‘Live From’ Spirit of Discovery, 5th-12th September.

[cinnamon]

Tuesday evening

Our Sailaway from Stavanger was very pleasant. We are on the port side and had sun on our balcony when we returned to the ship before 3.00 pm. We were pretty weary after (for us) a lot of walking. By the time went to bed my Fitbit showed 14,532 steps!

I was glad of 4G to write on here and catch up with emails. The ship’s WiFi was very slow then and all evening. Actually my iPad had been wanting to do an update for 5 days and it just can’t manage. Ah well, it’ll be done at home tomorrow. 

 

At 5.20 I nipped down to East to West and was first at the desk. Promptly at 5.30 the Maitre D came to assist with bookings. We had been waitlisted for a few days but I’m beginning to think that doesn’t mean much. She offered us two seats at a table for four, either at 6.45 or 7.30. I happily accepted the latter. Incidentally, I thought the decor in the restaurant was particularly striking. By the time I left there were around a dozen others waiting. Getting there early and waiting had paid off. 😉

 

At 6.15 we had the Newcomers Cocktail Party for first time Saga cruisers. Some people seemed to think it was Formal night again and dressed up a lot but most were like us. DH wore a jacket with open necked shirt and I wore a nice dress. It seemed like a repeat of the night before but far less crowded of course. There were roughly 300 of us but this cruise has 951 passengers onboard. 

The Captain’s speech was very similar to the previous day, including the same jokes. Michelle the newly promoted CD also spoke briefly. However it was a huge marketing opportunity missed!  No one talked about future bookings, explained the strange Saga system of registering and paying in advance of itinerary releases to get extra discount and how the further ahead you book, the more discount you get. Apparently you pay £90.00 pp to do this registration, which is taken off the cost of the cruise you choose and refundable if you don’t book. We would have liked to hear more about this as 40% off the full price sounds pretty attractive. 

Having said that, on our homeward train journey we had sat with another couple from the ship. They were quite a bit younger than us (late 50s) and frequent cruisers on MSC. I have never fancied that line, being partly swayed by bad reports on CC. They told us of great deals and good quality in the Yacht Club so I’ll check that out. 

 

Off to breakfast. To be continued.........

[jland]

Thank you Cinnamon for your prompt reply to my questions. I appreciate you taking time out of your cruise to give me information. Saga, for the first time, is advertising in Australia. Really like the look of the new ships but slightly concerned about the age group. Your blog has helped us in that department. Thanks once again.

 

 

[cinnamon]

Dinner in East to West was great. Our tablemates, whom we hadn’t met before,  were fun and the food very good. However the service was a little slow, it took quite a long time between being seated and ordering then a considerable time between courses. The Amuse Bouche was raw salmon with various sauces. Tasty but our tablemate doesn’t like spicy food so they brought her a Dim Sum.  

We both had Soft Shelled Crab for starter, billed as from Southern India. Delicious and not a dish I had tried before. 

DH had Peking Duck and I ordered Beef Rendang on the recommendation of a friend. Now I know I ordered that because I asked the waitress which country Rendang comes from. Indonesia. Fine. But, when we finally got our main courses she brought me the Duck. It took a few minutes before the correct dish was brought and I really enjoyed the flavours. However the tablemate who also ordered that thought it was too big a portion. I’m afraid I ate the lot!  

I’m afraid we had to rush away as soon as we’d finished dessert at 9.35 in order to see the show. The doors of the theatre are apparently are closed promptly as it’s nor considered safe to walk down the stairs inside the theatre after the lights have dimmed. The staff are constantly telling everyone to hold the rails on these stairs going in and out. I can’t help wondering how many of the less able folk have been struggling. I like to sit only a few rows back so am happy to do so. Seats nearer the back seem to be taken first. 

 

Angus Beef Rendang

 

Our meals in Coast to Coast and East to West have been very good. The two meals in the Club were good but not great. I do know that we’ve been extremely lucky to have eaten 4 out of 6 meals in the Specialty restaurants but it wasn’t all luck. Being proactive and persistent helped. Saga are going to need to sort out the booking system on shorter cruises to make the process fair for everyone. 

[cinnamon]

I really enjoyed the show, Putting on the Ritz. It was right up my (42nd) Street. I have heard some negatives from others but overall I’ve really enjoyed the entertainment. Having done the choir rehearsals I feel I’ve got to know the singers and that has contributed greatly to my pleasure at seeing them perform. 

