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As a cruise virgin who suffers from travel sickness, I’d always given a wide berth to cruises.
But what finally got me on board was Fred. Olsen’s new sailings right on my doorstep at Portsmouth – which was too good an opportunity to miss.
Some may say that diving straight in at the deep end with a ‘Mystery Cruise’ may have been overly ambitious and when we arrived at Portsmouth International Port, we were surrounded by Fred’s loyal returning customers, most with half a dozen cruises under their belt.
The well-guarded secret of our mystery destination was the conversational hot topic, and everyone had an opinion. Many were convinced they had already worked it out, through insider knowledge and complicated calculations, though we later learned that only the ship captain and his very select few had that need-to-know information.
I’d already had a nightmare packing, panicked by my son at the 11th hour about the dilemma of heading south or north, where temperatures were plummeting. My answer was to pack everything! From summer outfits which should have already been consigned to the back of the wardrobe, to extra coats (I drew a line at hats and gloves), it was all in my bulging suitcase.
Though that’s the benefit a ship voyage, where you don’t have to drag luggage along what feels like miles of airport walkways. And anyway, isn’t dressing up for the Captain’s Dinner one of the cruise highlights – and who knew what the dresscode would be on board? It turned out that many of our fellow passengers did: Fred customers are comfortable to go their own way, whether that’s getting glammed up or opting for a more relaxed style. I soon learned that the key to cruising is knowing what you want and choosing the right cruise line to offer it.
As soon as we walked up the gangway, we were like kids in a sweetshop: While our baggage was making its own way to our cabin, we were invited to make lunch our first port of call – and who wouldn’t want to raise a glass to our forthcoming voyage? The wall-to-wall food choices at The View restaurant became our daily go-to for breakfast, lunch and even afternoon tea, if we could fit an extra meal before more formal evening dining throughout our journey.
When we eventually headed to our cabin, we were pleasantly surprised by the space, with a large, comfortable bed, sofa/ TV area and balcony with an ever-changing view to enjoy from our private ringside seats. We felt the same way about the rest of the ship, which wasn’t overcrowded.
We quickly fell into the rhythm of life on board. The key is to devour the information provided in a daily newsletter delivered to your door every evening. It includes all essential timings for your day ahead, with a handy summary reminder to tear off and take with you, as you head from morning lectures for self-improvement to live music at a choice of venues throughout the day, and a whole range of sporting/arts activities and post-dinner shows. Take part in as many or as few as you like!
As excitement started to build for our first destination, tongues wagged about which way Borealis had turned out of port and where our ship was heading. Fred encourages you to turn off tracking devices and act like a true explorer, discovering a new port for the first time and experiencing all it had to offer. It adds to the fun of the Mystery Cruise.
The truth is that, with clever twists and turns, we didn’t have a clue where we were going until we woke to a new view and announcement from Entertainment Manager Tom McGarrity (the child star Zach in Nativity) from the Bridge each morning.
Even the on-shore tours were cleverly worded to disguise their location: Bookings were chosen from nods to cathedrals, stunning architecture, mountain ranges, cultural dancing and wine tasting. Though without being able to research do-it-yourself visits before docking, they were the ideal way to get the most out of each destination.
So, where did we go?
After heading out towards the Atlantic Ocean and my worst fear – the Bay of Biscay (more about that later) – we docked at:
1. Gijon in northern Spain, where we visited the spectacular hill-top Basilica de Santa Maria la Real de Covadonga and walked through a tunnel to the most beautiful chapel carved into the rocks, before winding our way up into the snow-topped mountains. A walking guide led us across the hills, with stunning views of the lakes below – a highlight of our trip.
2. Back on board, we followed the northern coastline to El Ferrol where we experienced the very different feel of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral – the last stop on the pilgrims’ journey for thousands who have travelled there each year over centuries.
3. On down to Leixoes in Portugal, where our visit to Porto led us on a port factfinding tour of cellars beneath the city, before our Douro River cruise meandered beneath bridges as we looked up to colourful matchbox-looking houses. We enjoyed spotting wine houses of the familiar brands Harveys, Taylor’s and Grahams.
A chilled-out day at sea took us through the Strait of Gibraltar, where we were within tantalising touching distance of Morocco. Sea days are the time to make the most of cocktails by the pool, watch or take part in entertaining tea dances and fit in a relaxing massage at the Atlantis Spa. Even the entertainments team joined in with the Mystery Cruise theme with their Agatha Christie-style farce, which had us in stiches.
Then it was plain sailing into the Med, as we:
4. Docked at Malaga, the childhood home of Picasso, and perused the Moorish influence across its stunning roofscape.
5. Got up close and personal with authentic flamenco dancing in a tavern in Cadiz, where sherry was served from barrels and warm tapas was much more than a snack.
6. Took a tram ride up the steep hills of Lisbon and visited a Christmas market.
Verdict: Would I do it all again?
My true test was as we encountered Storm Bert at sea on our way home and needed to batten down the hatches. Crew and passengers didn’t want to make waves at the black-tie Captain’s Reception though in my view, that just added to the entertainment.
Yes, there were times to sleep through rough waters but those were fleeting in our 11-night Mystery Cruise, where we made so many special memories to treasure.
So my answer? As I stepped off the ship, I was already making plans to return in search of the Northern Lights, take a springtime trip to the Norwegian Fjords, spot whales, waterfalls and geysers in Iceland, or who wouldn’t want to island hop around the Caribbean?
There’s no doubt that I’ve definitely been bitten by the cruising bug!
Find out more
Jane sailed with Fred. Olsen and stayed in a Balcony Junior suite. The next Borealis’ S2529 5-night Mystery Cruise, departing from Portsmouth on 7th November 2025 starts from £599 pp, with a Balcony Junior suite starting at £1,349 pp. For more details see the Fred Olsen Cruises website.
Take a virtual tour of Borealis for yourself here.
