MS Balmoral is my favourite ship within the Fred. Olsen Cruise Line fleet and Iwas incredibly lucky to cruise aboard her twice in 2016. My first voyage was in May to the Norwegian Fjords and my second voyage was in October to Spain, Morocco and Portugal, and it’s the latter that is the focus of my blog today.
Our first few days aboard were spent at sea, but our port days soon rolled in and our first stop was Cadiz in Spain. I’ve visited Cadiz many times but I never tire of it. It’s a maze of back alleys and side streets that are filled with quirky little boutiques, street artists and so much more. It’s the kind of place you want to get lost in. Cadiz is also the gateway for Seville – another wonderful option if you have never been before.
Our next port of call was Malaga for a tour to Marbella and Puerto Banus. The weather wasn’t great and as the day was a holiday, almost everywhere was closed. It was such a shame, but it’s left me with the need to return once again so I can explore hopefully without being drenched.
Melilla, a place I had never heard of before this cruise, was where we found ourselves the next morning. It is classed as Spanish territory, but it is actually located on the African side of the Mediterranean, right next door to Morocco. What a wonderful place it is! I strolled through the main city centre and did some shopping before walking through Parque Hernandez, which was wonderful. It’s a lovely green space sitting right in the middle of what is otherwise a typical grey city. Before heading back to the ship, I explored the Historic Centre which too was impressive. The views across the rocky bay below from the top of the 14th century fort were like something you would see in a holiday brochure. As we sailed from Melilla, I enjoyed dinner in The Grill, Fred. Olsen’s specialty steak and seafood restaurant. I had an 8oz fillet steak with a small lobster tail and sides of chunky chips and asparagus, and it was delicious. The cost is £25 per person and if you enjoy your steak and seafood, it is a must!
Cartagena and Gibraltar followed and these were both easy days of people watching and shopping. I really like the marina in Cartagena as it provides the perfect place to sit and enjoy a drink while watching the world go by. The fact the sun was shining and it was quite warm was an added bonus. Gibraltar offered up a whirlwind shopping experience, as it always does!
Next, we arrived in Casablanca. I had opted for a Casablanca city tour and a visit to the Hassan II Mosque. The Hassan II Mosque was incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever seen something so beautiful. It cost $3 billion to build and offers space for up to 105,000 people to pray at any one time. It also has the tallest minaret in the world. The Mosque was the highlight of the tour for me, but I did also enjoy our very brief walk through Habous. At the end of the tour we were taken to a store in the United Nations Square where we could do some shopping. Fred. Olsen do offer a shuttle bus service from the ship into town, so after my tour I made my way back into the city and into the Old Medina for more shopping and a real taste of Morocco.
Our final port was Lisbon in Portugal and I’d booked an organised excursion to Sintra and Cascais. The tour was very pleasant indeed, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sintra is a very small mountain-side village and although our stop there was only brief, it was long enough to snap some pictures, venture up some narrow streets and enjoy an obligatory Pastel De Nata. Cascais is a charming seaside town and offers some wonderful views across the bay. You will also find a wide variety of restaurants here and there was a wonderful traditional carousel right in the middle of the town. It was very picturesque.
Overall, the cruise was excellent. As always, the crew were wonderful, our destinations were interesting and the ship was very clean and tidy. Balmoral is certainly a ship I would recommend, and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines as a whole, a line I would recommend for solo travellers.
