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Saga Cruises

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Saga Cruises fleet

Spirit of adventure, spirit of discovery, spirit of the moselle, spirit of the danube, spirit of the rhine, spirit of the douro, ms filia rheni ii, ms rex rheni, review of saga cruises.

Saga Cruises (Saga Shipping Ltd, saga.co.uk/cruises) is a British company, luxury cruise brand and division of Saga Group. The company started passenger shipping operations under the travel brand name "Saga Cruises" in 1997, with the purchase of Saga Rose (former NCL ship MS Sagafjord), Saga Rose was the flagship until 2004 when Saga Ruby was bought from Cunard Line (previously named MS Caronia). Saga Travel's CEO is Nick Stace.

The shipowner Saga Group/Saga plc (1951-founded, headquartered in Folkestone, Kent England, UK) is a London Stock Exchange-listed company specializing in travel and insurance. Currently, Saga plc is managed by Mike Hazell (CEO) who in 2024 succeeded Euan Sutherland (2020-23).

Company history and changes

While on its final cruise in the Caribbean, Saga Ruby had one of its generators fail disabling the air-conditioning plant. Then it was decided to cancel the sailing and head for a Western Mediterranean itinerary. Saga Ruby returned to Southampton on Jan. 9, 2014 due to bad weather. While in Funchal Madeira, the ship met up with Saga Sapphire for New Year's Eve fireworks display. Saga Ruby then departed for Gibraltar out of Southampton for the last time on January 10th and was handed over to her new owners on Jan 13, 2014.

In 2005, Saga Cruises introduced the "Spirit of Adventure Cruises" brand. In March 2006, MV Spirit of Adventure (former Orange Melody) entered into service. In 2013, Saga sold the brand.

Saga Cruises logo

For summer 2003, Saga Holidays chartered  Minerva  (1989-built) which sailed as "Saga Pearl". Saga Rose was retired in 2009 after a final 37-night Mediterranean voyage. Subsequently, the ship was laid up in  Gibraltar  and scrapped  in China in 2010. In 2014 was acquired Saga Ruby (former NCL ship MS Vistafjord), which last voyage was in January 2014.

Until 2020, Saga Holidays operated two ships under charter - Saga Sapphire and Saga Pearl 2 . The former fleetmate Saga Ruby was built and launched under the name "MS Vistafjord" for NCL/Norwegian America Line. In 1983, the vessel was sold to Cunard, and in 1999 renamed "MS Caronia". In 2004, Cunard sold it to Saga. It was operated as "Saga Ruby" until 2014 when was sold to a Chinese company, renamed "Oasia", operated as a hotel ship until 2017, then scrapped at Alang India .

Earlier in 2009, Saga UK acquired Astoria (Saga Pearl 2). Followed a GBP 14 million drydock refurbishment of the 1981-built vessel. The upgrades included new Veranda Restaurant; new balcony cabins; new Library Lounge; a redesigned Spa, and renovations to both swimming pools. The ship has 126 twin-bed cabins, 25 twin or king-bed cabins, 42 double-bed cabins. Of all staterooms, 20 have balconies and 9 have French balconies. Saga Pearl 2 has 60 single cabins (almost 1/4 of all staterooms). Among Saga's signature trademarks are the shipboard Afternoon Tea service and ballroom dancing. Saga ships departure from UK ports ( Southampton and Dover) on cruises to the Canaries, Baltic, and the Mediterranean. Itineraries range between 7- and 24-days in length.

Saga Sapphire and Saga Pearl 2 were both withdrawn from service/left the fleet after two new ships ( Spirit of Discovery /2019 and Spirit of Adventure /2020) were delivered. In August 2019 was announced that Saga Sapphire will be acquired by ANEX Tours (Turkey's largest travel agency/tour operator), starting operations for ANEX in mid-2020. However, due to the global health crisis in 2020, the 39-year-old liner was officially sold to ANEX Tours in July 2020. Renamed to "Blue Sapphire", it started operations for ANEX in 2021, offering roundtrips from Antalya Turkey to Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea ports.

  • In November 2019, after acquiring Thomas Cook Group's subsidiaries in Germany (Oger Tours, Bucher Reisen and Neckermann) and Russia (Intourist, 1929-founded USSR-Russia travel brand privatized in the 1990s by Vladimir Yevtushenkov), ANEX Tours became the world's second-largest tour operator - after TUI Group. The company's Chairman (Neset Kockar) commented that expects the annual passenger volume to increase to 8 million and the turnover to reach ~EUR 10 billion (~USD 11 B).
  • Thomas Cook Group plc (2007-founded / 2019- defunct ) was a British travel group formed by the merger of Thomas Cook AG (British-German, 2001-founded) and MyTravel Group plc (British, 1972-founded). Neset Kockar (ANEX Tours) was the second-largest shareholder in Thomas Cook Group plc - after Fosun International China.

In July 2022, SAGA UK marked the anniversaries of Spirit of Adventure (July 6th) and Spirit of Discovery (July 10th), announcing interesting facts about the boats and their guests. In three full years, Spirit of Discovery navigated ~145,000 NM/nautical miles, completed 48 voyages, visited 273 different destinations, and served 2825 shore excursions. In one year, Spirit of Adventure navigated ~80,000 NM, completed 23 voyages, visited 144 destinations, and served 1617 shore excursions. Both vessels served ~36,9M meals, ~5,7M eggs, ~9,2 tons of lobster, ~13,5 tons of Dover sole, ~190 tons of smoked salmon, ~668,000 bottles of wine. ~12,000 customers used the onboard spas for massages.

In January 2024, Saga Group announced that it is exploring the option of a "partnership arrangement" for its ocean cruise business (including the potential sale of a stake in the division or selling the ships Spirit of Adventure and Spirit of Discovery) to unlock capital. In the period August 1, 2023, through January 29, 2024, Saga Group reported significant revenue growth (10-15%) over the same period in 2022-23, as well as ~30# increase (year-on-year) in revenue from its OCEAN division.

In 2017, Saga UK ordered two new cruise ships with capacity under 1000 passengers, each vessel with a total of 540 cabins and suites. The shipbuilder is Meyer Werft ( Papenburg Germany ). Unlike all previous Saga ships, these two are fully-owned by the company.

The vessels were scheduled for deliveries in 2019 July ( Spirit of Discovery ) and 2020 August ( Spirit of Adventure ). This is a new series of polar-class expedition ships with ice-strengthened hulls. Each costs USD 346 million (GBP 280M / EUR 310M) and has a total of 540 staterooms (cabins and suites), of 100 are single cabins (designed for solo travelers, no single supplement required), which is approx 20% of all cabins. The other staterooms are in categories Standard Balcony, Deluxe Balcony, Mid-Ship Suite and larger suites.

