Cruise

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines turn to Blohm+Voss to refit three ships

Baird Maritime
Fred. Olsen's Balmoral will be refurbished before Christmas.

Three of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines' ships will undergo extensive refurbishments before the start of the 2018-19 cruise season.

Managing Director Mike Rodwell said two ships, Braemar and Balmoral, would be refurbished at the Hamburg shipyard of Blohm+Voss before Christmas with the third, Boudicca, to be upgraded in March.

The schedule includes upgrading existing public areas, creating new facilities – such as restaurants and a gelato bar on Balmoral, a dining room on Boudicca and a buffet restaurant on Braemar – and cabin enhancements across the fleet.

The 929-guest ship Braemar will set sail from Southampton on November 23 for a nine-day dry dock at the German shipyard.

Fred. Olsen's 1,350-guest flagship Balmoral will arrive in Hamburg on December 10 for a nine-day dry dock, and the 880-guest ship Boudicca will undergo a 13-day refurbishment from March 16.