Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines vs Norwegian Cruise Line
A detailed side-by-side comparison of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and Norwegian Cruise Line covering ratings, fleet size, food quality, entertainment, value for money, and available sailings from UK ports. Updated for 2026.
The head-to-head
Ratings are based on aggregated passenger reviews, editorial analysis, and expert scoring. The cobalt outline marks the stronger line for each attribute.
Who should choose which?
Every cruise line has its strengths and weaknesses. Here is an honest look at who each line is best suited for, based on passenger feedback and our editorial assessment.
Choose Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines if you want…
- No-fly cruising from UK
- Small-ship intimacy
- Unusual itineraries
- Solo travellers (low supplements)
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines may not suit you if…
- Families with children
- Those wanting mega-ship facilities
- Modern luxury seekers
Choose Norwegian Cruise Line if you want…
- Flexible, no-rules cruising
- Solo travellers (studio cabins)
- Broadway entertainment
- Modern ship design
Norwegian Cruise Line may not suit you if…
- Those wanting traditional cruise formality
- Budget travellers
- UK-departure-only preference
Ships at a glance
A quick comparison of each line's fleet including passenger capacity, tonnage, and year of launch.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Fleet (4 ships)
Borealis
Built 2021 · 1,360 guests
Bolette
Built 2021 · 1,380 guests
Norwegian Cruise Line Fleet (19 ships)
Norwegian Prima
Built 2022 · 3,215 guests
Norwegian Viva
Built 2023 · 3,215 guests
Available cruises
Current sailings from both cruise lines. Prices shown are per person based on two sharing the lowest-grade cabin available.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Sailings
Save 3%12 NIGHTSSpain & the River Cities of France
Save 2%7 NIGHTSRegions of Northern Spain
Ports: Southampton · Santander · Getxo · Gijón · La Coruña
Save 3%16 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 3%26 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 3%8 NIGHTSWestern Europe
13 NIGHTSAndalusia & Portugal with Madeira from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Lisbon · Cadiz · Malaga · Ceuta · Funchal, Madeira
Save 11%23 NIGHTSIslands & Bays of the Mediterranean from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Ceuta · Cartagena · Cagliari · Messina · Siracusa
15 NIGHTSIn Search of the Northern Lights from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Alesund · Narvik · Sortland · Tromsø, Norway · Harstad, Norway
Save 3%16 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 3%14 NIGHTSCanary Islands
Hot deal14 NIGHTSCanary Islands & Geminid Meteor Shower from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Leixoes · Funchal · Santa Cruz de La Palma · Santa Cruz · Vigo
Save 3%6 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
5 NIGHTSA Celebration of Dance at Sea with Dame Arlene Philips & Ian Waite!
Ports: Southampton · Amsterdam · Honfleur
Save 3%6 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
15 NIGHTSCanary Islands Christmas & Cadiz New Year from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Santa Cruz de La Palma · Santa Cruz · Las Palmas · Puerto del Rosario · Cadiz
13 NIGHTSSouthern Spain Siesta from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · La Coruna · Cadiz · Malaga · Gibraltar · Vigo
Save 3%14 NIGHTSCanary Islands
Save 6%14 NIGHTSCanary Islands
Save 3%16 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 3%14 NIGHTSCanary Islands
Save 3%10 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 3%14 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 3%10 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 3%10 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 3%10 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
Save 3%8 NIGHTSFrance & Belgium Easter Break
7 NIGHTSCapitals & Cultures of Scandinavia
Save 3%10 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
Save 3%14 NIGHTSBritish Isles
6 NIGHTSRemote Isles of Scotland from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Ullapool · Lerwick · Stornoway
9 NIGHTSCoastal Gems & Culture of Ireland from Rosyth
Ports: Rosyth · Slieve League Cliffs · Killybegs · Carrickfergus Castle · Belfast · Dun Laoghaire (for Dublin)
