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FRED. OLSEN CRUISE LINES BALMORAL - CIRCUMNAVIGATING THE UK
What better way to explore
the UK than to leave the driving to someone else. A ship’s captain aboard
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Balmoral, to be specific. With 1350 passengers, the Balmoral is still
compact enough to offer up Fred.Olsen’s trademark intimate, homey
atmosphere. Comfortable cabins, world-class cuisine, and diverse onboard
activities provided the perfect way to spend nine nights exploring the diverse
countries of England, Ireland, and Scotland.
Departing from Dover, England, the first port of call was St. Peter Port, the picturesque capital of Guernsey in the Channel Islands. Highlights here included Castle Cornet, the Shipwreck Museum, the Underground Military Museum, and Hauteville House, the home where Victor Hugo wrote Les Miserables.
From there, on to Dublin with the cobbled grounds of Trinity College, all things books from around the world at Chester Beatty Library, the landscaped escapes of Merrion Square and St. Stephen’s Green, the religious wonders of Christ Church and St. Patrick’s cathedrals, the eclectic shopping and dining of Temple Bar and Grafton Street, and the thirst-quenching pint at the beer-lover’s Disneyland of Guinness Storehouse.
Next up was Douglas on the Isle of Man, with its Victorian architecture and charming seaside promenade. Greenock, Scotland was the next port of call and is the gateway to Scotland’s biggest city, Glasgow. Because of inclement weather, we decided to stay onboard and explore our floating resort. From a fully-equipped fitness center to varied pubs and lounges to shopping in the boutiques to steamy hot tubs to a well-stocked and comfortable library and internet center, we enjoyed the day on our own and never ran out of things to do.
Our itinerary took us past
the rugged and sheer beauty of the Hebrides enroute to our next port of Kirkwall
in the Orkney Islands. A “Gardens of Orkney” shore excursion offered
by Fred.Olsen took us to several stunning in-full-bloom gardens in and out
of town, the Stonehenge-like Standing Stones of Stenness, and free time in
Kirkwall to explore St. Magnus Cathedral, Earl’s Palace, Bishop’s
Palace, and the Orkney Museum.
Our last port was Invergordon and a tour of the Glenmorangie Distillery. The scotch whiskey in Scotland is such a integral part of the country’s heritage and it was fascinating to have a chance to witness how it’s made (and been made since 1843) and taste a ‘wee dram’.
Our circle was completed once we saw the stunning white cliffs of Dover. Certainly a symbolic ending to a mystical voyage.