Braemar Part 2

Anything about Fred Olsen cruises

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CaroleF
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Braemar Part 2

#1

Post by CaroleF »

Braemar is just over 24,000 tons and takes 929 passengers at full capacity. As I said we had the Inclusive Drinks package which, for us worked well. We often like different wines with dinner, I tend to have either Rose or White and John will often have Red and so as wines are poured by the glass we could choose what we liked. I found the Rose quite drinkable and John liked the Pinot Red. I won’t list all that’s available but obviously the wines and spirits are restricted to around 3 choices of each. The wine waiters were good at keeping the glasses topped up and we never had to ask for another glass. If we wished to have one of the Premium wines we would be given 50% discount (other than Champagne or Sparkling Wine). I did try the Cava that was on the drinks package but found it undrinkable. The waiters as those on P&O keep coming round with iced water at lunch and dinner.

I suppose food is one area where Fred Olsen is different. In the evening there’s a choice of two sittings, 6.15 or 8.30pm in two restaurants, you choose when you book and if you are on a Freedom Fare (like P&O Select) you hopefully get your choice. I believe if you book an Anchor Fare (Saver) you might get what you want or you can pay to change. There are two restaurants, the Thistle and the Grampain. The Thistle, the one I remember from 2003, is on Deck 4 aft and is quite large with a selection of tables for 2,4,6 and 8. The Grampian is on Deck 8 aft and is much smaller with most of the tables for 2 and 4 with some for 6 and a couple for 8. This restaurant is much preferred by lots of passengers, particularly the older ones. John and I are both 70 ( we look much younger of course!) and there were certainly a few younger than us and most the same or older, a couple we met were in their 90s. There weren’t a lot of wheelchairs and I only saw one man using a small scooter. There is also a buffet restaurant, The Palms which is aft on Deck 6.

Breakfast and lunch on Fred Olsen is different from P&O. The first morning we went to the Palms Buffet Restaurant. All the tables have cloths on and are laid with cutlery and cups and saucers. You are shown to a table first and then go and get your food, no trays. The first day was a Sea Day so the ship was busy. We found the buffet incredibly hectic, I suppose because the area is smaller than any P&O buffet. On the first day at breakfast Champagne is on offer with or without orange juice, no charge. You do your own toast if you want it. There is a good selection of cereals, fruits, compotes, yoghurts etc. plus all the usual cooked breakfast, including some lovely scrambled egg, not too hard! Coffee is as unpalatable as it is on P&O. The next morning we decided to try The Grampian restaurant for breakfast. Now this is a mixture of menu and buffet which I really don’t like. It’s not so bad if you are on table of 2 but if you are on a larger table some people are doing one thing and some another so people are up and down all the time. The odd thing is that there is no written menu as such, you can just ask a waiter if you want, say fish or a poached egg on toast. Other than that you walk round to the buffet section to select cereals, fruits etc. Then you go back again to get cooked if you want it. There is also a section for bread which can be toasted, do it yourself, plus pastries, rolls, croissants etc. So again it’s all bustle but not as bad as the Palms.

Lunch is very similar to breakfast. The first day we went to the Thistle (this was our evening restaurant, chosen because that was the one I knew, a table of 8 second sitting which is what we always ask for) for lunch and we were on a rectangular table for 10 and it was dreadful. I had something from the menu but no-one else on the table did so people were up and down all the time going to the buffet. After that we always went to the Grampian for breakfast and lunch, other than when we had cabin breakfast one morning. The cold buffet selection at lunch time was better than P&O with more choice of meats and fish. The puddings were probably better too, about 5 or 6 cold desserts plus two hot with custard, you helped yourself to a portion of pudding.

Dinner in the evening was similar to P&O although there are differences. There are sections for Starter, Soup, Salad, Main Course, Pudding and Cheese, if wanted. The always available is grilled fish or chicken or omelette, no steak. Now here John and I disagreed – he thought the food was better than P&O, I didn’t. I suppose some of it depends on personal choice. I don’t eat cheese in any form so that tends to knock out some choices; I also don’t like beetroot – why is beetroot so popular at the moment? On the final formal evening – a Gala menu – I found very disappointing. There was a Tornados of Beef with two sauces, Gorgonzola and Red Wine – no problem I would ask for it without the cheese sauce. However, I was then told I couldn’t have the beef done Medium Rare, only Medium or Well done, goodness knows why as on a previous evening when Roast Beef was on the menu I had it cooked Rare. So I didn’t have the beef and ended up with a ham and mushroom omelette – and very good it was – but it didn’t seem a gala menu. Most people on our table had the starter, then the soup, then the salad and then the main course, I usually just had a starter or soup and the main course. At the end of the meal the Maitre d’ brought round a large wooden trolley with lots of spirits on it – whisky, brandy etc. Very rarely did anyone choose to have one.

