Anchors aweigh! A Caribbean cruise aboard the Braemar
And that's exactly what it's like. It's heaven, absolute heaven.
I flew to Miami to board the Braemar. And what a beauty – more petite than the superliners that look like floating blocks of flats, but still huge to me and gleaming white.
Stepping aboard, suddenly, everyone was smiling. The staff, the passengers, everybody. And our smiles didn't drop for the entire trip.
Our 15-night Pearls Of The Caribbean cruise called at the Dominican Republic, Curacao, Isla Margarita, Grenada, Barbados, Antigua, Key West and Miami.
I was given what looked like a credit card which was my cabin key, ID and means of paying for extras like drinks, making the ship cashless – a great security feature.
My twin outside cabin was a cute little number, with two portholes, a single bed, a sofa, a wall-mounted plasma TV, a compact bathroom with a shower, tea and coffee making facilities, a safe, a comfy armchair, a hairdryer, a bowl of fruit and a bottle of wine to welcome me, a big bottle of water (which was a lifesaver after a long flight) – and lifejackets. Yikes ...
Fred. Olsen started as a Norwegian company but its fleet has a distinctly Scottish flavour, with all five ships having Scottish names.
The Braemar can take 986 passengers in 510 cabins and there are around 400 crew. It has seven decks, and last year it was completely refurbished – and stretched. It was cut in half and an extra section was inserted. It's still modest in cruise ship terms, so it needn't anchor out to sea for passengers to get on a "tender" ashore (a little vessel), it just sails right in and docks.
She's a real stunner, classy and elegant, with huge mirrored staircases and trompe l'oeil art. For a while, I just walked around the ship getting my bearings and taking in the grandeur of it all.
We all stood on deck to wave Miami goodbye, and watched pink jellyfish in the water far below. The harbour lights dimmed as we smoothly drifted away.
The Fred. Olsen firm was founded in Norway in 1848 by the three Olsen brothers Peter, Andreas and Fredrik. The firm's now in the hands of the fifth generation of the family, involved in many fields, from offshore drilling to electronics. Fred. Oslen Cruise Lines is now based in the UK.
Fred. Olsen cruises mostly attract British holidaymakers over 50, but there were also younger passengers on board. The firm's cruises are extremely popular with English passengers. The main language on board is English and prices are in sterling.
The company says it strives to create a "home from home" – and that it certainly achieves.
Its biggest asset is its staff. Mostly Filipino, they have the brightest smiles, they remember your name and what you like to drink and they do everything they can to make you have the best holiday possible.
The company has a staggering proportion of repeat visitors, and the Captain told me passengers are stunned when waiters and bar staff not only remember their names from years ago but what cruise they were on and their favourite drink.
My suitcase was delivered to my cabin and there was no need to flap about trying to find the least-creased dress in my case to wear to dinner – the dress code was casual to help us all settle in. (I later found an ironing room on board, which was a godsend).
Dinner is served in the Grampian and Thistle restaurants and less formal dining in the Palms Cafe.
Food-wise, the choice is vast, the service impeccable and the food itself amazing. It's an awesome large-scale catering operation which impressively manages to maintain a personal touch.
I have some special dietary requirements, and impressively myself and everyone else in the same boat (pun intended) such as coeliacs and diabetics were invited to a meeting with the head chef. He reassured us all that the galley was fully stocked to cater (pun intended again) to everyone's needs and implored us to let our waiters know our needs so they could ensure they were met.
That night at dinner, when I was offered the bread basket I asked if there was any wheat-free bread. I was brought some in a flash. And every night after that, when I reached my seat at dinner there was wheat-free bread already on my plate, plus a chilled Diet Coke with no ice, just the way I like it. What an excellent touch.
There was a reassuring lifeboat drill on the first day so everybody knew the emergency procedure.
We had two days at sea before our first port – the perfect way to unwind and acclimatise. Being surrounded by water with no land as far as the eye can see is instantly calming. The sun was shining and the cooling breeze from the ship's movement meant it never got sweltering. It was heaven just drifting gently from deck to deck, saying hello to friendly faces as I went.
Every night when your cabin stewardess turns down your bed and tidies your cabin, next to the chocolate she puts on your pillow is The Daily Times, a mini newspaper packed with details about the next day's dress code at dinner, entertainment, activities and important information, such as whether we needed to adjust our watches.
