Fred Olsen's Bolette to sail first world cruise in 2025

Bolette, which joined the family-owned line’s fleet in 2020, willl visit countries including Brazil, Chile, French Polynesia, Australia and South Africa during her 106-night ‘Voyage of Exploration Around the World’ sailing.

Martin Lister, head of itinerary planning and destination experience at Fred Olsen, said: “This extra special voyage for Bolette’s first world cruise has been hand-crafted by our team of journey planners to enable our guests to sail in the wake of famous historical explorers and will follow a similar route to the first world circumnavigation by Magellan and Elcano in 1519.

“It will also cruise the south coast of Australia as British navigator Matthew Flinders did in 1801, and will call into places visited by the likes of Captain James Cook and Alexander Selkirk – the Scottish sailor who was the inspiration for Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe novel.

“Guests will be able to witness some of the world’s most impressive vistas, experience diverse culture and encounter wildlife as well as explore some of the lesser known and less frequently visited gems like Robinson Crusoe Island.”

The trip offers the opportunity to visit some of the southern hemisphere’s iconic sites, such as Sydney’s Harbour and Opera House, the mysterious Moai statues on Easter Island, and South Africa’s Table Mountain and Signal Hill.

Highlights on the South American leg of the adventure include landmarks such as Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil, natural wonders like Sugar Loaf Mountain and the Chilean Fjords.

From there, guests will experience the beauty of Bora Bora and Tonga, while landmarks and natural wonders such as the Blue Mountains await in Australia.

The final leg of the journey will see guests enjoy Africa and the Indian Ocean, with the chance to seek out the Big Five in South Africa and reach the remote island of St Helena in the South Atlantic.

Prices for the epic three-month cruise, which departs Southampton on January 6, 2026, start from £12,499 per person.