A quick glance at the prices onboard the 800-passenger Black Watch gives a clear indication of the difference between this British
line and others.
A pint of beer is £3.10 ($4.70) or £2.75 ($4.20) for a Heineken. The
daily special (a can of Tiger) is £2.20 ($3.30). Cocktails are a crazy £4
each ($6). A bottle of duty-free Johnnie Walker (Red Label) is £14.30
($21). Speciality coffees range from £1.50 ($2.30) for an espresso to
£1.95 ($2.95) for a cappuccino.
Even the day spa is reasonable, with prices similar to land-based
salons in Australia. Massages and facials are about half the price of
other ships. Foot massages are £15 ($23), which are great for reviving
after a long day of walking in port. A shampoo and blow-dry starts at
£22 ($33); add a cut for an extra £13 ($20). Men’s dry cuts are only £10
($15).
Shore excursions are among the cheapest I’ve ever seen for sale.
Docked in Sydney in February, Black Watch was offering a harbour
cruise for £46 ($70) which is around what you would pay direct from
the operator.
Then the ship was heading to Peru (via New Caledonia, Fiji and
Tahiti) where a Lima city tour was only £25 ($38).
Fred Olsen prides itself on its good value and lack of “price
gouging” and “nickel-and-diming”, as the Americans call it, where
passengers may get rockbottom-priced cruises but then pay up big
for drinks, coffees, specialty restaurants, tours and other activities.
Fred Olsen also offers some of the best itineraries in the business,
with unique routes and lots of overnight stays.
When I inspected Black Watch, it was in Sydney for three days,
which is extremely unusual.
Most passengers were British (135 were classified as
“internationals”, including a few Australians) and aged over 60.
Almost half of the guests were “all rounders”, taking the full threemonth
world cruise, and 120 had done it before.
Many solo travellers choose Fred Olsen because it has several
single cabins and singles events, as well as male and female dance
hosts.
Single cabin prices can be around the same as a ‘per person’ rate in
a twin cabin, and some have balconies.
Other points of difference include a café, pool and spas situated at
the stern, which enables ocean views – strangely not a common
feature on many ships, where everything is blocked from the sea.
The décor on the 1972-built Black Watch is not fancy, and it doesn’t
bother with the bells and whistles of modern vessels, but if you are
more interested in great destinations and a relaxed onboard
atmosphere, this is the cruise for you.
There are plenty of bars, lounges, shows and friendly people to
keep you entertained too.
Bookings
In 2012-13, Black Watch is sailing in Europe, the Caribbean and Africa.
Brochure fares start at $1,532 per person for nine nights around the
Norwegian fjords.
One of the shortest sectors on Fred Olsen’s next world cruise via
Australia, aboard Balmoral in 2013, is Sydney to Thailand – 22 nights
from $4,098 pp.
See www.fredolsencruises.com, call (02) 9900 7200 or see your travel
agent.