Among the signature venues onboard are the Britannia Lounge (2-level Atrium bar lounge), The Verandah (specialty restaurant) and an outdoor (alfresco dining) restaurant. Each vessel has two swimming pools (indoor and outdoor).

Saga Cruises new ship (The Verandah restaurant)

At the end of March 2017 was announced the name selected for the first ship - "Spirit of Discovery" (scheduled delivery June 2019). The second vessel was ordered in September 2017 - "Spirit of Adventure" (scheduled delivery August 2020).

Saga Cruises new ship

In mid-September 2018 was announced that starting January 2020, Saga's new ships deals will be all-inclusive. Fares include unlimited (shipboard served) house spirits, beers, wines (by the glass) and soft drinks. Company's packages also include:

  • UK travel package (to/from departure port), Shuttle bus transfer (to the nearest downtown from the port)
  • Onboard gratuities, Porterage
  • Onboard Welcome cocktail party
  • All onboard meals, afternoon tea, live entertainment
  • Unlimited tea and coffee (selected ship venues)
  • 24-hour room service
  • premium service (2 staff members for 3 passengers)

In early-March 2019, Saga announced that the company's both newbuilds (the sisterships Adventure and Discovery) are all-inclusive. This means that Saga cruise fares are inclusive of specialty restaurant dining, drinks (wine, beer, house spirits, soft drinks), 24-hour room service, Wi-Fi, gratuities, transfer (chauffeur service to/from homeport for cruise passengers based within 250 ml / 402 km distance). Shore excursions remain optional and at additional cost. The cruise company offers complimentary shuttle bus services in all ports where the town/city is over 0,5 km from the ship.

In early-November 2019 was announced the shipbuilding order for Spirit of the Rhine (2021-inaugurated, 192-passenger riverboat). In early-February 2021 started the construction of a second newbuild riverboat - Spirit of the Danube (2022-inaugurated, sistership). Since 2024 is also chartered Spirit of the Douro (2017-built, owned by Mystic Invest via Douro Azul ).

In late-March 2022, Saga announced a 4-ship expansion project for its riverboat fleet, ordering 4x ships (Spirit of the Moselle, Spirit of the Main, Spirit of the Elbe, Spirit of the Rhone), with the first entering service in 2023 and the rest following one vessel per year.

Saga Holidays ocean- and river cruising experience

Saga Cruises offers both Ocean and River cruise travel vacations. All the company's vessels are chartered. The cruising experience is classic, elegant and comfortable. Passengers are able to choose from contemporary amenities such as modern spas, Internet cafes, alternative dining in intimate restaurants. Do not expect shopping centers, casino or lustrous shows - Saga passengers like the relaxed and good-mannered social life. Traditional English tea is served each afternoon; ballroom dancing is presented nightly.

Saga passengers are more adventurous than it might be imagined. They seek a high level of comfort and service while they are careful not to squander pensions on gambling (the reason why there are no casinos on Saga's ships). They also demand fine food, that is well-prepared, from varied menus. Some of the mainstream cruise lines may get away with fortnightly or weekly menu cycles. That wouldn't be welcomed by Saga Cruises customers who are free to stay onboard for back-to-back cruises.

When you are not out or it is one of those lazy days at sea onboard Saga ships, you will be surprised by the great number of onboard activities. You will have the opportunity to join painting or computer classes, keep fit with Pilates and yoga, enjoy swimming, attend a talk from guest speakers. Relax with new and old friends, or look for some quiet time in ships' cozy areas. Other diversions include the beauty salon and spa - go for a pampering treatment or a massage or try the gym - go for a refreshing yoga course. A well-stocked library with thousands of books is also provided. Another choice is using one of the computers and keep in touch with family and friends.

In the evening onboard Saga ships, while heading to the next destination before dining, enjoy an aperitif in onboard bars, or work up with pre-dinner dance classes. At formal nights (one for a week-long cruise, two for a 14-night cruise) enjoy the feeling of occasion. Later take your seat for a show, go dancing, watch a film or socialize with friends - you may even enjoy a nightcap accompanied with live music in the inviting lounges and bars.

On select cruise itineraries, you will be entertained by celebrities. But the best part of all is that with no children on board, kids' games arcades or clubs taking up space, everything aboard is designed for your pleasure.

No matter which Saga ship you choose (ocean or river), each mealtime is going to be an exciting dining experience. Good breakfast is essential when you have a day full of activities - plenty of choices await for you for the day ahead. Choose from a waiter-served meal, the buffet onboard Saga Ruby, or eat out on deck. Opt for full English breakfast brought to the cabin. There are plenty of things to tempt you at lunchtime: choose from the buffet or enjoy a cooked-to-order lunch in the main restaurant.

Afternoon Tea is a daily cruising tradition with tempting cakes, pastries, finger sandwiches. Dinner - the day's highlight - is always waiter-served, one-sitting, sometimes with six courses. A talented team led by the Executive Chef prepares the meals using the finest and freshest/locally sourced ingredients.

Delicious wines from well-stocked "cellars" are recommended from sommeliers who are also on hand. Main courses, including game, fish, meat, vegetarian dishes, are followed with desserts from a selection of souffles, tarts, pavlovas, petits fours. The best of all is that you will never feel rushed to end your meals or have to wait for guests, as flexible arrangements make sure you dine at any time between 7-9 pm.

Saga Cruises customers

The Saga cruise line targets 50-and-older customers and is kids-free. The company sells directly to the public, not counting on travel agents. Allowing traveling companions who are 40+ years old is beneficial to couples who want to cruise together with grown-up families and in-laws, and also to those who need assistance and personal care. Saga's customers are elderly and almost exclusively British, with occasional passengers from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, rarely Japan.

Saga UK provides free chauffeur service (door-to-door) for passengers who live within 75 mi (120 km) of cruise departure ports, and also shared chauffeur for up to 250 mi (400 km) homeport distances. Alternatives include coach and rail transportation, or domestic flights (from the UK) which can be fare-included. Saga also offers free parking to all its cruise passengers.

Saga Cruises enjoys a high repeat booking rate (about 75%).

To attract first-timers, since 2016 Saga offers "Love it First Time". By this initiative, a full refund is guaranteed to anyone who doesn't enjoy the company's cruising vacation product. SAGA UK guarantees that if passengers find that the experience is not for them, they can leave the ship at the next available call port. The "Love it First Time" offer applies only to new bookings and first-time customers.

Saga Holidays fly-cruise deals

For the end of 2017 (November and December), Saga Cruises offered 3 fly-cruises. The 8-, 11- and 12-night itineraries were available for booking with all-inclusive prices starting from around GBP 114 per person. Saga's "flight and cruise" deals are inclusive of airport and seaport transfers, all onboard meals, alcohol (wine by the glass / at lunch and dinner, house-brand spirits, cocktails, draught beers, lager), also soft drinks, afternoon tea, free Wi-Fi and, all onboard gratuities.

