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Spirit of Adventure


silversurf1
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So it has. It was still there last night.

According to the PLA, she is still at Tilbury, and no departure date scheduled.

I did notice that the Spirit of Adventure is scheduled to be in London on 19th September, which presumably is instead of Southwold on the "This Sceptered Isle" cruise. If this cruise goes ahead, Tilbury Docks will be a bit of a shock for anyone expecting Southwold.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Today's trading update sheds some light on which Sprit of Adventure cruises are likely to be affected. "The sale of the Saga Sapphire was completed on 12 June on terms broadly in line with previous expectations and the latest indication for the Spirit of Adventure is that she will be delivered by the end of October." Group liquidity is obviously the main concern.

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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?

 

 

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1 hour ago, LandC said:

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?

 

 

The cruise is still on the website as available to book. When is your final balance due? They'll possibly try and get the final balances in hope that people will agree to rolling it over, rather than asking for a refund.Then they can keep telling their shareholders that bookings are high because of so many loyal customers.

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1 hour ago, LandC said:

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

So some people are being treated differently? Information and balance deferral for some but not for others. I note on their recent RNS, SAGA seem to have deferred Part payment for their new build. They are retaining it seems tens of millions of advance payments for cruises.

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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?

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At the minute there are not many places accepting cruise ships - Canada is closed for the rest of this year, the USA have to update in July, think the Balearics are closed for the rest of the year, not sure about the Canaries, Norway is closed.

So a lot of alternative itineraries, plus a lot of information about what we can or cannot do when we arrive anywhere that is open, plus a lot of information about how check-in, embarkation, disembarkation, and life on board will operate - will the brochured on board facilities be open and available? Social distancing? Meal times?

I cannot really see anything much happening this year.

Anyway, based on the reports now coming out about their financial rearrangements for the two new ships, there has to be a LOT of cost-cutting somewhere along the line - the first few cruises may be OK, but once they think people are hooked, it will be "where can we save money?".

 

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Can't help but agree about the cost saving prediction and that there is nowhere to sail to at the present time. Presumably you saw that it looks like Pullmantur (part owned by Royal Caribbean) is going bust with them stripping the ships of anything valuable. 

https://www.cruiselawnews.com/2020/06/articles/disease/is-pullmantur-cruises-ending-operations/

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57 minutes ago, Mungo99 said:

Can't help but agree about the cost saving prediction and that there is nowhere to sail to at the present time. Presumably you saw that it looks like Pullmantur (part owned by Royal Caribbean) is going bust with them stripping the ships of anything valuable. 

https://www.cruiselawnews.com/2020/06/articles/disease/is-pullmantur-cruises-ending-operations/

OR .. they expect that in about 18 months they will be able to buy new(er) ships cheaply?

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On 6/22/2020 at 4:33 PM, LandC said:

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?

 

 

 

The Saga Magazine has the information that all Saga cruises after 1st November are still scheduled.

Live Chat on the cruise section of the Saga website is, however, stating that cruises after 1st September will be going ahead until they say otherwise.

I specifically asked about the Adventure being ready in time for the 28th September, and was assured that they have not cancelled any cruise after the 1st September.

Technically and legally they are correct. But in my eyes, they are now lying by omission, and treating us like idiots in the process.

They must be really, really desperate to keep getting money in.

Edited by nosapphire
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If anyone knows a lawyer. it would be interesting to get a view. I'm sure that asking for/taking money, knowing that the product being bought is not available must be against the law. Obtaining money by false pretences etc.....?

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2 minutes ago, Mungo99 said:

If anyone knows a lawyer. it would be interesting to get a view. I'm sure that asking for/taking money, knowing that the product being bought is not available must be against the law. Obtaining money by false pretences etc.....?

I have just reposted with changed wording, (albeit the same information). But yes, it is starting to feel as if they are willing to mislead their "valued loyal customers".

 

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Quite so. I wasn't necessarily contemplating a refund at the moment but I do expect a bit of honesty and, by not being honest with their 'valued loyal customers', it does seriously colour my views on whether to roll the money over or just ask for it back.

I think I'll give it until the middle of July before I start asking 'questions' (having been told the balance is now due circa end of July).

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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."

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Thanks for that. I see the statement has also now appeared on the website.

Sounds like those booked on the inaugural cruise are getting contacted first so it'll be interesting to see where it is going when they do manage to get restarted.

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So on the one hand we have a statement about the delivery being end of October, and on the other we have cruises in September and October still on sale, with Saga solemnly stating that they have not been cancelled,whilst nimbly dodging the question about whether they will actually have a ship for those cruises.

Can't decide if their present behaviour is devious, desperate, or just incompetent.

They are certainly not filling me with confidence in their ability to deliver on any promises.

 

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Unfortunately they have to 'play it by ear' (as we all do), as no-one has a crystal ball and can tell

what course this virus will take.

I don't believe they are deliberately being misleading (or devious) just trying to cover all their bases.

These are unprecedented times and I'm sure they are doing their best with the information they have.

 

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You may well be right and playing it by ear is not unreasonable for a ship that is sitting there ready to go. However, they are still selling cruises in September on a ship that hasn't been launched yet and their own statement to the AGM this week said it wouldn't be delivered until end of October. That just seems a bit different to me.

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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.  

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