Douglas Ward
A smart-looking ship with decor suited to casual cruisers
The Ship. Braemar has attractive exterior styling, and a lot of glass space. There is a good amount of open deck and sunbathing space for its size, and this includes two outdoor bars – one aft and one midships adjacent to the two swimming pools and paddling pool – that have Boddingtons and Stella Artois keg beers. Four open decks, located aft of the funnel, provide good, quiet places to sit and read.
The teak promenade deck is a complete walk-around deck, wrapping around Lounge Deck. Passengers can go right to the ship’s bow – good for those Titanic pose photographs. Faux teak floor covering is used on the pool deck, which has two pools; it looks tacky, but works well in warm-weather areas.
Inside, there is a pleasant five-deck-high, glass-walled atrium on the starboard side. Off-center stairways add a sense of spaciousness to a clever interior design that surrounds passengers with light. The interior decor in public spaces is warm and inviting, with contemporary, but not brash, Art Deco color combinations. The artwork is colorful and pleasant, in the Nordic manner.
The Morning Light Club is an open-plan lounge, with its own bar, split by a walkway that leads to the showlounge (forward), a lifestyle lounge (incorporating the library, Internet center, and Café Venus), a card room/arts and crafts centre, and a boutique (midships). Despite being open, it has cozy seating areas and is very comfortable, with a tartan carpet. A model of the first Fred. Olsen ship named Braemar (4,775 gross tonnage) is displayed in the center of the room, as is a large carved wood plaque bearing the name of the Scottish Braemar Castle.
The mostly Filipino staff is attentive, and the hospitality factor is good. The company offers extremely good value for money cruises in a relaxed, welcoming, and laid-back environment.
In 2008, a 102ft (31m) midsection extension was added, providing additional cabins and balcony ‘suites.’ Facilities added or changed include a second swimming pool and more sunbathing space, an observatory lounge, a new restaurant, and a pub-style bar.
There can be a bit of a wait for shore tenders and for the few elevators aboard this ship. British passengers should note that no suites or cabins have bathtubs.
Passenger niggles include: lines at the cramped self-service buffet; poor wine service (not enough wine waiters); an increase in the use of packets of butter, margarine, and preserves; the lack of choice of sugar; weak coffee; and badly worn bathroom fittings. There is a self-service launderette (£2 for wash and dry) – and the company may charge for shuttle buses in some ports of call.
This smart-looking mid-size ship suits middle-aged and older passengers seeking a casual, unstuffy environment in a ship with British food and entertainment. It’s a refreshing change for those who don’t enjoy larger, warehouse-size ships. But it does roll somewhat, probably because of its shallow draft design, meant for warm-weather cruise areas.
Accommodation. There are several cabin price categories; the higher the deck, the higher the price. All grades have a television and hairdryer (some are awkward to retract from their wall-mount holders), European-style duvets, and large cotton bathroom towels (bathrobes are available upon request in suite-grade cabins). There is no separate audio system in the cabin, but music can be obtained from one of the TV channels, although you’ll have to leave the picture on. Suites, however, do have a CD music system.
When Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines bought the ship, it converted a number of cabins from double-occupancy units to solo traveler cabins.
Some cabins suffer from poor soundproofing; passengers in cabins on Deck 4 in particular are disturbed by anyone running or jogging on the promenade deck above. Cabins on the lowest deck (Deck 2) in the ship’s center are subject to noise from the adjacent engine room.
Dining. There are two restaurants (Thistle and Grampian: assigned according to your accommodation grade). The Thistle Restaurant is a pleasing and attractive venue, with large ocean-view windows on three sides; its focal point is a large oil painting on a wall behind a buffet food display counter. However, space is tight, and tables are extremely close together, making proper service difficult. There are tables for two, four, six, or eight; the Porsgrund china has a Venus pattern.
There are two seatings for dinner, and an open seating for breakfast and lunch. The menu is varied. Salad items are quite poor and very basic, with little variety, although there is a decent choice of dessert items. For breakfast and lunch the dual food counters are functional, but the layout is not ideal and at peak times they create much congestion. The Grampian Restaurant is located aft at the top of the ship, with fine aft views. Service is attentive (if hurried) in both venues.
Casual breakfasts and luncheons can also be taken in the self-service buffet located in the Palms Café, although these tend to be repetitive. There is indoor and outdoor seating. Although it is the casual dining spot, tablecloths are provided. The indoor flooring is wood, which makes it rather a noisy room, and some tables adjacent to the galley entrance are to be avoided at all costs.
Out on the pool deck, there is a barbecue grill for casual eating – welcome when the ship is in warm-weather areas.
Entertainment. The Neptune Showlounge sits longitudinally along one side of the ship, with amphitheater-style seating in several tiers, but its layout is less than ideal for either shows or cocktail parties. There is often congestion between first- and second-seating passengers at the entrance.
Unfortunately, 15 pillars obstruct sight lines to the stage, and the banquet and individual tub chair seating arrangement is quite poor.
The entertainment mainly consists of small-scale production shows and mini-musicals presented by a small troupe of resident singers/dancers, and cabaret acts. They are rather amateurish, but enjoyable.
Spa/Fitness. The health spa facilities are limited. The spa includes a combined gymnasium/aerobics room, and a separate room for women and men, with sauna, steam room, and small changing area. Spa Rituals treatments are provided by Steiner. Some fitness classes are free; others, such as yoga and kick-boxing, cost extra.