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General Information
YOUR HOLIDAY PRICE : WHAT ’ S INCLUDED
• Accommodation on board
• All meals and snacks throughout your cruise
• Complimentary tea and coffee at selected venues
• All entertainment and sports and leisure facilities
• Flights , when booked and paid for as part of a fly-cruise holiday
• All port taxes for UK ports , Scottish ports of call and UK airport departure taxes ( where collectable in advance )
• Porterage on board
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
• Travel to / from your port or airports
• All drinks on board ( optional ‘ All Inclusive Package ’ available on selected cruises )
• Shore Tours
• Hairdressing , health , beauty treatments , and selected fitness classes
• Personal laundry and dry cleaning
• Passports and visa costs
• Holiday Insurance
• Government levies or taxes introduced after publication of this brochure
• Discretionary gratuities to the crew , drivers , guides , etc . on board and ashore
• Evening dining at The Grill restaurant
• Chocolates and beverages from the The Bookmark Café
HOW MUCH LUGGAGE CAN I TAKE ?
Luggage Allowance
Your luggage allowance will vary depending on the type of cruise you have booked . If you are sailing from a UK port 200lbs ( 90kgs ) of luggage is allowed . For safety reasons no one piece should weigh more than 20kgs . On fly-cruises , your allowance will be subject to the conditions imposed by the air carrier and will vary from airline to airline . On scheduled air services , the free baggage allowance in economy class is normally 20kgs . On Fred . Olsen operated charter flights , the allowance again varies from airline to airline and is subject to change at the start of each flycruise season . You will be advised of the allowances on your flight prior to your fly-cruise . Please note excess baggage charges apply . Please check when booking and on receipt of your holiday tickets . Always pack your travel documents , valuables , fragile items and any medication for your journey in your hand luggage . We strongly recommend that you carry dress / suit carriers as hand baggage since these can get damaged when passing through the room baggage scanners . Some UK ports will actually insist upon you carrying these on board . Prohibited items To ensure a safe and secure environment for our guests and crew , there are strict regulations regarding items that may be considered to be an offensive weapon ( in particular knives , including skean-dhu ’ s with a blade of over 7cm ). Any item found will be confiscated . Alcohol brought on board will be confiscated and returned to you prior to disembarkation . If you have any concerns about items that are prohibited , please check clause 7.2 of our Terms and Conditions for full details .
UK DEPARTURE PORTS
Our aim is to make joining your cruise as easy as possible , so our ships sail from ports around the UK . The use of smaller ports which have fewer cruise departures does mean that guest facilities at some of these locations are very limited and not comparable to the larger south coast cruise ports . For your own comfort we therefore ask that you follow the check-in times ( not embarkation times ) detailed on your final holiday documentation , sent to you within two weeks of your sailing date .
PROXIMITY OF DESTINATIONS
In all our ports of call , we aim to dock the ship as closely as we can to the destination . Often we will be walking distance or a short bus ride from the local centre . A shuttle bus may sometimes be provided , either by Fred . Olsen or the local port authority ( a nominal fee usually applies ). It is sometimes the case that the port is further away . Where this arises , it may be necessary to book a tour to visit the main destination ( although it may also be possible to travel there by taxi or public transport ). This is shown as “ from ” within the cruise itinerary ( for example , “ Oporto [ from Leixoes ]”). We aim to keep these instances to a minimum .
FOREIGN CURRENCY SERVICE
Fred . Olsen Cruise Lines have appointed City Forex ( FCA id 524412 ), a specialist provider of foreign exchange services , as preferred
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supplier of foreign currency for all our ships . City Forex offer a unique service for our passengers : order your foreign currency before your cruise departs and it will be available at Guest Services on board at the beginning of your cruise *. |
Advantages of this service include :
• Highly competitive rates
• No commission charged
• Remove the worry of postal deliveries or collecting large amounts of cash from the high street . Your pre-ordered currency will be waiting for you on board
• No exchange rate worries – your rate is fixed at time of order , not collection
• No hidden transaction costs from making purchases using your credit card ashore
• Buy-back guarantee on U . S Dollar , Norwegian Kroner and Euro notes , meaning unused currency can be returned on board at the same rate as purchase
* Service may not be available where cruise embarkation is at a port outside the UK .
