Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines had to adjust the itinerary of its Grand Voyage to South America and Antarctica due to severe weather in the Bay of Biscay.
Sailing onboard the Borealis, the 76-night cruise was set to depart from Southampton on January 28, 2026.
While guests were able to board the ship as scheduled, the 1997-built vessel is spending extra time at the port due to the adverse weather conditions.
“Your safety and wellbeing, and that of our crew, is always our highest priority,” Fred. Olsen said in a statement to guests onboard.
“Due to predicted severe weather conditions, we’ve taken the difficult yet necessary decision to delay our departure from Southampton,” the company continued.
According to Fred. Olsen, the current forecast for the Bay of Biscay is for force eight winds with gusts up to ten and swells of up to nine meters.
As a result, the Borealis is now scheduled to sail from Southampton at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026.
“This decision has been made solely in the interest of keeping everyone safe and comfortable,” the company added.
Fred. Olsen said that weather conditions can change and, if they improve sooner than expected, the ship may depart earlier.
Due to the later departure, the first part of its Grand Voyage will need to be adjusted, the company added.
A visit to La Coruña that was scheduled for January 30, 2026, was cancelled while a visit to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria was postponed by two days and is now set to take place on February 4, 2026.
The visit to Praia, Cape Verde, that was scheduled for February 5, 2026, also had to be cancelled.
From Gran Canaria, the Borealis is set to start its trans-Atlantic crossing to South America, resuming its original schedule in Salvador, Brazil, on February 11, 2026.
As part of its 76-night cruise, the ship is set to visit a wide range of destinations in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Peru.
The itinerary also includes scenic cruising in Antarctica, as well as stops in the Caribbean, before returning to the United Kingdom in mid-April.
