The Lord Mayor of Southampton has raised more than £6,800 for three local charities on board Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Bolette, during a day of fundraising and fun.

The three local Southampton charities benefitting from the event are Sea Scouts, City Farm and The Saints Foundation.

On the day, 100 of the Lord Mayor’s guests were treated to on board entertainment, live music with drinks and pastries, followed by a tour of the ship, including a visit to the Bridge, as well as a variety of cabins and lounge areas. This was followed by a delicious three course meal with wine pairings in Bolette’s Bloomsbury Restaurant.

The raffle and auction were helped by Bolette’s on board entertainment team, who created a lively atmosphere and helped to raise £3,000 through the auctioning and raffle of donations including a £1,000 necklace, tickets to see Everyone’s Talking About Jamie and a five-night Dutch Waterways cruise on board Bolette.

The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Southampton, Councillor Valerie Laurent, said:

“This was an absolutely fabulous fundraising event on board Bolette. From start to finish, my guests and I were welcomed, and nothing was too much trouble for the crew and the hospitality was second to none.

“My grateful thanks must go to all of the Fred Olsen team for their support, which has helped us to raise more than £5,000 for my charities in Southampton.”

Georgina May, Public Relations Executive and member of the charity committee at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:

“What an incredible privilege it was to host the Lord Mayor of Southampton on board our beautiful Bolette to raise funds for these three fantastic local charities last month.

“Supporting local causes and charities is something that’s incredibly important to us, and we look forward to continuing to help our charitable partners in the future.”

2024 sailings from Southampton include:

Balmoral’s 13-night L2403 ‘Winter Warmth in the Canaries’ cruise, departing from Southampton on 1^stFebruary 2024. Prices start from £1,299 per person. Enjoy a free drinks package or on board spend when booked before 31^st January.

• Enjoy the scenery of beautiful Canarian islands
• Volcanic landscapes and gorgeous beaches await
• Visit Madeira and explore the botanical gardens

Itinerary: Southampton, England – Funchal, Portugal – Santa Cruz de la Palma, Spain – Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain – Las Palmas, Spain – Arrecife, Spain – Lisbon, Portugal – Southampton, England
For more details: Visit L2403 ‘Winter Warmth in the Canaries’

Bolette’s five-night T2403 ‘Dutch Waterways in Five Nights’ cruise, departing from Southampton on 20^thFebruary 2024. Prices start from £499 per person. Enjoy a free drinks package or on board spend when booked before 31^st January.

• Visit the Netherlands for a wealth of Dutch experiences
• See where famous Edam and Gouda cheeses are made
• Take a boat tour of Amsterdam’s iconic canals

Itinerary: Southampton, England – Cruising Nieuwe Maas, Netherlands – Rotterdam, Netherlands (overnight port) – Amsterdam, Netherlands (overnight port) – Southampton, England
For more details: Visit T2403 ‘Dutch Waterways in Five Nights’

Bolette’s 13-night T2406 ‘Islands of the Azores, Crossing the Path of the Solar Eclipse’ cruise, departing from Southampton on 4^th April 2024. Prices start from £1,999 per person. Enjoy a free drinks package or on board spend when booked before 31^stJanuary.

• Explore volcanic sites in the Azores
• Look for whales and dolphins from Bolette with ORCA
• Cross the path of the fascinating Solar Eclipse

Itinerary: Southampton, England – St Malo, France – Brest, France – Solar Eclipse, Portugal – Praia da Vitoria, Portugal – Ponta Delgada, Portugal – Cruising by Santa Maria, Portugal – Cruise by Cabo Girao, Portugal – Funchal, Portugal – Leixoes, Portugal – Southampton, England
For more details: Visit T2406 ‘Islands of the Azores, Crossing the Path of the Solar Eclipse’

Borealis’ eight-night S2413 ‘Springtime Falls and Norwegian Fjords’ cruise, departing from Southampton on 19^thJune 2024. Prices start from £1,249 per person. Enjoy a free drinks package or on board spend when booked before 31^stJanuary.

• Enjoy a scenic cruise along Lysefjord on board Borealis
• See the magnificent Maurangerfjord Waterfall
• Take a ride on the world-famous Flåm Railway

Itinerary: Southampton, England – Cruising Lysefjord, Norway – Haugesund, Norway – Flåm, Norway – Cruising Sognefjord, Norway – Ulvik, Norway – Cruise Hardangerfjord, Norway – Cruising Maurangerfjord and Furebergfossen, Norway – Southampton, England
For more details: Visit S2413 ‘Springtime Falls and Norwegian Fjords’