1160451

That’s interesting 👍

We always book direct with Fred 

Hi. Agree with everything everybody has posted.
To add though Balmoral is our favourite Fred Ship. Well it was, we haven’t been on the two new ones under the Fred Flag.

We always go for midships cabins both ways if you understand. 
As for the Itinerary, we have been on a Northern Lights cruise with Fred on the Boudica. It was fantastic. The Northern Lights we saw on two occasions and I will remember them for the rest of my life. 
The shore excursions were really good.
In fact we are looking at going again Jan 2023.

We use bands and Stugeron if it gets a bit Rocky. 
Freds passenger profile is more to the 55 plus. 
Not as high tech as some other Cruise Company’s but more like an English Country House atmosphere.

Have a great Cruise.

I also agree, used them and was satisfied. Stayed at a Premier inn in Dover night before. 

I’m sorry but all this complaining about the British Night is, in my opinion, typical of the snowflake society we seem to becoming.

If you know what it’s about then don’t go to it. 

Similar to if you don’t like a TV show switch it off.

How long before all the books in the Library are vetted in case some titles offend?

We don’t go to the British Nights as we don’t particularly enjoy them, but we don’t go to Lectures or Bingo or Diamond Sales or Ice sculpting ect ect, but I am sure I could be offended by them if I really really looked.

As many on here will know we Ballroom Dance, and many of the Dances have specific names, heaven forbid we are stopped dancing the Viennese Waltz in case it offends somebody.

 Cruises are meant to be fun and just maybe everybody's idea of fun isn’t the same. 

Was on Oceana two weeks. Superb formal dancing in Atrium every night.

As for discussion about sequence v Ballroom. On a small cruise ship dance floor we always prefer Sequence as at least everybody is dancing in the same line of dance.

 Was a little surprised that not many passengers took the opportunity to dance the less formal type of dancing. Plenty of opportunity but not many took the opportunity. 

Hi. We were in B316, two weeks ago. Excellent. No noise and very stable in 60 knots of wind one night. Would use again.

I mean the original post, not the one directly above. 

If ever there was a post that should be defined as “fishing”, this is it. 

Oh dear. Silly me. Sorry. Oceana. Now looking at B526, but it’s above casino. Read a good report of it tho.

Hi. We are experienced cruisers, so understand how to pick a cabin. But always ask others, when we cruise on a new ship, if there are any hidden problems on particular cabins. Looking at D330. White space above and lounge below. Any help .? Or any suggestions for a decent inside. 

Another question, we are Ballroom Dancers, presume the Attrium is the venue for that. 

Cheers everybody.

Gone and booked for 2 Oct so if I don't like it, all your fault 1160451 ☺ nyet

Sure you will have a good time. We say no such thing as a bad cruise, just some better than others.

Hi ....try to answer your questions.

Dancing.....Fred does cater for Ballroom and Sequence. The stage they refer to goes up and down. So when down it's an adequate floor for a cruise ship. Not compatible to Cunard tho. Ok for Sequence and basic Ballroom if you keep to line of dance.

They have an hour in the evening before the show then between the shows.

They have usually three male dance host plus a lady.

Some cruises it gets too busy on the floor and we don't dance as it's a real pain.

The other lounge upstairs, can't remember it's name, caters for modern stuff later. We have danced jive and Latin tho in that lounge.

As for pricing, it is what it is. You can't compare different itineraries.

Fred are smaller and older ships than some of PandO.

Yes cabins are a little staid compared with some newer ships but always found them ok.

Hard to compare with PandO.

On any cruise people always tell us they enjoy watching people dance so no difference there.

Atmosphere, just depends how you define atmosphere. Fred is sometimes like a Country House and sedate, so that's what some Fred people like. PandO is more "lively" with probably a younger set in comparison.

Fred certainly has better choice itinerary.

Agree tho Fred's prices do seem to be creeping up.

Suggest you read the reviews on the Cruise Critic Reviews section. Also many other reviews.

Would not touch CandM with a barge pole after reading them.

With reviews I ignore the best and the worst and see what the middle of the road say.

Would suggest you stick with PandO.

We book early. Always seem to get a price that we we are happy with. Doesn't matter which line we cruise with.

One of the main reasons we book early is we get what we want with regards to dining and cabin.

How many times have I heard grumbling about cabins from late deal cruisers.

If your happy with the cost when you book it then it's immaterial what happens later, in my opinion.😄

We have cruised with Fred Olsen, RCI, HAL, P and O and Thomson Destiny, Dream and Discovery.

The worst food I am sorry to say was on the Discovery.

Food and Service in MDR was poor.

Still had a good cruise tho.

According to the Brochure I got from the TA last week, it says under Cuba that the visa cost is incorporated into the cruise price.

Try the Roll Call Section. We have been on Fred cruises and met up with people from this forum. Via the Roll Call forum tho.

Impossible to compare as everybody has different requirements. If you liked P and O you may be ok with Thomson. If you really enjoy the formality though of P and O then you will be disappointed with Thomson efforts at formality.

I have read the reviews grumbling about so called "rowdy AI people" on Thomson, ignore them as i ignored the same sort of reviews about the Ventura.

Also we enjoy Fred Olsen and Thomson and P and O.

We are on the same cruise as Deelightful, it's next January.

We have just come off the Dream that went to Eastern Med out of Corfu, fantastic cruise.

Sure you will enjoy .

Went with Fred Olsen last year to Cuba and didn't do anything. Presume the Cruise line sorted it out. So would presume Thomson do the same. We are going with Thomson to Cuba next January. Think it is the same cruise as you.

Hi. The cruise your are looking at is certainly interesting. At 30 you will probably be the one of the youngest on the cruise.

Would say the majority of passengers will be in the range 55ish to 75ish. As are most Fred cruises, except maybe in Summer Holidays.

Balmoral is our favourite Fred Ship by the way.

To be honest we have only been on one Fred cruise where we felt overwhelmed by the amount of "elderly" passengers.

On all other Fred cruises most people just mix in with no reference to age.

We are in our mid sixties.

Fred is a very friendly and relaxing line, on occasions somewhat like an English Country House.

We went to Greenland and Iceland on the Boudicca a few years back and it was a fantastic cruise.

7595 and 7597 are great. Quite and stable although seas were calm in January.

As spacious as most inside cabins. But remember it's not a hotel room, all cabins are small.

Hi Gary. You sound just like us. Enjoy your dancing. Dance like nobody is watching.

We have danced for 10 years now but still stick to the basics.

Hope I didn't sound condescending.

Have a great time, Dancing makes our cruise.

Sorry I didn't answer your two questions. Boudica is similar I think to Black Watch and we have danced on that.

I recall we though there was more room on that than the Breamar.

Yes on all Fred cruisers there are plenty of Dancers. Many are quire experienced.

I admire your enthusiasm, but to expect to learn to dance by going to Dance Classes on a cruise is rather optimistic.

A cruise ship dance floor is very small and to participate in the evening after a couple of dance lessons will be very difficult.

I agree with Coravel. Get yourselves off to a 6 week beginners class before the cruise and you will at least be able to dance in the line of dance.

Also try and learn a basic sequence dance , say a Rumba 1, then you can join in with that.

We have danced now for 10 years and we took lessons for 9 months before we ventured to a Dance Event and mixed with other Social dancers.

It was the best decision we ever made to learn to Dance. We Dance every night on our Cruises.

Happy Cruising and Dancing.