Fred. Olsen Balmoral Lunch and Dinner Menus
Dining aboard Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Balmoral includes traditional table-service meals alongside more casual options throughout the day. Balmoral’s main dining rooms are the Ballindalloch, Spey and Avon restaurants, with all three serving the same main restaurant menus. Fred. Olsen describes its evening offering as five-course à la carte dining, with menus that change throughout the cruise.
The photographed menus below provide examples of both dinner and lunch aboard Balmoral. The dinner menu includes starters, soups, salads, six main courses and desserts, while the lunch menu features a traditional Sunday roast alongside a selection of dishes that are available throughout the cruise.
Fred. Olsen states that lunch is normally served between 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm, while its current published main-restaurant dinner sittings are at 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm, with the second sitting moving to 8:15 pm on embarkation day and formal evenings.
For more information before sailing, CruisePrism readers can also explore the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines dining menus, and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines onboard guides for more details about dining, onboard activities, entertainment and daily schedules.
Fred. Olsen Balmoral Dinner Menu
The photographed dinner menu begins with two starters, followed by three soups and two salads.
Starters
Chicken and Brandy Liver Parfait
With toasted brioche fingers and a garden leaf salad.
Seafood Stew
In a rich prawn and tomato bisque, served in a puff pastry case.
Soups
Double Duck Consommé – GF
With shredded duck leg.
Asparagus Velouté – GF, V
With mint and shallots.
Vichyssoise – GF, V
Classic chilled leek and potato soup.
Salads
Chef’s Salad – GF
Boiled egg, grilled chicken, avocado, crispy bacon and Stilton served in a red wine vinaigrette.
House Salad
Served with a choice of dressing: honey and mustard, balsamic, Thousand Island or creamy garlic and herb.
Balmoral Dinner Main Courses
The dinner menu provides six main-course choices covering seafood, duck, lamb, pasta and meat-free dishes.
Lobster & Prawn Thermidor
Served with vegetable panache and galette potato.
Beetroot and Pumpkin Wellington – GF, VE
Served with Savoy cabbage and kale pesto.
Tagliatelle Ai Funghi – V
Served in a white wine and mushroom sauce.
Slow-Roasted Duck Leg Confit – GF
Served with herbed potato rösti, honey-roasted beets and apple cider pan gravy.
Crispy Tofu, Roasted Squash and Mascarpone Risotto – GF
Served with black cumin seed oil and crispy sage leaf.
Herb-Crusted Lamb Rack
Served with ratatouille vegetables, Chateau potatoes and rosemary essence.
Balmoral Dinner Desserts
Four desserts are shown on this particular dinner menu.
Berry Pavlova – GF, V
With meringue and crème Chantilly.
Paris Brest – V, SF
Praline-filled choux bun with toasted almonds.
Apple Tart Tatin – V
Served with vanilla ice cream.
Spiked Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream Sundae
With chocolate fudge sauce and whipped cream.
What Is Dinner Like on Fred. Olsen Balmoral?
This photographed menu is consistent with Fred. Olsen’s description of Balmoral’s main dining experience. The cruise line confirms that the Ballindalloch Restaurant serves a changing five-course à la carte menu, including dishes such as seafood, steaks, freshly prepared soups and desserts.
The Spey and Avon restaurants serve the same five-course à la carte menus as Ballindalloch, so guests assigned to those dining rooms can expect the same main menu rather than a completely different selection.
Fred. Olsen also emphasizes that the menus rotate throughout the cruise, so this should be viewed as an example of one Balmoral dinner rather than a menu served every evening.
Fred. Olsen Balmoral Sunday Lunch Menu
The photographed lunch menu features a traditional Sunday Roast, with a choice of roast beef or roast turkey.
Sunday Roast
Roast Beef
Served with Yorkshire pudding, roasted root vegetables and gravy. Gluten-free adaptable.
Roast Turkey
Served with Yorkshire pudding, roasted root vegetables and gravy. Gluten-free adaptable.
The traditional Sunday roast reflects the British focus found throughout Fred. Olsen’s onboard dining program.
Always Available Lunch Dishes
The same menu has an Always Available section described as being offered every day throughout the cruise.
Chicken Bouillon – GF
Served with a mini vegetable garnish.