 

My criticism of the entertainment in general is the lack of variety. The two ‘Headline’ acts have been a male singer that we will hopefully see tonight (we chose the alternative show on the night of his first performance) and the Ayoub Sisters who were wonderful on both their nights. Plus the production shows and cabaret style performances  in the Britannia. All music. No magician, no comedian, nothing other than music aimed at the older generation. Saga is certainly aiming at a very specific demographic. Hopefully on a longer cruise there would be a little more choice. 

[Glenndale]

We're doing 7 nights in a fortnight and will take to heart your advice of being proactive, really looking forward to Coast to Coast.

Enjoy your last day on board. 

Presumably you will be performing with the choir later, if I sang I would clear the room 😂

[cinnamon]

I didn’t sleep well on Tuesday night. Yes, it was getting rough but I suspect it was just me but I’ve been awake since 5.00. There was due to be a Walkathon today in aid of charity but it is cancelled. All outside decks are closed, it’s pouring with rain and we’re moving about quite a lot. Remnants of Hurricane Dorian. 😟 

The announcement of the cancellation was made on the PA in the public areas and corridors at 7.55 am but not into the cabins. So far today there have been no messages from the Captain, so at least those having a lie-in were undisturbed. 

 

At breakfast in the buffet we were again showed to a table with two others already sat down. It happened to be our friends so we had a long chatty meal. 😀

its not well advertised that you can have made to order dishes from the hot serving station. These items are on the menu on the wall outside the Grill but there is nothing inside to indicate what you can have. This morning, after a plateful of delicious fruits I ordered Eggs Benedict. They give you a number and ask if you are sitting Port or Starboard. After a short wait it was brought to me. The eggs were poached well, the ham delicious and the Hollandaise sauce pretty good. But, the English muffins weren’t toasted. It all tasted good but the texture was wrong, very doughy. Didn’t stop me eating it all though. 😉

[Tigrou]

18 minutes ago, cinnamon said:

My criticism of the entertainment in general is the lack of variety. The two ‘Headline’ acts have been a male singer that we will hopefully see tonight (we chose the alternative show on the night of his first performance) and the Ayoub Sisters who were wonderful on both their nights. Plus the production shows and cabaret style performances  in the Britannia. All music. No magician, no comedian, nothing other than music aimed at the older generation. Saga is certainly aiming at a very specific demographic. Hopefully on a longer cruise there would be a little more choice. 

 

I’m relieved you think this too Corinne.

It all seems to be variations of the same theme. Not even a movie option unless you don’t mind waiting for it to start at 11pm.

 

[Jammy Bun]

I really thank you for your detailed reports - and am very glad that I didn't book the Saga cruise that I'd been trying to persuade my OH to take.  He'd said all along that he wasn't old enough!  He's almost 74 and I am not yet 70.  We would have made the best of it, but there are several other premium lines out there which have fewer restrictions, less crowded eating spaces, a far wider client demographic, a more modern approach to dress code, and no in-cabin announcements unless an emergency!  (I still can't believe that one!)  We'll watch with interest to see if things change as the comment cards and reviews come in, but I suspect that we'll be waiting until we pass 80 (God willing) before we take the plunge!

Thanks again - hope your journey home is calm - at least the sun is shining now.

[cinnamon]

In the room the brochures and information say that your account can be checked on the room tv but we’ve not been able to find it. We called at the Reception and they told us that this service is not available yet so printed an interim account for us. 

 

More annoyingly, we visited the Explore Ashore desk. As I mentioned here, we made a complaint to a manager about the tour in Geiranger on Monday morning, 48 hours ago, but had heard nothing. Today the desk was manned by a junior member of staff who tried to tell us that it was because they had limited internet coverage in the fjords that they hadn’t been able to get a reply from head office!  Come on. We’ve been out at sea, then in port all day yesterday. Not good enough. She has promised to get back to us. You can bet your life I’ll be on the case. 

 

Delivered to our cabin yesterday was an extensive review form to be filled in. Even the Captain last night said he would like us to mark things as excellent. Of late we have done these online after arriving home. I guess with this bad weather I’ll get around to filling it in shortly. 

 

Choir rehearsal is at 3.00 with performance as part of the charity show at 5.00. We’ve just walked about a bit. The Living Room and Library are very full so we’ve retreated to our cabin. I’ll finish the packing before dinner when hopefully the sea will have calmed a bit. 

