FRED Olsen Cruise Lines has triumphed at the ‘Group Leisure Awards’, after being voted ‘Best Cruise Line for Groups’ by readers of leading travel title, Group Leisure magazine, for a record sixth time.

The prestigious award recognises the very best groups cruise experience, from the initial booking process to onboard facilities, and the quality of excursions on offer.

Fred. Olsen was recognised at a special awards ceremony at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel on 19th October 2016, and beat off stiff competition from other finalists Hurtigruten, Norwegian Cruise Line, The River Cruise Line and Thomson Cruises.

The ‘Group Leisure Awards’ were first established in 1997, and are voted for by active group travel organisers from sports and social clubs, retired associations, special interest societies and other groups, on what they consider to be the best groups experience across 21 categories.

Ellie Fulcher, Ssales Mmanager Ggroups at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “It is such an honour to have been voted ‘Best Cruise Line for Groups’ at this year’s ‘Group Leisure Awards’; it is an excellent publication and we are very proud to be associated with it.

“We are so thrilled that our efforts have been recognised in this significant way, and we would like to pass on our sincere thanks to all those who selected us! We have had a fantastic year, with our portfolio of group travel organisers and their groups growing and becoming more varied, as well as an exciting expansion of our team, with Hayley Walker joining us as Ssales Aassistant – Ggroups in February 2016.

“We are committed to offering our groups the very best, tailor-made cruise experience, and this is thanks to the tremendous efforts of our colleagues shoreside and the officers and crew across our fleet, who all work extremely hard to provide the very best service for our groups. We are looking forward to a successful and exciting 2017/18 cruise season!”

Feedback from Fred. Olsen’s group guests has shown that the intimate and very welcoming atmosphere on board Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch is very well-suited to the groups travel market, as well as the excellent value for money that a Fred. Olsen cruise offers.

Groups receive so much included in the price of their cruise fare – all meals and entertainment on board the ship, as well as port taxes, and the opportunity to upgrade to the ‘all-inclusive’ drinks package from just £10 per person, per night.

During its 2017/18 cruise season, Fred. Olsen will be setting sail from 10 regional ports around the UK – Southampton, Dover, Tilbury, Harwich, Falmouth, Liverpool, Newcastle, Greenock (Glasgow), Rosyth (Edinburgh) and Belfast – taking guests to no fewer than 220 destinations in 70 countries around the globe.

This ‘Group Leisure Award’ follows hot on the heels of Fred. Olsen’s recent success in the Cruise Critic ‘UK Editors’ Picks Awards 2016’, where the cruise line was delighted to be voted ‘Best Cruise Line for Itineraries’, for the second successive year.