Guests aboard Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ fleet made more than 4,400 wildlife sightings with the help of marine wildlife charity - ORCA in 2022. It came as part of ORCA’s Cruise Conservationist programme, hosted aboard the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ fleet.
The most frequent wildlife spotted was the common dolphin, sighted 296 times - with the total number of individual dolphins spotted being 1,996. Other sightings included humpback whales, orca, a blue whale and even the deepest diving animal known, the elusive Cuvier’s beaked whale, which can dive to depths of nearly 3,000m.
ORCA Cruise Conservationist programme
The ORCA Cruise Conservationist programme is a unique whale and dolphin monitoring project
The ORCA Cruise Conservationist programme is a unique whale and dolphin monitoring project, which uses the data collected during these cruises to identify and monitor whale and dolphin populations around the world.
James Moss, Journey Experience Coordinator at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “Spotting native wildlife is something that makes a holiday truly special, and we have a really unique opportunity as a cruise line to be able to offer guests the chance to have this experience directly from the deck as they sail between destinations.”
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and ORCA partnership
James Moss adds, “It has been a real privilege to work with ORCA this year, with their team of Ocean Conservationists helping our guests not only to spot marine mammals, but to learn more about the wildlife they spot and to play a part in capturing important data too. We’re looking forward to another successful year working together in 2023.”
Steve Jones, Director of Fundraising & Operations at ORCA, said “These sightings show the absolutely phenomenal range of habitats that our Ocean Conservationists can study aboard Fred. Olsen itineraries, monitoring areas that it would be otherwise impossible to reach.”
Data collected to give insights into the lives of whales, dolphins
He adds, “The data we've collected in 2022 will help give us important insights into the lives of these whales, dolphins and porpoises, and we can understand better than ever the protections they need to safeguard them for future generations.”
A huge thank you to everyone at Fred. Olsen for welcoming our teams on board"
Steve Jones continues, “A huge thank you to everyone at Fred. Olsen for welcoming our teams on board, and also to the thousands of guests who lent us their eyes during our time at sea in 2022 - I'm sure we will see many of you in 2023 and beyond!”
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ ORCA cruises
For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ ORCA cruises, visit their official website. Book online, call Reservations on 0800 0355 242 (Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm), or contact the ABTA travel agent.
- Bolette’s 10-night T2307 ‘Uncrowded Iceland’ cruise. Departing from Newcastle on 27th March 2023. Prices start from £1,499 per person.
Itinerary: Newcastle, England – Reykjavík, Iceland (overnight stay) – Cruising Eyjafjörður, Iceland – Akureyri, Iceland (overnight stay) – Seyðisfjörður, Iceland – Tórshavn, Faroe Islands – Newcastle, England
For more details: Visit Bolette's T2307 'Uncrowded Iceland' cruise
- Bolette’s seven-night T2313 ‘Scenic Isles and Lochs of Scotland’ cruise. Departing from Newcastle on 13th May 2023. Prices start from £1,099 per person.
Itinerary: Newcastle, England – Cruising by Duncans by Sea Stacks, Scotland – Cruising by Old Man of Hoy, Orkney Island, Scotland – Cruising by Marwick Head, Orkney Islands, Scotland – Stornoway, Scotland (anchor port) – Loch Broom, Scotland – Portree Isle of Skye, Scotland (anchor port) - Cruising Loch Torridon, Scotland – Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland – Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland (anchor port) – Newcastle, England
For more details: Visit Bolette's T2313 'Scenic Isles and Lochs of Scotland' cruise
- Bolette’s 23-night T2316 ‘Exploring the Arctic’ cruise. Departing from Newcastle on 1st June 2023. Prices start from £3,499 per person.
Itinerary: Newcastle, England – Ålesund, Norway – Cruising Torghatten, Norway – Cruising Seven Sisters Mountain Range, Norway – Tromsø, Norway - Honningsvåg, Norway – Cruise by Bear Island, Norway – Longyearbyen, Norway – Pyramiden, Norway – Cruise by Nordenskiöldbreen, Norway – Cruising by Tempelfjorden, Norway – Cruising by Jan Mayen Island, Norway – Akureyri, Iceland – Ísafjörður, Iceland – Reykjavík, Iceland – Qaqortoq, Greenland – Narsarsuaq, Greenland – Newcastle, England
For more details: Visit Bolette's T2316 'Exploring the Arctic' cruise
- Balmoral’s 15-night L2317 ‘Rugged and Remote Spitsbergen with the Midnight Sun’ departing from Rosyth on 19th July 2023. Prices start from £2,399 per person.
Itinerary: Rosyth, Edinburgh, Scotland – Åndalsnes, Norway – Cruise Nærøysundet, Norway – Cruising Torghatten, Norway – Cruising Seven Sister Mountain Range, Norway – Cruising Trollfjord, Norway – Cruise Tjeldsundet Strait, Norway – Cruising by Djevelen Tanngard, Norway – Tromsø, Norway – Honningsvåg, Norway – Cruise North Cape, Norway – Cruise by Bear Island, Norway – Pyramiden, Norway – Cruise by Nordenskiöldbreen, Norway – Cruising Tempelfjorden, Norway – Longyearbyen, Norway – Sortland, Vesterålen, Norway – Cruising by Black Glacier, Norway – Cruising Nordfjorden, Meloy, Norway – Kristiansund, Norway – Rosyth, Edinburgh, Scotland
For more details: Visit Balmoral's L2317 'Rugged and Remote Spitsbergen with the Midnight Sun' cruise.