Saga Sapphire ship's 8-night "Canary Island Medley" cruise (prices from GBP 897) departed from Southampton on December 8, 2017.

The Saga Pearl 2 's 11-night "Jewels of the Canary Islands" cruise (prices from GBP 1516) departed from Southampton on November 20, 2017.

The Saga Pearl II ship's 12-night "Contrasts of the Canary Islands and Cape Verde" cruise (prices from GBP 1980) departed from Southampton on November 1, 2017.

The Nov 1st voyage included a flight from the UK to Funchal (Madeira), boarding there Saga Pearl 2, and the home flight from Lisbon back to the UK.

(Coronavirus crisis) passenger shipping pause 2020-2021

Due to the COVID pandemic, Saga Ocean Cruises suspended its fleet's passenger shipping operations by cancelling all voyages with pre-scheduled departures in the period March 15, 2020, through early-July 2021.

Operations resumed in 2021 with Spirit of Discovery (June 27) and Spirit of Adventure (July 26/ Maiden Voyage ). Saga UK requires all passengers to have had both doses of the COVID vaccine before boarding the ships.

All affected bookings received full monetary refund (100% of the fare paid) or 125% refund in FCC (future cruise credit) with rebooking made within 24 months.

Saga UK's "Cruise Price Promise" allows penalty-free cancellation up to 14 days prior departure. All shipboard employees (fleetwide) remained on the docked vessels. Both SAGA ships' berthing location (during the no-sail period) is London-Tilbury Port .

Itinerary of Saga Cruises

(fka "Saga Holidays") SAGA UK's cruise Itineraries and shore excursions are designed mainly for adults. The company has 60+ years of holiday travel experience in Europe. The company used to charter two older boats, but since 2021 operates a small (SAGA Group-owned) fleet of two newbuilds - Spirit of Adventure and Spirit of Discovery .

Saga UK also operates (under time-charter) the following riverboats: Filia Rheni 2 , Amadeus Royal , Amadeus Symphony , Johannes Brahms , Rex Rheni , Dutch Melody (fka River Melody, since 2020) .

Saga Group also owns a fleet of six newbuild riverboats /sisterships - Spirit of the Rhine (2021), Spirit of the Danube (2022), Spirit of the Moselle (2023), Spirit of the Main (2024), Spirit of the Elbe (2025), Spirit of the Rhone (2026).

Since 2024, Saga also charters Spirit of the Douro (Douro Serenity/2017-built) for Douro River voyages in Portugal and Spain.

SAGA's free shuttle bus service is available if you want to explore independently - the shuttle will take you to the nearest city center or town. The service is offered if the distance between Saga ship and the city is over 500 yards. At ports of call, you will have a choice of exciting optional excursions. Saga representatives accompany cruisers on the coach. Saga Cruises company is sending a detailed booklet a few weeks before the cruise which gives the chance for pre-booking. If you prefer so, you can also visit the Tours and Travel Office onboard and Saga staff will book the preferred tours for you, if available.

The organized tours are a great way to see the sights. Saga excursions include transport, entrance fees, services of English-speaking guides. Lunch and refreshments are sometimes also included, so you will enjoy without worrying about costs. All excursions are optional, an additional cost will be added to your account. They are subject to change and availability. Among the highlights detailed on Saga cruises, are some that may be seen only by exploring independently or on optional excursions.

Douro River cruise itineraries

Starting in 2024, Saga offers two itineraries scheduled for Spirit of the Douro - "Lisbon & the Heart of the Douro" and "Douro Explorer".

Saga Douro River cruise fares are inclusive of travel insurance, onboard beverages (between 11 am-11 pm/non-branded alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks), Cruise Director services, return flights and land transfers, Captain’s events (dinner and cocktail reception), onboard Wi-Fi and gratuities, land tours/excursions (Lamego, Figueira Castelo de Rodrigo, Salamanca sightseeing, a quinta dinner, a wine estate tour, Casa de Mateus Palace, Oporto City tour with a wine cellar visit).

The company provides interactive maps and audio headsets for independent shore exploration.

"Lisbon and the Heart of the Douro" itinerary

"Lisbon and the Heart of the Douro" is a 10-night/11-day cruisetour itinerary starting in Lisbon. These voyages are priced from GBP 2520 pp (EUR 2945/USD 3180) and are inclusive of a flight from the UK to Portugal (Lisbon), a 3-day/2-night hotel stay in Lisbon and a domestic flight from Lisbon to Oporto.

  • (Day 1) flight UK to Lisbon
  • (Days 2-3) Lisbon hotel
  • (Day 4) flight Lisbon-Oporto, boarding the Spirit of the Douro ship (overnight port stay)
  • (Day 5) cruising from Oporto to Regua and Pinhao
  • (Day 6) cruising from Pinhao to Vega de Terron/Salamanca (Spain)
  • (Day 7) cruising from Vega de Terron to Barca d'Alva
  • (Day 8) cruising from Barca d'Alva to Cais de Espinho and Pinhao
  • (Day 9) cruising from Pinhao to Regua and Bitetos
  • (Day 10) cruising from Bitetos to Entre-os-Rios and Oporto
  • (Day 11) Oporto (debarkation/return flight to the UK)

"Douro Explorer" itinerary

"Douro Explorer" is a 7-night/8-day cruise itinerary starting in Oporto. These voyages are priced from GBP 2180 pp (EUR 2550/USD 2750) and are inclusive of a flight from the UK to Portugal (Oporto).

  • (Day 1) flight UK to Oporto, boarding the Spirit of the Douro ship (overnight port stay)
  • (Day 2) cruising from Oporto to Regua and Pinhao
  • (Day 3) cruising from Pinhao to Vega de Terron/Salamanca
  • (Day 4) cruising from Vega de Terron to Barca d'Alva
  • (Day 5) cruising from Barca d'Alva to Cais de Espinho and Pinhao
  • (Day 6) cruising from Pinhao to Regua and Bitetos
  • (Day 7) cruising from Bitetos to Oporto (overnight)
  • (Day 8) Oporto (debarkation/return flight to the UK)

"Discovering St James' Way" itinerary

A discovery of ancient pilgrims' route is the highlight of one of Saga's holidays - it runs from southern France over the Pyrenees, ending in Santiago de Compostela. Discover St James (Camino de Santiago) way with Saga. Along the Way, visit ancient cities and villages; do not do the hard work, walking in pilgrims' footsteps. Look out for highlights as Gaudi's fairytale Episcopal Palace; stay in Pamplona - evoked by Hemingway in The Sun Also Rises; taste wine in La Rioja's bodega; see the cathedral cities of Logrono, Burgos, Leon. For 12 nights, prices start at GBP 899. Among the many inclusions are additional cancellation cover and travel insurance, all breakfasts, ten dinners. You will be accompanied by an experienced Saga manager throughout.

