Size isn’t everything – CruiseMole Comment by Nigel Lingard, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

The case for smaller ships – Comment by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines marketing director Nigel Lingard

It may seem strange that I am singing the praises of smaller cruise ships, when Fred. Olsen, for the first time in its history, has just introduced a ship – Balmoral – that carries over a thousand passengers – 1,340 to be exact.  

Bigger than our customers are used to, it’s true, but she is very much a ship in the Fred. Olsen tradition; human in scale, small enough to be friendly and relaxed, yet large enough to offer those extra luxuries more and more people demand from a cruise – balcony cabins, more dining choices, a glamorous spa, a couple of pools – Balmoral has all this, but she can still comfortably transit canals, glide through the fjords and tie up alongside, in so many ports where larger vessels are at anchor and rely on tenders to reach shore, with all the attendant delays and frustrations that can cause.

Our fleet has come a long way since the days when Black Prince, the little sister of the fleet, came into service. 

Sadly her size – just 412 passengers – denied her the economies of scale to be replicated in a new vessel today. 

Yet in her many years of service, she has always commanded fierce loyalty from her many devoted passengers who return year after year. The very fact she is small, traditional – in fact a “proper” ship with no pretensions – is what attracts them. 

Fortunately, her sister ships, Black Watch and Boudicca, each carrying fewer than 800 passengers, have been totally re-engineered and will enjoy many years of service on worldwide voyages.

Of course, the market for gigantic vessels is growing apace, and we are all delighted with the phenomenal growth of the cruise industry overall. 

It is now a holiday choice for everyone from the kids to great-grandma; singles, couples, groups of friends, you name it – a far cry from the days of the genteel retired, enjoying a luxury that was only for the privileged few.  

This growth in the scale of the industry has been helpful to us; adjusting customer expectations so that yesterday’s “big ship” can become today’s “smaller ship”.

With the expansion of the market, inevitably the industry has responded by offering much greater choice – of cruise styles, destinations, itineraries, on-board activities and size of ship. 

So if you want a climbing wall, ice-rink, surf pool or planetarium on board, maybe Fred. Olsen isn’t for you. 

If, on the other hand,  you want an ocean-going vessel of sleek lines, with teak decks to stroll around and elegant bars to relax in over a drink before dinner – even a library for a quiet reverie – then we may just have what you are looking for.  

Let’s celebrate this diversity and all concentrate on what we do best – and as far as Fred. Olsen is concerned, we still maintain that small is beautiful.