 

BTW. I’m a little  surprised that no crew member I’ve spoken to has  heard of Cruise Critic. I guess that means nobody at Saga will be reading these boards. 😏

[cinnamon]

2 minutes ago, Jammy Bun said:

I really thank you for your detailed reports - and am very glad that I didn't book the Saga cruise that I'd been trying to persuade my OH to take.  He'd said all along that he wasn't old enough!  He's almost 74 and I am not yet 70.  We would have made the best of it, but there are several other premium lines out there which have fewer restrictions, less crowded eating spaces, a far wider client demographic, a more modern approach to dress code, and no in-cabin announcements unless an emergency!  (I still can't believe that one!)  We'll watch with interest to see if things change as the comment cards and reviews come in, but I suspect that we'll be waiting until we pass 80 (God willing) before we take the plunge!

Thanks again - hope your journey home is calm - at least the sun is shining now.

No sun here!  Absolutely lashing it down on the North Sea. ☔️ 

There are quite a few passengers younger than us (67 & 74) and it wouldn’t stop me booking again but certainly it’s more likely in a few years........as you say, God willing. 

 

Funnily enough, we were in the Library at noon and the main announcement could not be heard in there, nor a previous one in our cabin. We knew an announcement was happening as we vaguely heard it from the Prom deck below.....which is closed.... but this time it wasn’t in the corridor either. We spoke to a couple who said they’ve heard nothing in their cabin, particularly not the early morning talk from the Captain. Perhaps it’s all part of the teething problems with a new ship that the crew don’t know what is relayed to where. 

[Wacktle]

Thanks so much for this account.  I've not seen anything about the spa area yet?  I'm not interested in treatments, but wonder what the indoor pool, steam room and sauna are like?  On Saga Sapphire, I've enjoyed this area in the bottom of the ship, and have usually found it almost empty as the majority of Saga cruisers seemed to be unaware of it.  Also, I'm assuming that the outdoor pool is not heated? I was surprised that Captain Julian Burgess isn't on board;  I thought this new ship was to be "his". Is Captain Sunderland covering for his annual leave? Apologies for the questions. 

[Tigrou]

1 hour ago, Jammy Bun said:

I really thank you for your detailed reports - and am very glad that I didn't book the Saga cruise that I'd been trying to persuade my OH to take.  He'd said all along that he wasn't old enough!  He's almost 74 and I am not yet 70.  We would have made the best of it, but there are several other premium lines out there which have fewer restrictions, less crowded eating spaces, a far wider client demographic, a more modern approach to dress code, and no in-cabin announcements unless an emergency!  (I still can't believe that one!)  We'll watch with interest to see if things change as the comment cards and reviews come in, but I suspect that we'll be waiting until we pass 80 (God willing) before we take the plunge!

Thanks again - hope your journey home is calm - at least the sun is shining now.

 

On the questionnaire it asks if you will cruise Saga again. I said perhaps in 30 years when I’ve caught up with their demographic.

 

The questionnaire is more extensive than I’ve seen before and clearly not designed to be ‘machine read’ as with many cruise lines. I made good use of the space available but whether they will take notice remains to be seen. Some of it does seem to be designed to get the answers they want but fortunately there was enough space for me to add things. For example, none of the options under ‘Why did you book this cruise’ applied, so I added an extra tick box and ‘False advertising’. If that doesn’t elicit a response from Head Office then I will the whole questionnaire exercise was pointless.

 

[cinnamon]

14 minutes ago, Wacktle said:

Thanks so much for this account.  I've not seen anything about the spa area yet?  I'm not interested in treatments, but wonder what the indoor pool, steam room and sauna are like?  On Saga Sapphire, I've enjoyed this area in the bottom of the ship, and have usually found it almost empty as the majority of Saga cruisers seemed to be unaware of it.  Also, I'm assuming that the outdoor pool is not heated? I was surprised that Captain Julian Burgess isn't on board;  I thought this new ship was to be "his". Is Captain Sunderland covering for his annual leave? Apologies for the questions. 

Capt Sutherland been onboard the last few cruises, certainly. 

 

People on train yesterday said they’d swum in the outdoor pool most days. Water heated apparently but air far too cold for me. 😮

 

Funnily enough, a friend has suggested I try the indoor pool today so I’ll be trying it between rehearsal  and performance!  Busy afternoon!

[Mrs Miggins]

I agree certainly with most of my friend’s Cinnamon’s comments.

Saga have to widen their appeal in order to fill two new ships.

they do most things well but obviously do not want to alienate their loyal cruisers.

Today at lunch with a couple who did the Pulpit Rock hike from Stavanger.  A two hour uphill hike .  Yet they are regular Saga cruisers.  