On the first formal evening we were joined by the Ship’s Doctor, a man from Croatia. He bought all the wines for the table. On our previous Braemar cruise we had the Hotel Manager on our table – don’t know why, apart from our table of 8 was very much in the middle of the restaurant. One of our table asked the Doctor why he chose to be on a cruise ship – he very honestly answered – the money! He didn’t come on the second formal evening – there were only two.

As Lynda said in her review meals are at specific times so there is nothing available between about 2 or 2.30 and when tea is served at 3.30 or 3.45. There is no continuous buffet service. The only Select Restaurant is an outside space of the Palms Restaurant, which as the weather wasn’t good by 8pm I don’t even think it was open.

The other aspect of Lynda’s review that surprised me was her comment about the Canapes which arrive about 5.30pm to those in Suites. We remembered them being wonderful previously on Braemar and were surprised that those on Boudicca were awful and not only according to Lynda, but to others too. It must depend on the chef I assume because ours were wonderful. If I knew how to include a photo I would but I don’t. The first evening we had six canapés on a plate, all on crispy small toasts, two had two very large butterflied prawns on decorated with parsley, two had rolled up Parma Ham wrapped round a melon ball and two had, I think, rolled up Heart of Palm with Caramelized Onion on top. The second night was amazing. They were served on a slate and comprised two conical shaped containers with a mixture of small diced red onion, chorizo, and other pieces of salad things, all small diced and finally a long rectangular dish with three separate compartments one with a decorative salad leave in and the other two with thickish slices of smoked salmon in a lemony, honey dressing – excellent. Other nights followed a similar pattern with sometimes shot glasses of a tomato concasse with caramelized red onion on top as two of the six canapés. We thought it was all really good.

We never went to tea which was sometimes in the Palms Restaurant and sometimes in one of the lounges. On the final sea day there was a special tea in one of the lounges with lots of small sandwiches, cakes and a chocolate fountain. I forgot, on the day we arrived after dropping our hand luggage in our cabin we went up to the Palms Restaurant where a buffet was being served. At the entrance a steward was selling glasses of Pimms, with lots of fruit in plus mint on top. They were very enticing after all the boarding etc. They were charged but we got them at half price because of our drink package. The buffet was similar to the Caribbean and above buffet served on P&O, no alcohol, just tea or coffee plus lots of small things, savoury and sweet, with a hot pasta dish.

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Gill W
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Re: Braemar Part 2

#2

Post by Gill W »

We're on Balmoral in March. When we booked, the Inclusive Drinks package was £10 per person per night. We have booked this - although we are not big drinkers we thought this was a good price and we'd save money.

Perhaps you could answer a question for me.

We normally have breakfast and lunch in the buffet. One of the attractions is that we can sit where we want. Sharing tables is not really our thing, as we are both quite shy, so we normally are able to find a table for two. I'm wondering, as they show you to a table on Fred Olsen, do they put you on the next available table so you end up sharing, even if you don't really want to?

I can tolerate sharing a table for dinner as its only once a day, but the prospect of sharing at all meals doesn't fill me with great enthusiasm!
Gill

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Manoverboard
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Re: Braemar Part 2

#3

Post by Manoverboard »

Carole will possibly have a more informed response but on the relatively few occasions that we went to the Buffet we were, as a couple, always put on a table for two. The tables are however very close to each other and talking to one's neighbour was the normal thing to do but " Good Morning. " may be enough if you decide that is what you wish to do.
Keep smiling, it's good for your well being


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CaroleF
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Re: Braemar Part 2

#4

Post by CaroleF »

The Grampian really offers the best of both worlds (even though I would have preferred one restaurant that was menu only) in that you have almost the same choice of food from the buffet plus specially cooked items if you would like them - I had poached egg on toast a couple of times and it was very good. We always managed to get a table for two, both at breakfast and lunch. I assume the same organisation is present on the Balmoral.

Carole


cruisin_duo
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Re: Braemar Part 2

#5

Post by cruisin_duo »

Carole,

Thank you for your review. Nice to hear about other lines.

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Gill W
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Re: Braemar Part 2

#6

Post by Gill W »

Manoverboard wrote: 10 Sep 2017, 11:02
Carole will possibly have a more informed response but on the relatively few occasions that we went to the Buffet we were, as a couple, always put on a table for two. The tables are however very close to each other and talking to one's neighbour was the normal thing to do but " Good Morning. " may be enough if you decide that is what you wish to do.
Thanks, that sounds fine. I don't mind being in close proximity to the next table - sometimes chatting happens sometimes it doesn't. It's just that I'm not keen on sharing tables when you feel compelled to chat, especially if its first thing in the morning when I'm barely awake!
Gill

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Dennis The Menace
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Re: Braemar Part 2

#7

Post by Dennis The Menace »

Thanks for the review Carole, a good read, cheers 😀

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