Parsman Posted January 17, 2018 #1 Share Posted January 17, 2018 Has anyone seen any statement from FOCL as to what work is planned for the "Boucicca" 15-day dry-dock in March? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Coulter Posted January 20, 2018 #2 Share Posted January 20, 2018 There are some details here: https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles.cfm?ID=521#fredolsen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsman Posted January 20, 2018 Author #3 Share Posted January 20, 2018 Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mcadams Posted February 4, 2018 #4 Share Posted February 4, 2018 Having just been on this vessel in South Africa was told by an officer the dry docking is primary for engine/shaft/hull inspection, other works will be superficial as she is only there for two weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SausPud Posted February 7, 2018 #5 Share Posted February 7, 2018 I hear she is getting a trampoline park, mini golf course, ice cream parlour, cooking school kitchens, laser quest, 4d cinema, 6 new restaurants, UHD TV in all suites, robot bartenders and a Marvel/DC kids club. Sorry wrong thread, she isn't getting any of those nice things, nevermind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tring Posted February 7, 2018 #6 Share Posted February 7, 2018 I hear she is getting a trampoline park, mini golf course, ice cream parlour, cooking school kitchens, laser quest, 4d cinema, 6 new restaurants, UHD TV in all suites, robot bartenders and a Marvel/DC kids club. Sorry wrong thread, she isn't getting any of those nice things, nevermind. Good to see someone has a sense of humour, been a bad day, needed the laugh :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsman Posted February 8, 2018 Author #7 Share Posted February 8, 2018 I hear she is getting a trampoline park, mini golf course, ice cream parlour, cooking school kitchens, laser quest, 4d cinema, 6 new restaurants, UHD TV in all suites, robot bartenders and a Marvel/DC kids club. Sorry wrong thread, she isn't getting any of those nice things, nevermind. Great comments. I likes it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlajr Posted March 2, 2018 #8 Share Posted March 2, 2018 I hear she is getting a trampoline park, mini golf course, ice cream parlour, cooking school kitchens, laser quest, 4d cinema, 6 new restaurants, UHD TV in all suites, robot bartenders and a Marvel/DC kids club. Sorry wrong thread, she isn't getting any of those nice things, nevermind. Damn, that's funny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mayflower1306 Posted March 3, 2018 #9 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Very relieved to hear that this list of 'facilities' is a joke. Booked on Boudicca in June and was thinking of cancelling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SausPud Posted March 5, 2018 #10 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Boudicca will have a new space called the 'Oriental Room', where exotic teas will be served, and the ship's 'Heligan Room' will have an Indian Ocean themed décor. Meanwhile, the Marquee Bar will have a full juice bar with a fresh fruit smoothie menu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_uk Posted March 15, 2018 #11 Share Posted March 15, 2018 Boudicca will have a new space called the 'Oriental Room', where exotic teas will be served, and the ship's 'Heligan Room' will have an Indian Ocean themed décor. Meanwhile, the Marquee Bar will have a full juice bar with a fresh fruit smoothie menu. Fred Olsen have announced today that the Heligan Room will in fact be converted into a speciality restaurant. Here's a quote from an email from FO: "The Heligan Room will be converted into the ‘Indian Ocean Restaurant’, with an Indian Ocean theme, offering the same style of imitate dining space as sister ship Black Watch’s ‘Orchid Room". Other work will include the resting of the Morning Light pub, new carpets and fittings in cabins, and the creation of the Oriental Tea Room "serving exotic teas and other Oriental specialities, with a Far Eastern influence and exotic décor". Just as a matter of interest, what do Fred. regulars feel about the conversion of these spaces into speciality restaurants and other additional-cost facilities? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nb125 Posted March 15, 2018 #12 Share Posted March 15, 2018 I think it is inevitable in line with all cruise lines who want you to spend on board. The difference is that other cruise lines have lower ticket prices so need to make up the difference with all the add-ons. Fred is already far too expensive without spending more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marylizcat Posted March 15, 2018 #13 Share Posted March 15, 2018 Fred Olsen have announced today that the Heligan Room will in fact be converted into a speciality restaurant. Here's a quote from an email from FO: "The Heligan Room will be converted into the ‘Indian Ocean Restaurant’, with an Indian Ocean theme, offering the same style of imitate dining space as sister ship Black Watch’s ‘Orchid Room". Other work will include the resting of the Morning Light pub, new carpets and fittings in cabins, and the creation of the Oriental Tea Room "serving exotic teas and other Oriental specialities, with a Far Eastern influence and exotic décor". Just as a matter of interest, what do Fred. regulars feel about the conversion of these spaces into speciality restaurants and other additional-cost facilities? I think you may possibly have misinterpreted this statement. I think they have just redecorated the Heligan Room, not turned it into an extra cost restaurant, as they compare it to the Orchid Room on Black Watch, which is not an extra cost restaurant. When the ship sails full, they need this space for regular diners. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SausPud Posted April 6, 2018 #14 Share Posted April 6, 2018 Well the work is done, she has sailed out of dry dock and is cruising the seas again, but I can't find any new reviews or pictures of any new venue looks. Hoping that this might bump this thread and someone who comes off the first cruise can post something. If not I will have to wait until my cruise in August. