JoJo1947

Only that so many cabins are sold as guarantee so  when they are gone they are gone. Then it'll will get back to the price for choosing your own cabin.  We had a g'tee on our recent cruise. Mid B deck 

3 hours ago, Spence55 said:

Dynamic pricing in action. A couple can get a guaranteed cabin for £400 a night. That’s desperate stuff from Saga. I wonder if there’s a cap on the number available at that price. If not I can imagine some  discontent from many who have paid considerably more. Especially as they might have forgone interest on their 15% deposits for some considerable time. 

Yes there is a cap.

On 8/29/2024 at 8:23 PM, Windsurfboy said:

I think it's the whole ship is filling in survey at same time. Stupidly you can't go home and fill in at you leisure. 

I do just that at home

 Better WiFi using their iPads if that's preferred

Premium wine is by the glass if you ask for a wine in the dining venues or bars. If you want a whole bottle to yourself ?  As I don't drink alcohol 🤷

I don't bother doing it in the library. Did it in the cabin on my mobile . No problem whatsoever with the WiFi. Have also done it at home. Yes I know I might have won 😀

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

Summarising issues

 

Pricing  strategy that creates need for too many last minute offers.

 

Only Panoramic excursions included ,  targeting only some of passengers. 

 

Why did they drop Amex

 

Why stop paper maps

 

Will they introduce fly cruises.

 

Why launch so late , up to year after competition.

 

Finally,  another from my perspective.  Why are their inclusive wines only drinkable,  whilst for another £5 a bottle , or £35 a week per cabin on cruise cost , could have good wine. This opens up the bigger discussion Why go all inclusive? 

 

Hopefully others on the cruise will pick some of these up, I  certainly can't ask all of them.

Fly cruises with the next ship likely to be expedition. Not everyone drinks alcohol!  I'm not paying extra . Let's have a balance and have more selection of non alcoholic . In other words I'm happy and consider myself lucky  to be able to cruise. Just think how lucky you are too. 10 years sailing with Saga,seen changes for the better and content .

4 hours ago, BigCheese1 said:

Overall impression. Excellent. Not sure exact what we liked so much. Small ship? Good crew to passenger ratio? All inclusive (no extras for drinks, gratuities, some excursions)? Standard of rooms, furnishings etc? Transport to port included?

 

This may lead us to book Saga again in 2026 or look at Azamara etc…..

Some random points that might be helpful to newbies  listed below……

++++++++++++++++++++

> Poor Wi-Fi, this was a big disappointment. Hubby asked if there were any spots that were stronger, no - same all over. OK for getting emails, reading Facebook not watching YouTube say. Do some downloading before you get on!

> conditioner and body lotion both good quality as well as shower gel, hand wash + block soap.

> instant coffee (regular + decaff) + Yorkshire tea bags, sugar, canderel sweetener  in room. Fresh milk in fridge. Sadly,  don’t drink instant coffee but had taken some Rombouts one cup brew coffee drippy things with me.  Also took my own insulated coffee mug to take coffee away.

> our steward did not leave the in-cabin main menu list until the last day. Ask for one - you might fancy just a sandwich or cheese plate sometime. We did have a breakfast hanger but always made breakfast at either the dining room or the buffet.

> ice creams available (until 1545?) in the Living room were a nice lunch dessert.

> Home made shortbread available in the Living room, just ask.

> the watercolour students were given (no charge) an excellent beginners set of paints brushes etc in a nice wooden carry case.

> crisps offered in the North Cape bar.

> bottled water available as you got off for any excursions.

> the included excursions were good but mostly panoramic (coach trip, viewing point, coach, 20 mins small town).

> Proper afternoon tea (using an etagere) not every day in Dining room but I think most days in the buffet restaurant.

> for our Norway cruise we spent the grand total of £0 on board!

> Daily programme in our room when we got in there at 1pm. Saw which nights were formal. Then able to work out which were our not-so-busy days. Then rang 6363 straight away for speciality restaurants bookings. This was before the muster was called. Other than that there were big queues at the actual restaurants. We were offered 3 spots (1 each speciality). Didn’t rate Amalfi. Khukhuri was good and the Supper Room was excellent.

