Tag Archives: Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines puts shipbuilding programme on hold

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The boss of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines said its shipbuilding programme has been put on hold amid high prices for slots in yards across the world.

Chairman Fred Olsen Jnr revealed in 2018 that the line was looking to place an order for a 600-passenger ship to expand to its existing four-ship fleet.

Olsen Jnr, pictured, said it was “not all doom and gloom” as the line had refurbished ships Braemar, Balmoral and Black Watch last year and plans to revamp Boudicca this autumn.

“We had a serious look last year at a small ship,” he said. “We are staying calm for the moment. We do have a shipbuilding programme, but the prices are high in the shipyards.”

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines targets ‘exploration’ cruise growth

Managing director Peter Deer, who took over from Mike Rodwell last year, said it was his job to put the concept together and persuade Olsen Jnr and his family to invest in a new vessel.

However, he added: “We know that the moment is not right today. We are getting better with creativity but it will take some time before we get there with that. Bear with us, we are going in the right direction.”

Meanwhile, Braemar was prevented from docking in La Romana in the Dominican Republic last week due to “a small number of influenza-like cases on board”.

Olsen Jnr admitted that the line was working hard to provide reassurance to customers over the spread of coronavirus during these “troubling times”.

“We’re trying to provide reassurance so that they do not get scared,” Olsen Jnr said. “We just need to reassure the public and tell them to go and enjoy their holiday.”

The line has launched a new “booking reassurance guarantee”, allowing passengers to cancel their cruise for free and change to another sailing in the same year.

The deal applies to new bookings made from March 4 until May 5.

“It is important that we work together so people continue to travel,” Deer added. “Risk is everywhere…let’s carrying on cruising.”

 

UPDATE- MSC Cruise Statment

STATEMENT REGARDING MSC OPERA

04/03/2020

UPDATE: 04 MARCH 2020

Health Authorities in Austria today informed us that a passenger of Austrian nationality, who had cruised with us on MSC Opera in the East Mediterranean from 17 to 28 February, tested positive yesterday, 3 March, for COVID-19. This passenger returned directly to Austria through northern Italy on 28 February immediately after disembarking from his cruise in Genoa, Italy.

MSC Opera earlier today arrived in Piraeus, Greece, and we promptly informed the Greek Health Authorities about this reported case and asked for their guidelines. We requested at the same time that passengers, as a precautionary measure, remained on board while awaiting guidance from the local authorities.

We shared with the local health authorities the ship’s full medical records as well as the medical and travel history records of the former Austrian passenger.

The Greek health authorities gave MSC Opera permission around 13:00 CET to sail from Piraeus, Greece, and continue its journey to its next scheduled port in Corfu, Greece. No additional health measures were required to be taken and the ship is currently sailing as planned.

There are no passengers or crew members currently on board the ship who have reported any flu-like symptoms.

The health and safety of our passengers and crew will always remain our top priority.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines unveils new patchwork livery on flagship ‘Balmoral’ to raise awareness of Suffolk Hospice campaign

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Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has unveiled a bright new patchwork livery on its flagship, Balmoral, to help to raise awareness of a fundraising campaign in aid of Suffolk-based St Elizabeth Hospice – ‘Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk’.

In line with the Fred. Olsen ethos of continual improvement and upgrading of its fleet, Balmoral has been adorned with an eye-catching new patchwork livery. The vibrant pattern was chosen by Peter Deer, Commercial Director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, to reflect the cruise line’s support of the ‘Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk’ campaign, based around the children’s picture book character, ‘Elmer the Patchwork Elephant’, created by David McKee.

The ‘Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk’ art project – to raise funds for Ipswich’s St Elizabeth Hospice – will be bringing 55 large Elmer sculptures and 85 ‘young Elmers’ to the county town in Summer 2019, and follows on from the hugely successful ‘Pigs Gone Wild’ trail in 2016. The Parade is once again being run in conjunction with public art event specialists, Wild in Art, and new partner, Andersen Press, who have published ‘Elmer’ for 30 years.

Starting with its flagship, Balmoral, the unique patchwork design will be rolled out across Fred. Olsen’s three other ocean ships – Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch – over the coming months.

Fred. Olsen has commissioned its own ‘top secret’ sculpture for the campaign, designed by talented Trimley artist, Angela Ashford. The ‘big reveal’ of Fred. Olsen’s design will take place when the ‘Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk’ art trail gets underway officially on 15th June 2019.

Peter Deer, Commercial Director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines said:

“St Elizabeth Hospice provides a vital service within our community, and has provided invaluable support to many of our colleagues and their families over the years, so we are so proud to be supporting ‘Elmer’s Big Parade Suffolk’ as our major local charity campaign in 2019.

“The Hospice needs to generate £10.5 million to run every year, less than a quarter of which comes from the NHS. While we are already sponsoring and commissioning our very own Elmer sculpture for this Summer’s ‘Big Parade’, we wanted to go one step further and do more to promote the work of the Hospice and just how important this campaign is – and what better way to catch everyone’s attention than by showcasing the bold, bright patchwork colours of Elmer on our beautiful flagship, Balmoral, and across the rest of our cruise fle