Naples to Apulia itinerary

Saga Cruises offer is colors of the South 90-night tour. You will travel from Naples to olive groves of Puglia; stay on Ischia island with subtropical foliage. Discover the beautiful scenery of towns along the way; gain a wonderful insight into the Italian way of life. You will stay in four throughout the tour - five-star hotels on a half-board basis. Enjoy the glorious views of the bay while in Naples; visit Unesco World Heritage; listed dwellings in the Apulia region; enjoy naturally heated spa thermal waters at Ischia hotel. As on many Saga holidays, prices start at GBP 949 and single staterooms - available on selected dates - no extra cost! Join Saga Cruises' team and enjoy tours of Romania, Portugal, the Baltic; go shopping in Greece; join a tour in Croatia; discover Italian Lakes. Additional cancellation cover and travel insurance are one of the money-saving elements that are included in the Saga holidays.

Saga's tours in the USA, Mozambique, and Japan

Let your year to embark on one of the most memorable journeys with Saga Cruises experts. The chances Saga Cruises has the right trip you have been looking for, are quite big. Wherever you want to go into the world and however you want to travel, there's a good chance that Saga Cruises will help. Unlock Japan's mysteries. Stay in Mozambique's authentic bush camps, dare to look over the edge of South Rim in Grand Canyon. Saga Holidays seeks for new destinations and new experiences for the over 50s audience - such are these exciting new tours.

Trans-frontier Trail - Mozambique to Kruger

This 12-night tour will make you discover Greater Limpopo Trans-frontier Park and the rich Portuguese. The three national parks in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique are protected and form a territory of 36,000 square miles. Mozambique's most beautiful beaches on the Indian Ocean are the place you could swim off, stay in comfortable bush camps and venture bush walks and safaris- for unrivalled opportunities for spotting wildlife. The size of the group is limited to twenty people. Of course, you will be fed well too - seven lunches, all breakfasts, and dinners are price included.

South West Iconic Parks of America

Wide-open spaces, fresh air and relax. Each of the national parks is more spectacular than the last one; the rock formations are impossibly beautiful and multi-colored. Experience Mother Road and what was left of Las Vegas Route 66 - The Strip is the one place to stay if you travel through Nevada. The best way to experience the Grand Canyon is to stay in the park, close to South Rim. Since you will be in the Wild West, probably you will wish to experience the badlands of Painted Desert; see the Sedona formations of red rocks; enjoy scenic cruising along Antelope Canyon; see the limestone spires in Monument Valley.

Saga Mystery Cruise 2018

Captain Horne's Mystery Cruise surprises up to 720 passengers every day for 3 weeks. The intriguing cruise aboard Saga Sapphire left Southampton UK in November 2018 with Captain Stuart Horne promising to keep "everyone guessing as long as possible." He added he would only tell his engineers and navigation team as much as they need to know for fuel management and route planning.

No guarantee where the captain sails but there are all-inclusive drinks and tours as well as entertainment from Syd Lawrence Orchestra on 6 nights. VIP Chauffeur service is guaranteed to and from the port, all included in the fare, along with travel insurance. Another surprise is the array of mystery celebrities/VIP guests on Saga Sapphire.

Ports of call are announced once the ship is berthed, but there is a shore trip included in every port.

The adventure is the last mystery cruise aboard Saga Sapphire and features a choice of table wines at lunch and dinner, as well as house-branded spirits, soft drinks, draught beer, and lager. Afternoon tea, unlimited tea, and coffee in selected venues, welcome cocktail party, free wifi, onboard gratuities, and 24-hour room service are also included.

Saga Sapphire departed Southampton on November 27, 2018. Prices for the 21-night cruise started from GBP 3090 pp (based on double occupancy / 2 people sharing a Twin Cabin).

Itineraries 2021 (cancelled)

Saga UK planned 7 new itineraries for early-2021 (all were eventually cancelled) including an 83-night South America itinerary visiting the Amazon Delta, Punta Arenas , Cape Horn , Rio de Janeiro , Buenos Aires , Montevideo on MS Spirit of Discovery.

This world cruise was the ship's longest and planned to depart from Southampton on January 6, 2021. Prices included chauffeur service to the homeport, balcony cabin, all-inclusive meals and drinks, daily afternoon tea, free wifi, onboard gratuities.

The clockwise South America circumnavigation itinerary had to start with a Transatlantic crossing (UK to Brazil), followed by coastal cruising through the Amazon Delta, Patagonia, Panama Canal , Ecuador, Colombia. From Callao Peru were offered optional tours to Machu Picchu and Galapagos Islands . Overnights were scheduled in Rio de Janeiro , Manaus , Stanley (Falklands) .

Spirit of Adventure had planned in Europe 6 itineraries (January through March 2021) including

  • 14-night "Constellations of the Canaries"
  • 16-night "A Norwegian Aurora" (Northern Lights cruise) with included Aurora Borealis shore excursion, Rauma Railway through Troll Wall, overnight in Sorrisniva Igloo hotel)
  • 15-night "Taste of the Mediterranean" visits Barcelona , Cartagena , and Valencia and includes flamenco dancing, horse show, paella and tapas-making, chocolate and wine tastings.
  • 8-night "Scandinavian Rhythms" visits Copenhagen , Frederikshavn , Gothenburg , Odderoya, Kristiansand .

The wellness-themed 16-night "Exotic Morocco and the Canary Islands" itinerary featured outdoor yoga classes, guided hikes, tours in Lisbon and Funchal, Madeira Island .

For Spirit of Discovery was planned an 83-night "South America: A Grand Voyage" (from GBP 17,324 pp) departing from Southampton on January 6, 2021. For Spirit of Adventure were planned the following voyages:

  • 14-night Constellations of the Canaries, from GBP 2449 pp, departs January 5, 2021.
  • 16-night Exotic Morocco and the Canaries, from GBP 3024 pp, departs January 19, 2021.
  • 15-night The Beautiful Canaries, from GBP 2892 pp, departs February 4, 2021.
  • 16-night A Norwegian Aurora, from GBP 3117 pp, departs February 19, 2021.
  • 15-night A Taste of the Mediterranean, from GBP 2799 pp, departs March 7, 2021.
  • 8-night Scandinavian Rhythms, from GBP 1475 pp, departs March 22, 2021.

Summer "Around Britain" 2023 itineraries

In October 2022, Saga added a further 4 round-Britain voyages into its summer 2023 schedule, all with up to 35% off, and timed to coincide with events like the Tall Ships Race and the Rolex Fastnet Yacht Race.

Spirit of Discovery ship departs from London-Tilbury on July 16, 2023, sailing along Britain's south coast, visiting Scilly Isles, Fowey, Falmouth, and Portsmouth, and concluding in Dover. The 8-night itinerary also visits Tresco (Abbey Gardens) and also has a price-included tour of Portland. Guests will have the chance to see the start of the Rolex Fastnet Yacht Race. Prices start from GBP 1819 per person with double occupancy.

