Saga Shipping
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryShipping, tourism
Founded1996
HeadquartersFolkestone, England
ProductsCruises, holidays
ParentSaga plc
Websitetravel.saga.co.uk/cruises/ocean.aspx

Saga Shipping, also known as Saga Cruises, a division of the Saga plc, is a cruise line headquartered in Folkestone, England. Saga Cruises exclusively markets to and operates for people aged 50 and over.[1]

History

1997–2005: Development

In 1997, Saga Group purchased its first ship, Gripsholm, from Cunard Line, after which it renamed the ship Saga Rose. The vessel was remodeled and arrived in Southampton on 14 May 1997, commencing operations thereafter.[1][2] Saga Rose was briefly joined by Saga Pearl in the summer of 2003 after Saga chartered her.[3] In November 2004, Saga purchased its second ship, Caronia, from Cunard. After a £17 million refurbishment at Malta Dockyard in 2005 she entered Saga service as Saga Ruby.[3][4]

2006–2013: Attempts at growth

In 2006, Saga founded a sub-brand, named "Spirit of Adventure," with the ship, Spirit of Adventure.[5] The ship had most recently operated as Orange Melody as a charter for the Russian Metropolis company, and was originally set to be named Saga Opal following Saga's purchase.[3] In 2010, Saga purchased Astoria from Transocean Tours and renamed her Saga Pearl II.[3] In August 2011, it was reported Saga was selling Spirit of Adventure to German tour operator FTI in 2012, upon which she would become FTI Berlin.[3][6] In May 2012, Saga Pearl II was transferred to the sub-brand and named Quest for Adventure.[3] In August 2012, Saga announced the "Spirit of Adventure" sub-brand would be absorbed into its parent brand,[4] and in November 2013, Quest for Adventure rejoined Saga and was renamed Saga Pearl II.[3][5]

In 2009, Saga retired Saga Rose in 2010, citing the prohibitive repair costs due to the ship's age and the new SOLAS regulations set to become law in 2010.[7] Her farewell cruise was scheduled for 30 October 2009.[7] She was later laid up in Gibraltar and later scrapped in China.[3] In July 2012, Saga announced Saga Ruby would exit the fleet in early-2014.[4] Due to a failed generator, the ship's final cruise was changed from a Caribbean sailing to a Mediterranean sailing.[8] She was sold in January 2014 to become a hotel ship in Myanmar, but those plans dissolved and the ship was scrapped in India in 2017.[9]

2014–present: Modernisation

In 2014, Saga's parent company, Saga Group, went public via an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange.[10]

In 2015, Saga announced it had signed a memorandum of agreement for its first-ever new-build from Meyer Werft for a 2019 delivery, with an additional option for a sister ship expected in 2021.[11][12] Named Spirit of Discovery, the new ship would measure 58,250 GT, becoming the largest ship ever to be operated by Saga.[13] In explaining how Saga intended to modernise the brand, Saga's new-build director, David Pickett, explained that after Saga went public in 2014, the company had expanded access to capital investment, opening up more possibilities to invest in its fleet.[14] The new ship had allowed Saga to expand its offerings not featured before on its older vessels, such as fitness facilities, a large theatre, and specialty dining venues.[14] Saga also partnered with Siemens to install their ships' propulsion and power distribution systems for the two vessels in order to maximise the ships' efficiency and ensure their reliability.[14]

In July 2017, Saga announced it would retire Saga Pearl II in mid-2019 with a 54-night farewell cruise to South Africa from Portsmouth.[15] The following year, Saga revealed plans to retire Saga Sapphire by 2020, with a farewell cruise to Norway.[16] In May 2019, it was reported Saga Pearl II had been sold to Aqua Explorer Holdings of the British Virgin Islands, and the ship would be moved to Perama as a result of the sale.[17] In August 2019, Turkey-based ANEX Tour had reportedly purchased Saga Sapphire for its first ship to launch its cruise business, with a scheduled debut in mid-2020 from Antalya.[18] In April 2020, Saga's managing director Nigel Banks said Saga's plans to transfer Saga Sapphire to ANEX Tour may be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[19] but on 18 June 2020, the sale was completed and it was announced the ship would debut for ANEX Tour in 2021 as Blue Sapphire.[20]