CLOTHING
Daytime wear is casual : comfortable shoes are essential for going ashore , sightseeing and walking on deck , and as the sun begins to set , a lightweight jacket or coat is recommended too . During the day , the restaurants request you adhere to an appropriate dress code e . g . no swimwear . Most evenings on board have a smart casual dress code , so you can feel relaxed and comfortable whilst enjoying your dinner . For men , a pair of trousers , chinos or smart dark jeans , coupled with a polo shirt or shirt is perfectly acceptable . Some guests prefer to wear a jacket or tie which is also fine . Ladies ’ wear may range from tailored trouser suits and stylish dresses to casual separates and summer dresses . Please note trainers , t-shirts , shorts and tracksuits are not allowed in the restaurants for evening dining . Depending on the length of your cruise there will be one or more formal evenings whilst you are on board . Men should wear either a dinner jacket or dark suit and tie . Ladies may choose from a range of clothing , from a cocktail style dress to a full-length ball gown . All Fred . Olsen ships have an additional , buffet restaurant that offers a casual-dining option for those guests who do not wish to partake in the formal evenings : the dress code in these restaurants is always smart casual . Hats should not be worn in the restaurants .
WELL-BEING AT SEA
Health & Safety
Whereas we will advise you of any mandatory vaccination requirements for your chosen cruise , health regulations are ever changing . We therefore strongly recommend you consult with your GP or local medical centre at least 12 weeks before departure as they receive regular updated information from the World Health Organisation . In addition , general travel advice is available from the government website www . smarttraveller . com . au . In some countries , general standards of hygiene , care and safety may differ from those in Australia , so when going ashore common sense is the watchword , especially when choosing drinks or sampling local cuisine . At all times we would ask you to pay particular attention to personal hygiene , particularly vigorous hand washing with soap and the additional use of the hand sanitisers found at numerous locations around the vessel .
Medical Facilities
For your peace of mind all our ships have a medical centre offering primary and emergency care , with a doctor and / or nurse on call at all times . The medical centres operate outside of British and European health services and charges are levied for consultations , investigations , prescriptions and room visits . A scale of charges is displayed in each medical centre and charges incurred will be billed to your on board account . We would ask that any guest taking medication bring adequate supplies to last the duration of the cruise . Please ensure you pack medication in your hand luggage if required
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en route to the vessel . All ships have two qualified nurses on board .
Disability / Reduced Mobility
Whereas we warmly welcome guests with disabilities and / or reduced mobility necessitating the use of a wheelchair or scooter , it must be recognised that our fleet is not ideally suited to those fully reliant upon such a device or those unable to climb a stepped gangway . Other than in the larger UK and overseas cruise hubs , an overhead walkway or air-bridge is seldom available , necessitating the use of a stepped gangway to both embark and disembark the vessel . Subject to tides and local port infrastructure , the angle of the gangway can be steep and requires the negotiation of up to 25 steps . In compliance with International Maritime Regulations governing safety of life at sea , we must limit the number of guests requiring assistance , in the event of an emergency that we can safely evacuate . On all vessels this capacity is set at 6 , with the exception of Balmoral , where we permit 12 . Subject to further quotas , additional wheelchairs / scooters may be stored for ‘ use ashore ’ only . Since a holiday afloat is very different to one on land , we strongly recommend you be accompanied by an able-bodied companion . On safety grounds , devices weighing in excess of 25kgs , and that do not dismantle , cannot be carried ashore unless we have the use of an overhead walkway / air-bridge . Under no circumstances will FOCL ’ s staff agree to carry or lift passengers to facilitate embarkation or disembarkation . All wheelchairs / scooters must be advised at the time of booking . Failure to do so may result in refusal at check-in . All wheelchairs / scooters must be presented at check-in and not passed to the baggage handlers with room luggage . Only those rooms indicated as adapted for wheelchair use have private facilities for wheelchair users . Whereas we have four adapted rooms on Braemar , the turning circle into the bathroom from the living area is limited and requires the assistance of the able-bodied companion . We therefore do not recommend the adapted rooms on Braemar to guests who are fully reliant on a wheelchair . Please note that the Sun Decks on Braemar , Boudicca and Black Watch are not served by a passenger lift . Guests will need to climb steps to access the Sun Deck . Furthermore , unless able to board a coach unassisted , it will not be possible for guests to participate in our organised Shore Tours programme . However , our Shore Tours Department may be able to arrange private tours with the use of adapted vehicles . We also politely refer you to the section under ‘ Tender Services ’ in this Gazetteer as well as further useful information on our website http :// www . fredolsencruises . com . au / page / before-you-cruise relating to disability / reduced mobility .
Security
We know that many of you would like friends and family to join you on board prior to sailing but , for security reasons , no visitors are allowed beyond Security either in the UK or abroad . To ensure the comfort and safety of all guests , we reserve the right to disembark anyone failing to comply with our on board policies .