Save 16%6 NIGHTSCultural Charm of Ireland from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Cobh (Cork) · Galway City · Killybegs
Save 16%9 NIGHTSFjords & Mountains of Norway from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Alesund · Nordfjordeid · Nordfjord · Skjolden · Lustrafjorden
Save 3%9 NIGHTSWestern Europe
Save 14%8 NIGHTSScenic Isles of Scotland from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Portree · Isle of Skye · Ullapool · Kirkwall · Orkney Islands
Save 17%14 NIGHTSVolcanic Azores & the Solar Eclipse from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Matosinhos (Porto) · Lisbon · Funchal · Madeira · Ponta Delgada
9 NIGHTSWhales & Wonders of Iceland from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Reykjavik · Grundarfjordur · Latrabjarg · Eyjafjordur · Akureyri
Save 3%14 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
9 NIGHTSScenic Summertime Fjords of Norway from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Andalsnes · Olden · Skjolden · Bergen
Save 2%5 NIGHTSScottish Isles Bank Holiday Break from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Kirkwall, Orkney Islands · Lerwick, Shetland Islands
5 NIGHTSBank Holiday Fjords of Norway from Newcastle
Ports: Newcastle · Lysefjord · Bergen · Ulvik · Hardangerfjord · Maurangerfjord
Deal16 NIGHTSCultural Mediterranean with the Amalfi Coast from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Malaga · Cartagena · Olbia · Naples · Salerno
13 NIGHTSNine Nations of Northern Europe from Newcastle
Ports: Newcastle · Oslo · Aarhus · Malmo · Gdansk · Klaipeda
9 NIGHTSAutumn Fjords of Norway from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Alesund · Andalsnes · Olden · Skjolden
Save 3%26 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 13%11 NIGHTSSpain, Portugal & Gibraltar Escape from Liverpool
Ports: Liverpool · Gibraltar · Malaga · Cadiz · Lisbon · Matosinhos (Porto)
12 NIGHTSAncient Wonders of Turkey, Greece & Egypt from Piraeus
Ports: Piraeus · Istanbul · Kusadasi · Alexandria · Heraklion
Save 3%87 NIGHTSDiscovering the Amazon & Antarctica from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Santa Cruz · Tenerife · Santa Cruz de La Palma · La Palma · St. John's
Norwegian Cruise Line Sailings
Save 2%7 NIGHTS2-night Seattle & 7-night Encore Alaska & Glacier Bay
7 NIGHTS2-night Rome & 7-night Italy, Corfu & Adriatic Gems
7 NIGHTS2-night Barcelona & 7-night Nice, Florence & Amalfi Coast
9 NIGHTS2-night Seattle & 9-night Joy of Alaska
7 NIGHTSItaly, Greece & Croatia Fly Cruise from Rome
Ports: Rome · Salerno · Catania · Corfu · Kotor · Zadar
7 NIGHTS2-night Seattle & 7-night Alaska & Glacier Bay
Save 14%7 NIGHTS2-night Barcelona & 7-night Spain & Portugal
7 NIGHTS2-night Rome & 7-night Italy, France & Spain
7 NIGHTS2-night Seattle & 7-night Encore Alaska & Glacier Bay
Save 3%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Barcelona · Spain
7 NIGHTSSpain & Portugal from Barcelona
Ports: Barcelona · Palma De Mallorca · Valencia · Motril · Gibraltar · Cadiz
6 NIGHTS2-night Vancouver & 6-night Seattle, Astoria, San Francisco & 2-night Los Angeles
7 NIGHTS2-night Seattle & 7-night Alaska & Glacier Bay
10 NIGHTS3-night Salou & 7-night Spanish Cities & Islands
7 NIGHTS2-night Rome & 7-night Italy, Greece & Croatia
7 NIGHTS2-night Barcelona & 7-night Spain, France & Italy
7 NIGHTS2-night Barcelona & 7-night Spain & Portugal
7 NIGHTS2-night Seattle & 7-night Encore Alaska & Glacier Bay
Save 1%11 NIGHTS2-night Venice & 9-night Croatia, Italy, France & Spain
Ports: Venice (Ravenna) · Dubrovnik · Bar · Salerno · Rome (Civitavecchia) · La Spezia
Save 14%19 NIGHTSPanama Canal from Los Angeles with Stay
Ports: Los Angeles · Cabo San Lucas · Acapulco · Puerto Quetzal · Puerto Caldera · Panama City
7 NIGHTS2-night Athens & 7-night Greek Isles & Croatia
Save 1%7 NIGHTS2-night Rome & 7-night Nice, Florence & Marseille
6 NIGHTS2-night Vancouver & 6-night Pacific Coast & 2-night Los Angeles
6 NIGHTS1-night Vancouver & 6-night Pacific Wine Country & 4-night Las Vegas
17 NIGHTSSeoul, Hakodate & Osaka to Tokyo with Stays
7 NIGHTS2-night Barcelona & 7-night Nice, Florence & Salerno
9 NIGHTS4-night Orlando & 5-night Caribbean & Great Stirrup Cay
Ports: Caribbean · Great Stirrup Cay
14 NIGHTS1-night Barcelona & 14-night Transatlantic inc Drinks & Wi-Fi & 7-night Orlando
9 NIGHTS4-night Orlando & 5-night Caribbean & Great Stirrup Cay