I think the music onboard has been fairly varied from a classical quartet, mainstream shows, plus the Ayoub sisters twice and and two shows from the excellent Mike Sterling.  In addition they have Stuart Anderson who plays an extremely wide range of popular music, who did a lovely set of his own compositions in The Britannia Lounge before lunch.  There is also a 2 man duo in The Club each evening singing standards.  Plus the rather sexy Silver Line Showband twice per night.  Lots of people dancing including 3 Dance Hosts who have been kept busy.

There are lectures, line dance tuition,  etc etc.  Lots going on.

There is music until at least midnight plus of course a late night film.The  interactive TV is good with a wide variety of films and TV shows for those who like to stay in their cabins.  

The Spa is excellent and very empty.  Not quite up to Viking Ocean standards but very acceptable.

 

One main disadvantage to me personally is the ex Uk Departures.  Not keen on sea days on any ship but many people love them.

 

 

 

 

[lincslady]

An older Saganaut I know was on the ship early on, and did comment that the staff had not yet 'jelled' as they have on the older ships; some are from Sapphire, some from Pearl, but quite a lot of newbies.  I am sure this accounts for quite a few of the complaints here; slow service - never seen on the older ships;  not putting people on tables of the size the prefer (unless Discovery has less choice?), etc.  She said that obviously this will improve with time, and the service will be smooth.  I suppose you are acting a bit as guinea pigs - shouldn't be so, I know, and they certainly had crew on for quite a time for training.

 

Other problems are more tricky, like the theatre not being big enough, nor the public rooms for the Captain to have his cocktail events in one venue; not good and impossible to solve.

 

I had thought Saga would have changed the house style a bit more to accommodate younger cruisers, this sounds as if has not happened, with shorter dining hours and lack of snacks other than the home made cakes Saga are well known for.   I hope that they will note the comments made and act accordingly.  

 

Normally single cruisers love Saga, so I am sorry and surprised to hear that Tigrou has not enjoyed it,  though some of you certainly have.

 

Some of you may think of trying her again when she has had time to bed in completely.  I am looking forward to trying her in a few months, after about 6 cruises on the old ships which we have enjoyed.

[Tigrou]

40 minutes ago, lincslady said:

Normally single cruisers love Saga, so I am sorry and surprised to hear that Tigrou has not enjoyed it,  though some of you certainly have.

 

I’m sure many single/solo travellers (I am solo but do not consider myself single, I’m still married it’s just my husband is rather inconveniently dead) will enjoy it if they are seeking company within this age group.  Personally I am used to a more diverse population, not just in age but outlook and everything else that makes us different from one another.  

 

Clearly Saga have previously catered very well to their customer base. They should perhaps stick to doing what they know best rather than misleading ‘newbies’ and upsetting their loyal ‘Saganauts’. 

[Ergates The Ant]

Thanks again, Cinnamon, for the detailed reports. It certainly provides a good picture of the on board experience, and what one might actually expect, compared with the glossy brochure slant.

 

May I ask how well the smoking policy worked on board? It took me quite a while to find the details hidden away under a slightly obscure heading.

 

Unless I’ve read it wrong, it appears that smoking is permitted only at the back of Deck 15, (although the decks are shown by letter on the deck plan!), there is no smoking on balconies, and - a HUGE plus for us, the entire promenade deck is smoke free!

Is this the case, and was the policy enforced?

 

Smooth sailing into Southampton!

[Lottie A]

Thanks Corinne for all the information and interesting posts. We are all grateful for you taking the time to do it.

I look forward to hearing Pam’s opinion when she gets home but it seems there is much to praise on SOD and a few issues still to be solved. Might book her in 2020 when they have been ironed out. I like to socialise and chat on a cruise so sharing a table at dinner is something I enjoy doing. For me, it’s one of the pleasures of cruising. 

 

I got home from my first Fred Olsen cruise on Braemar last Saturday and before I went I was similarly concerned about the reputation for a generally aged demographic. I need not have worried as it was a very lively cruise indeed. Lots of fun with a Disco dancing until 2am. So much so that I have just today booked a late deal on Balmoral for October. 😄

[Wacktle]

4 hours ago, cinnamon said:

Capt Sutherland been onboard the last few cruises, certainly. 

 

People on train yesterday said they’d swum in the outdoor pool most days. Water heated apparently but air far too cold for me. 😮

 

Funnily enough, a friend has suggested I try the indoor pool today so I’ll be trying it between rehearsal  and performance!  Busy afternoon!

Thanks for your prompt responses. I hope you did get chance to try out the indoor pool.  Another quick question .... are there any group exercise sessions onboard, e.g. Pilates, Yoga, Aerobics, Zumba? 

