Spirit of Discovery - Comprehensive Cruise Review

[kathekas]

18 hours ago, lincslady said:

Fingers crossed for you!  Hope all is clean and clear by now, and let us know how your cruise goes.

Just had a phone from Saga

 

Pickup delayed for the 3rd time due to the fact the ship needs deep cleaning due to 50+ people wit Norovisrus.

 

Its good to see Saga is taking the problem seriously.

 

Ship now due to sail 2200hrs

[retiredbrit]

Hi

re Spirit of Discovery due to sail Sunday 16 - Northern lights, I have just had another revised pick up time - its now 17.25

The email says - This is due to the fact that they have had an outbreak of Norovirus on board this ship and are having a specialist team on board tomorrow to conduct a deep clean. 

I suspect it's a continuation of the outbreak they had on the last cruise where there were 117 cases of norovirus among the passengers, no mention of how many crew succumbed.

I hope they make a better job of the next deep clean.

Alan

[retiredbrit]

Kathcas was told

Pickup delayed for the 3rd time due to the fact the ship needs deep cleaning due to 50+ people wit Norovirus

To me if that figure is correct the sick people were probably already on board when S of D sailed on 12 Feb, probably crew.

Although Saga have said the number of passengers who have Norovirus -  in line with other cruise lines they don't publicise the numbers of Crew with it

 

There is still time for another delay notice😷.

Alan

[kathekas]

You could be right about another delay, the ship is still in the Channel (https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:5912671/zoom:10) Port of Southampton arrivals show it docking at 12.30  today.

 

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/Live_Information/Shipping_Movements_and_Cruise_Ship_Schedule/Planned_Movements/

SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY

9802683

Passenger (MPR)

GBR

16-Feb-2020 12:30

Nab

Honfleur

101

S

7.30

236.71

5120

DENHOLM PORT SERVICES LTD

Edited February 16, 2020 by kathekas

[Scorpio41]

Those that are onboard sailing back to back are being confined to their cabin for 48 hours. 
 

This is from a lady on board now. 

[Scorpio41]

The ship is not due to dock until 12.30 today and we have a new sailing time of 10pm.

 

[Glenndale]

On 2/16/2020 at 9:39 AM, Scorpio41 said:

The ship is not due to dock until 12.30 today and we have a new sailing time of 10pm.

 

How is your cruise progressing?

I hope you are all having a great time 🙂

[JoJo1947]

I agree the new saga ship prices have been hiked too much against the Sapphire and previously the Pearl. Previously it was mentioned that there was no official formal night on the Christmas Markets Sapphire cruise. It became optional mainly because people were returning later than usual from the excursions so it would be a rush to get changed into formal if they didn’t want too. This was an exception. As Saga is traditional cruising there are always formal nights which after 6pm in all public places the dress code applies for that nights attire. The only way to avoid it is to stay in your cabin and have room service.Those are the rules so if people don’t like it maybe less formal cruises would suit them instead. 

 

[lincslady]

Formal wear for men can be a jacket and tie,  in my experience - and they even found them at reception for a friend who had not brought any formal wear with him, which was accepted in the dining room.

 

As to pricing, while the new ship is still very 'Saga', one needs to bear in mind the fact that all cabins have a balcony; there is much more choice in dining, and the whole ship is more 'glam' and spacious than Sapphire (which I did love).  Plus a proper raked theatre, and various other improvements on Sapphire and Pearl.

[Mrs Miggins]

You do not have to stay in your cabin on formal nights if you choose not to 'dress up'.  

[JoJo1947]

I know men don't need to be in a Tux. Maybe the SOD has moved with the times then re dress code after 6pm.Don't get me wrong i love Saga cruises. Got a back to  back on the Sapphire booked. Balconies  Lovely but there's only certain times you can use them. Raked theatre lovely if you don't break your neck going down the stairs. Poor ship coping with 3rd cruise ongoing noro but it happens and im blaming no one. If Saga don't reduce their prices its going g to make it elitist and if they want to fill the ships they need too. They arent so far. The  faithful are getting older and with more disposal income, better pensions than the upcoming generation  they need to be competitive and if they don't they will be stuffed. I don't look at Saga through rose tinted glasses.Just saying 