Ports: Caribbean · Great Stirrup Cay
Save 3%13 NIGHTS2-night Lisbon & 11-night Canaries, Madeira, Oporto voyage to Southampton
Ports: Lisbon · Las Palmas · Santa Cruz De Tenerife · Santa Cruz de la Palma · Funchal · Oporto (Leixoes)
11 NIGHTS1-night Lisbon & 11-night Canaries, Madeira, Oporto Voyage to Southampton
Hot deal15 NIGHTSAsia Voyage with Tokyo & Seoul Stay
Ports: Yokohama · Shimizu · Nagoya · Kobe · Kochi · Hiroshima
11 NIGHTS7-night Universal Orlando & 4-night Great Stirrup Cay & Nassau
12 NIGHTS7-night Universal Studios & 5-night Caribbean & Great Stirrup Cay
9 NIGHTS2-night Los Angeles & 7-night Mexican Riviera
12 NIGHTS7-night Universal Studios & 5-night Caribbean & Great Stirrup Cay
19 NIGHTSNew Year Thailand & Philippines fr. Hong Kong to Singapore with Stay
17 NIGHTSSingapore, Thailand & Vietnam to Hong Kong with Stays
11 NIGHTS7-night Universal Studios & 4-night Bahamas Getaway
15 NIGHTSPanama Canal with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami Beach · Miami · Great Stirrup Cay · Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic · Willemstad, Curacao · Oranjestad, Aruba
Save 10%15 NIGHTS7-night Waikiki Beach Honolulu Stay with Tours & 7-night Inter-Island Cruise of Hawaii
Ports: Honolulu, Oahu · Kahului, Maui · Hilo, Hawaii · Kona, Hawaii · Nawiliwili, Kauai
15 NIGHTSCaribbean Round-Trip from New York with Stay
Ports: New York · Puerto Plata · San Juan · Charlotte Amalie · Road Town · Basseterre
8 NIGHTS8-Day Bahamas Round-Trip Philadelphia: Nassau & Jacksonville
Ports: Philadelphia · Nassau · Bahama Islands · Orlando · Jacksonville
7 NIGHTS7-Day Caribbean Round-Trip Orlando: Great Stirrup Cay & Dominican Republic
Ports: Orlando · Puerto Plata/Dominican Republic · St. Thomas (US Virgin Islands) · Tortola · Great Stirrup Cay
5 NIGHTS5-Day Caribbean Round-Trip Orlando: Cozumel
Ports: Orlando · Cozumel · Puerto Costa Maya
9 NIGHTS9-Day Caribbean Round-Trip Tampa: Dominican Republic & Key West
Ports: Tampa · Key West · Great Stirrup Cay · Falmouth · George Town
8 NIGHTSNASCAR Daytona 500 and Bahamas from Port Canaveral
Ports: Port Canaveral · Nassau · Great Stirrup Cay
Save 1%17 NIGHTSHong Kong, Nagasaki, Hiroshima & Osaka to Tokyo with Stays
Ports: Hong Kong · Kaohsiung · Taipei · Ishigaki · Nagasaki · Kagoshima
14 NIGHTSTokyo Stay, Mt. Fuji, Osaka, Hiroshima & Nagasaki to Seoul
Save 2%15 NIGHTSTokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima & Nagasaki to Seoul with Stays
Ports: Tokyo · Shimizu · Nagoya · Osaka · Kochi · Hiroshima
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines vs Norwegian Cruise Line: the bottom line
Choosing between Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and Norwegian Cruise Line ultimately comes down to what kind of holiday you are looking for. Both are well-established cruise lines with loyal followings, but they cater to different preferences and budgets.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, founded in 1848 and headquartered in Ipswich, UK, operates a fleet of 4 ships. It is categorised as a traditional cruise line and scores 4.4/5 overall based on 5,600 reviews. The line is particularly strong for no-fly cruising from uk and small-ship intimacy, making it a natural choice for cruisers who value those attributes.
Norwegian Cruise Line, established in 1966 from Miami, USA, has a fleet of 19 ships. As a contemporary line rated 4.4/5 from 13,800 reviews, it excels at flexible, no-rules cruising and solo travellers (studio cabins). If those are your priorities, Norwegian Cruise Line deserves serious consideration.
On food, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines scores 6/10 compared to Norwegian Cruise Line's 7/10. For entertainment, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines comes in at 5/10 versus Norwegian Cruise Line's 8/10. Value for money favours Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines with a score of 7/10.
Our recommendation: browse the available sailings above and compare itineraries, dates, and total cost including what is bundled in the fare. The best cruise line is the one that matches your specific needs, budget, and travel dates. Use the scores as a guide, but remember that individual ship and itinerary matter just as much as the cruise line brand.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines vs Norwegian Cruise Line — FAQ
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