Fred Olsen to bolster 'closer docking' itineraries in 2019

The line says its fleet of smaller ships allow it to dock considerably nearer major attractions and city centres.

Olsen’s aim is to ensure the overwhelming majority of berths are within 1km of its destinations.

Closer itineraries cover the Baltics, Norwegian fjords, western Mediterranean, Greek Islands, Spain, France and Canary Islands.

Martin Lister, Olsen’s itinerary and experience development manager, speaking at the line’s “Closer” trade conference on Monday (April 30), said it was not immediately obvious when booking a cruise just how much time is lost to transit upon arrival.

“Our call duration is just for you,” he said. “There’s no restriction on your time and movement. It’s the best way to make the most out of a destination.”

Lister said Braemar, compared to larger ships, was able to dock up to 1km nearer the centre of Copenhagen, 4km in Helsinki and 7km in Marseille.

During 2019/20, the line will visit 219 destinations across 75 countries, covering 79 scenic cruising areas from Dover, Southampton, Liverpool, Newcastle and Edinburgh - and Clare Ward, Olsen’s director of product and customer services, told attendees the line was already looking at new closer destinations for 2020/21.

However, speaking during a Q&A with her fellow Olsen directors, Ward ruled out a return to Belfast and Dublin: “Two years ago, we reduced our turnaround ports to five, cutting Belfast and Dublin,” she said. “Ideally, we would have one [turnaround] in Ireland, but there’s not the market there.”

The line says 50% of the UK population can reach a Fred Olsen departure within 90 minutes, and Justin Stanton, Olsen sales and marketing director, said removing Belfast and Dublin “hardly changed” this 90-minute reach.

He stressed it was not a decision the line took lightly, but said it allowed Olsen to work more closely with its five remaining ports, including Liverpool.

The directors were also grilled on the line’s decision to increase its own advertising, marketing and branding, and whether this was a precursor to Fred Olsen pursuing more direct sales.

Stanton was quick to placate the room though, stating there was “nothing in his job description” about increasing direct sales.

“It’s two sides to the same coin,” he said. “We have a really consistent brand identity running through everything we do. We are small but we need to be shouting in the market, we have to get our message across.

“We have no particular agenda. When we advertise, it drives business into travel agents. People like dealing with people [agents] face-to-face, particularly when they are spending a lot of money. People buying through travel agents is not going to change anytime soon. If you can piggyback on our advertising, that’s great.

“There’s nothing in my remit about growing direct business. We just want to support customers and make sure we are as visible as possible.”

Meanwhile, Thomas Rennesland, the line’s hotel operations director, updated attendees on Olsen’s £40m investment in its fleet.

Black Watch, Balmoral, Braemar and Boudicca have all been in dry dock over the past 18 months for £10m “renewal and revitalisation” works.

All four ships have new carpets, soft furnishings and artwork, while cabins have been upgraded with smart TVs and mini fridges.

Restaurants, bars and on-board facilities have all been overhauled, with Boudicca, the most recently refurbished, gaining an Oriental tea room concept which Rennesland said may be rolled out across the line.