Here, ROL Cruise team member Lauren shares a day-by-day account of her time aboard Fred. Olsen'sBorealis:
After months of looking forward to it, our cruise adventure finally arrived! From an easy journey to Southampton to exploring Spanish cities, enjoying great food and entertainment, and meeting some lovely people along the way, it was a trip full of memorable moments.
Day 1 – Embarkation
Our holiday got off to a great start with a smooth drive down to Southampton. Thankfully, there wasn’t much traffic, and the meet-and-greet parking was incredibly easy. We parked up, made our way to the ship, and before we knew it, we were checked in and on board!
We started with a welcome lunch at the buffet before settling into our cabin and exploring the promenade deck. Later, we headed back to get ready for our first evening on board.
Dinner was a real comfort-food feast, with bangers and mash, steak and Caesar salad. Afterwards, we went to watch the 70s show before heading off to bed.
And just like that, our cruise had begun!
Day 2 – At Sea & Formal Night
Our first full day was a sea day, giving us the chance to properly explore the ship and get our bearings.
We wandered around, enjoyed the different areas of the ship and even attempted the afternoon movie quiz. Let’s just say we weren’t exactly quiz champions!
That evening was formal night, so we got dressed up and enjoyed another lovely dinner. The popcorn sundae was absolutely unreal, and the food was fantastic.
One of the nicest parts of the evening was sitting with some lovely people at our dinner table. We got chatting and hit it off really well, which made the evening even more enjoyable.
We finished the night with entertainment in the auditorium, including a performance from Meghan Raynor.
Day 3 – Bilbao
We were up early for a full English breakfast before heading off the ship to explore Bilbao.
Unfortunately, most of the shops were closed, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the city. We wandered around, took in the sights, browsed the fresh fruit stalls and, of course, stopped for some ice cream and snacks along the way.
Back on the ship that afternoon, we had hoped to sunbathe, but the clouds had other ideas! Instead, we enjoyed lunch at the poolside bar, including salads, halloumi and bruschetta — which were absolutely delicious.
Dinner that evening was another highlight: Caesar salad followed by pork belly with crispy crackling. Unreal!
The evening entertainment was musical theatre, which was fantastic, and afterwards we headed to the piano bar to listen to Alex, who was also brilliant.
We eventually sailed away from Bilbao at around 11:30 pm.
Day 4 – Santander
Another early start meant another breakfast before heading off to explore Santander.
There was plenty of shopping, including, of course, a trip to Zara! We also spent time sightseeing, exploring the fountains, local shops and Spanish supermarkets.
After a busy morning, we returned to the ship around 2 pm and spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool and reading. The weather was beautiful, and we got to spend even more time chatting with people we’d met on board.
Dinner was another delicious affair, with truffle and mushroom arancini, herb-crusted pork loin and raspberry sorbet.
We watched Meghan Raynor again in the evening before heading back to the piano bar.
The Final Day – Sailing Home
Sadly, our final day arrived far too quickly.
We made the most of our last day on board by taking part in a quiz on the top deck and, naturally, making another visit to the pizzeria. The pizza was THE BEST!
We also enjoyed a gorgeous final dinner with our table friends, which was a lovely way to finish the trip. After dinner, we headed to the show, which was fantastic, before spending our last evening listening to music in the piano bar.
Eventually, it was time to head to bed for an early night before disembarkation the following morning.
Until Next Time…
Our cruise was the perfect mix of relaxation, sightseeing, great food and entertainment. From wandering around Bilbao and Santander to relaxing by the pool, enjoying evening shows and meeting some wonderful people, there were plenty of highlights.
Now all that’s left is to start thinking about where we’ll go next…
