Written by Kay King, Tours Operator Administrator
Day 1: Thursday 27th November 2025 - Southampton
We arrived at Southampton docks and parked at the car park (booked via AB Ports). The whole process from parking the car to setting foot aboard Balmoral took around 20 minutes, including security, dropping luggage off, and check-in - amazing!
We were met by the friendliest crew and directed to our cabin. The ship was beautifully decorated for Christmas, creating a lovely atmosphere as soon as we stepped on board. This was the children’s first experience of seeing a ship, let alone boarding one, so there was plenty of excitement.
We quickly found our cabin on Deck 6, completed the muster check, and not long after, we set sail. Our cabin was clean and comfortable, with pull-down bunks made up for the children. We went off to explore, and our cases were in our cabin when we arrived back.
We opted for the Thistle buffet restaurant for dinner, situated at the aft overlooking the pool. There was a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of food options, including pasta, soups, pies, vegetables, and more. After dinner, we headed to the forward of the ship to the Neptune Lounge for the evening show, which was put on by the crew’s talented entertainment team. There was waiter service for drinks throughout the show, and we found it very impressive how the team remembered orders and who they were for!
After a long day, it was time for bed. The children were delighted with the chocolate left on our pillows as part of the turn-down service.
Day 2: Friday 28th November 2025 - A sea day
Our day at sea started with a visit to Ballindalloch for breakfast. The restaurant offered an extensive breakfast buffet, or you could order a tasty dish from the à la carte menu. We opted for the buffet and were pleased to find a good selection of cooked breakfast, pastries, fruit juices, and more.
It was a lovely, bright morning, so we decided to make the most of it and took on the four laps of the ship, which equates to one mile. It was a popular choice after breakfast, with many guests doing the same.
The rest of the morning was taken up with games, more exploring, and getting our bearings. There were various guest speakers during the cruise giving informational talks on Hamburg, the history of Christmas markets, and other subjects. This proved extremely useful when we arrived in Hamburg the following day.
Next, we headed back to Ballindaloch for the most delicious beef and ale pie I have ever eaten! During the afternoon, there was a performance from the Bridgend Male Voice Choir singing carols in the Neptune Theatre. It was a fantastic and extremely popular event, with the venue full to capacity, that really got us in the festive spirit.
After this, we headed back to our cabin to get ready for the evening ahead. We were advised that the dress code for the evening was formal and found that the majority of the guests took part in this. Once we were ready, we headed back to the Neptune Lounge for the Captain’s Cocktail Party event - this was put on twice to cover all guests on both dining times. It was such a lovely way to start the evening, with drinks and canapes provided, too. We particularly enjoyed meeting all of the crew and putting faces to the voices you hear over the tannoy.
Dinner this evening was in Ballindalloch, and it was our first time at the allocated dining time, 8 pm. We had a table for four and the loveliest waiter, Bo. We all enjoyed the wide selection on the menu, and my son especially enjoyed his first experience of Lobster thermidor. The rest of the evening was spent watching Jo singing and dancing with the saxophone, and then onto the Lido Lounge for an ABBA tribute by the entertainment team.
Day 3: Saturday 29th November - Arrival at Hamburg 12 pm lunchtime
We chose to explore Hamburg independently and left the ship after lunch. It took approximately 25 minutes to walk to our first market at St. Michael’s Church. This was a smaller market and just a pop-up for that weekend only. This was the first weekend the markets were open, so it was extra busy, which added to the atmosphere. From here, we walked further to the much larger Rathaus Market via the designer area with some beautiful shops and decorations. There is no better way to get into the festive spirit than by visiting a Christmas market. From the smells of Glühwein, roasted chestnuts, and bratwurst to being dazzled by every type of Christmas decoration you could think of, there was something different to see and smell on every corner. We stayed until early evening to see all the lights and soak up the atmosphere - it was truly magical!
Once back on board, we had a quick chance and headed back to Bo at Ballindalloch for dinner. As we were enjoying an overnight in Hamburg, we found the ship much quieter this evening. Steak was on the menu, and it was absolutely delicious. Bo remembered our drink choices from the previous night, and he was fantastic with the children - little things like that are what make cruising that extra bit special.
The evening’s entertainment was Dave Kristian, a comedian, and we all thoroughly enjoyed watching him. After the show, we headed up to the Lido Lounge for the silent disco. This proved to be super popular, and the dance floor was full! After a day full of walking and dancing, and despite the food we had already eaten, we were feeling a little peckish, so we decided to head to the supper club in the Thistle restaurant. This was open every evening from 10 - 11 pm on our voyage.
Day 4: Sunday 30th November - Hamburg
After a hearty breakfast in Ballindaloch - Eggs Benedict plus pancakes for the children, we were fuelled for another day to explore Hamburg. We popped back to St. Michael’s for a couple of last-minute souvenirs before venturing on to explore the Elbe Tunnel. This tunnel was situated about a 10-minute walk from the dock and extends 24m below the river. You access the tunnel by elevator, then walk the 426m-long tunnel to emerge on the opposite side of the river. It was very popular, with a constant stream of people walking through. We all enjoyed doing something a little different and found it to be an interesting (and free!) way to spend an hour or so.
Back on board, we headed up to Ballindalloch to experience afternoon tea, which didn’t disappoint, and at 4.30, we set sail for Southampton.
That evening, Dave Kristian was back in the Neptune Lounge and was just as entertaining as before. After all the excitement, we were feeling a little tired, so we decided to head back to the cabin to unwind. We took advantage of the complimentary breakfast room service for the following morning.
Day 5: Monday 1st December - A sea day
Our morning began with a knock on the cabin door… our breakfast had arrived! We all enjoyed the huge selection of pastries, fruit, coffee, and juices. The relaxed morning continued as we watched a film before getting ready and heading out on deck for some fresh air.
Throughout the day, there were various activities you could join, from learning the harp, dance lessons, and cocktail making, to various quizzes and bowling on the switch. This afternoon, I popped down to the laundrette to get ahead of things before we arrived home. I appreciate this is not for everyone, however, £3 for a token from guest services and our washing was all done - complimentary dryers too!
The rest of the afternoon was spent playing games; the café had a huge selection you could borrow, including Scrabble, Chess, Connect 4, and more. It got very competitive at times! There were plenty of public areas throughout the ship, with comfortable sofas to sit back, relax and literally watch the world go by.
Back to Bo at Ballindaloch for our last evening, and we enjoyed another exceptional meal. Nothing was too much trouble, and to quote Bo, ‘anything is possible’.
The show this evening, Forever 80s, was once again put on by the incredible entertainment team. We headed back to the cabin to pack and get ready for an early disembarkation at 8 am, opting to keep our cases with us.
Day 6: Tuesday 2nd December - Southampton
We arrived at Southampton slightly later than expected. However, from leaving our cabin and saying our goodbyes to the lovely cabin steward Nanette, we were back in the car within 20 minutes. It really is the easiest and most stress-free way to travel!
We all absolutely loved our trip aboard Balmoral from Southampton to Hamburg, from the food and wonderful staff on board to the festive atmosphere of the Christmas markets. It was the perfect way to start Christmas.