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nb125 Posted April 6, 2018 #15 Share Posted April 6, 2018 I doubt the work is done yet. As with all the other Fred re-fits the work started on the cruise before dry dock and continued on at least one cruise after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marylizcat Posted April 6, 2018 #16 Share Posted April 6, 2018 Well the work is done, she has sailed out of dry dock and is cruising the seas again, but I can't find any new reviews or pictures of any new venue looks. Hoping that this might bump this thread and someone who comes off the first cruise can post something.If not I will have to wait until my cruise in August. Yes, we returned from her first post-refit cruise on Tuesday. She is looking very smart with all new soft furnishings everywhere. The area in front of the old Heligan Room has had a bar added to it and been rethemed as the Morning Light Pub. Very nice except that the new chairs are very uncomfortable, either far too high so your feet dangle, or too low and deep needing another cushion at your back! Doubt anybody ever tried them out! The Indian Ocean Restaurant is redecorated rather oddly with no obvious connection to the Indian Ocean. Lights are fluorescent tubes which change colour. Possibly they will add some ‘Indian Ocean’ pictures to the walls later. It is still part of the included main dining room, not an extra cost restaurant. The new Oriental Tea Room looks very nice, if somewhat impractical with a lot of white in the chair covers. However I don’t really get the point as you could already get speciality teas and coffees in the Bookmark Cafe. I am afraid I didn’t take any photos, but I expect Fred will be posting some soon. They were still working on the pool area, but I doubt that affected too many people! We had a great cruise - it was a Mystery one. We called at Ghent, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marylizcat Posted April 8, 2018 #17 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Is there anything else you would like to know, SausPud? Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SausPud Posted April 8, 2018 #18 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Is there anything else you would like to know, SausPud?Sent from my iPad using Forums With the new tea room, does that mean no more afternoon tea in the observatory lounge and now in that room instead? Or is this an extra tea room, for all day tea drinking at an extra cost? What was the prices like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marylizcat Posted April 8, 2018 #19 Share Posted April 8, 2018 With the new tea room, does that mean no more afternoon tea in the observatory lounge and now in that room instead? Or is this an extra tea room, for all day tea drinking at an extra cost?What was the prices like? I believe the extra cost afternoon tea will continue to be in the Observatory, as there were still signs about it being offered there. However our cruise was a bit unusual because due to the ‘mystery’ theme, they had murder mystery afternoon teas, which were held in the Indian Ocean Restaurant and not the Observatory. I imagine this was because the layout of the Observatory would mean not everybody would have been able to see the actors. Incidentally, we attended one and it was great fun. The Oriental Tea Room is indeed for all day tea drinking at extra cost. Afraid I didn’t inspect the price list. The free tea is fine for me! I didn’t notice anybody actually drinking tea there, although they do in the Bookmark Cafe and the Lido Lounge which the Cafe also serves. I suspect the Oriental will just continue to be used as a bar mainly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SausPud Posted April 8, 2018 #20 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Thank you. I will investigate further on my cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SausPud Posted April 12, 2018 #21 Share Posted April 12, 2018 Just spoken to Fred Olsen HQ and new pictures and a video, plus updated deck plans will be available on their website by the end of the month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsman Posted April 22, 2018 Author #22 Share Posted April 22, 2018 I was on the recent cruise to the German Waterways. The ship was in good shape but, as usual, the work that should have been done eg laying new carpets was still in full action. A couple of extra days in dry-dock and this nuisance could have been avoided. It isn't too clear what the Indian Ocean dining room will become. The decor looks rather dreary. Notwithstanding these comments the ship was in good shape and it was an excellent cruise in lovely weather - warm enough to use the swimming pool on several occasions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SausPud Posted April 22, 2018 #23 Share Posted April 22, 2018 I was on the recent cruise to the German Waterways. The ship was in good shape but, as usual, the work that should have been done eg laying new carpets was still in full action. A couple of extra days in dry-dock and this nuisance could have been avoided. It isn't too clear what the Indian Ocean dining room will become. The decor looks rather dreary. Notwithstanding these comments, the ship was in good shape and it was an excellent cruise in lovely weather - warm enough to use the swimming pool on several occasions. Due to costs and timings for dry docks, sometimes these "little" extras are done at sea. Even when building a new ship, they take it out to sea and are still fitting fixtures. The Indian Ocean Dining Room, is just that, another MDR venue style. Just like Tintagel and Four Seasons. Nothing special, just a different look in style and decor. This is Fred Olsen's official description: Indian Ocean restaurant A new addition for 2018, the Indian Ocean restaurant takes the place of The Heligan Room as the smallest dining venue on board Boudicca. Refreshed with new décor and furnishings, this venue still offers the same fantastic five-course á la carte meals served in the larger Four Seasons and Tintagel restaurants, but in an intimate, Indian Ocean-themed setting. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a romantic dinner for two, or an extra special dining experience with a group of friends and loved ones. Enjoy stunning views, great company and exquisite food in a cosy, comfortable and relaxing setting while our friendly waiters take care of everything for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marylizcat Posted April 22, 2018 #24 Share Posted April 22, 2018 I was on the recent cruise to the German Waterways. The ship was in good shape but, as usual, the work that should have been done eg laying new carpets was still in full action. A couple of extra days in dry-dock and this nuisance could have been avoided. It isn't too clear what the Indian Ocean dining room will become. The decor looks rather dreary. Notwithstanding these comments the ship was in good shape and it was an excellent cruise in lovely weather - warm enough to use the swimming pool on several occasions. Where were they laying carpets? Didn’t see any of that on our Easter cruise. Don’t understand your comment about what the Indian Ocean ‘will become’. It won’t become anything, as I previously advised, it remains one of the main dining rooms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsman Posted April 24, 2018 Author #25 Share Posted April 24, 2018 Where were they laying carpets? Didn’t see any of that on our Easter cruise. Don’t understand your comment about what the Indian Ocean ‘will become’. It won’t become anything, as I previously advised, it remains one of the main dining rooms. Carpet laying continued for some days on decks 8 and 9 and I think on 7 too on the German cruise. As it was very much a sight-seeing cruise with little time at sea the contractors, not FOCL staff, assumed that this would be an ideal time to carry out the work. It was a minor annoyance but no great problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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