8 Dec 2023

The Lord Mayor of Southampton has raised more than £6,800 for three local charities on board Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Bolette, during a day of fundraising and fun.

The three local Southampton charities benefitting from the event are Sea Scouts, City Farm, and The Saints Foundation.

Three-course meal

On the day, 100 of the Lord Mayor’s guests were treated to onboard entertainment, live music with drinks and pastries, followed by a tour of the ship, including a visit to the Bridge, as well as a variety of cabins and lounge areas. 

The raffle and auction were helped by Bolette’s onboard entertainment team, who created a lively atmosphere

This was followed by a delicious three-course meal with wine pairings in Bolette’s Bloomsbury Restaurant. The raffle and auction were helped by Bolette’s onboard entertainment team, who created a lively atmosphere and helped to raise £3,000 through the auctioning and raffle of donations including a £1,000 necklace, tickets to see Everyone’s Talking About Jamie and a five-night Dutch Waterways cruise on board Bolette.

Fundraising event

The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Southampton, Councillor Valerie Laurent, said, “This was a fabulous fundraising event on board Bolette. From start to finish, my guests and I were welcomed, and nothing was too much trouble for the crew and the hospitality was second to none."

My thanks must go to all of the Fred Olsen team for their support, which has helped us to raise more than £5,000 for my charities in Southampton.”

Supporting local causes and charities

What an incredible privilege it was to host the Lord Mayor of Southampton on board our beautiful Bolette"

Georgina May, Public Relations Executive and member of the charity committee at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines said, “What an incredible privilege it was to host the Lord Mayor of Southampton on board our beautiful Bolette to raise funds for these three fantastic local charities last month."

Supporting local causes and charities is incredibly important to us, and we look forward to continuing to help our charitable partners in the future.”

2024 sailings

2024 sailings from Southampton include:

1) Balmoral’s 13-night L2403 ‘Winter Warmth in the Canaries’ cruise, departs from Southampton on 1st February 2024. 

Prices start from £1,299 per person. Enjoy a free drinks package or onboard spend when booked before 31st January.

  • Enjoy the scenery of beautiful Canarian islands
  • Volcanic landscapes and gorgeous beaches await
  • Visit Madeira and explore the botanical gardens

Itinerary: Southampton, England – Funchal, Portugal – Santa Cruz de la Palma, Spain – Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain – Las Palmas, Spain – Arrecife, Spain – Lisbon, Portugal – Southampton, England

2) Bolette’s five-night T2403 ‘Dutch Waterways in Five Nights’ cruise, departs from Southampton on 20th February 2024. 

Prices start from £499 per person. Enjoy a free drinks package or onboard spend when booked before 31st January.

  • Visit the Netherlands for a wealth of Dutch experiences
  • See where famous Edam and Gouda cheeses are made
  • Take a boat tour of Amsterdam’s iconic canals

Itinerary: Southampton, England – Cruising Nieuwe Maas, Netherlands – Rotterdam, Netherlands (overnight port) – Amsterdam, Netherlands (overnight port) – Southampton, England

3) Bolette’s 13-night T2406 ‘Islands of the Azores, Crossing the Path of the Solar Eclipse’ cruise, departing from Southampton on 4th April 2024. 

Prices start from £1,999 per person. Enjoy a free drinks package or board spend when booked before 31st January.

  • Explore volcanic sites in the Azores
  • Look for whales and dolphins from Bolette with ORCA
  • Cross the path of the fascinating Solar Eclipse

Itinerary: Southampton, England – St Malo, France – Brest, France – Solar Eclipse, Portugal – Praia da Vitoria, Portugal – Ponta Delgada, Portugal – Cruising by Santa Maria, Portugal – Cruise by Cabo Girao, Portugal – Funchal, Portugal – Leixoes, Portugal – Southampton, England

4) Borealis’ eight-night S2413 ‘Springtime Falls and Norwegian Fjords’ cruise, departing from Southampton on 19th June 2024. 

Prices start from £1,249 per person. Enjoy a free drinks package or onboard spend when booked before 31st January.

  • Enjoy a scenic cruise along Lysefjord on board the Borealis
  • See the magnificent Maurangerfjord Waterfall
  • Take a ride on the world-famous Flåm Railway

Itinerary: Southampton, England – Cruising Lysefjord, Norway – Haugesund, Norway – Flåm, Norway – Cruising Sognefjord, Norway – Ulvik, Norway – Cruise Hardangerfjord, Norway – Cruising Maurangerfjord and Furebergfossen, Norway – Southampton, England