Saga Cruises

[Glenndale]

On 1/26/2019 at 12:15 PM, farthinghill said:

We've never considered Saga Cruises, being fans of Regent Seven Seas and Oceania, but were attracted by the Sceptred Isles itinerary on the Spirit of Adventure advertised by an online TA - many ports of call we already know and love wrapped up in one cruise package.  It seemed very good value so we booked straight away.  It will be quite a while (September 2020) before we know if this was a wise decision!

 

Currently our favourite line is Oceania but the new ships look comparable to Riviera and Marina with the added bonus of a promenade deck.

By choosing ports that you 'know and love', at least if you don't enjoy the shipboard experience you will enjoy the shoreside.

I agree that taking all the inclusions into consideration they appear to be very good value.

We'll find out in September this year.

Just out of curiosity did your TA give you a discount on the cruise?

Mine had told me that Saga didn't allow this.

 

[farthinghill]

1 hour ago, Glenndale said:

Currently our favourite line is Oceania but the new ships look comparable to Riviera and Marina with the added bonus of a promenade deck.

By choosing ports that you 'know and love', at least if you don't enjoy the shipboard experience you will enjoy the shoreside.

I agree that taking all the inclusions into consideration they appear to be very good value.

We'll find out in September this year.

Just out of curiosity did your TA give you a discount on the cruise?

Mine had told me that Saga didn't allow this.

 

I can't compare the price we got with Saga's price because none of the cabins in the category we booked are still available and so are not listed.  Saga is adamant that TAs can't discount but we have been given "sea miles".

Having made the booking rather impulsively I was relieved to read all the positive reviews for Saga on here, albeit for the existing fleet.  I hope we don't suffer from it being one of the inaugural cruises.  We once took the first river cruise of the season with Scenic after a refit and it was less than good because of untrained staff and deficiencies with the cabin. 

[PhilbeachTraveller]

Just booked our first Saga cruise to Norway on the 11th April. We live near Dover so keen to try this as it's so easy to get to the port and back. Prefer smaller ships as well. Looking forward to giving it a go. Anyone else going on this one (can't find a Roll Call)?

[readingfast]

Some advice please, about formal evenings.

Our first Saga cruise and after 50 years of wearing suits, my husband refuses to wear a suit, or jacket. 

Will he have to wear a sports jacket for a formal evening?

Also, will I be able to wear white trousers & a top or does it have to be a dress?

Many thanks

[Solosailing]

5 hours ago, readingfast said:

Some advice please, about formal evenings.

Our first Saga cruise and after 50 years of wearing suits, my husband refuses to wear a suit, or jacket. 

Will he have to wear a sports jacket for a formal evening?

Also, will I be able to wear white trousers & a top or does it have to be a dress?

Many thanks

Something smart. Think if go in less formal dining areas will do fine sports jacket and definitely smart trousers are 100% acceptable for ladies. Personally lots people preferred being very well dressed but smart enough and who will actually remember what you wore when ?  You dont have go in Captains cocktail party or have official pictures taken. You paid - you choose about that stuff!  Enjoy your holiday and also remember over 7 nights there are 2 of these formal evening events!  Where /when is your holiday? 

[Solosailing]

This maybe helpful? https://travel.saga.co.uk/cruises/ocean/the-saga-experience/what-to-wear.aspx

[retiredbrit]

The dress code discussions usually run and run and people get quite worked up😡. 

Joyce and I like the chance to "dress up" - we don't cruise on the more informal ships

I haven't been on a Saga ship for quite a long time - but my memory is that most people dress up on formal nights.  I would expect at the least men wear, long trousers, jacket and tie the ladies wear a long or short skirt or dark trousers  and have a few glittery tops to go with it some ladies wear long dresses.  I believe most people feel more at ease following the traditional dress code, especially if others on your table have done so - but it is of course personal preference.

I think the dress code may more closely followed by Brits getting on in Southampton who don't have airline luggage restrictions to cope with.

Our next Saga cruise is on their new ship in Feb 2020 - I expect it to be dressy. We are sailing from Southampton to see Northern lights this month with P&O,  we will be taking a lot of luggage.

As we cruise fairly  frequently we have formal clothes we only use on cruises, My Monkey suit was about £60 in the sale in M&S. dress shirt from Primark a selection of bow ties from E-Bay, my black shoes are the ones I wore to work years ago - you don't need to spend a lot

Joyce buys her cruise glad rags in TK Max.

