Listen, do you want to know a secret? On this occasion it’s not the teenage John Lennon’s crooning about his love life, but me eulogising one of the most unusual and enjoyable short breaks you can take to or from Liverpool.

Lennon’s lyrics continue ‘Do you promise not to tell?’, but possibly to my detriment I’m going to ignore this plea following a coastal mini-cruise onboard Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ MS Bolette from Liverpool to Southampton with return by a very comfortable coach.

I say ‘detriment’ as with only about 200 cruisers getting the run of a 1,338-passenger ship on what is a spacious 62,735 gross registered tons liner anyway, speaking selfishly, that’s the way I like it. Also, the hotel crew are all fresh, friendly and very attentive.

Twice annually Fred Olsen’s Bolette or her sister ship Borealis begin and end their world cruises at Liverpool Cruise Terminal, after embarking or disembarking passengers in Southampton.

The first and last 176.5-mile legs are sold as two-night mini-cruises, but of course you can continue for the world cruise (costing a tad extra). In fact, thanks to Fred Olsen, these are first world cruises in 80 years to be run from Liverpool.

One of these ships is based in Liverpool for around nine months a year operating the line’s program from the Cruise Terminal to destinations including the Norwegian fjords, the Baltic, round-Britain, France, Mediterranean, Canaries, Iceland and even Greenland. In another classic revival, Fred Olsen sails transatlantic to Canada, a route abandoned by Canadian Pacific in 1971.

These two pretty sisters are superb and in spite of being 25 years old look as if they’ve just rolled out of the shipbuilders. For a ship-geek like me they are the nearest you get to a traditional ocean liner today, while geared to modern cruising as shown by our Balcony Suite, left.

Built for the upmarket Holland America Line’s long voyages, they were the co-flagships MS Amsterdam (Bolette) and MS Rotterdam (Borealis), Fred Olsen Cruise Lines bought the pair as-seen, complete with their splendid décor of Dutch antiques, Dutch East Indian and Indonesian artefacts.

Added to this are items from the Olsen archives of ship models and paintings, including a portrait of the formidable looking family matriarch Bolette herself.

A fascinating touch is a Norwegian folding canvas kayak hung on a stairwell, used by the legendary explorer Fridtjof Nansen for his seminal Antarctic expeditions.

Unlike Nansen we didn’t have to survive on ship’s biscuits but enjoyed excellent cuisine in the main Bloomsbury Restaurant. We met other friends onboard and in a trice the maitre d’ rearranged our seating enabling us to dine together. There are two speciality supplementary restaurants Tastes (Indian cuisine) and Colours (Asian fusion). We chose the latter offering exemplary food and service.

Although only a two-night cruise, Bolette’s entertainment was in full swing with the ship’s company giving a medley from future shows. Perfect for this voyage was The Beatles Complete, who are the toppermost of the tribute poppermost bands. They looked scarily young until you realise that they are the right age for the moptop era, triggering several pensioners into bouts of Beatlemania

With no ports of call there’s a full day at sea which I love. Time floats by and there’s a chance to explore the ship’s many fine public rooms and facilities. As in Borealis, the ship’s atrium is dominated by a curious enormous three deck high mechanical clock.

A wonderful ocean liner throwback is the wood planked wrap-around open promenade deck with steamer chairs and the lifeboats slung above. Leaning over the teak rails and watching the sea stream by as the ship cleaves through the waves, spraying white foam over the grey swell adds to the sense of voyaging into a time warp.

Travelling in January the seascape was misty with a three-metre swell, unlike my previous trip aboard Borealis on a flat sea in brilliant winter sunshine etching out the Scilly Isles and Land’s End. But then nothing is guaranteed if you choose to sail down the Irish Sea and English Channel at this time of year.

However, these are good seaboats and apart from some unavoidable pitching (as the ship see-saws over the waves), there was little rolling in spite of what the image conveys on the left.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines is a mid-market operation, but it matches much more expensive and exclusive brands I’ve sailed on. The entire trip tempted you to hide in a lifeboat to enjoy a few more sectors of the world cruise.

Much as I’d like to keep this short break to myself, I do feel obliged to share it with everyone as it’s yet another experience which makes Liverpool stand out as a special place.

The essentials:

• MS Bolette’s return sailing T2506 from Southampton to Liverpool is on 22-24 April, 2025.
• Interior cabin £349 per person based on two guests sharing (solo guest £449); balcony suite £449 per person two guests sharing (solo guest £598.50).
• Coach to Southampton £30 per person. Fares correct at time of publication.
• More Fred Olsen Cruise Lines information and fares can be found here: https://www.fredolsencruises.com/cruise/minicruise-t2506