House Salad
Choice of honey and mustard, balsamic, Thousand Island or creamy garlic and herb dressing.
Poached Salmon & Rocket Salad – GF
Flaked salmon, avocado, lime and mayonnaise dressing.
Creamy Pesto Pasta
Served with toasted pine nuts and Parmesan.
Sausage & Mash
Pork and leek sausages, mustard mash, onion marmalade, beer-battered onion rings and gravy.
Beetroot & Walnut Risotto – V, VE, GF
Served with celery, fennel and apple salad and balsamic pickled onions.
Always Available Desserts
Brioche Bread & Butter Pudding – V
Served with orange liqueur crème Anglaise.
Fresh Fruit Salad – V, GF, SF
Served with Chantilly cream.
British & International Cheese Plate – V
Served with fig jam, dried apricot and celery.
Is Lunch Included on Fred. Olsen Balmoral?
Yes. Fred. Olsen states that food in its main restaurants and casual dining venues is included in the cruise fare. Guests can choose a table-service lunch in the main restaurants or use the ship’s casual self-service option.
Lunch is normally available between 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm. Fred. Olsen describes lunch as offering a select à la carte menu in its main restaurants as well as a self-service alternative.
Casual Dining on Balmoral
Passengers who don’t want a traditional sit-down meal can also eat at The Thistle, Balmoral’s casual self-service restaurant.
Fred. Olsen confirms that The Thistle serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and also offers complimentary afternoon tea. For dinner, the current published opening period for The Thistle is 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten-Free Options
Both photographed menus identify dishes suitable for different dietary requirements.
The abbreviations used include:
GF – Gluten Free
V – Suitable for Vegetarians
VE – Suitable for Vegans
SF – Sugar Free
The dinner menu also includes dairy-free in its dietary key, although none of the dishes visible in these particular photographs carry that designation.
The lunch menu asks passengers with allergies to inform their waiter and notes that allergen information is available on request.
Fred. Olsen Balmoral Dining FAQ
What are the main restaurants on Balmoral?
Balmoral’s main restaurants are Ballindalloch, Spey and Avon. Fred. Olsen confirms that Spey and Avon offer the same five-course à la carte menus served in Ballindalloch.
What time is dinner on Balmoral?
Fred. Olsen currently lists its main dinner sittings at 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm. The second sitting is at 8:15 pm on embarkation day and formal evenings. Exact arrangements can vary.
What time is lunch on Balmoral?
Lunch is normally served between 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm in Fred. Olsen’s main and casual dining venues.
Does Balmoral serve a Sunday roast?
Yes. The photographed Balmoral lunch menu includes a Sunday Roast with a choice of roast beef or roast turkey, accompanied by Yorkshire pudding, roasted root vegetables and gravy.
Are there vegetarian and vegan choices?
Yes. The photographed menus include several meat-free dishes. Examples include Asparagus Velouté, Vichyssoise, Beetroot and Pumpkin Wellington, Tagliatelle Ai Funghi and Beetroot & Walnut Risotto.
Does Balmoral have a buffet?
Yes. The Thistle is Balmoral’s casual self-service restaurant and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Do the Balmoral menus stay the same throughout the cruise?
No. Fred. Olsen specifically describes the main restaurant dinner menu as changing each evening. The photographed menus therefore represent examples of what was served on this particular cruise rather than a permanent menu.
Final Thoughts
These Fred. Olsen Balmoral menus show the ship’s traditional approach to main restaurant dining, with a broad choice of seafood, meat, vegetarian and vegan dishes.
The photographed dinner menu ranges from Lobster & Prawn Thermidor and Slow-Roasted Duck Leg Confit to Beetroot and Pumpkin Wellington and Tagliatelle Ai Funghi, followed by classic desserts such as Berry Pavlova and Apple Tart Tatin.
Lunch has an equally traditional British feel, particularly on Sunday, when roast beef and roast turkey are served with Yorkshire pudding, root vegetables and gravy. The separate always-available selection also gives passengers alternatives including salmon salad, pasta, sausage and mash, risotto and several desserts.
Because Fred. Olsen changes its menus during each cruise, dishes may differ by sailing and date. These photographs should therefore be used as an example of the lunch and dinner choices passengers may encounter aboard Balmoral.
