Festival Cruises

MS Bolero

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Operator:Festival Cruises
Year Built / Last Refurbished: 1968 / 1987
Length / Tonnage: 525 / 16,000
Number of Cabins / Passengers: 401 / 802
Officers / Crew: Greeek / International
Operating Area: Mediterranean
Telephone / Fax: Tel 135 4502 / Fax 135 4502

One of the newcomers to the European cruise scene is a company known in the United States as Azur/Bolero Cruises...they have another name in Europe and it is a point of such contention on these shores...that I shall not mention it here. With an old cruise ferry, originally P & O Ferries’ EAGLE and latterly Paquet and then Chandris’ AZUR, this new Greek concern whose name begins with an “F” started cruising the Mediterranean less than five years ago...They seem bent on establishing themselves as a sturdy player in the cruise industry and as of this May 1997 writing, have a three ship fleet. Besides their pioneer ship The AZUR and the latest acquisition FLAMENCO, a ship with quite an interesting past....is the BOLERO, Festival’s second ship...

If you have paid any attention to the modern American cruise industry you know this ship...she used to be NCL’s STARWARD...It was not only the “Love Boat” TV series that we have to thank for the popularity of cruising in the American market but ships like the STARWARD which brought a holiday at sea within the reach of middle and middle class America...the STARWARD may indeed have alienated the “OLD PASSENGERS”...that is to say..anyone who had been cruising before she showed up on the scene to offer scaled down on board service (I KNOW many out there will howl with derision at this sentence but let’s face it kids, I’ve been going in ships all my life... well since age 5, and I remember that service staff included a steward, stewardess and cabin boy for each block of cabins, not to mention dining room steward and bus boy for a very few tables...and the STARWARD and her successors didn’t and DON’T offer THAT kind of service crew...) but the STARWARD and her kin brought a whole new type of passenger down to the sea...

Taking the chance that I will deeply offend a few dear friends at NCL...both past and present NCL people...I admit that I NEVER liked any of the first four NCL ships...the accidental first ship the SUNWARD of 1966 which was built as something of an experiment, didn’t really fit in anywhere until Ted Arison soon of Carnival arranged with shipowner Knut Kloster to begin a Miami cruise line in 1968....and Norwegian Cruise Line...NCL...was born...WORSE..when I worked as a Purser in competitor RCCL’s NORDIC PRINCE I came to have some contempt for these NCL “white ships”...laughing at their passengers going ashore to the left in Jamaican ports while unbeknownst to them trucks bearing loads of cargo rolled out of the ship’s huge garage areas and drove off to the right.... I admit it...back then I wouldn’t even SPIT at the STARWARD or her near sisters SKYWARD, SOUTHWARD and SPIRIT of LONDON which P & O introduced after having bought her unfinished hull before she could be christened SEAWARD....Time had not much leavened my harsh opinion of these ships, but the BOLERO herself DID!!!

She managed to change my mind considerably...not enough to rate her or her kin as highly, say...as the SILVER WIND...but I consider them good, honest value though somewhat densely populated cruise ships...And densely populated the BOLERO and her fleetmate and once intended near sister FLAMENCO...the once intended SEAWARD, eventual SPIRIT of LONDON, SUN PRINCESS and Star/Ship MAJESTIC are...they carry a lot of passengers for their size...and since I did not sail in either of them...yet...(I hear that the FLAMENCO will start up for her new owners next year) I give no star rating at this time... I haven’t sailed with either of them yet...but a couple of weeks ago spent a long day aboard in Lisbon with friends who work in her...and after sailing in 72 ships I do know what I am doing and know enough to issue this report...

With the help of major cruise wholesalers in Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France and Britain the BOLERO’s moderately priced cruises have brought her enormous custom...and she often goes out with every cabin occupied. In the United States EuroCruises in New York, representatives of some of the most interesting ships and a company with one of the friendliest, most helpful staffs you will ever have the pleasure of dealing with, can help you reserve a cabin on the BOLERO.

They have honestly never looked better....A thorough redecoration followed Festival’s acquisition of the tired old STARWARD and it was quite successful indeed...all her public rooms are comfortable, none of the decor jars...none of it is tacky...faux tropical and a couple of rooms - especially the Promenade Lounge, Reflections Lounge and the duplex Topsiders Bar are quite appealing...Nondescript is the Starlight Cabaret, the show lounge and a non event is Signals Cafe...there ARE enough places I like, so yes...I would consider doing a cruise in this ship...she just wouldn’t be a top choice and if I don’t sail in her I won’t feel like I am missing anything...even the pizza which is served in all public lounges every morning at 1:00AM is not inducement enough for me to organize a trip in this nice enough vessel...And it’s a pity because her crew is VERY friendly, eager to serve and I have friends working here...and am even acquainted with one of her Captains...so am assured should I sail that I will be made very welcome....

