Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Named Best for Solo Travelers

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines? Mike Evans, Head of Sales (2nd from right), receives the award from comedian and host, Alex Horne (far right), with Cruise Trade News? Rebecca Barnes and Andrew Say (2nd from left). [Photo: Steve Dunlop]

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has won the title of “Best for Solo Travelers” at the Wave Awards 2018, held at The De Vere Connaught Rooms, London on March 1 – the first time that the awards have acknowledged this cruise category.

Fred. Olsen beat off stiff competition from Crystal Cruises, Hebridean Island Cruises, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection and Voyages to Antiquity. The award was voted for by Real Response Media’s team of industry experts, based on the cruise lines that they feel have excelled and gone “above and beyond” in the experience that they offer to their solo guests.

Chris Pitchford, Managing Director, Real Response Media, said: “The Wave Awards’ is voted for by both the trade and the public, so winners truly are the best of the best. The ‘Best for Solo Travellers’ category was one of the most competitive, as this is such an important area, so to win this accolade is very special.”

Mike Evans, Head of Sales for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We believe that we offer an unrivaled experience to our solo guests, and we do all that we can – both during the booking process and on board our ships – to make the experience for solos as stress-free, friendly and welcoming as possible.”

The accolade builds upon Fred. Olsen’s recent success in the Cruise Critic UK Editors’ Picks Awards 2017, where the cruise line was also acknowledged as “Best for Solo Travelers.”

The relatively small size of Fred. Olsen’s four ocean ships – Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch – along with new river cruise addition, Brabant – and the warm, relaxed atmosphere on board make Fred. Olsen cruises especially attractive for those traveling solo, says the company.

Once on board a Fred. Olsen ship, solo travelers will find gatherings exclusively for them, to enable them to get to know each other, and staff will seat them together for dinner and arrange companions when going ashore, if required. There are also dance hosts and dance couples on board the ships to provide dancing partners for solo guests.

Fred. Olsen has a number of room options available on each of its four ships, with 10 percent of all rooms in the Fred. Olsen fleet being dedicated to solo travelers, one of the highest within the industry. Overall, the Fred. Olsen fleet has 190 dedicated rooms for solo guests: Braemar offers 40, Black Watch and Boudicca each have 43 and Balmoral has 64.