> embarkation and debarkation both very stream-lined and efficient.

> launderettes good but surprised they used Persil washing tablets. On QM2 I understand they use eco/sea friendly waxing leaves……

 

 

 

 

 

Had no problem with WiFi but then I wasn't attached to my phone. When I did it was super fast. 

On 8/16/2024 at 6:56 PM, Cruise-Cat said:

How far off is your departure date? Seems like a good result 👍

7 days

4 hours ago, Balaena said:

If all you folk want a huge discount then go elsewhere, we love the high standard that Saga provides and at a reasonable price. If you want discounted cruises then go to Carnival where cheap cruising is the norm. Saga provides exceptional service throughout and it seems that many of you are intent on bringing that down to Carnival level by trying to save a few bob. Yes occasionally they do offer a discounted rate but if everybody took the stance as some suggest to wait for deals then that could have an overall impact on the future standard and offer of Saga cruises.

 Telling others to go elsewhere typical 😂  we've waited and got some good deals plus extra Britannia club discount. Why would't I? No one imo is trying to bring Saga down and it's free speech to discuss this. Here's another typical reply ..scroll on by 😂

12 hours ago, Cruise-Cat said:

How far off is your departure date? Seems like a good result 👍

8 days. 

1 hour ago, Balaena said:

For goodness sake, if you are prepared to have a discounted guaranteed cabin that's fine but omg having cruised for many years the very last place I would want to be is in a forward cabin. We did it once (paying full fare) and the ship motion was so bad that we were both sea sick which is not something we have experienced previously. Guarantee cabins are ones that are least sought after so if you want one and the discount is slightly less than the 35% early booking good luck to you. I prefer to pay for a good position on the ship, can you imagine crossing the Bay or Atlantic bouncing through a storm ummm not us. 

Just got our guarantee cabin number . Mid B deck so hardly not sought after.  Never had a ' bad area' on all  of our guarantee cabins we've booked. Money in our bank not Saga's 

Who? 

15 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

Roger de Haan is doing a Q&A on November Caribbean cruise.

 

I know quite a few on this platform are on that cruise. What should we ask him. 

 

My number one thought at moment is about the price promise,  and the increasing use of guarantee fares. Doesn't he think that Saga are training people to wait for guarantees,  which can't be good practice.

 

Surely a pricing model , that yes benefits early  booking,  but that doesn't rise so rapidly, so  putting off customers who don't want  to book so early, would fill up the ships. Rather than current model a rush of early bookings, then everyone sits for guarantees. 

 

Yes I'll have to be more succinct. 

 

My other bug bear is all the included  tours are panoramic , why don't  Saga  have other types of included  tours, eg walking tours , a large proportion of their passengers don't  want to sit on a coach for three hours , and so never use the included tours.

Has this changed then because Saga always promised that guaranteed cabins would not be cheaper over the 35%, discount. Cabin prices change as you know when the highest discount cabins have been sold hence why the % drops. So to me the value is 35% off. 

10 hours ago, Tothesunset said:

As one woman who considered herself not a racist said at dinner one night:

 

"I don't have a problem with black people at all. But would you want your daughter to marry one?" 

 

I suppose it's inevitable that among 900 older people there will be some that can't see their own prejudices. Just ignore them. 

By today's standards not just old! 

Reading these comments you sound like a grumpy bunch. Other cruise lines send loads of promotion  emails,send out brochures etc. I have never paid more if my cabin grade is on offer. Some people prefer to book early to secure the cabin they like,the deck they prefer and some will wait for a guarantee. There are some cabins at the bow which have part obstruction or being up on the Sun deck in winter could be wobbly. Otherwise it's a great price. Other cruise lines do last minute cruises. 

