Fred. Olsen Balmoral Cruise: Day one review

Here is what he got up to!

I've never been on a cruise before, so I was quite excited when the opportunity came up when I was a reporter for the Dunfermline Press.

Fred. Olsen's PR team reached out and offered us a chance to board the Balmoral to sail around Scotland, the Scilly Islands and Western Country.

My girlfriend Nicole was keen to go as well, so I signed us both up and we got ready to sail off on Saturday, June 7.

We headed to Rosyth dockyard for our check-in at 11.30am and started to feel excited as we posed for pre-cruise photos with the Fred. Olsen photographer.

The view from the rear balcony. (Image: Newsquest) I was blown away by the sheer size of the ship and was then surprised when I was told that this was one of the smallest ships they owned.

After we checked in, we headed round to our room on the ninth deck, complete with a balcony and complementary wine, which the staff kindly swapped for alcohol-free as I don't drink.

After having a glass of the Eisberg, we left our room and explored the ship - we were scheduled to depart at half 5 so had plenty of time.

There were around 7 floors for us to discover, each with their own bars, cafes, theatres, fitness suites, spas and entertainment options.

The swimming pool and jacuzzi on the bridge. (Image: Newsquest) The bridge contained a swimming pool and two jacuzzies - which I'll be honest, looked absolutely freezing but I'll be sure to be having a dip later on!

At 4pm, Nicole and I made our way to the Bookmark Cafe on deck 7 to meet our press host Georgina and the other press representative Mike.

The Bookmark Cafe is a lovely, quaint little bar with free books for passengers to check out and have a read, while also serving up delicious hot and iced coffees.

After a nice, chilled drink there, Georgina gave us a proper tour of the boat, including the games area, Observatory Bar and the Neptune Lounge.

The highlight of the first night was setting sail as the boat made a 180 degree turn and made for the Forth Bridges.

Travelling under the Forth Rail Bridge was the highlight of the first night. (Image: Newsquest) Growing up near South Queensferry, I had seen plenty boats travel through the Forth and go under the bridges, but it was a truly special experience passing under the iconic road and rail bridge.

Nicole's mum and dad drove to North Queensferry and waved us off from the pier there and we set sail to head north towards Shetland.

It started to rain heavily so we sought shelter back in our room to get ready for dinner.

Our first evening meal was down in the Ballindalloch restaurant at 8pm and the staff  took no time at all in serving us our food.

Keen to play it safe on the first night, I had the tomato and mascarpone soup for a starter and the penne ratatouille for my main course.

Resident musician Howard Johnson serenades the Morning Light Bar with 60s and 70s music. (Image: Newsquest) The food was absolutely lovely and I had a warm coffee to round off my meal as I am never one for dessert!

Feeling full, Nicole and I made our way to the Morning Light Pub - a wonderfully decorated bar that wouldn't look out of place in a rural British town - for some evening entertainment.

The musician there, Howard Johnson, catered to the crowd's wishes and played some fan-favourite songs from the 70s and 80s, the highlight for me being Hotel California by the Eagles.

Nicole and I enjoyed a drink and a couple of games of chess before calling it a night. (Image: Newsquest) Nicole and I enjoyed two games of chess before one last show at the Lido Lounge to watch the Glenn Williams Band perform some of the biggest hits from the 60s and 70s.

We called it a night just before midnight to get a good sleep before our first full day at sea.