Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has welcomed its third ship back into service, with the return of Balmoral marking the start of a summer season of sailing from Newcastle and Rosyth.

 “Balmoral will split her summer sailings between the two ports, ahead of a programme of winter sailings from Southampton and Dover, with two new Captains, Captain Valentin Giuglea and Captain Steffan Ravneng, at the helm,” the Uk based company said in a statement.

 In the coming weeks, guests will have the chance to witness the phenomenal Midnight Sun and the rugged beauty of Arctic Norway, explore the historic towns and cities of Tallinn and Riga and experience the famous Golden Circle in Iceland. Balmoral will also be offering scenic sailings into the heart of the Norwegian fjords and along the River Seine in France, made possible by her smaller size. The ship has a gross tonnage of about 45,500.

 These follow on from Balmoral’s inaugural voyage - the 16-night ‘Canary Islands with the Funchal Flower Parade’ cruise - which returned to Newcastle on 18 May.

Borealis and Bolette have been in service since last year while the smallest ship of the lines, Braemar they is of just under 25,000 gross tons, is yet to resume operations.