With the exits of Saga Pearl II and Saga Sapphire, Saga completed its fleet renewal program and hoped to usher in a new era for the company, with the cruise line's first new-build delivered on 24 June 2019.[16][21] But while in anticipation of her delivery, in April 2019, Saga reported it was still encountering significant financial difficulties, with its shares hitting a record low in light of lower profits.[22] Saga blamed its losses on Brexit and the fears surrounding economic uncertainty for driving bookings and commitments to holidays down for the brand.[22] The retirement of Saga Pearl II, combined with the increase in marketing expenditure for the brand's new ship, was also credited for Saga's declining revenue through late-2019.[23] With the new ships joining the fleet, Saga had aimed to make £40 million in profit per ship per year and intended to strengthen its focus on its cruising and tour businesses.[23] In November 2019, in hopes of capitalizing on the launch of Spirit of Discovery, Saga announced it had ordered a new riverboat in a new investment toward its river cruising business[24] after it had previously chartered riverboats for its river cruise program.[25] The new boat, named Spirit of the Rhine, would be Saga's first boutique riverboat and be heavily inspired by the design and style of Spirit of Discovery, as well as include the all-inclusive cruising experience also accommodated on Saga's ocean cruises.[24][26][27] Scheduled to debut in spring 2021, the 190-passenger ship will cruise the Rhine, Moselle, Main, and Danube, as well as waterways in the Netherlands.[24][27]

In January 2020, despite losing £4 million following the collapse of Thomas Cook Group in the second half of 2019, Saga Group claimed Spirit of Discovery played a large role in driving part of the company's success and expected the ship to make more than £20 million in her next six months of operation.[28] Later, in April 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Saga noted that, despite a possibility of increasing cancellations, chief executive Euan Sutherland explained Saga was positioned well to weather the economic crisis arising from the pandemic, citing strong forward bookings and available credit facilities.[29][30] But in June 2020, the pandemic led Saga to announce that the debut of its second new-build, named Spirit of Adventure, would be postponed by several months due to construction delays at Meyer Werft caused by the pandemic.[31][32] Later that month, Saga introduced COVID-19 treatment and repatriation to the travel insurance plans it offers to its cruise guests.[33] Spirit of Adventure was delivered on 29 September 2020, though the pandemic has also resulted in several postponements of her public debut and maiden voyage to May 2021.[34][35]

Fleet

Current fleet

Ship nameBuiltIn ServiceGross tonnage FlagNotesImage
Spirit of Discovery20192019–present58,119 GT[36]  United KingdomFirst new-build for Saga Cruises[37][38]
Spirit of Adventure20202020–present58,119 GT[39] United KingdomSister ship to Spirit of Discovery
Delivery and maiden voyage postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic[34][35]
Spirit of the Rhine20212021TBASaga's first boutique riverboat.[26]
Constructed by Vahali in Serbia.[26]
Keel laid on 11 December 2019.[26]
Scheduled to debut in March 2021.[26] Christened on 19 March 2022 in Arnhem
Spirit of Danube2022TBA[40]
Christened on 19 March 2022 in Arnhem[41][42]

Future fleet

Ship nameBuiltIn ServiceGross tonnageNotes Image
Spirit of the Moselle20232023TBAOrdered in March 2022

Constructed by Vahali in Serbia

Spirit of the Main20242024TBAOrdered in March 2022
Constructed by Vahali in Serbia
Spirit of the Elbe20252025TBAOrdered in March 2022
Constructed by Vahali in Serbia
Spirit of the Rhône20262026TBAOrdered in March 2022
Constructed by Vahali in Serbia[43]
Amadeus Elegant[44]2023TBA

Former fleet

Ship nameBuiltIn ServiceGross tonnageNotesImage
Saga Rose19651997–201024,528 GTOriginally operated by Norwegian America Line as Sagafjord.
Laid up and scrapped.
Saga Pearl1989Summer 200312,892 GTChartered by Saga in summer 2003.
Later operated as Minerva for Swan Hellenic.
Spirit of Adventure19812006–20129,570 GTOriginally operated by Peter Deilmann Cruises as Berlin.
Sold to FTI Group in 2012 for FTI Cruises and renamed FTI Berlin.
Saga Ruby19732005–201424,492 GTOriginally operated by Norwegian America Line as Vistafjord.
Sold to become hotel in Myanmar before being scrapped in India.
Saga Pearl II19812010–2012
2013–2019		18,627 GTOriginally operated by HADAG as Astor.
Sold to Aqua Explorer Holdings. Scrapped in 2022.
Saga Sapphire19812012–202037,049 GTOriginally operated by Hapag-Lloyd as Europa.
Sold to ANEX Tour and renamed Blue Sapphire.