[cinnamon]

4 hours ago, Ergates The Ant said:

Thanks again, Cinnamon, for the detailed reports. It certainly provides a good picture of the on board experience, and what one might actually expect, compared with the glossy brochure slant.

 

May I ask how well the smoking policy worked on board? It took me quite a while to find the details hidden away under a slightly obscure heading.

 

Unless I’ve read it wrong, it appears that smoking is permitted only at the back of Deck 15, (although the decks are shown by letter on the deck plan!), there is no smoking on balconies, and - a HUGE plus for us, the entire promenade deck is smoke free!

Is this the case, and was the policy enforced?

 

Smooth sailing into Southampton!

Smoking only allowed on deck 13 in one specific place. It’s the deck above the Lido pool and would have been pretty bad for them last Friday and this morning when all open decks were closed off for safety reasons. No smoking on balconies or the Prom deck. I didn’t see the rule abused at all  😀😀😀

[Mrs Miggins]

Currently in The Club.  Mike Sterling did an excellent show and is now doing an impromptu set with the regular duo.  Lots of people,  it’s very good and everyone enjoying themselves 

We were on a table for two in the MDR.  There are apparently 50 of them.  The Maitre D said he’s saves a single table for both a lady and a gentleman on this cruise   That is not a problem apparently.

very good dinner with excellent service.  Have said our good byes to some very nice people who have been excellent company.

A few have been not so great.  They are obviously not so at home on this ship as on the older ones.  However we are all a little like that.  We could say our 10th Azamara cruise on Pursuit was not as good as some of our previous ones, but it was still very enjoyable.

Some people are definitely glass half empty rather than half full.  I prefer those with a more positive outlook.  We are fortunate to have been on enjoyable cruise with exceptional  weather in wonderful Norway.

[cinnamon]

3 hours ago, Wacktle said:

Thanks for your prompt responses. I hope you did get chance to try out the indoor pool.  Another quick question .... are there any group exercise sessions onboard, e.g. Pilates, Yoga, Aerobics, Zumba? 

I tried the Hydrotherapy pool this afternoon for you!  😅 will write up when home. 

There is an exercise teacher, Amanda. Pilates, yoga I think,  stretch classes and sit to be fit. Didn’t see Aerobics mentioned or Zumba. I didn’t use the gym as walking is my usual exercise plus some classes but seldom do those on cruises due to timings usually. 

[hermioneb]

21 hours ago, cinnamon said:

I really enjoyed the show, Putting on the Ritz. It was right up my (42nd) Street. I have heard some negatives from others but overall I’ve really enjoyed the entertainment. Having done the choir rehearsals I feel I’ve got to know the singers and that has contributed greatly to my pleasure at seeing them perform. 

 

My criticism of the entertainment in general is the lack of variety. The two ‘Headline’ acts have been a male singer that we will hopefully see tonight (we chose the alternative show on the night of his first performance) and the Ayoub Sisters who were wonderful on both their nights. Plus the production shows and cabaret style performances  in the Britannia. All music. No magician, no comedian, nothing other than music aimed at the older generation. Saga is certainly aiming at a very specific demographic. Hopefully on a longer cruise there would be a little more choice. 

There was a magician and also a comedian on our two week cruise in August.  I felt that the entertainment was varied enough.

[Londoner51]

Cinnamon, I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog.  It’s been very informative and good to get such detailed information.

 

We’re joining the ship on 26 September for 7 nights to Norway - “Norway Rocks”, and look forward to it.  However, I’m concerned about how late we’re due to be picked up - 3pm.  In theory we only live 40 minutes from the port but it seems to be cutting it fine for a 5pm sailing, and very late for checking in and unpacking before we sail.  Still, I guess the ship will wait for us if we’re delayed as it’s their transport.

 

Your Information about the speciality restaurants has been invaluable.  You’re right, the reservation system does look like it needs to be improved.  We want to eat in all three of them but having to book each one separately and only one at a time and only after you’ve eaten in the first one seems a cumbersome system (unless they think that we’re all so old that we shan’t remember what we’ve booked!).

 

It’ll be our first time on Saga, so we’ll be seeing how it compares to the other cruise lines  we use: Cunard, P&O, Fred Olsen & Celebrity.

 

Thank you again for such great information.

[cinnamon]

Don’t worry about 300 pm pick up. Nobody boarded till after 2.00. Although we were billed as leaving at 5.00, the check in staff said it was 6.00 and indeed that was right. Buffet ‘tea’ is provided that day, not lunch. 

The  latest time some are getting off today is 12.40!!!!  

 

More on that once home. 😉

Edited September 12, 2019 by cinnamon