Borealis, 5 Night Cuisines & Culture of French Cities ex Southampton, England Return

Our Journey Planners have designed this cruise to showcase charming old towns in France, including Honfleur’s picturesque Vieux-Bassin, surrounded by colourful buildings, and – reached via Pauillac – Bordeaux’s elegant architecture, neoclassical facades and spacious squares in its historic centre. Embrace the French lifestyle by visiting Bordeaux’s vineyards, tasting renowned wines, and exploring the pretty village of Saint-Émilion. In Honfleur, indulge in Normandy treats like calvados and camembert amidst an abundant art culture inspired by artists like Claude Monet. Each of your destinations offers medieval history, from Bordeaux’s city walls and gates to Honfleur’s medieval churches and timber-framed houses.

Bearing a name that previously bestowed an Olsen-owned vessel in the 1940s, and inspires thoughts of the Aurora Borealis, elegant Borealis proudly connects with, and represents, our founding family’s history and Norwegian heritage. Stylish, spacious and comfortable, with capacity for fewer than 1,400 guests, she’s in keeping with our commitment to offering a more traditional style of cruising.

But while Borealis’ capacity is smaller than many cruise vessels, she’s still one of the largest ships, by size, in our fleet. On board Borealis you’ll find you’re never overcrowded. There is always ample room in which to indulge yourself in the stylish dining venues, enjoy a glass of your favourite tipple and fantastic entertainment at the bars, lounges and theatres, and while away the hours by the all-season pool. And of course, with our friendly staff providing our typical level of personal, attentive service, there’s an intimate feel to the on board experience too.

Borealis features eleven stylish, spacious and comfortable bars and lounges, providing plenty of choice and variety.

While each Fred. Olsen ship has its own distinctive personality, across the fleet you’ll find a consistent approach to bar and lounge themes which help to create the familiar, home-from-home feel that our guests know and love to enjoy time and time again. Every public area has plenty of space in which to relax and make the most of your time on board – this is the case for both Borealis and her sister ship, Bolette.

There's an undoubted sense of occasion to dining in Borealis' main restaurant, a grand two-tiered venue featuring classical, elegant décor and a variety of seating options and table sizes, perfect for both intimate and large group dining. Guests can choose to dine in one of the smaller supplementary dining venues too, or perhaps at the more relaxed buffet restaurant.

You'll find that there's plenty to keep you entertained during the day on board Borealis, whether you prefer to while away the hours relaxing or engaging your body and mind. The ship's facilities include two swimming pools, two jacuzzis and an impressive spa with a Thermal Spa, Aroma Room, Hydro Pool, two saunas and nine treatment rooms, while there are tennis and basketball courts and a Culinary Theatre – which hosts fantastic cookery classes and demonstrations – too.

When the lights go down and you settle into your evening, we'll treat you to a selection of live shows ranging from music and cabaret to quick-fire stand-up comedy, all enjoyed in the space and comfort of our stylish lounges and theatres. And, of course, throughout the ship you can sit, relax and enjoy a glass of your favourite tipple accompanied by the gentle sounds of live acoustic music.

As a family-run cruise line, Fred. Olsen really take your experience personally. While the cruise industry has gone for bigger ships, brimming with more and more people, they have always believed that smaller is better. They treat passengers as guests, they dock at smaller ports in more interesting places and they avoid overcrowding both aboard and ashore. At capacity, their smaller ships will only ever sail with between 900 and 1,400 guests.

They have a small team of specialist itinerary planners. They take great pride in handcrafting each journey, to ensure they show you hidden gems as well as highlights on each of their sailings. It is a passion that has won them the Cruise Critic award for Best Itineraries for five consecutive years.

With Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, you can cruise from seven regional UK ports to hundreds of destinations worldwide in the classic style and comfort aboard their smaller-sized ships.