Other than cruising I wear a Jacket just a couple of times a year

Alan

[lincslady]

We were very recently on Pearl.  I am afraid Saga is still a bit 'stuffy' about formal evenings, and unless you are prepared to eat in your cabin from room service your husband will need a jacket and tie, a least. This applies to both restaurants.   However, the good news is, if he is actually prepared to wear them, go to Reception and almost certainly they will provide something to borrow just for the evenings needed.  This happened to a table neighbour of ours; he did not object to wearing a jacket but had not brought one. They found him a black one, and a tie, and he had dark trousers, so it worked out.  Also, I would suggest for you not white trousers, which are a bit informal and fine any other evening, but dark ones (mine are velour and comfortable) and a sparkly or similar top - no need for a long dress, and some women just wear what used to be called 'afternoon'  frocks.   Women can get away with more than men, in this instance!

 

Sorry if this is not what you want to hear, but advance warning is helpful - our neighbours were originally sad at the idea that they had to eat in the cabin if no jacket for him.  And it is just room service food, not the restaurant dinner.

[kentchris]

2 hours ago, lincslady said:

I am afraid Saga is still a bit 'stuffy' about formal evenings

Perhaps Saga are simply delivering the product their customers want. There are still a lot of people for whom 'formal' means actually dressing up rather than changing from jeans into chinos.

[lincslady]

I agree that there are some people who like to wear formal dress:  dinner jacket for men and long dress or very eveningy cocktail dresses or tops and trousers for women, but they are now, I believe, in the minority.  Other cruise lines, like the top notch ones, for instance Regent and Seabourn, only ask for at most  for men to wear a jacket and not even a tie if they do not want to, on their 'formal optional' evenings.  Some still do wear a dj or dark suit,  but not a high proportion.  (We have travelled both these lines in the last couple of years).  I also think that with the coming of the new Saga ships, which will appeal to the younger end of the age spectrum hopefully,  the Saga rulings may have to change.  My husband does wear his dj, not very willingly, but sadly some  men on our recent cruise were not very formally attired, and got away with it.  (Including our neighbour in his borrowed jacket and tie, but we all got on so well it would have been churlish to make a fuss!).

[Mrs Miggins]

We have our first Saga cruise in September on their new ship.  We usually cruise with Azamara, Viking Ocean, Star Clippers and Oceania.  None of them have 'formal' nights.  We have been onboard Viking Ocean at New Year twice.  Everyone looked smart and elegant but I would estimate the number of long evening dresses or DJ's as below 20.  

One thing that made me think twice about Saga was the prospect of formal nights.  In the past we have done all of that on other cruise lines.  Since most passengers will British (and elderly) I am sure everyone will dress appropriately but my evening dresses and the DJ will not be travelling with us.

The DJ did make an appearance on our December river cruise as formal was requested by our lovely travel agent/tour operator.  It was packed specially in its suit carrier and subsequently left on a coach by mistake  which necessitated a long drive by me to pick it up.  Its travelling days are definitely over.

Looking forward to a friendly and lively cruise.

[lincslady]

I think the code will change in time - but probably not this year.  My DH only wears his dj because he has not got a suit.  If your husband has either a suit, dark jacket or even cream one with black trousers, which looks a bit like a tropical dj, he will be fine.  At present there are quite a lot (as you say, mainly elderly) who like to dress up, shake the Captain's hand and have their photo taken - not for us, and not at all necessary.  On all other evenings, many men wear a typically Brit. short sleeved check shirt; some wear a jacket but it is not at all essential.  I always wear trousers, black velvet/velour for formals and often coloured ones or white for the other evenings.

 

The new ship looks gorgeous - we have not booked it yet, but hope to.  It will bring Saga much more up to date, but hopefully the standard of staffing etc. will remain as good.   

[PhilbeachTraveller]

When I booked our April cruise directly with Saga, I asked about the 'formal' dressing. She said that some people go the whole hog and wear DJs and ballgowns but she added that 'smart casual' would be absolutely fine. So that's what we'll do!

[lincslady]

My impression recently has been that a jacket and a shirt with tie seemed to be required, but maybe they have loosened up in the past month or two?  I would recommend that a man should maybe take along one 'business' type shirt and tie, and jacket, myself.

[Glenndale]

We are currently on a 15 night Sapphire cruise, we will have 3 formal nights.

Apart from the formal night which still requests a suit for the gentlemen, the smart casual night’s dress requirement is very relaxed.

It is a pity that the Verandah restaurant still requests formal wear even though it is a more casual eatery.

Maybe on the new ships the dress requirement, for what is essentially a buffet, will be more relaxed.

Norovirus has been onboard since day one but we have managed to avoid it thank goodness.

 

 

[lincslady]

Sorry to hear the dreaded Noro is on board - we were on Pearl not long ago, and they had it too - very few people, I believe, but it makes such a difference to the serving of meals, especially buffets.  

