In his regular column for Cruise Trade News, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines head of sales Geoff Ridgeon celebrates the line’s return to service.

We did it – we have now officially resumed sailing. It has taken 16 months, a lot of chopping and changing, countless square metres of new carpets and a shed load of coffee for both the teams in the office and on our ships, but we made it.

Setting sail again after such a long pause is a milestone enough on its own, but we at Fred Olsen have done it with a new ship – and a second to follow very soon.

Borealis set sail on her maiden voyage from Liverpool on 5 July, offering a new type of cruising for our guests – scenic only. Sure, we have offered scenic sailings before, but only scenic? This is new to us and our guests.

Of course, we are extremely excited – and extremely proud – to be setting sail with two new ships among the fleet. But it is much bigger than just us. It is a great for our industry as a whole. It shows that we have invested in our futures.

The bigger picture

We are not alone on the new ship front, with MSC Cruises sailing with its new ship MSC Virtuosa, and P&O Cruises with Iona. Together, we all form part of the bigger picture, showing how we have evolved.

The industry has bounced back stronger, providing something new for our guests, using this time to take stock and assess every element of what we do.

Using our new ships, Bolette and Borealis, as an example, we will still offer the small-ship experience that our guests know and love, with our wonderful crew at the heart of it all. But we have these fantastic new ships that will enhance the experience on board and bring new opportunities to our fleet.

Guests aboard Borealis right now can enjoy new specialty dining venues, Vasco and Colours & Tastes, a beautiful two-tiered theatre for evening entertainment, and The Auditorium where we can do live cookery sessions.

We have had great fun refurbishing Borealis, adding the Fred Olsen touches. Every brand will be doing the same right now.

New ships offer a unique sales opportunity. People love a ‘first’ – whether that’s being the first to sail on a new ship, or trying cruising for the first time altogether. It makes people feel special, like they are part of a wider community. So, shout about all the opportunities that we have in the industry this year – new ships, new venues, new sailings.