Kohima

Reports coming from SoD in the Bay of Biscay are very concerning, with little prospect of a let up in the weather.

Sorry, even worse, it’s Monday 13th for the next cruise!

Even if they leave on Saturday, that only leaves 8 more clear days until the next cruise on Tuesday 13th. What could the itinerary be?

Falmouth Harbour webcam page is now showing SoA departing at 6.30 am tomorrow morning.

Just looked at the Falmouth harbour webcam to see that SoA has arrived there safely. Listed as leaving at 18.30 tomorrow.

Best advice for Portsmouth is to keep hand luggage minimal! Thanks again for the all the effort you have put into this blog, A true tour de force!

Saga used to boast that it had the best libraries at sea. Sadly no longer.

The speciality restaurants have been used on occasional sea days since January, offering a small menu different from the evening offering. This is an excellent improvement, making use of otherwise empty spaces and easing the numbers elsewhere when the weather isn’t suitable for outdoor eating.

Good to see the continuation of officer hosted tables in the Grill on formal nights. So much quieter to enable conversation.

Brilliant detail. Portsmouth is such a historic sail away, especially on such a lovely evening. Bon voyage!

Thank you, in advance, for making so much effort.

The email was definitely referring to the 2024 sailing. It should have been removed from the online booking options by now, but hasn’t.

You show your passport to Saga, on embarkation only, on cruises to and from the UK to Europe. We have never had our passport stamped in Europe in recent years with Saga, apart from In Russia. When going ashore and returning to the ship in ports of call your cruise card is all you need (also on disembarkation). Generally Saga advise you to make a copy of the main page in your passport and take that when going ashore. I can’t say that I have been particularly aware of customs at any point…..others may be able to help with this.

The coffee is a very small part of why we have enjoyed Oceania. Our main reason has been the choice of itineraries, with, on balance, many other aspects broadly similar. It’s easy to nitpick the detail and some things are more important to some people than others. However we come back to Saga for something quite special which the old ships had in abundance and the new ships are now developing: the friendly inclusive atmosphere. It can be easy to feel anonymous, however luxurious the surroundings but we never feel like that on a Saga ship.

Oceania definitely has the edge over Saga with its barista style coffee bar serving an excellent range of coffees.

We always take our own Percol Colombian coffee bags for the cabin. Other brands are available!

In the MDR it is possible to book a certain number of tables, for the entire cruise, before boarding. Some of these will be tables for 2. The number of pre booked tables is restricted to allow most passengers freedom of choice. They usually have to be occupied fairly early in the evening, otherwise they are reallocated. When booking the speciality restaurants you can ask for a table for 2. Other than that, you can ask for a table for 2 on arrival in the MDR or Grill. However you will find, throughout the ship, that, although there are numerous tables for 2, they are quite close together. Generally dining on Saga ships is quite sociable, with many people enjoying meeting and conversing with a range of others.

When Saga used to do fly cruises on the old Spirit of Adventure, we always chose to go to the airport the day before to stay in a hotel overnight.. This was never a problem and we were never charged extra, apart from paying for the hotel ourselves.

It’s clearly a complicated operation as the aim is to stagger arrivals so no one is waiting a long time to board and everyone can be individually shown to their cabin. Whether you are first, last or in the middle, going with the flow is a good plan. Its Saga’s problem to get you there and the ship definitely won’t leave without you!

With regard to price reductions, they happen frequently when a cruise is not sold out. However they are usually for unassigned cabins where you have no choice of type or location.

FangledRose, you need to give Saga a ring with your postcode and they will give you a quote for the excess above the mileage allowance. You would be picked up direct from your house.

The latest information from Saga states that smart casual is now ok in the theatre on formal nights.

Yes, smart casual is always fine in the Grill, even on formal nights. You won’t miss out on the formal night menu either, as it’s the same in the Grill as the main dining room. Waiter served, too. Apart from the speciality restaurants and the main dining room, smart casual dress is now fine everywhere else on the ship on formal nights.

When you get to the terminal just be patient and let the staff do the worrying! They will get you on board safely. Most of all, look forward to it and enjoy the cruise!

Try not to worry. If, when booking, you asked for and were allocated assistance, there will be staff available to help you. Many people in wheelchairs have successfully boarded Saga ships in Portsmouth, even before the new terminal was open. It may not be the most convenient terminal but the sail in and out is certainly one of the most interesting. The reality when cruising, unless you never go ashore, is that all cruise ports may vary in their level of convenience.