats); check the PDF for which cabin numbers carry them
- Highland Deck 6 cabins at the aft end sit under the Deck 7 aft cabins, not public rooms; Bridge Deck 7 aft cabins sit below the Deck 8 View buffet and Fresco (aft)
- Adapted cabins (wheelchair) and part-accessible (PA) cabins are marked; PA cabins appear on decks 1, 2 and 3
- Interior and single cabins sit on decks 1 and 2 (Coral and Marina)
If you use a wheelchair or walk with difficulty
Adapted suites (e.g. Premier Adapted Suite) are listed on the ship page; no total count printed Wheelchair users who cannot board a vehicle unassisted usually cannot join organised tours; mobility devices over 25 kg cannot go ashore unless an air bridge is used or the device can be dismantled. Elevators: Three lift banks (forward, midship, aft) on decks 1-8; Sports Deck 9 has the midship bank only Our accessibility guide →
Find your way around
Our own deck plans, drawn from the line's official plan: tap a deck to see it from above, with what's at the front, middle and back of the ship. Use “Find on board” to light up every deck with a pool, a bar or a restaurant. Not to scale.
- Deck 10 · Sun Deck , Sun deck (midship section); Sun deck (aft section)
- Deck 9 · Sports Deck , Observatory; Retractable roof (over pool); Sports Courts; Olsen Art Studio
- Deck 8 · Lido Deck , Fitness Centre; Atlantis Spa; Poolside Cafe; Jacuzzis; Swimming Pool; Lido Bar; Tea & Coffee Stations; View Buffet Restaurant; Fresco; Pediluvio
- Deck 7 · Bridge Deck , The Bridge; Cabins
- Deck 6 · Highland Deck , Lookout (observation area); Cabins
- Deck 5 · Lounge Deck , Neptune Balcony; Sea Cove Shop; Future Cruise Information; Ocean Bar; Floral Blooms Shop; Boutique; Morning Light Pub & Lounge; Piano Bar; Card Room; Bookmark Cafe; Botanical Room; Serenity Tea Room; Earth Room; Indian Ocean Room; Arctic Room; Aurora Restaurant
- Deck 4 · Main Deck , Forecastle (observation area); Neptune Lounge; Photo Gallery; Guest Services; Destination Services; Auditorium; Colours & Tastes Restaurant; Borealis Restaurant
- Deck 3 · Promenade Deck , Forecastle access; Cabins
- Deck 2 · Coral Deck , Cabins
- Deck 1 · Marina Deck , Medical Centre; Cabins
What to book, and when
Booking, check-in and reservations
Non-refundable deposit 15% at booking for cruises up to 27 days (28+ days: deposit plus further 15% at 180 days). Shore tours cancellable free up to 4 working days before departure.
Tips for her Europe sailings
Small ships sailing from UK ports (Southampton, Liverpool and others) and fly-cruises to the Mediterranean.
The ship in numbers
- Cruise line
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
- Kind of ship
- Premium
- Built
- 1997
- Guests
- 1,360
- Crew
- 650
- Cabins
- 702
- Gross tons
- 61,849
- Length
- 238 m (781 ft)
- Width
- 34 m (113 ft)
- Flag
- Bahamas
- Class
- Borealis/Bolette pair (ex-Holland America Rotterdam and Amsterdam)
- Ship number
- IMO 9122552
- Sister ships
- Bolette
- In Europe 2026–27
- Adriatic, Northern Europe & Baltic, Norwegian Fjords, British Isles, Iceland, Canary Islands & Madeira, Atlantic Coast (Spain, Portugal, France)
Highlights
- 1,299 guests, 702 cabins, 650 crew, per Fred. Olsen
- Two-tier main restaurants, Aurora and Borealis
- Pool deck with retractable roof
- Thermal Suite is for guests over 18
Sources & what we could not confirm · 11 sources · checked 2026-11
- Fred. Olsen: Borealis ship page
- Fred. Olsen: Borealis deck plans page
- Fred. Olsen: Borealis deck plan PDF
- VesselFinder: Borealis (IMO 9122552)
- Fred. Olsen FAQ: tipping
- Fred. Olsen: what's included in the price
- Fred. Olsen: what's included (Freedom Fare)
- Fred. Olsen FAQ: dress code
- Fred. Olsen FAQ: Wi-Fi
- Fred. Olsen FAQ: children
- CruiseTimetables.com: Borealis schedule (independent listing)
- Deck-to-venue placement read from the PDF layout by column position; Aurora Restaurant may sit on deck 4/5 split level
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines: Freedom Fare may differ from basic fare: gratuities quote is from FAQ; whats-included page also lists 'Discretionary gratuities'
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines: Wi-Fi price table only partly captured
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines: Formal-night count
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines: Final payment timing
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines: Smoking locations
- Deck plan: Laundry Room label sits between the Deck 3 and Deck 2 drawings (aft); deck not certain
- Deck plan: Bolette assumed to share this layout as sister ship; this plan is titled Borealis only
- Deck plan: Which specific cabins carry restricted-view symbols was not read (symbols are a custom font glyph)