On July 24, 2023, Spirit of Discovery starts a 6-night voyage to the Shetland Islands (Dover roundtrip), visiting Invergordon and Scrabster . The itinerary also includes Lerwick as it hosts the Tall Ships race before returning to Dover. Included tours are a visit to John O'Groats and a scenic drive along the Scottish Highlands. Prices start from GBP 1367 per person.

Spirit of Adventure ship departs Dover on August 28, 2023, for a 6-night roundtrip along the Cornish coastline. The itinerary visits Scilly Isles, Fowey, Falmouth, and Portland , with 2 included excursions - a scenic drive along the Dorset coast and a visit to Tresco's Abbey Gardens. Prices start from GBP 1378 per person.

On September 3, 2023, Spirit of Adventure starts a full Great Britain circumnavigation voyage. The 8-night roundtrip from Dover visits Ullapool (fishing town at Loch Broom, Scotland), Isle of Mull , Isle of Staffa 's Fingal’s Cave and volcanic rock formations, and features scenic cruising along the English Channel's Jurassic Coast (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Prices start from GBP 1755 per person.

Saga Cruises related cruise news

Saga launches 5 new travel insurance plans for the 50+ market

Saga launches 5 new travel insurance plans for the 50+ market

The UK-based company and travel brand Saga, specializing in products and services for individuals over 50, has unveiled an expanded suite of travel...

Saga Cruises partners with BBC Studios for exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences

Saga Cruises partners with BBC Studios for exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences

Saga Cruises UK has formed a partnership with BBC Studios to provide guests with an exclusive opportunity to explore behind the scenes of popular BBC...

SAGA Cruises to introduce new riverboat (Spirit of the Moselle) in 2025

SAGA Cruises to introduce new riverboat (Spirit of the Moselle) in 2025

SAGA Cruises is set to enhance its river cruise offerings with the introduction of a newbuild boat in July 2025 - Spirit of the Moselle...

Saga Group (UK) might sell its ocean cruise division

Saga Group (UK) might sell its ocean cruise division

Saga Group UK has confirmed that it is exploring forming a "partnership arrangement" for its ocean cruise division. The travel and insurance group...

100 passengers on SAGA's Spirit of Discovery injured during distressing incident in the Bay of Biscay

100 passengers on SAGA's Spirit of Discovery injured during distressing incident in the Bay of...

SAGA's vessel, Spirit of Discovery, encountered difficulties amid formidable maritime conditions characterized by "gale force winds and nine-meter...

SAGA's Spirit of Adventure ship forced to divert to Cornwall due to Storm Ciaran

SAGA's Spirit of Adventure ship forced to divert to Cornwall due to Storm Ciaran

Last week, adverse weather conditions associated with Storm Ciaran forced the SAGA UK's ship Spirit of Adventure to alter course and dock in Falmouth...

Portsmouth UK boasts new sustainable cruise terminal

Portsmouth UK boasts new sustainable cruise terminal

After an 18-month construction period, Portsmouth International Port proudly accommodates visitors from the ship Spirit of Discovery by Saga Cruises...

Saga UK's ship Spirit of Discovery hosts special Coronation celebrations

Saga UK's ship Spirit of Discovery hosts special Coronation celebrations

Saga Cruises announced it was incredibly proud that Camilla, Queen Consort was the Godmother of its ocean ship, Spirit of Discovery and in honor of...

Guernsey UK to receive 95 cruise ship calls this season bringing 147,260 passengers to the island

Guernsey UK to receive 95 cruise ship calls this season bringing 147,260 passengers to the island

Guernsey Island (St Peter Port, Channel Islands UK) is set to welcome 95 cruise ship calls during the current season, which is an increase compared...

Saga Cruises launches 2024 river itineraries with a new ship, Spirit of the Douro

Saga Cruises launches 2024 river itineraries with a new ship, Spirit of the Douro

Saga River Cruises has released their 2024 itineraries with up to 25% off for early bookers. The company has also experienced a 37% increase in pre...

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Saga cruises from southampton could take you to northern europe and spitzbergen or perhaps to the canary islands aboard two new ships, spirit of adventure or spirit of discovery., saga cruise deals from southampton.

Saga Cruises departing from Southampton give you an easy way of joining two of the UK's newest ships. Having coined the phrase 'Boutique Cruising', Saga Cruises' two new ships - Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure - bring that to life. Both carrying less than one thousand passengers when completely full they offer all-balcony cruising and each has approximately 10% single cabins.

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  • Saga Cruises

Our First Saga Experience … A Personal Review

By BestGuessed , July 18, 2022 in Saga Cruises

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50+ Club

BestGuessed

We will be disembarking Spirit of Adventure tomorrow morning after experiencing our first Saga cruise so I thought I would write a review of how we personally, have found things on board. This is our personal opinion so please bear that in mind … other opinions may differ !!

Our first impression was “Wow this is a lovely ship” …  Of course it’s only a year since SoA was launched so she is still very new which is evident in everything from the public areas to the cabins.  There is plenty of space and even though we are sailing at around 85% capacity the ship does not in any way feel crowded.

We have a standard balcony cabin (all cabins have balconies on this ship) which is compact and comfortable enough although I think if we were on board for more than a fortnight we might consider a larger room. However the cabin is very well equipped with everything well planned.  There are three British plug sockets at the dressing table, and one each side of the bed together with a USB point at each bedside. The bathroom is small but adequate and has a proper shower door and more than enough storage space for toiletries.  Soap is provided in bottle dispensers together with shampoo and conditioner and a bar of soap is also provided. These are all of a high quality.  A tip that helps with any storage issues is to put lesser used items in your cases under the bed as there is plenty of unused space there. The food on board has been mainly good although some of the MDR menus have not been quite to our taste and we have found them to be slightly limited compared to other cruise lines’ MDR menus.  This could be down to the fact that there are three other restaurants where you can choose to dine which are fully inclusive.  Khukuri House is the Nepalese restaurant which I would class as something along the lines of Indian flavours and is very good.  Amalfi is the Italian restaurant and equally as good with a range of different styles of Italian food and presentation.  The Supper Club is more traditional in its cuisine and we enjoyed chateaubriand there twice, each time it was excellent.  The added appeal of The Supper Club is the live music that entertains throughout the meal.     

The entertainment on board this ship has been second to none.  The exceptionally talented musicians have provided some wonderful sounds and whether you are someone who just wishes to find a quiet corner to listen, or someone who wants to get up and jiggle, jive, waltz or foxtrot, there is something somewhere for everyone.  As dancers, we have enjoyed this aspect of the cruise immensely and the Britannia Lounge with its large dance floor has been a bonus for us.   