 

I did not want to appear to be a stickler for the 'formal' wear for men, but unfortunately do believe that they would not be happy to see a chap without at least jacket and tie on formals- I also hope it will change in the future, and think that with encouraging a younger crowd on the new ships it will have to.

[jgw321]

18 hours ago, lincslady said:

encouraging a younger crowd

 

I've been out of the loop for a while and am not up to date withe context.  Is this a new thrust that Saga have?  The age limit is 50+ (40+ if with a 50+), but perhaps compared with 70-90 this is a younger crowd.

[lincslady]

Yes, I did mean the 50 to 60 group!    Being in the older group myself.  At present you don't see many who appear to be under 65 on board,  but  I don't think Saga is planning to change their rules, at least I hope not. 

 

The new ships should certainly appeal to a slightly younger crowd, and I am sure that is Saga's intention - after all, they will be their future clientele after us oldies have dropped off the twig.

[kentchris]

1 hour ago, lincslady said:

Yes, I did mean the 50 to 60 group!    Being in the older group myself.  At present you don't see many who appear to be under 65 on board,  but  I don't think Saga is planning to change their rules, at least I hope not. 

 

The new ships should certainly appeal to a slightly younger crowd, and I am sure that is Saga's intention - after all, they will be their future clientele after us oldies have dropped off the twig.

I doubt there's a significant pool of untapped demand from people of working age otherwise Saga would have already discovered a way of attracting it even with their quirky older ships. Saga will still appeal mainly to retired people with the money and time for longer cruises ex UK ports. If people want Saga's bells and whistles but on more casual cruise lines they can always book them through Saga.

 

I also think that one of the factors which make 'British' cruise lines distinctive is the dressing up for dinner a couple of nights a week, so for the time being I don't see the feedback loop which reinforces that on Saga being broken. Anyway, I've heard that dressing up is a bit of a Thing with under 60s, but perhaps I mix with the wrong people (and I'm not talking about young fogeys BTW). 

[Glenndale]

On 2/25/2019 at 9:21 AM, kentchris said:

I doubt there's a significant pool of untapped demand from people of working age otherwise Saga would have already discovered a way of attracting it even with their quirky older ships.........

I think you may be wrong on that score, look at how successful Viking Ocean Cruises have become from virtually a standing start as far as ocean cruising goes. 

They offer a similar package to the new Saga ships,

Also reading around other forums, because of the bean counters on mainstream lines making continuous small cuts, people are coming round to the realisation that 'you get what you pay for' and are looking for a more quality experience.

Also, there are many 50 year olds who don't want the 'pleasure' of sailing with children, which are hard to avoid on other lines. At the moment their best option is to sail outside of school holidays.

Yes, P&O do offer adult only ships, but these carry almost twice as many passengers as the new Saga ships.

[PhilbeachTraveller]

Currently on the Saga Sapphire. Although many on board are of a certain age , there are a lot of 'younger' ones as well. Dress code not that restrictive. Smart casual is anything that isn't jeans although some people still wear jeans and they don't get locked in their rooms. Formal night had plenty of ballgowns but just 'normal' dresses as well. 

[Dermotsgirl]

I've read this thread with a lot of interest.

 

Up until recently, Saga had no interest for me, but I do like the sound of the new ship, and will be interested to hear what people think about her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[readingfast]

On ‎4‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 5:46 PM, PhilbeachTraveller said:

Currently on the Saga Sapphire. Although many on board are of a certain age , there are a lot of 'younger' ones as well. Dress code not that restrictive. Smart casual is anything that isn't jeans although some people still wear jeans and they don't get locked in their rooms. Formal night had plenty of ballgowns but just 'normal' dresses as well. 

Are the men wearing jackets & ties on the formal nights?

[lincslady]

On our last cruise (Pearl, a couple of months ago) on formal nights men were definitely supposed to sport at least a jacket and tie, and most were in a suit or dj.  Our table neighbour had not brought a jacket, as they had thought it was not necessary, and he went to reception and was lent a jacket and tie.   I wouldn't say he looked very elegant, but it was considered acceptable.  The dress code applied everywhere, so I fear if you were not properly dressed you might have to eat in your cabin, just from the regular room service menu, which would be a shame.  All other nights a jacket is not required, though about a third to half of the men wore one.

 

 

[PhilbeachTraveller]

On the first formal night, all the men were in jackets and ties (not necessarily DJs or Tuxes) and a couple of nights later we shared a table with a guy who said he was refused entry to the restaurants and they had to lend him a jacket and tie. However, on the second formal night, there were definitely people not wearing jackets and ties. Ladies could wear whatever they wanted, as long as not jeans and T-shirts!

However, although they say you have follow the dress codes for any public places on the ship, they certainly didn't ask people who were in casual clothes on the 'smart casual' days to leave the bar! (or on the formal nights either, actually).