On board, you can do as much or as little as you want. There's a library, an internet cafe, quizzes, bingo, craft workshops, exercise classes, talks etc. I loved the 4pm quiz at afternoon tea, and wheat-free cakes were swiftly rustled up for me with zero fuss.
The dress code at dinner ranged from a couple of formal nights to more smart-casual. For me, getting glammed up was part of the fun.
The in-cabin TV showed films, the news, a UK news digest and an interactive service which enabled you to browse excursions, choose a pay-per-view film and keep track on anything you charge to your onboard account, such as drinks, excursions and anything you buy from the gift shop (all meals are paid for).
Waking up in a new place every day is exciting enough to make you spring out of bed and fling open the curtains. First stop was Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. I went on the Jeep Safari excursion. We visited a sugar plantation and were given rum to drink and sugar cane to chew. We visited a family home and met the owner and her children, then we were whisked off to a glorious beach for a dip in the sea. It was as warm as bath water.
When you leave a port, "sailaway parties" are a lovely touch, with a band playing as the ship gracefully glides away to the next adventure.
The next day we spent at sea, then we woke up in Willemstad, Curacao, whose Dutch influence can be seen in its colourful buildings. And yes, it's the home of the famous blue liqueur. I went on a Dolphin Encounter excursion and met the charming two-year-old dolphin Chabelita. As my group stood waist-deep in water, the trainers told us all about dolphins as Chabelita swam calmly past us so we could stroke her. Her skin felt like warm, smooth plastic. She and other dolphins later entertained us with a fantastic show which included blindfolding them to show how they use echolocation.
Next stop was Isla Margarita, Venezuela, which has a brilliant market right where you get off the boat selling fabulous jewellery and local handicrafts. I bought some stunning necklaces, which were bargains, and also enjoyed a boat trip through mangroves.
Grenada the next day was my second favourite port. It's so green and lush. A guided coach tour gave us a real insight into island life and took us all over the place. In the afternoon, two new friends and I jumped in a water taxi and went to Grand Anse beach. It was straight out of a Bounty advert – palm trees, talcum powder sand, warm sea and hardly a soul in sight. Sheer bliss.
On board, the nightly entertainment was great, a choice of sing-and-dance numbers and solo performers like a funny comedian.
Before the cruise, I was scared I'd feel seasick. The motion on board ranges depending on the wind and the speed the boat is travelling, but you really do get used to it. I felt fleetingy queezyish a couple of times, and shook it off quickly. But one night before dinner, the ship was pitching and tossing wildly as if we were a cork on the ocean, and I retreated back to my cabin, not sure what to do. I phoned reception, and the kind lady who answered suggested I order green apples and dry crackers from room service. So I did – wheat-free crackers – and it worked! The on-board doctor also has anti-seasickness medication, but I didn't need it.
To ward off an MRSA outbreak on board, staff are extremely vigilant, spraying your hands with anti-bacterial foam when you enter a restaurant or get on or off the ship.
Our last port was Barbados, the most famous Caribbean island, and I had high expectations – which were instantly surpassed.
It's breathtakingly beautiful. No wonder so many celebrities love it.
We zipped around the island on a minibus and had lunch at The Crane hotel high on a clifftop with amazing views of a white-sand beach and crystal clear turquoise sea. What an incredible place.
Every passenger I spoke to on board – every single one – was thrilled to bits with their cruise. Many were Fred. Olsen veterans and lots had come on their own knowing they'd easily make friends as everyone's so friendly.
I was sad to leave. It had been a blissful trip. And even though I was probably a few pounds heavier due to the irresistible food, I felt 10 years younger.
FACTFILE
The Braemar has a similar itinerary this Easter. Cruise BM225, a 15-night fly/cruise, departs on April 2. This cruise has flights from Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle and Belfast to Miami and then visits Dominican Republic, Curacao, Isla Margarita, Grenada, Barbados, St Lucia, Antigua and Key West, returning to Miami. Prices start from £1,488 per person, based on two sharing a twin cabin, including all meals and entertainment on board, return charter flights and port and airport taxes.
The cruise also offers Flagship Golf, Fred. Olsen's exclusive package for golfers. This consists of four rounds of golf ashore at hand-picked courses, on board tuition from a PGA professional, practice sessions and social activity. It costs £400 per player.
Visit www.fredolsencruises.co.uk or call 01473 742424 or see your local ABTA travel agent.
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