So a few other random observations which have enhanced our cruise experience in small ways :

Very comfortable bed and chairs in the cabin. Large dressing table with well lit mirror. The air conditioning/heating controls work really well so we can keep the room at exactly the right temperature for us.   The shower works well and the head is on a rod  making it fully adjustable to any height.

Soundproofing is better than we have experienced on other ships which has been very welcome. We have not heard any noise from other cabins, early morning toilets being flushed has not woken us on this cruise !! Corridor noise is sometimes discernible but hasn’t disturbed us at all.

There is a very wide selection of TV channels and everything from daily menus, to your account expenses and the daily theatre show is available to see on your in room TV screen. Also radio stations are available.

Other small touches are that we are having turndown service every night complete with the chocolate on pillow which I think I am right in saying seems to have dropped by the wayside on some other cruise lines now.

All the conveniences in public areas have mini rolled towels rather than the pull out paper version.

The standard of cleanliness is faultless and everything looks immaculate.

Bathrobes are provided as standard but we asked for slippers which were promptly delivered.   Facecloths are also supplied and changed after each use.

The included wines are very good and we haven’t found the need to order the select wines and pay extra for them.

The wifi has been a bit slow on the odd occasion but it is included in the price and overall it has been more than adequate.

Other further observations:

There are no dance hosts at present and no books available to borrow from the library, the “books” on display are in fact dummies.

On this cruise the guests have chosen to dress mainly on the casual side and even on formal nights the majority haven’t been overdressed.  There have been a few sparkles and some evening gowns and dinner jackets but in general, every evening has had a very relaxed look to it.  That may please many people but we had somehow expected that in the evenings the attire worn would be more akin to onboard a Cunard ship.

When we saw these two new Saga ships advertised as “Boutique” I wasn’t sure how to interpret the expression used, but over the past ten nights I have come to the conclusion that my own interpretation would be “Classy, contemporary, luxury”.

So to conclude, we are very impressed indeed with our first Saga experience and we will be booking again. 

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Thank you BestGuessed for a positive and accurate review. 

250+ Club

Thank you for your review. You should have had slippers waiting in your room on arrival 🙂

sleepingcat

On 7/18/2022 at 11:29 AM, BestGuessed said: We will be disembarking Spirit of Adventure tomorrow morning after experiencing our first Saga cruise so I thought I would write a review of how we personally, have found things on board. This is our personal opinion so please bear that in mind … other opinions may differ !!  

thanks for posting.  Just a suggestion, there is a section of CC where you can post your review of a Ship/cruise and I think more people will see it than here on the boards, as one can access the reviews without being a member.  The Saga boards are mostly populated by a dedicated band of enthusiasts, some of whom we met on board (hi all!). whereas your review is ideal for saga newbies or people wondering whether to try. You ll see our review of S of A/Canaries from January there, which mainly agrees with all that you say.  it was great and at the time a welcome relief from winter and post covid blues. 

(cannot understand why there are still no books in the 'library' though). 

puppycanducruise

puppycanducruise

Thanks for sharing your comments.

We will take our first Saga cruise in November.  Thank you so much for your helpful review.

Sleepingcat I agree that I should probably post my review on the CC Ship Review section but prior to our cruise I was asking people who were onboard to report back to us about what we could expect once it was our turn.  With that in mind I wanted to provide our feedback for future cruisers who tend to observe the Saga threads.     I also agree that the lack of books in the library is rather ludicrous 🤷🏼‍♀️ …. Even the paperback exchange isn’t available.

Thank you David05 for informing me that slippers should have been present in the cabin on arrival, I did wonder about that !!

There are a couple of other details that I forgot to mention in my review, one of which is The Veranda at the back of the ship which is beyond The Grill.   This is a lovely outdoor space where lunches of freshly (cooked to order) fish and chips and scampi, burgers and other such items are served. If the weather is nice it’s a great place to sit with a drink and enjoy the view. We enjoyed lunch there everyday that the weather permitted. The quality of the food is incredibly good and we can highly recommend it. Other buffet items available from The Grill can be taken outside and if you order freshly cooked food from hot section there, they will bring it out to your table when it is ready. There are also the usual salad items together with a variety of other dishes all of excellent quality.

Another thing I should have commented on is the water carafes that are refilled by the steward as required, with, I presume, filtered water.  In view of the fact that on other lines bottled water is supplied with a charge, we appreciated this system.

Saga have also excelled in delivering my husband’s suit carrier back to us today.  We stupidly left it at Southampton on Tuesday, but a phone call when we arrived home put the wheels in motion and DHL delivered it back to us this morning less than 48 hours after disembarking.  Added to that, Saga didn’t want us to reimburse them for the carriage.  We feel that is very commendable.

If anyone has any questions I can answer I am happy to do so.

Enjoy your cruises everyone !!

Thanks very much for the review. We have today booked a Northern Lights cruise on S of A for next February and weren’t sure what to expect. We are seasoned cruisers but this will be our first with Saga.   

3,000+ Club

Windsurfboy

1 hour ago, rojojacko said: Thanks very much for the review. We have today booked a Northern Lights cruise on S of A for next February and weren’t sure what to expect. We are seasoned cruisers but this will be our first with Saga.    Rob

Saga is different to other lines, but very good service.  I don't know if you've cruised with Cunard, but Saga food and service up with Cunard Queens grill, and it's available to all. 

Don't  have any worries about Saga.

Saga are friendliest ships you can find, crew and passengers 

Thank you Rojojacko, I am pleased that you enjoyed reading the review.   We certainly weren’t disappointed and like you, we are seasoned cruisers. As Windsurfboy has said, everyone on board was very friendly.    I am sure you will enjoy your cruise.

7 hours ago, rojojacko said: Thanks very much for the review. We have today booked a Northern Lights cruise on S of A for next February and weren’t sure what to expect. We are seasoned cruisers but this will be our first with Saga.    Rob

Is it the new cruise sailing on 28 February? If so ,we have booked it too. We sail on our first Saga cruise in October which I am looking forward to.Thank you for your review Best guessed  Interesting to read

Thank you for all of your encouraging responses. Following my post, friends from some years ago were in touch to tell me that they had sailed on this same itinerary last year and thoroughly recommended it and were very impressed with their Saga experience. The more I read about the ship, the more I look forward to the experience. I also note that premium drinks (whatever they are) are to be added to the all-inclusive for next year so a further bonus I guess. Nearer the time, I will be looking for advice as to whether my tuxedo needs to come with me!  

And yes ann141, it is that sailing. 

The answer is yes your Tuxedo need to travel with you. The "Premium Drinks" are for Branded Spirits & not House Label types as available on current sailings.

lincslady

Or at least a suit (preferably dark) with tie.

I agree,  from our recent experience that most gentlemen wore dinner suits … probably around 80% and quite a few were wearing white jackets.   There were some dark suits and very few who didn’t comply with the formal dress code. 

  • 4 weeks later...

500+ Club

Hello from America!  I sure wish Saga sailed from United States as does Cunard.

