YEAR 2008-09

July 17, 2007 - The introduction of Balmoral in January and the lengthening of both Balmoral and Braemar will enable Fred Olsen to offer greater capacity than ever before in 2008 and the opportunity to offer a wider choice of cruise destinations and departure ports.

For the first time Olsen will be offering Caribbean fly/cruises from two different homeports - Barbados and Miami - and the number of regional airports included in the fly/cruise programme has been extended to 21.

In addition to Gatwick and Manchester, customers will be able to fly from Belfast, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Doncaster/Sheffield, Dublin, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Humberside, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, Newcastle, Newquay, Norwich, Stansted and Teeside.

The use of regional UK departure ports continues to be an important part of the overall programme, and in 2008-9 Black Prince will operate a programme of cruises exclusively from the regional ports of Liverpool and Greenock.

The extensive 2008-9 cruise programme also offers the greatest ever number of ports of call at 306 in 116 different countries, with around 21 ports new to Fred. Olsen.

Included in these are:

• CHINA: Shanghai, Tianjin and Xingang
• JAPAN: Yokahama and Kagoshima
• USA: San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, Seward, Skagway, Ketchikan
• CANADA: Vancouver
• RUSSIA: Petropavlovsk
• INDIA: Chennai
• SOUTH KOREA: Incheon

Brochure prices start from just £94 per person for Black Prince two-night mini cruises in November 2008 and April 2009.

Says Lol Nichols, general sales manager: "The extension of our fleet has allowed us much more scope for innovative cruises and itineraries. We can offer more long cruises and a host of new ports of call with the increased capacity at our disposal. These, plus the increased list of regional airports in our fly/cruise programme make our 2008/09 brochure the most exciting ever.:

Highlights of the new brochure include:

• Two epic voyages - Black Watch;s 97-night world cruise and Balmoral's 104-night world voyage
• Mediterranean fly/cruises, based in Civitavecchia (Rome) - both Balmoral and Braemar will operate a season from this port
• Caribbean fly/cruises based in Miami - Balmoral will operate this programme in March and April 2008 and Braemar from mid-November 2008 to April 2009
• Boudicca's first regional cruise programme, with cruises from Leith and Newcastle in summer 2008
• Boudicca's Caribbean fly/cruise season based in Barbados from November 2008 to April 2009
• Balmoral's cruise in autumn 2008 to Canada and New England, and two cruises from New York.

Full details of all cruises are featured in Fred Olsen Cruises Worldwide 2008/09 brochure and and on their website . For reservations, call 01473 742424.