LandC

The   PDF of the 2022 schedule was emailed to us yesterday.  Did you get your copy?  I gather Saga have already started calling people.  Hopefully we will get a call soon.  
 

The cruises are similar to previous years, and include an 83 night voyage to South America departing 5 January 2022.  All the cruises on Spirit of Adventure depart from Southampton, which is handy for us.  

Fred’s smallest ship, the Braemar,  carries nearly 3 times as many passengers as the Aegean Odyssey did.  We last sailed on her in the Caribbean, flying to/from Barbados, and we had 2 very good lecturers on that cruise. It’s still a relatively small ship, with less than 1,000 passengers.  If VtoA offer cruises on her,  they may have their own bespoke shore tours, which will cut down the queues for disembarkation, coaches etc.  It’s a case of wait and see.

Noble Caledonia’s ships carry around 100 passengers, so possibly a closer fit to

the VtoA experience.  As stated in my post above, I have a cruise booked but haven’t yet been on board.  Perhaps someone reading this thread is able to offer their first hand experience. 

 I have signed up for the email newsletter from NC, which is delivered to my inbox every weekend, and I find it very informative.

I’m not surprised that Adventure has been delayed again, as I can’t see cruises starting before Christmas.  I just wish that Saga would let their clients know what is going on!

Will do.  When did you pre-register?

We were due to sail on  a Black Sea cruise with VtoA when they cancelled due to engine trouble.  We have rebooked a similar itinerary with Noble Caledonia.  The company lease small ships (100 pax), and have lecturers and a CD on board.  We haven't been on board yet, but our friends have recommended and we value their opinion.

We have also sailed with Fred several times - good food and a lovely crew.  The quality of their lecturers has varied, but over the last couple of years they have started to employ Arts Society accredited lecturers on some of their cruises, in an attempt to attract clients from the now defunct Swan Hellenic, Voyages of Discovery and VtoA lines.  They should be able to advise which cruises via email.

Fred's oldest 2 ships, Black Watch and Boudicca, have been replaced by HAL's Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and will join their other 2 ships Braemar and Balmoral.  Braemar is small enough to transit the Corinth Canal, and those cruises are hugely popular.   One thing we don't like about Fred's cruises is the set dining times.  Dinner is at 6.15 or 8.30 pm, but the acquisition of HAL's ships may allow them to offer open dining. (There is also a self service restaurant which is open dining).

We also love the small ship experience, and can't wait to get back on board, hopefully in the not too distant future.

Not yet.  I did a live chat on the Saga website last week and was advised that they will email a PDF next week, which will include all the cruises from January to December 2022.  They will then start phoning people in the order that they pre-registered.  We pre-registered in March this year, so it may be a couple of weeks before we get a call.

Has anyone who has pre-registered for 2022 cruises heard when Saga are likely to contact us?  When I phoned in March I was told information on cruises planned for January-December 2022 would be sent out to us in August/September.  Our friends, who pre-registered before us, were told September/October!

From reading another thread on this board, I understand that Saga have cancelled the 4 night cruise to Amsterdam on Spirit of Adventure (not Discovery), which was due to depart on 16th December.  If this is the cruise you were booked on, Saga will contact you to discuss your options.

I completely agree Glenndale.  In fact, I would be very surprised if any cruises to the Caribbean or America go ahead until a vaccine or effective treatment is available.  It’s too much of a risk.

36 crew members of Hurtigruten’s ship Roald Amundsen have just tested positive In Tromsø for COVID -19.  All of the crew are now in quarantine, and passengers on the previous 2 cruises are being contacted.  Even with  protocols in place, it appears that it’s still too early to start cruising again.  

I wonder how many people will rebook if the ‘incentive’ is as poor as this? 

When we pre-registered for 2022 cruises,we were told that all the cruises would be released at the same time ( January to December 2022), and that we would be contacted August /September.  I see from the Saga website that cruises will be available for the general public to book from 2nd September, so Presumably We will be contacted before then.  

Of course it all depends on cruises going ahead, and even if they do, itineraries may need to be adjusted.  

I’ve just looked at the Saga website.  The SoA inaugural returns on 22nd November.  The next cruise advertised on that ship is a 4 day cruise departing 16th December.  I wonder what Saga is planning for the interim period?

Sorry to hear that.  I wonder what will happen about Spirit of Adventure’s inaugural cruise on 5th November?

September 28th departure has now been removed from the Saga website. First cruise on Spirit of Adventure now showing as November 15th, Caribbean 31 nights.  This obviously isn’t going ahead either, as the inaugural cruise will be November 5th, Western Med 17 nights.  

Thanks for this information nosapphire, it’s very helpful.  I can imagine the queues to embark if everyone has to have temperature checks etc, as well as the queues for the restaurants, especially if there are no buffets.  It also occurred to me that sharing transport to the port is not going to be possible if social distancing is still in operation.  It’s not the relaxing cruise experience we are looking for.  

I've just found this statement from Saga. It was posted on Social Media about 2 hours ago.  "You may have seen that our update to the city earlier this week included an announcement that we are taking delivery of our new ship, Spirit of Adventure, by the end of October.  I know that all of our guests who are booked to travel on our beautiful new ship have been patiently waiting for some news regarding the inaugural cruise.  I can confirm we will be calling you next week to confirm the new date and itinerary.  I appreciate those of you who are already booked to travel on other dates this year on Spirit of Adventure will have some questions but please rest assured that we will be contacting you over the coming weeks in date order to ensure that you are kept fully updated as to our plans as we return to service this Autumn.  Take care and most importantly stay safe.  Nigel Blanks."

I think all those booked on September departures had their balance payments deferred from 90 to 60 days.  I can’t see Discovery’s cruise to the USA going ahead on 15th September either. Perhaps Saga will offer an alternative itinerary?

We got a letter from Saga a couple of weeks ago deferring the balance due date from end of June to end of July.   

That’s interesting Mungo99.  We thought our cruise at the end of September would be cancelled.  Probably just as well, as I understand Spain is not allowing cruise ships to dock at present!  I wonder how long it will take Saga to let us know that the cruise is not going ahead?

We booked a 2021 cruise on 16th March 2020, with the optional included insurance.  We assumed we would be covered for treatment abroad and repatriation to the UK for COVID-19.  Not so sure now.  What a mess!

Yes, we did in March.

We would be prepared to consider a round UK cruise in September, depending on FCO advice changing and social distancing measures etc etc being put In place  I understand Viking and Fred.Olsen are also looking Into the possibility of UK cruises. 
 

Got a letter from Saga this morning.  Balance of cruise now payable 60 days before departure, ie end of July.