Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, the UK based destinational operator of four medium sized ships, will highlight regions of natural beauty and events taking place in various parts of the world in 2017-18.

The ships - Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch – will be visiting 220 destinations in 70 countries around the globe, plus 118 areas of scenic cruising. The new 2017-18 itineraries will go on general sale from 18 March 2016, the company said in a statement.

“In 2017-18, Fred. Olsen will be making the most of its smaller-sized ships by offering even more river, fjords and scenic cruising, taking guests along narrow sea passages and waterways, and past awe-inspiring scenery. Fred. Olsen will be visiting 118 picturesque scenic sea passages and waterways in 2017-18, totalling almost 1,000 hours of scenic cruising,” the company said.

Following their popularity in 2016, Fred. Olsen will now be offering its ‘Lochs of Scotland’ itinerary across all four of its ships. “This ‘Fred. favourite’ showcases Scotland’s glorious, unspoilt countryside,” the company pointed out.

In all, Fred. Olsen’s ships will be sailing from a total of 10 regional UK departure ports in 2017-18 – Southampton, Dover, Harwich, Tilbury, Falmouth, Liverpool, Newcastle, Rosyth (for Edinburgh), Greenock (for Glasgow)and Belfast.

In 2017-18, Fred. Olsen will be reconfirming its commitment to the port of Newcastle, offering a record 13 departures, between May and September 2017, aboard its 1,350-guest flagship Balmoral. Departures include a five-night ‘Norwegian Fjords’ cruise, an 11-night ‘Swedish Waterways’ holiday and a 15-night ‘Authentic Andalusia’ adventure, taking in seven sunshine ports of call in Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar.

Fred. Olsen’s Boudicca will be setting sail on 10 unique adventures from the Port of Liverpool in 2017-18, including a 26-night ‘Azores & the America’s Cup’ cruise, which has been specially crafted for guests to be able to enjoy the action of the 35th America’s Cup in Hamilton, Bermuda; an eight-night ‘Lochs of Scotland’ cruise; and a 16-night ‘Glitz & Glamour of the French Riviera’ holiday, with calls into eight beautiful locations, including Barcelona, Monaco and Cannes.

Fred. Olsen will also be reinforcing its reputation as the ‘local, global cruise line of choice’ in 2017-18, with 12 departures from Scotland, a country that has historically been very close to the Olsen family: three from Greenock (Glasgow) and nine from Rosyth (Edinburgh). Cruise holidays on offer to Scottish guests include a 10-night ‘French Rivers’ experience, departing from Rosyth on 4th October 2017, and a 10-night ‘Iceland’ adventure from Greenock, setting sail on 16 May 2017.

Black Watch and Balmoral will be embarking on ‘Grand Voyages’ in January 2018, visiting a total of 46 ports in 35 countries between them. Black Watch will be setting sail on a 108-night ‘Wonders of the World’ cruise, whereby guests will experience five of the seven ‘New Wonders of the World’ – Chichén Itzá, the Colosseum, the ‘Lost City’ of Petra, Machu Picchu, and the Taj Mahal – plus the only surviving ‘Ancient Wonder’, the Great Pyramid of Giza. This incredible ‘Holiday of a Lifetime’ is bursting with magical, unforgettable experiences!

Balmoral will be cruising to mighty South America on a 46-night ‘Rio Carnival and River Plate’ adventure, filled with sun, sea, sand and Samba! Highlights include four days in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the famous Rio Carnival, plus calls to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a full day in Montevideo, Uruguay.