L2621 - Itinerary Update - River Cities & Coastlines of France

This update is for Guests who booked before 12th March 2026:

Your cruise countdown is well underway, and we’re looking forward to seeing you on Balmoral for our River Cities & Coastlines of France cruise.

 

Although your cruise is a little way off, we're getting in touch to let you know about some changes we’ve had to make to our itinerary.

Why are you making changes?

The world‑famous Tour de France have recently announced Bordeaux will host one of its stages, whilst a wonderful moment for the city, it’s one which coincided with our visit.

To manage the event safely, the authorities have informed us the bridge we need to sail under will not be raised during the event, meaning we need to change the date of our visit.

What’s changing?

As we’re unable to visit Bordeaux as planned, we’ve had to make some thoughtful changes to the itinerary, which you’ll find below.

These changes do mean we’re having to replace our call at Lorient with the historic maritime city of Cherbourg.

We understand some guests may feel disappointed with this change however, Cherbourg offers a great deal to enjoy, from its rich naval history and welcoming cafés to its excellent shopping and close proximity to the D‑Day beaches.

Date	Revised Itinerary
2nd July	Rosyth (UK) and set sail
3rd July	At sea
4th July	Cherbourg (France) – New replacing Lorient
5th July	At sea
6th & 7th July	Bordeaux (France)
8th July	At sea
9th July	Scenic cruising of the Seine (France)
10th July	Rouen (France)
11th July	Honfleur (France)
12th and 13th July	At sea
14th July	Rosyth (UK) and disembark

 

Our new itinerary map:

 

Plan your cruise with our new Help Centre:

We’re delighted to share our new online Help Centre is live.

It’s been created to ensure planning your cruise is easier than ever before, and to help you find answers to those burning questions, any time you need them.

• Visit the Help Centre by clicking here
• See your formal nights and Colours and Tastes menus by clicking here

A few helpful reminders:

• Your Journey Guide, which includes all you need to know about available tours, experiences and your cruise will be sent to you 12 weeks before you embark Balmoral.

• Your Cruise Ticket will follow three weeks before your check‑in day.

• Your luggage labels will arrive by post approximately two weeks before you set sail.

 

We can’t wait to welcome you on board Balmoral for what promises to be a wonderful cruise.

Your Guest Experience Team

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

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