On joining a Fred Olsen cruise, what struck us straight away was how it made us feel special. Whether it was the restaurant waiters and bar staff, the cabin stewardesses, the entertainment team or the ship’s officers, everyone was polite, friendly, and always happy to chat. There seemed a genuine warmth on board – not scripted, not polished, just real. And, yes, it makes you feel special from the very first moment.

Eavesdropping on other travellers’ conversations with the Olsen ship team, this always seemed the case and that calmness and politeness becomes reciprocal. It might sound weird, but I found myself smiling and exchanging pleasantries with everyone.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Perhaps it is due to the size of the Olsen ships. There’s a subtle magic in voyaging aboard a smaller sized ship. Set against the backdrop of today’s mega-liners, Fred Olsen’s Balmoral feels like a hotel gliding on water. Admittedly the weather was perfection and sea calm.

In a world where some ships now hold more people than small towns, Balmoral stands out as perfectly proportioned. She slips into ports with calm assurance, never overwhelming the harbour or swamping the towns she visits.

Lake Bled, Slovenia

Our 10-day cruise began with a flight from Heathrow to Rome, joining the ship at Civitavecchia. From there, we sailed down the coast of Italy, passing the awe-inspiring volcanic island of Stromboli, glided through the Straits of Messina (sadly at night, though still thrilling to imagine) before crossing the Adriatic Sea to Montenegro. From there, we meandered north to Slovenia, then back down the coast to Croatia, finally disembarking in the picture-perfect city of Dubrovnik for our flight home.

It was a perfectly paced journey, every day new, every port sun-soaked and different, each evening gently slipping into the next adventure.

If you prefer to avoid airports altogether, Fred Olsen also offer longer cruises sailing directly from the UK, round-trip. Or you can fly to the Mediterranean, as we did, and step aboard where the sunshine begins. It’s a wonderfully flexible option, and joining the ship in Rome meant every day of our holiday was spent under blue skies and Mediterranean warmth.

One of the first things you notice on a smaller ship is the ease of port days. If the port requires tendering, thousands of passengers from the big liners have to queue and that eats into the shore time. A smaller ship means you swap the long queue for a quick fruit punch on the quayside before stepping down onto the waiting tender to take you back aboard.

Fred Olsen offers a range of optional excursions to suit the different interests (and physical ability) of passengers, all at an additional cost but well worth considering if you like structured days out. We opted for a few stand-out trips: the breathtaking Lake Bled in Slovenia, the charming old town of Budva from the port of Kotor in Montenegro, and the historic Croatian city of Zadar, where the famous Sea Organ hums hauntingly through the waves.

At other stops, we chose to explore independently. Sometimes that meant a slow stroll through local markets or a quiet drink in a harbour café. In Split, the ship docked just a short walk from a local beach, perfect for a swim after sightseeing. That flexibility of choosing when to join a tour or to go it alone and to be able to quickly get off and back on the ship is one of the best things about smaller-ship cruising.

Here’s the thing about Balmoral: you actually get to know people. On a ship of several thousand, you might see the same faces but never exchange a word. On Balmoral, you’ll bump into the couple you met over breakfast, share a drink with someone from your excursion, or find yourself chatting to familiar faces in the lounge.

The Ballindalloch restuarant

Sunny Mediterranean days are made for eating outdoors, and Balmoral gets that just right. At breakfast and lunch, there’s open seating both in the main restaurant and outside on deck. Tables are easy to find, the sea breeze adds seasoning, and you can linger as long as you like.

In the afternoons, light poolside meals are served, and waiters serve drinks, ideal for refuelling between swims. And unlike on those giant ships, there’s no hunt for a sunbed or sofa. The decks never feel crowded, the pools are never packed, and there’s always a quiet corner where you can read, nap, or simply gaze at the horizon.

Evenings on Balmoral are flexible. You can choose your restaurant sitting, early or late, or opt for the self-service buffet, where you eat when and where you like. Breakfast and lunch are restaurant or open seating too, adding to the relaxed rhythm of the day. There are two performances of the nightly shows in the Neptune Lounge, which range from singers to comedians. There are other musicians playing different styles of live music around the ship’s bars and lounges.

For a special evening, we booked a table at Colours and Tastes, a small speciality restaurant offering beautifully presented Asian-fusion dishes for a modest extra charge. And we really enjoyed afternoon tea in the Observatory, with warm scones, and delicate pastries and a panorama sea view, a small paid indulgence that feels like stepping back to a more elegant era. There are also speciality tea tastings and themed treats available for those who enjoy something different.

To make the experience extra special, treat yourself to a visit to the Atlantis Spa. It’s peaceful, professionally run, and offers massages, facials, and treatments. You can also have your hair “done” which seemed popular for the dressy formal night (some chaps dress in black tie, other lounge suits and some people just stay casual for the evening and go to the buffet rather than formal dining). I enjoyed a not to strenuous Thai massage while my partner had his first ever pedicure. My partner said he enjoyed chatting to the charming Mauritian about his experience on previous ships while he manfully tackled his unkempt feet. I did my usual trick and nodded off during the massage – yes, even a Thai massage sends me to sleep.

Sailing past Stromboli, Italy

Fred Olsen also offers a drinks package that covers house spirits, wines by the glass, beers, soft drinks and the daily cocktail, with discounts on other drinks. It’s a great way to simplify things, but with bar prices so reasonable, you’d need to drink a fair bit each day to make it worthwhile.

If, like my companion, you prefer to offset the indulgence with a bit of movement, the gym at the front of the ship is superb, bright, well-equipped, and boasting panoramic views over the bow. He tells me it is hard not to feel inspired when you’re on the treadmill watching the sea stretch endlessly ahead including that view of a smoking volcano. You are more likely to find me one deck above, in the Observatory Lounge, sipping a gin and tonic as the sun dips below the horizon.

Fred Olsen’s other ships, Bolette and Borealis, are slightly larger than Balmoral but still small enough to retain that personable feel. They’re minnows compared with today’s mega-liners, which often carry upwards of 5,000 passengers. Those huge ships may have rollercoasters, waterparks and shopping malls, but they cannot offer the same ease, friendliness and authenticity that you find on Balmoral, and they can overwhelm a smaller port stop. When you are part of hundreds rather than several thousand, you notice the difference in every smile, every mealtime, every port arrival.

So, if you’re weighing up your next Mediterranean cruise, consider this: size really does matter. The Balmoral offers something big ships cannot, space, calm, connection and character. You’ll find yourself waving at familiar faces, chatting with the crew who know your name, and watching sunsets with new friends rather than strangers.

It’s cruising as it used to be, elegant, unhurried, personal, and in the warm glow of the Mediterranean, that’s exactly how it should be.

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Balmoral’s 10 -night L2635 ‘Scenic Gems of Croatia with The Bay of Kotor’ fly-cruise, departing from Valetta on 19^th October 2026. Prices start from £1,749 per person.

• Witness the fjord-like Bay of Kotor from the decks of Balmoral
• Savour local dishes like pašticada and listen to Klapa music
• Explore charming Kotor and smaller ports like Zadar and Kerkira

Itinerary: Fly out from the UK to meet your ship in Valletta – Valletta, Malta – Dubrovnik, Croatia – Split, Croatia – Koper, Slovenia – Zadar, Croatia – Cruising Bay of Kotor, Montenegro – Kotor, Montenegro – Kerkira, Greece – Heraklion, Greece – Fly back from Heraklion to the UK

For more details: Visit Scenic Gems of Croatia with the Bay of Kotor