It seems like such a great experience on wonderful ships.  It is rather inconvenient to fly to UK.

Deck Chair.

  • 1 month later...

1,000+ Club

Thank you for the review.

I’ve been looking at Saga & Viking cruises for next year & wonder if you can tell me the age demographic please of Saga? We are 57 & 59.

We have only cruised with Disney & Celebrity before thank you Ann 

Hello wineoclock  (great name !!)

We are in our mid sixties and active, enjoying ballroom and Latin dancing which was well catered for in the Britannia Lounge.   At times it was rather lonely on the floor as not many others were dancing but we would say most people were older than we are.  I think, from the sailing we were on, the average age of passengers would be somewhere around the late seventies.

Saga offer the door to door chauffeur service to the port and their own included insurance which makes the brand very appealing to the older generation.

We too are big Celebrity fans, the only downside for us is the lack of space to dance.   We love Cunard and have also enjoyed cruises with P&O, Royal Caribbean,

Marella and Princess.

Saga compared favourably with all of them and we will definitely cruise with them again in the future, but that for us, will probably be in around five years time.

I hope this is helpful.

16 hours ago, wineoclock said: Thank you for the review.   I’ve been looking at Saga & Viking cruises for next year & wonder if you can tell me the age demographic please of Saga? We are 57 & 59.   We have only cruised with Disney & Celebrity before thank you Ann 

I fully agree with BestGuessed above. My wife and I are 62 and 65 respectively. We've been on three Saga cruises this year, and I would say we were definitely at the younger end of the age demographic on all three

I can't recommend Saga highly enough. Try them - I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Thank you so much both of you. You have confirmed what I suspected.  I don’t think we will be disappointed with the product at all but will wait a few years. 

Can I ask BestGuessed  above which is your favourite line out of them please?   

I sometimes wish there was a quiz to put likes & dislikes to get the best cruise line 😂

Your question is a difficult one to answer Ann.

I think probably Celebrity is our favourite cruise line particularly if we book a suite and have the pleasure of Luminae but we have enjoyed many cruises with them when we have eaten in their main riding room too.

The quality of the food and everything on board just seems one notch up on the other lines. However, for us personally, the lack of places to dance is an issue.   We don’t find “The Grand Foyer” has enough room as it is really only a stairwell and The Sky Lounge has a tiled floor which isn’t ideal.  But those criticisms are personal to us and probably don’t affect the vast majority of people.

Cunard is great and obviously has the lovely Queens Room for dancing but to date we have not sailed in Grills cabins.  However that will change in just over a weeks time when we  will board Queen Victoria and this time we have booked Princess Grill so once we have been on this cruise Cunard may well come out as favourite !!

P&O and Princess we have enjoyed too and have future cruises booked with both but comparatively, to us, these lines don’t rate quite so highly.

Royal Caribbean we found to be very family orientated and there were rather a lot of young children on board which, now we are older, we prefer to avoid. However the ships were lovely and we had no complaints. 

Marella, we found to be excellent value for money and we would sail with them again but the fact their ships don’t normally leave from Southampton is something that deters us.  We don’t enjoy airport experiences and prefer not to fly if we are able to cruise from U.K. ports.

Incidentally, we will be trying an Ambassador cruise next Spring and are hopeful that we will be impressed.  The fact that they are departing from U.K. ports and the cruise we will be taking is leaving from Tilbury which is very close to home, is a big plus point for us.

I have been following the blog that Norbert’s Niece is writing from Ambience at present and you might be interested to read her account of her previous cruise on Saga’s Spirit of Adventure.     I followed that too before our own cruise on that ship.   She writes a very informative blog and it’s well worth reading.

…. So going back to your original question, from a personal perspective,  every single cruise we have been on has had something that has been exceptionally good and memorable about it.   We just love cruising and since we discovered it fourteen years ago, no other form of holiday has seemed as attractive or exciting!!   

Thank you that is most interesting.  

We are near Tilbury as well so I’ll take a look at Ambassador.

My grandparents have 3 WC on Cunard under their belts plus many more, but I think Cunard may be too formal for us.

My cousin loves Cunard &’keeps telling me to try. One day perhaps.   

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How do you get Saga to answer a phone or email?

By Tom Magpie , March 22, 2021 in Saga Cruises

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Been ringing for 2 days, listening to 70s music. sent email on Friday, no reply. They say they will reply within 24 hours, this has not happened. Have rang 2 different numbers.

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250+ Club

Try the live chat facility on Saga website, quoting your booking reference (if you have one).  

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2 hours ago, Tom Magpie said: Been ringing for 2 days, listening to 70s music. sent email on Friday, no reply. They say they will reply within 24 hours, this has not happened. Have rang 2 different numbers.

Closed Sat/Sun we were chatting to them this morning on their messenger facility

Been hanging on phone for one hour twenty minutes before it was answered so patience is required (almost lost the will to live).

Got my query sorted easily once I got through.

I did try the chat line, but they couldn’t do anything and told me to phone the sales office and that I couldn’t request a call back. So that was a waste of time.

Glenndale

Probably most of their staff are trying to arrange customers who's cruises were cancelled onto the replacements?

Denarius

1 hour ago, Glenndale said: Probably most of their staff are trying to arrange customers who's cruises were cancelled onto the replacements?

My Corsica and Sardinia cruise was cancelled by email on 5 March. It promised that I would be telephoned to discuss options. 3 weeks later, I am still waiting.

19 minutes ago, Denarius said: My Corsica and Sardinia cruise was cancelled by email on 5 March. It promised that I would be telephoned to discuss options. 3 weeks later, I am still waiting.

Hopefully you should hear something soon. 🤞🏻

We are booked on the Corsica / Sardinia cruise for next year.

500+ Club

23 hours ago, Denarius said: My Corsica and Sardinia cruise was cancelled by email on 5 March. It promised that I would be telephoned to discuss options. 3 weeks later, I am still waiting.

They are calling people on the cancelled cruises in sailing date order, and according to their website they are currently contacting those booked on the Idyllic Norway 3rd August.

14 minutes ago, nosapphire said: They are calling people on the cancelled cruises in sailing date order, and according to their website they are currently contacting those booked on the Idyllic Norway 3rd August.  

If that's the case then Denarius ought to ring them as the Corsica cruise was due to sail on May 6th.