Other public areas include a cinema, shopping arcade, beauty salon and a small but well equipped gym.

One thing I much like about the BOLERO’s two sitting dining in the Windows on the Sea Restaurant....it’s a NO SMOKING restaurant. The food is plenty good, too...I met Executive Chef Shahi...and even offered him a bribe to make me some Indian dishes should I sail...he told me he would be happy to make the foods I crave...no bribe needed!!!! Because this smallish ship can carry almost a thousand passengers if every bed and berth is taken...the restaurant is a big room...with floor to ceiling windows ..and by day the views fascinate...by night...you look at each other...It’s no mean feat to be able to cook for so many different nationalities but by all accounts and what I tasted aboard... the BOLERO’s kitchens do a remarkable job...and everyone who works here tries to please... Besides meals in the restaurant are buffet breakfast and lunches upstairs in the Signals Cafe...that many service items including demi-tasse and coffee cups are logoed with the company’s insignia tells me of a certain pride the company holds in its product and ships....

A further note...since this is a mainly European operation and few Americans are ever on board you might be concerned that you will be daunted by a wine list full of labels unfamiliar...familiar labels should reduce your anxiety. Prices are listed in Italian Lire...so prepare for a LOT of zeros...the rate of exchange these days is about Lit. 1,700 = US$1.00!! Anyway, mixed drinks and cocktails cost about $4.00 each and 33cl cans of sodas (familiar labels like Pepsi Cola, Coca Cola, Seven Up, Sprite) go for just under $2.00 a can...Beers are about US$2.25 and cigarettes...American and European brands will set you back about $2.00 per pack...at current rates of exchange that’s about US$2.50...

She has a LOT of these...401 of them for passenger sale! NONE of them is big..they range from compact to tiny...and 168 of them are inside...The five largest are her “SUITES” and these all retain the Jamaican place names NCL gave them... TWO “H” Category rooms on Biscayne deck are fitted for handicapped passengers...All cabins are air conditioned and are fitted with private facilities...As you’d expect in such small spaces, storage space is at a premium so don’t overpack...the ship was conceived for 7 night trips from Miami and her designers concluded that a cabin was for sleeping, it’s bathroom for showering, abluting et all...and the wardrobe of the occupants would be limited to beach wear by day, one or two “formal” suits...so the lack of storage space was never an issue... and unless you change four times a day and take the 15 night transAtlantic...ought to find the available space is adequate.

Her Hotel Manager tells me that his ship generally sails pretty full, with 750-825 passengers pretty routine...Fans of old Royal Cruise Line will be happy to know that Capt. Psarrakis, former Master of the beautiful CROWN ODYSSEY is Captain here.. His is not the only face familiar to Royal Cruise Line veterans...Europeans of most ages and many of them happy to party, swim in the sun, explore ports flock to this friendly ship...and I am always hearing good things about this line’s cruises so don’t be afraid to try it in the Mediterranean if you find the price is right and you don’t require mansion sized private quarters. With the enormous choice of ships and extensive discounting in the one week Caribbean market I am not sure you will want this one....NCL sold her off when she became non-competitive with the new generation of giant cruise ships in the region so I believe you can find other ships - more lavishly equipped and for the same, if not a better, price. But by all means consider this ship for some of her European itineraries...Passengers of all ages sail with her in Europe...there are also quite a few extended families...you can make some good friendships here.

The BOLERO operates more than 7 night cruises...she has 8,9, 10, 11 and 15 night jaunts on her sailing schedule...After a spring season cruising from Genoa and Savona to the Canaries and/or Portugal, Morocco and mainland Spain, the ship heads east. Though she makes a trip up to Zeebrugge, Belgium and a couple of Northern European cruises, most of the summer (22 weeks’ worth) finds the BOLERO sailing on 7 day cruises from Venice to Greece calling at Dubrovnik, Croatia; Katakolon, Delos, Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Pylos in Greece. These cruises can all be extended at Venice if you are willing to transfer there to THE AZUR which calls at Korcula, Croatia before heading to the Greek ports of Itea, Santorini, Heraklion, Rhodes, Piraeus and Corinth...In December the ship does a 15 night transAtlantic crossing from Genoa to Santo Domingo....and then operates one week cruises in the charter market for a value-conscious, budget Canadian concern....

I admit that on this one there IS NO heavy word....at least not yet...Except for people who are used to cruise lines like Seabourn, people who sail in her report that her food is good, everyone no matter what heir cruise background finds the service friendly, and I find that she has plenty of places I like yet because her cabins are so small and she generally doesn’t go where I want to go I am not called to her...but I think you would enjoy her because she gives a good cruise and good value for the money charged. I’ll let you know more once I have sailed in her.