Saga cutting corners and going the way of P&O?

[twotravellersLondon]

4 minutes ago, JMMKUK said:

We got stuck in a lift on Silver Wind back in 2017. Luckily it wasn't between floors. After that we noticed it was OOS a lot.

On SoA last twice lifts were often OOS but not for very long. I always assumed it was because the crew were using them for a something important. I know they do that when they are taking a medical emergency to level 4.

 

The lifts on both ships are regularly serviced even during cruises.

[GerryL13]

5 hours ago, JMMKUK said:

We got stuck in a lift on Silver Wind back in 2017. Luckily it wasn't between floors. After that we noticed it was OOS a lot.

On SoA last twice lifts were often OOS but not for very long. I always assumed it was because the crew were using them for a something important. I know they do that when they are taking a medical emergency to level 4.

In October, a lift (aka elevator) on brand new Oceania Vista was often problematic and had been during previous month. It would frequently refuse to move, and a disembodied voice would announce that there were too many people, and someone had to get out before the doors would close -- even when there were only a few normal-sized bodies waiting to move. And it was one of the larger lifts. It seems that the more high-tech something is, the more likely malfunctions will happen. 

[Glenndale]

Saga are no longer sending out excursion brochures. Another cost cutting decision. 

[Tabicat]

We didn't get an excursion brochure.  We got a few photocopied pages with excursions available to buy and the inclusive ones. 

However I do feel Saga waste a lot of money posting holiday and cruise brochures so much. 

We seem to get them sent at least once, sometimes twice, a week.   They must be very expensive to print and most just get put in the recycling bin.  Once we have that years brochures we don't need them to keep sending them. Also the postage is very expensive. 

I always feel if they didn't waste something money like this, the cruises could be a bit cheaper

[Glenndale]

1 hour ago, Tabicat said:

We didn't get an excursion brochure.  We got a few photocopied pages with excursions available to buy and the inclusive ones. 

However I do feel Saga waste a lot of money posting holiday and cruise brochures so much. 

We seem to get them sent at least once, sometimes twice, a week.   They must be very expensive to print and most just get put in the recycling bin.  Once we have that years brochures we don't need them to keep sending them. Also the postage is very expensive. 

I always feel if they didn't waste something money like this, the cruises could be a bit cheaper

With regards to brochures it's easy to go to your MySaga account and select no mail. If you don't have an account give them a call and ask them to remove you from the mailing list.

[krueg2828]

On 12/18/2023 at 1:16 PM, Medeba said:

We liked our one Viking Ocean cruise very much (Northern Lights Jan 2019) but we paid more per night for that cruise than we have ever done and that's nearly five years ago!  I would like to cruise with them again but we too are no longer keen on flying (but would do it for a special cruise).  I haven't checked recently but I think Saga's prices are a fair amount less than Viking's, especially if you book at pre registration time.  Saga's entertainment is definitely better and it is 'all inclusive' which Viking isn't.  I do prefer the Viking ships - they are so stylish - but, overall, I think Saga is better value for money. We do miss the international passenger vibe on Saga, though.

I might be booking…from the States.  We want to do Noway in summer 2025, so here I am trying to figure how to do that with no schedule out.  I would enjoy spending a few weeks with Brits!

[GerryL13]

On 1/15/2024 at 12:50 PM, krueg2828 said:

I might be booking…from the States.  We want to do Noway in summer 2025, so here I am trying to figure how to do that with no schedule out.  I would enjoy spending a few weeks with Brits!

I also book from the States. The Summer 2025 schedule won't be out for a couple of months yet. When the online catalogue of trips comes out, you can review it and ask (by email or chat function) to have a sales rep call you to answer any question you might have and to book your cruise. (I don't have international calling, so I can't call Saga myself. I have never tried booking online.) It would help if you let them know in your pre-call communication, which cruise and which kind of cabin you are looking to book.
 

A couple of caveats:

You may already have figured out that you will not be eligible for the included insurance if you are not a UK resident. You will need to get your own insurance from a US company.

You won't be able to set up a My Saga account without a valid UK address. But once you have booked a cruise, you can see your booking by using the Manage My Booking feature on the website.

 

PS I'll be visiting Fort Pierce for a few days in March.

[krueg2828]

On 1/17/2024 at 4:03 PM, GerryL13 said:

I also book from the States. The Summer 2025 schedule won't be out for a couple of months yet. When the online catalogue of trips comes out, you can review it and ask (by email or chat function) to have a sales rep call you to answer any question you might have and to book your cruise. (I don't have international calling, so I can't call Saga myself. I have never tried booking online.) It would help if you let them know in your pre-call communication, which cruise and which kind of cabin you are looking to book.
 

A couple of caveats:

You may already have figured out that you will not be eligible for the included insurance if you are not a UK resident. You will need to get your own insurance from a US company.

You won't be able to set up a My Saga account without a valid UK address. But once you have booked a cruise, you can see your booking by using the Manage My Booking feature on the website.

 

PS I'll be visiting Fort Pierce for a few days in March.

Thanks for the info.  Have you taken a Saga cruise before??  If so, I will have a few questions for you…such as did you fly in to London?  I didn’t realize about the insurance, but I prefer to get my own anyway.  
 

i moved from FL to NC last year, just didn’t update my social media accounts yet.  Enjoy the weather in FL!

[GerryL13]

2 hours ago, krueg2828 said:

Thanks for the info.  Have you taken a Saga cruise before??  If so, I will have a few questions for you…such as did you fly in to London?  I didn’t realize about the insurance, but I prefer to get my own anyway.  
 

i moved from FL to NC last year, just didn’t update my social media accounts yet.  Enjoy the weather in FL!

Yes. I did back-to-back cruises last year and will do another pair of cruises this summer. I flew into Heathrow and spent the night at a nearby hotel. You will need to let Saga know a couple of months ahead of time where you will need to be picked up and dropped off.

[krueg2828]

13 hours ago, GerryL13 said:

Yes. I did back-to-back cruises last year and will do another pair of cruises this summer. I flew into Heathrow and spent the night at a nearby hotel. You will need to let Saga know a couple of months ahead of time where you will need to be picked up and dropped off.

Okay…thanks 😊

[saturn 5]

On 12/16/2023 at 9:45 AM, Cynthia Darch said:

Having cruised with P&O for 30 plus years we have recently moved across to Saga and the difference on all counts is wonderful. P&O are only interested in piling there ships high with cheap fares which has reduced the quality of offer immeasurably and, the standard of passenger now sailing with them has dropped to a low degree.Yes of course there are many decent passengers on board but they are so outweighed by those who enjoy nose picking contests, changing the baby's nappy on the dining room table, even urinating in the lift. As for the food offer oh my goodness that has gone so far downhill even in the speciality restaurants. So in my opinion the move across to Saga has been the right decision and after 3 cruises this year the service by the staff, the excellent dining experiences and entertainment has been bounds ahead of P&O, so would I recommend switching over to Saga the answer is definitely. P&O is no longer the P&O of years ago, it's become a cheap Butlins type of cruise line and if you like that, then fine.    

P&O are definitely going downhill - I totally agree with you.  But your above description sounds even worse than when we last used them!