Whereabouts on the Saga website did you find this info Nosapphire as I can't see it? Thanks 

1 minute ago, Glenndale said: If that's the case then Denarius ought to ring them as the Corsica cruise was due to sail on May 6th. Whereabouts on the Saga website did you find this info Nosapphire as I can't see it? Thanks 

It is on the travel update page

https://travel.saga.co.uk/travel-updates/coronavirus-cruise-passengers.aspx

According to one of the saga shareholder general chat pages (I am not a shareholder, but sometimes gives some interesting info) the new cruises go on general sale on Monday, and somebody apparently has a link to management and posted what they are:

Great British Isles Tour - 11th July - 14 nights. Spirit of Discovery - from Tilbury Northern Isles to the Fjords - 8 nights - 25th July - Spirit of Discovery - from Tilbury. Northern Isles to the Fjords - 3rd July - 8 nights - Spirit of Discovery from Tilbury. Scottish Highlands and Islands - 27th June - 6 nights - Spirit of Discovery from Tilbury The Inaugural Cruise - 26th July - 15 nights - Spirit of Adventure from Tilbury. The Inaugural Cruise Spirit of Adventure • July 26, 2021 • 15 nightsSail from Tilbury • Cruise code: SU064Newcastle, England • Newhaven (for Edinburgh), Scotland • Dundee, Scotland • Kirkwall, Orkney Islands • Ullapool, Scotland • Cruise St Kilda • Greenock, Scotland • Belfast, Northern Ireland • Douglas, Isle of Man • Holyhead, Anglesey, Wales • Bristol, England • Falmouth, England. Disembark in Dover.

26 minutes ago, nosapphire said: It is on the travel update page https://travel.saga.co.uk/travel-updates/coronavirus-cruise-passengers.aspx   According to one of the saga shareholder general chat pages (I am not a shareholder, but sometimes gives some interesting info) the new cruises go on general sale on Monday, and somebody apparently has a link to management and posted what they are: Great British Isles Tour - 11th July - 14 nights. Spirit of Discovery - from Tilbury Northern Isles to the Fjords - 8 nights - 25th July - Spirit of Discovery - from Tilbury. Northern Isles to the Fjords - 3rd July - 8 nights - Spirit of Discovery from Tilbury. Scottish Highlands and Islands - 27th June - 6 nights - Spirit of Discovery from Tilbury The Inaugural Cruise - 26th July - 15 nights - Spirit of Adventure from Tilbury. The Inaugural Cruise Spirit of Adventure • July 26, 2021 • 15 nightsSail from Tilbury • Cruise code: SU064Newcastle, England • Newhaven (for Edinburgh), Scotland • Dundee, Scotland • Kirkwall, Orkney Islands • Ullapool, Scotland • Cruise St Kilda • Greenock, Scotland • Belfast, Northern Ireland • Douglas, Isle of Man • Holyhead, Anglesey, Wales • Bristol, England • Falmouth, England. Disembark in Dover.

Adventure won’t be coming here 🇮🇲 I’m afraid

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It will be interesting to see how some of these itineraries work out as it may be that shiploads of people, even if vaccinated, will not necessarily be welcome in small communities while the possibility of transmission of Covid is still uncertain.

10 minutes ago, Kohima said: It will be interesting to see how some of these itineraries work out as it may be that shiploads of people, even if vaccinated, will not necessarily be welcome in small communities while the possibility of transmission of Covid is still uncertain.

Can’t speak for Orkney, Shetland or the Western Isles but our government have stated it’ll be September at the very earliest before any border restrictions will be lifted at the moment residents can travel away for compassionate reasons and only essential workers can come here and have to isolate for 14 days on arrival

Saga left a message to contact them on Monday morning.Tried 3-4 times each day since then .Can get no reply at all on number given and no reply on booking line.No info on live chat .Just tells you to keep on calling.

I have three cruises booked with them ,I have never sailed with them before.I hope their ships are managed a lot better than their offices.

I am so grateful I am not a shareholder.

1 hour ago, BIGdock said: Saga left a message to contact them on Monday morning.Tried 3-4 times each day since then .Can get no reply at all on number given and no reply on booking line.No info on live chat .Just tells you to keep on calling. I have three cruises booked with them ,I have never sailed with them before.I hope their ships are managed a lot better than their offices. I am so grateful I am not a shareholder.

They have cancelled a huge number of cruises, so I suppose they are really struggling as their normal systems were never designed for this. I really hope that you manage to get through and get satisfactory solutions soon.

The Saga shareholders, (according to the shareholder chat forum) (is an open forum, so I can see it) are all thoroughly *****-a-hoop at the minute.

Somebody posted the info they got from Saga management at the end of 2019 about what they needed to earn to make a profit.

That was 80% occupancy at £234 per person per night.

So they are all looking at the current cruise prices, working out how much profit there is, and expecting Saga share price to rocket and their dividends to start again soon.

Mind you, some of the shareholder posters do seem to live in an alternative reality......

On 3/26/2021 at 3:41 PM, Glenndale said: If that's the case then Denarius ought to ring them as the Corsica cruise was due to sail on May 6th. Whereabouts on the Saga website did you find this info Nosapphire as I can't see it? Thanks 

Made myself a note to ring them on Monday, but they finally rang me today!

Hope you were able to find something you wanted to do  🙂

I think the idea is to try and be fair to those with cancelled cruises, to try and give them first options on replacements, rather than simply cancelling and letting those with cancelled cruises join the general scrum of rebooking.

But nobody has ever had to deal with so many cancelled cruises in one go - whatever they do, however hard they try, somebody is going to be at a disadvantage.

Let's hope this is the last round of cancellations and postponements - and for sure they'll be pulling out all the stops to make the replacement cruises as enjoyable as possible (they need happy people who want to book again).

As Nosapphire correctly predicted the new summer British cruises are now on the Saga website today. Looks like you can book and choose cabins online, avoiding the phone lines. 

On 3/26/2021 at 5:57 PM, Manx buoy said: Can’t speak for Orkney, Shetland or the Western Isles but our government have stated it’ll be September at the very earliest before any border restrictions will be lifted at the moment residents can travel away for compassionate reasons and only essential workers can come here and have to isolate for 14 days on arrival

Maybe Saga know something we don't... the cruise is now on general sale,and Douglas is still on the itinerary.

The Orkney Harbours official website only has cruise ships scheduled for 2022 - nothing for 2021, so don't know if that means they have not yet made up their mind, or the website needs updating - or Kirkwall is suddenly going to disappear from the itinerary.

I bet whoever has to plan and arrange the cruise itinerary is getting extremely stressed out - will they, won't they, do we include it, do we leave it?

Not an easy job at the best of times - even harder now.

It may be that there are many people so keen to get away on holiday that they wont worry too much if the itinerary doesn’t work out as planned. 

3 hours ago, Kohima said: It may be that there are many people so keen to get away on holiday that they wont worry too much if the itinerary doesn’t work out as planned. 

Very probably.

Most people will (or should) be expecting last minute changes - even in normal times, it is not unusual for unexpected changes (weather, strikes, revolutions, etc) to happen - just a fact of cruising.

  • 5 weeks later...

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Windsurfboy

Just to let people know , just need a lot of patience,  1hr 5 mins to get through Saga,  no probs 0800 number , on speaker phone and doing something else.  BA took about same. Impact of WFH 

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