
Cruise · 14 nights · with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Fourteen days aboard Fred. Olsen’s Borealis sailing from Liverpool through the Azores’ volcanic islands and Madeira, with plenty of time for whale watching and quiet days at sea along Portugal’s Atlantic coast.
Highlights
Volcanic landscapes of the Azores islands
Whale watching opportunities in Atlantic waters
Visit to crater lakes at Sete Cidades
Walk inside Algar do Carvão volcanic cave
Madeira’s fragrant botanical gardens
Fred. Olsen’s Borealis sets off from Liverpool for a two-week circuit of Portugal’s Atlantic outposts. After three days at sea, you reach Praia da Vitória on Terceira, one of the less-visited Azorean islands marked by a neat harbour and volcanic landscapes shaped by long-ago eruptions. Ponta Delgada, the Azores’ largest town, offers blue-green crater lakes at Sete Cidades nearby, and the rugged volcanic cave Algar do Carvão, a caldera visitors can walk into.
After another day at sea, the ship calls at Funchal, Madeira, where the botanical gardens are fragrant with piña pineapples and orchids rather than the scent of typical British flowers. The pace is unhurried here, allowing time to take in the unusual blend of subtropical agriculture and steep hillsides. The return to the mainland lands in Matosinhos, near Porto, before the final two days sailing back to Liverpool.
The cruise strikes a calm balance of sea days and shore visits, with enough variety in terrain and town to hold interest without rush. Anyone familiar with the Atlantic islands might note that the Borealis is small enough to slip into some of the Azores’ lesser ports, a thoughtful touch for those hoping to avoid the crowds that arrive by plane.
Itinerary
Day 1
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Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
When to go
Lowest price each month, per person.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines confirms exact dates, availability and prices when you book.
Need to know
For full details of what’s included, check with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. See the full details on their site
The operator
Smaller-ship cruises, many from UK ports
A Norwegian family name in shipping since the nineteenth century, known for smaller ships that can reach the narrower fjords and harbours.
You book with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines directly. They confirm your place, take payment, and look after you from the moment you leave home; Atlas & Passage’s part ends when you click through.
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