Tender Services
Some ports will require passengers to go ashore by tender , with access down the steps of a gangway . There are 25 steps from the ship to the tender on all our vessels ( except Braemar where there is a maximum of 7 ). Please ask about your particular cruise at the time of booking . On safety grounds wheelchair bound passengers or those requiring more than minimal assistance to board / alight a tender will be prevented from going ashore on these occasions .
Smoking & Electronic Cigarettes On Board
Smoking , including electronic cigarettes , is no longer permitted in any inside deck area . Smoking is however permitted on designated open deck locations and room balconies , except for Terrace Balconies ( grades TS , TC and TK ).
Single Travellers
Our single guests need never be alone on board as we have the reputation of operating the friendliest cruise ships afloat . Our staff will be waiting to greet you from the moment you arrive and special activities will be arranged throughout the cruise to give you the opportunity to meet with fellow single travellers if you wish . Hosts will be on hand on all cruises to make sure our single guests never go too long without a dance partner in the evenings .
Children On Board
If you are travelling overseas with children under the age of 16 for whom you are not the parent or legal guardian , it is a legal requirement that you obtain the written consent of the parent / legal guardian and produce this upon request when checking in at the port / airport . Failure to produce this documentation may result in refusal of passage . Unfortunately , we regret we are unable to accept infants under 6 months of age .
Special Occasions ( including Renewal of Vows )
If you are celebrating a special occasion during your cruise we would
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be delighted to make the occasion even more memorable . Any guest celebrating a birthday during a Fred . Olsen cruise will automatically be presented with a birthday cake at dinner in the formal restaurants . Should you be celebrating a landmark anniversary or birthday , we will even provide a fantastic package with our compliments *. In addition to this we offer a choice of Celebration Packages , including Renewal of Vows , which may be purchased in advance . To find out more about our Celebration Packages please contact your CruiseAbroad Consultant . * Our complimentary celebration packages include Cava and not Champagne . Canapés are not included in the complimentary Anniversary package .
LIFE ON BOARD
Your Accommodation
Accommodation on board is outlined in our Deck Plans ( see links on top of page 30 ) or on our website www . fredolsencruises . com . au . We would be grateful if you would note that with the general exception of suites and rooms on Braemar , Boudicca and Balmoral , there are very few double bedded rooms available . Please ask at the time of booking . In addition to those facilities mentioned in our room descriptions , certain grades of suite accommodation enjoy extra benefits as part of our ‘ Suite Dreams ’ programme . Please check when booking .
Dining
Subject to availability at time of booking we can guarantee your preferred dining option of either first ( 6.15pm ) or second ( 8.30pm ) sitting ( guests booked on an ‘ Anchor Fare ’ basis will need to pay a nominal supplement to secure their preferred dining in advance of sailing ). Table size will remain on a request only basis . When you arrive on board you will find a Restaurant Seating Card in your room , which will advise you of your table number and dining time . This will be your allocated table for the duration of the cruise . The main restaurants are :
• Black Watch – Glentanar Restaurant and Orchid Room
• Boudicca – Four Seasons , Heligan Room and Tintagel Restaurants
• Braemar – Thistle and Grampian Restaurants
• Balmoral – Ballindalloch , Spey and Avon Restaurants
Meal times are as flexible as possible – after all you are on holiday . Breakfast is normally served between 7.15 and 10.00am and lunch between 12.00 and 2.00pm in the main restaurants . A buffet breakfast and lunch will also be served in the Palms Café on Braemar and Balmoral , and weather permitting , The Grill on Black Watch and Boudicca . Most evenings , open sitting evening dining is offered as an informal option in the Garden Café on Black Watch , Secret Garden on Boudicca , and Palms Café onBalmoral and Braemar . On selected evenings , The Grill ( on all ships ) offers good quality food for you to enjoy outdoors , for an additional supplement . Balmoral also has inside seating . This must be pre-booked on board .
Catering For Special Diets .
We will do our best to accommodate most dietary requests on board . We currently cater for vegetarian , low fat , dairy free , gluten and wheatfree diets . All special requests must be specified on the booking form and we will endeavour to source the products required , but cannot guarantee specific brands . ( Some special requests may not be possible due to the location of the vessel and availability at local ports ). Please give us as much notice as possible .
Telephones
Our ships operate satellite telephone systems . All rooms on Black Watch , Boudicca , Braemar and Balmoral are equipped with telephones .
Use Your Mobile Phone On Board
You can now keep in contact with your friends and family when on board . All you need to do is contact your home mobile operator to enable ‘ International Roaming ’ and make sure to take your phone
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