Two years ago, Fred. Olsen took the decision to lengthen their delightful Braemar to incorporate more desirable balcony cabins.

The stretch increased the ships size from a tiny 19,000 tons to a small 23,000 tons. Nevertheless, Olsen diehards on my recent cruise aboard her to the Baltic were frequently less than impressed.
“She’s far too big now!” “It’s more crowded than it was.” “She’s not as friendly as she used to be!” These were just some of the comments I heard from disgruntled Fred. Olsen loyalists – and cruise passengers don’t come much more loyal.

Personally having not sailed on Braemar before the new section was inserted I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. Braemar remains that cruising rarity, a small ship that incorporates every creature comfort one needs, but all rendered on a friendly and human scale. The largely Filipino crew is exemplary, the food surprisingly good and the ship actually looks longer and sleeker than she was as built.

If anything the new, improved Braemar combines the best of the old ship with some elegant new advantages. There’s now a second pool, overlooked by the Marquee Bar serving splendid Fish and Chips at lunchtime. There are those new balcony cabins, which are lovely. There’s the elegant new Grampian Restaurant atop the ship, a stylish venue with incomparable views that is far more spacious and far quieter than the main Thistle Restaurant four decks below.

There’s the cosy new Morning Light Pub.
Best of all there is the Observatory, a 90-seat aerie above the Bridge perfect for observing port arrivals or enjoying cocktails and piano music pre-dinner.
A clever design featuring over-sized windows and a four-deck high glass walled atrium fills the ship with light and makes her seem bigger than she is. Cabins are – well, perhaps “compact” is the best word to use. But they are cleverly fitted out and comfy: and here again, mirrored walls make the most of the limited dimensions, while cabin service from charming stewardesses is second-to-none.
Our itinerary took us to Amsterdam first – time for some Rijksmuseum and some rijstaffel, the traditional Indonesian lunch that’s rather like oriental tapas.

The true highlight was a three-day and two-night stay in magnificent St. Petersburg with plenty of opportunities to view palaces, cathedrals and the ballet. But be warned – unless you apply for an individual Russian visa well before sailing, you’re obliged to take shore excursions if you want to leave the ship: and even with Fred. Olsen’s extremely reasonable excursion prices, three days worth of tours can make quite a dent in your wallet.

Tantalisingly short stays in wonderful Copenhagen and the enchanting Polish resort of Gdynia were counterbalanced by a long stay in the German seaside town of Warnemunde, to accommodate long tours to Berlin. I opted instead to get the local train to the charming medieval town of Rostock for lunch – a cheap and very cheerful alternative.
Back on board, I appreciated the hallmarks of cruising Fred. Olsen style. A resolutely British atmosphere, a variety of entertainment (although the sideways-on Neptune Lounge is perhaps the most difficult room to access on any ship anywhere) and a complete lack of announcements. To say nothing of on-board prices for drinks and laundry and gratuities that must surely be the fairest in the cruise industry.

Arrival back in Dover meant a reluctant departure from this little gem of a ship. As I went down the gangway, all I could think was “Good Old Fred!”