Edited February 21, 2020 by JoJo1947

[Glenndale]

1 hour ago, JoJo1947 said:

I know men don't need to be in a Tux. Maybe the SOD has moved with the times then re dress code after 6pm.Don't get me wrong i love Saga cruises. Got a back to  back on the Sapphire booked. Balconies  Lovely but there's only certain times you can use them. Raked theatre lovely if you don't break your neck going down the stairs. Poor ship coping with 3rd cruise ongoing noro but it happens and im blaming no one. If Saga don't reduce their prices its going g to make it elitist and if they want to fill the ships they need too. They arent so far. The  faithful are getting older and with more disposal income, better pensions than the upcoming generation  they need to be competitive and if they don't they will be stuffed. I don't look at Saga through rose tinted glasses.Just saying 

I enjoy a balcony, it is nice to be able to step outside your cabin, to be nearer to the sea, even on cold weather cruises.

Raked theatre, most ships have them, exercise caution. How many broken necks have you witnessed or is this just hyperbole?

Norovirus never had it but then I take sensible precautions, it is not the ship but the passengers.

First night on Sapphire last year a wheel chair passenger vomited over my legs outside a lift.

I immediately returned to cabin and thoroughly washed myself, and affected clothes and was never troubled by the virus, whilst many on board were affected.

If you find that the prices are too high then there are other cruise lines which are cheaper but Saga inclusions mean that apart from excursions there is little need to spend any extra.

In short, you get what you pay for, and there are many travellers who enjoy a more quality experience on a smaller ship.

No rose tinted glasses here either. Each to their own.

 

[Glenndale]

The biggest gripe I have with Saga is their tardiness in producing their 2021 itineraries.

They will have more capacity to fill now and whilst we are interested in booking with them in 2021 have already committed to a Princess cruise for that year.

Hopefully when they release their brochure we can find another 1 or 2 to book with them.

[lincslady]

I wonder if anyone knows how full SOD is generally - in other words, is the higher price putting many off from booking, as JoJo seems to think.  I agree that Saga should get their itineraries out sooner, or they will certainly lose trade there as people commit elsewhere.

[JoJo1947]

Blimey that was some lecture. Typical of some of the snotty saga guests. Fortunately they will be in the minority. Saga are making the prices too high for many loyal customers. Great if you are rolling in it. That's my point and i don't want to be driven away to cheaper companies. Also the demographic age group isnt helping. With redundancies on the horizan too at HQ. Anyway i will let you continue the conversation as I'm off to pack for a back to back cruise so i ain't that broke 😀

[Glenndale]

14 minutes ago, JoJo1947 said:

Blimey that was some lecture. Typical of some of the snotty saga guests. Fortunately they will be in the minority.........

No need to resort to insults🙁

[JoJo1947]

Afraid most of your comments earlier were all about YOU. I'm championing for the majority of Saga guests having to look elsewhere now. 

[Glenndale]

If you are representative of the majority of Saga guests then maybe it's a good job you are looking elsewhere. 🙂

[JoJo1947]

I rest my case!  😂😂  sorry love .

[lincslady]

Right, everyone - what we need now is a report please from someone who has been on Discovery recently, to bring us back  to civilisation.

 

Please!

[shoreham01]

I phoned Saga regarding formal nights.  I needed to know if there was a formal on the short 4 night cruise we are booked on.  Was informed that yes there would be one formal night.  Apparently they did not have the formal night on the previous short cruises and passengers complained.  

[JMyrtle]

I'm with Jojo on this, don't get on your high horse if you don't want to be shot at! 

 No you don't have to stay in your cabin or wear a jacket on a formal night, providing you wear a collar and tie, smart casual trousers and a pullover are permitted in the Verandah early in the evening. 

On other nights we have seen men in jeans and sleeveless t shirts in there having their dinner. 

I would also suggest that before Saga looks too closely on what people wear they should curb the use of mobile 'phones in the dining room. 

On the Christmas Cruise on a least two occasions two ladies, who were old enough to know better repeatedly took photographs of their food, posted them to God knows who and then spent the rest of the meal texting on their' phones. 

Now that is unacceptable behaviour. 

Edited February 21, 2020 by JMyrtle