Fred. Olsen Mini Cruises
For guests who want a proper holiday without giving up a fortnight, a Fred. Olsen mini cruise turns a long weekend into an unforgettable voyage. Running from a single night to five, these short sailings can take you to the best ports in Northern Europe, making the most of just a few nights at sea.
Why Sail on a Fred. Olsen Mini Cruise?
With 175 years of sailing expertise, Fred. Olsen Cruises delivers mini cruises with an attentiveness that is felt straight away rather than earned over a fortnight. Its fleet of characterful, mid-sized ships makes these short itineraries tick, and UK departures mean that even the shortest of holidays begin at the quayside instead of at the end of a long flight.
No matter how short your voyage, nothing onboard is scaled back. Fred. Olsen’s guest speakers, craft classes, deck games, pools and spa, main and speciality restaurants and onboard entertainment all run exactly as they would on a longer sailing. With mini cruises, the cruising experience is exactly the same!
What Are the Best Fred. Olsen Mini Cruise Destinations?
A short voyage covers less ground than a fortnight at sea, but Fred. Olsen’s destinations mean you spend far less time travelling. Here are some of the top destinations that guests can discover with Fred. Olsen mini cruises:
Northern France
Northern France offers guests variety in a short time. Honfleur is a small harbour town of slate-fronted houses around a working basin, the light that drew Monet and Boudin still very much in evidence, and it is compact enough to explore on foot from the ship. Rouen sits further up the Seine, and the journey along the Normandy countryside is a pleasure in itself, ending at a medieval centre of half-timbered streets.
Norwegian Fjords
Five-night breaks make the Norwegian Fjords a realistic long weekend rather than a fortnight's undertaking. Bergen brings the wooden wharf houses of Bryggen and the Fløibanen funicular up Mount Fløyen, while longer itineraries offer Lysefjord beneath Pulpit Rock, the orchards of Ulvik on the Hardangerfjord and Olden’s Briksdal glacier.
British Isles
Scotland is one of the best destinations to explore on a Fred. Olsen mini cruise. Guests can discover Lerwick in Shetland, Stornoway on Lewis for its Callanish standing stones and Ullapool on the mainland coast. In Ireland, Dún Laoghaire is the gateway to Dublin, close enough for a day of Trinity College and the Book of Kells, and Cobh offers Cork's English Market and the gardens of Blarney Castle for a short drive inland.
Germany
Germany’s Hamburg is a city that rewards even the briefest of visits. The Speicherstadt is the world's largest warehouse district and a UNESCO World Heritage Site; its red-brick canals are now home to museums and coffee houses, and the Elbphilharmonie concert hall rises above the water alongside it. December departures land guests among some of the best Christmas markets in Europe, close enough to the berth to walk to.
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Frequently Asked Questions
5-night sailings will have one formal night, while 3- or 4-night sailings will have a Captain's Welcome Party but no formal nights. Sailings of 3 nights or less don't have either.
Yes, and on a short break that is much of the appeal. Southampton, Liverpool and Newcastle all sit within easy reach by road or rail, and secure port parking can be arranged as part of the booking, as can coach travel from a network of regional pick-up points or a hotel stay the night before. Your Cruise Expert can bundle the travel with the cruise so the whole trip arrives as one arrangement.
It depends on the port. Where the ship berths close to the centre, as it does at Honfleur, Bruges via Zeebrugge and Amsterdam, most guests simply walk off and explore on their own, and the onboard team will run through routes and highlights beforehand. Tours earn their keep on the days when the interest lies inland, such as Skara Brae from Kirkwall, the Briksdal glacier from Olden or Blarney Castle from Cobh, where a guided coach makes the difference between seeing it and reading about it.
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Experience a Mini Cruise with Fred. Olsen Cruises
You don’t need a lot of time to set sail on a holiday you’ll never forget. With Fred. Olsen’s mini cruises, you can embark on a voyage that’s short and sweet, visiting some of the world’s best destinations in just a matter of days. Transform any long weekend into a memorable holiday with Fred. Olsen itineraries range from 1 to 5 nights.