On 8/5/2024 at 11:37 AM, Cruise Anorak said:

Hi, I am looking at a cruise in December this year and was wondering the average age of guests. I am late 50's will I be one out of place. Not done a Saga 

cruise , but have been on several with other companies. Thanks

Young I'd say. The Canaries are popular with the oldies.

29 minutes ago, Kohima said:

It’s interesting that, although a proportion of potential Saga clients may choose to ocean cruise with Saga because no flying is involved, Saga river cruising often involves flying which seems to be perfectly acceptable. Therefore there must be Saga clients who would be open to ocean cruising involving flying.

 

Exactly

19 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

I'm on this cruise from Portsmouth on 5th Nov to 5th December.  So it looks like  the first  4 days and final 4 days will not be a full ship.  Looks like the guarantee sale for full cruise has not filled ship.

 

I like sea days but more importantly, it would also need a big discount on 30 day price to outweigh complications of flying , and  more importantly airport  hassle, 3 hours sitting round. Happy to be on a lovely ship . Also don't like flights to Canaries or Maderia, 4 hours in cramped plane , no opportunity for upgrade to decent seating.  If I  wanted a fly  Caribbean cruise , would longhaul to Caribbean,  then find a 2 or 3 week cruise.

 

I understand why Saga are not making this much cheaper than the full cruise, as these cabins will be effectively blocked, no one will book a 4 day one way cruise to Maderia, or one way back from Tenerife.

Do you remember when Saga used to give fly cruise options pre pandemic? They were popular so by putting out feelers and the talk is another s smaller ship (leased) will do fly cruises possibly expedition .

November's Caribbean cruise is also a fly cruise option. Loving it 

3 hours ago, Denarius said:

A fly cruise to the Adriatic and/or Eastern Mediterranean would suit me. I love this area but getting there sailing from the UK is impracticable on a standard 2 week cruise. Perhaps if Saga get another ship this is something they might consider.

Saga did give you those choices pre covid. Another ship would be smaller on lease and for expedition cruises more than likely as told to me by an Officer.

3 hours ago, Spence55 said:

They did offer some fly cruises many years ago. This seems to be an innovative way of filling capacity on an existing cruise still scheduled to sail from and back to Portsmouth. Perhaps they have overestimated the demand for month long cruises. Given the time of year I can imagine it will appeal to many who recall the Discovery’s BoB incident last November. 

 

I'm on the 30 night Christmas cruise on Adventure 🥳

3 hours ago, DohaBreeze said:

Not for me i am afraid - I choose to cruise because i don't have to fly. The chaos and humiliation at airports is something i want to avoid

 

Good to have a choice don't you think? It may not suit all but we should think of those it would not just ourselves! 

4 hours ago, arlowood said:

Just received an email advertising a Caribbean fly cruise on SOD in November this year.

 

Fly out to Madeira to join SOD on 9th November. Sail across the Atlantic and cruise several Caribbean islands, then back to Tenerife from where your UK return flight leaves on 30th November

 

Chauffer service to and from Gatwick Airport for departure and return.

 

Not seen this type of cruise offered by Saga before. Is this a departure from the norm or have they done this in the past. The email describes it as a "one off opportunity," so I'm wondering if this is Saga dipping a toe in the waters of the fly cruise market.

Not new but first since the pandemic 

7 hours ago, Spence55 said:

We’ve received an email with ‘Britannia Club members’ savings on coming cruises. However the link goes straight to the general cruise page showing ‘offers’ that are no different to those generally available. I can find no advantage in being a Britannia Club member when it comes to the price of a cruise. The implication that there are special offers for Britannia Club members seems no more than a disingenuous marketing ploy. What’s happened to that company? 

Rather harsh! Ring to get the Britannia club price. I got a good deal for the Caribbean. 

5 hours ago, suron said:

I hope you have managed to sort out your passport renewal following  the data leak. Mine is being dealt with by Passport Office  - sent everything off on Saturday and confirmation received Monday!

Not yet because I need it in a couple of weeks time and I may not have it back in time. Just loaded up the link for the free Experian identity is but there are tech issues!