The Balmoral is a cruise ship owned and operated by Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. The largest vessel in the Fred Olsen fleet, it was recently extended and refurbished.
The Balmoral was built by Meyer Werft at the Papenburg shipyard in Germany. The ship was known as the Crown Odyssey and Norwegian Crown before Fred Olsen purchased it in 2007.
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The 43,537t ship has an overall length of 218.18m, a beam of 28.2m and a draught of 6.8m. It has 710 cabins and can accommodate 1,350 passengers.
Refurbishment
The Balmoral underwent a major refurbishment at Blohm & Voss Repair in Hamburg, Germany, in 2008. A 30m-long mid-section was inserted during the refit.
The refurbishment added 186 passenger cabins and 53 crew cabins. In addition, the public areas of the ship were fully remodelled and 60 new balconies were introduced. Parts of aft section were reconstructed.
The refurbished Balmoral left the shipyard and underwent sea trials in January 2008 before being delivered.
Staterooms
The ship has 710 staterooms, of which 116 have private balconies. The rooms are available as: Superior Outside Cabins, Balcony Junior Suites, Superior Inside Cabins, Inside Cabins, Superior Outside Single Cabins, Single Balcony Suites, Single Inside Cabins, Single Outside Cabins, Superior Single Inside Cabins, Marquee Suites and Single Inside Cabins.
The rooms range from 160ft² to 430ft². In-room facilities include 24hr cabin service, air conditioning, multi-channel TV and a telephone.
Premium rooms include a balcony, a bathroom with shower, DVD and CD players, a refrigerator and a mini-bar. Rooms in the new section have twin beds that can be made into a queen-size bed.
Dining facilities
The ship has three restaurants: Ballindalloch, Spey and Avon. The Ballindalloch on Deck 6 serves as the main restaurant. The Spey and Avon restaurants are on Deck 10.
Entertainment facilities
The Balmoral features a range of pubs, lounges and a casino. The entertainment areas offer a variety of shows and activities.
The bars include the Marquee, which serves exotic cocktails, beers, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages. The Lido lounge hosts a variety of shows, dancing, and day-time activities. The Observatory lounge offers sea views and hosts live music.
The Atlantis Spa offers beauty treatments including massages, facials and body wraps for women. There are two pools located on Deck 7 and Deck 11. Other facilities include Jacuzzis, an art gallery, an arts and crafts room, a card room, a fitness centre, a library and a promenade.
Propulsion
The Balmoral is powered by four MaK 8M601/6M35 diesel engines providing 21,300kW. The engines power two propellers. The propulsion system provides a maximum speed of 20kt.
