Fred. Olsen Cruise Line’s Bolette arrived in Newcastle for its inaugural cruise to Norway and a series of spring and summer sailings, according to a press release.
Clare Ward, director of product and customer service at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We have been offering sailings from Newcastle for many years, and so it is great to be back – this time with our beautiful flagship Bolette.
“Guests joining us from the city can look ahead to some wonderful adventures, including opportunities to witness Holland’s tulips in bloom on sailings to Amsterdam, explore many Nordic capitals including Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen, or venture off the beaten track on a 23-night adventure into the Arctic.
“Newcastle’s north-easterly location means we can offer some fantastic sailings in a much shorter time, including to northern Norway in nine nights, and the beautiful scenic fjords in just five nights.
“There’s a fantastic choice of sailings on offer, whether guests are looking for culture and history, wildlife and landscapes or to enjoy scenery and landscapes best viewed from the water.”
The Bolette set sail on its nine-night In Search of the “Northern Lights in Nine Nights” voyage with calls in Alesund, Tromso, Alta and Kristiansund, before returning to Newcastle early morning on March 18.
The special occasion was marked with a plaque exchange from the Port of Tyne to Captain Mikael Degerlund.
Phil Bedford, international terminal manager at the Port of Tyne, said: “Cruise lines visiting North East England can always expect a warm welcome here at Port of Tyne. As a region, we firmly believe that we have the infrastructure to grow UK departures from the Port of Tyne, and world-class tourist attractions to grow the number of visiting cruise calls.
“Fred. Olsen is committed to serving regional ports around the UK and has been working with the Port of Tyne for over a decade. We enjoy a very loyal following in the North East, and we are pleased to be offering 19 calls from this convenient regional port during this Spring and Summer 2023 season.”