References

  1. 1 2 Plowman, Peter (2007). Australian Cruise Ships. Dural, New South Wales, Australia: Rosenberg Publishing Pty Ltd. p. 32. ISBN 9781877058509.
  2. ↑ "Saga Rose". Castles of the Seas.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Smith, Peter C. (2014). Cruise Ships – The Small Scale Fleet A Visual Showcase. Barnsley, England: Pen & Sword. p. 242. ISBN 9781781592816.
  4. 1 2 3 Coulter, Adam (10 July 2012). "Saga Ruby to be Retired". Cruise Critic.
  5. 1 2 Ward, Douglas (2018). Berlitz Cruising & Cruise Ships 2018. London: Apa Publications (UK) Ltd. ISBN 9781785730788.
  6. ↑ "Cruising ahead". FVW Media. 26 August 2011.
  7. 1 2 Askin, Dan (5 August 2009). "Saga Holidays Bags Ship to Replace Retiring Saga Rose". Cruise Critic.
  8. ↑ "Cruise ship back after final voyage". BBC News. 10 January 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  9. ↑ "Saga Ruby to be Scrapped in India". Cruise Industry News. 8 March 2017.
  10. ↑ Jones, Sarah (23 May 2014). "Saga IPO Raises $928 Million, Shares at Bottom of Range". Bloomberg.
  11. ↑ "Meyer Werft Bags First Newbuild Order from Saga Cruises". Offshore Energy. 30 September 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  12. ↑ "Saga orders newbuild". Riviera Maritime Media. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  13. ↑ Bond, Mary (30 March 2017). "Saga Cruises announces name of new ship arriving in 2019". Seatrade Cruise News.
  14. 1 2 3 "The innovations behind Saga's Spirit of Discovery". Riviera Maritime Media.
  15. ↑ Gibson, Rebecca (13 July 2017). "Saga Pearl II to retire with a South African farewell cruise". Cruise & Ferry.
  16. 1 2 "Saga Sapphire to Leave Fleet in 2020". Cruise Industry News. 20 June 2018.
  17. ↑ Griffin, Kevin (6 May 2019). "Voyages To Antiquity Cancels Ten Cruises – Other Cruise News: Saga Pearl II Sold – More Australian Cargo-Passenger Voyages". Late Cruise News.
  18. ↑ Mathisen, Monty (7 August 2019). "ANEX Tour Acquires Saga Sapphire". Cruise Industry News.
  19. ↑ "Saga Could Delay Transfer of Saga Sapphire". Cruise Industry News. 16 April 2020.
  20. ↑ "Saga Completes the Sale of the Saga Sapphire to Anex Tour". Cruise Industry News. 18 June 2020.
  21. ↑ Winny, Michelle (25 June 2019). "Garden party naming for Saga's newly delivered Spirit of Discovery". Seatrade Cruise News. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020.
  22. 1 2 "Saga shares hit record low on profit alert". BBC. 4 April 2019.
  23. 1 2 Whyte, Patrick (20 September 2019). "Saga Plays Long Game in Search for Cruise Nirvana". Skift. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020.
  24. 1 2 3 "Saga unveils boutique Spirit of the Rhine river cruise ship". Group Leisure & Travel. 5 November 2019. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020.
  25. ↑ Archer, Jane (14 July 2014). "River cruises: a brave new world on the waterways". The Telegraph.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 "Riverboat Spirit of the Rhine Keel Laid". Cruise Industry News. 12 December 2019.
  27. 1 2 Peters, Gary. "Saga lays keel for Spirit of the Rhine river ship". Cruise Trade News.
  28. ↑ Phil, Davies (28 January 2020). "Saga suffers £4m hit from Thomas Cook collapse". Travel Weekly.
  29. ↑ Ralph, Oliver (2 April 2020). "Saga cruise bookings hold up well in spite of crisis". Financial Times.
  30. ↑ Gangcuangco, Terry (3 April 2020). "Coronavirus: Saga prepares for the worst". Insurance Business.
  31. ↑ "Saga's New Spirit of Adventure Is Delayed". Cruise Industry News. 29 May 2020.
  32. ↑ Sharpe, Olivia (3 June 2020). "Saga Cruises postpones Spirit of Adventure trade sailing". Cruise Trade News.
  33. ↑ Sharpe, Olivia (12 June 2020). "Saga introduces Covid-19 cover to travel insurance policy". Cruise Trade News.
  34. 1 2 Payne, Holly (30 September 2020). "Spirit of Adventure joins Saga fleet". Seatrade Cruise News. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  35. 1 2 "Saga Pushes Cruise Restart Dates, Now April and May 2021". Cruise Industry News. 3 November 2020. Archived from the original on 3 November 2020.
  36. ↑ "DNV GL: Spirit of Discovery". Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  37. ↑ "Saga Cruises Orders New Ship from Meyer Werft for 2019 Delivery". Cruise Industry News. 30 September 2015. Archived from the original on 2 March 2018.
  38. ↑ Coulter, Adam (30 September 2015). "Saga Cruises Confirms Order for New Cruise Ship, Option on Second". Cruise Critic. Archived from the original on 19 June 2018.
  39. ↑ "DNV GL: Spirit of Adventure". Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  40. ↑ "Keel laying ceremony held in Serbia for Saga Cruises' Spirit of the Danube". 10 February 2021.
  41. ↑ "Saga's two new river cruise ships named at ceremony this weekend, before cruising begins from today". 21 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  42. ↑ "Saga to name two new river cruise ships at ceremony in Arnhem". 16 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  43. ↑ "Saga announces four new ships to join river cruise fleet". 23 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  44. ↑ https://newsroom.saga.co.uk/news/amadeus-elegant-to-join-sagas-river-fleet-from-may-2023

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