Tourism

What is the Bolette cruise ship and when does it visit Gibraltar?

The cruise ship Bolette
Photo: Wolfgang Fricke, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Short answer

Bolette is the flagship of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, a 1,273-guest ship that sailed as Holland America Line's Amsterdam until 2020. Its upcoming visits to Gibraltar, with times and expected passengers, are listed on this page.

Upcoming visits to Gibraltar

  • Tuesday 17 November 2026, in port 08:30–16:30, about 1,380 passengers expected

    Also in port: MSC Splendida. Combined: about 5,743 passengers where known.

  • Monday 14 December 2026, in port 08:30–23:00, about 1,380 passengers expected

  • Wednesday 13 January 2027, in port 08:00–16:30, about 1,380 passengers expected

  • Monday 19 April 2027, in port 08:00–20:00, about 1,380 passengers expected

  • Saturday 9 October 2027, in port 08:00–16:30, about 1,380 passengers expected

    Also in port: OE Corinthian.

  • Monday 22 November 2027, in port 08:00–16:30, about 1,380 passengers expected

From the Port of Gibraltar schedule, last checked 15 October 2026.

Detailed answer

Bolette was built by Fincantieri in Italy and entered service in October 2000 as Amsterdam for Holland America Line. Fred. Olsen bought it in 2020, renamed it Bolette and now calls it its flagship. Fred. Olsen gives a gross tonnage of 62,735, a length of 238 metres, 1,273 guests at standard occupancy in 690 cabins and a crew of 650. The line describes a classic, elegant style with an intimate feel and sells the ship mainly on cruises from UK ports. The Lido pool on deck 8 has a retractable roof for year-round swimming. There is also the Observatory lounge for scenic cruising, the Atlantis Spa with a Thermal Suite, five restaurants and ten bars and lounges.

How busy will town be?

The upcoming visits listed on this page show the passengers expected on each call and any other ships in port the same day. Town is busiest when several ships are in at once or a large ship arrives at a weekend. A ship carrying a few hundred passengers makes little difference on its own.

Can you sail on it from nearby?

Bolette sails mainly from UK ports, and most of its 2027 cruises start in Newcastle. Fred. Olsen lists three round trips from Southampton late in 2027. They are an 11-night Northern Lights cruise from Sunday 7 November 2027, the 16-night Icons of the Mediterranean from Thursday 18 November 2027, which calls at Barcelona and Lisbon, and a 33-night Caribbean Christmas cruise from Saturday 4 December 2027. No sailings starting in Spain or Portugal are listed.