Spirit of Adventure delayed again?

[nosapphire]

That sounds very hopeful...  when problems arise, a good TA is worth their weight in gold.

[Glenndale]

18 minutes ago, nosapphire said:

That sounds very hopeful...  when problems arise, a good TA is worth their weight in gold.

Unfortunately one only knows how good they are when a crisis occurs.

I have recommended ours in the past, but never again.

We are still waiting for a refund for a cruise we were due to take at the end of March.🤬

[JMyrtle]

I'm not holding my breath, if this cancels it will be the fifth cruise we have booked with Saga cancelled so far this year, we keep on rescheduling and they keep cancelling, I know its not their fault but it is getting rather tedious.

I don't trust Saga anymore after they let us pay the balance on a Cruise and Maritime cruse three days before that company went into liquidation when it was common knowledge in the cruise market that was going to happen. 

That holiday was booked using in part a credit note from C&M which, when we were refunded by Saga was not honoured so we only receive back the extra amount we had paid over and  above the value of the credit note not the full amount of the cruise. 

As far as I was concerned when we booked a "partner cruise" with Saga  they were acting as a  travel agent, should have been covered by ABTA and negotiated with C&M on our behalf, but they didn't agree and we have lost out. 

Edited September 9, 2020 by JMyrtle

[Jay23]

JMyrtle......  Did you book with a credit card?  You can apply to the CC company for a refund  Worth a try  .   J

[nosapphire]

According to Reuters business report today, Saga state they still expect to resume cruises this year, but tours will resume April 2021.

I honestly cannot see how they can expect to resume cruises at present, even if it gets changed to a round-the-English-coast cruise.

[Jay23]

40 minutes ago, nosapphire said:

According to Reuters business report today, Saga state they still expect to resume cruises this year, but tours will resume April 2021.

I honestly cannot see how they can expect to resume cruises at present, even if it gets changed to a round-the-English-coast cruise.

1)   Does that mean you tour on your own, or does that mean you can't get off the ship?????  

2)  ++1 

Edited September 10, 2020 by Jay23

[nosapphire]

16 minutes ago, Jay23 said:

1)   Does that mean you tour on your own, or does that mean you can't get off the ship?????  

2)  ++1 

Saga have separate sections for cruise holidays and non-cruise holidays.

So my understanding is that they expect to start the cruise ship holidays in 2020, but the holidays that do not involve a cruise ship will not start until April 2021.

So maybe they do mean that you won't be able to get off the ship..😁

[Jay23]

2 hours ago, nosapphire said:

Saga have separate sections for cruise holidays and non-cruise holidays.

So my understanding is that they expect to start the cruise ship holidays in 2020, but the holidays that do not involve a cruise ship will not start until April 2021.

So maybe they do mean that you won't be able to get off the ship..😁

Oh I see.  I thought you were talking about ship's tours but it is pretty confusing isn't it?     Thank you.   I am afraid we won't be starting cruising in 2020! whatever Saga decide to do.     Now we have been restricted again, (rightly or wrongly,)  it puts a different light on travel of any sort once more, in my view.      J

[nosapphire]

8 minutes ago, Jay23 said:

Oh I see.  I thought you were talking about ship's tours but it is pretty confusing isn't it?     Thank you.   I am afraid we won't be starting cruising in 2020! whatever Saga decide to do.     Now we have been restricted again, (rightly or wrongly,)  it puts a different light on travel of any sort once more, in my view.      J

I totally agree.

 

 

[Jay23]

I have just realised that at the moment (September 11th) the government is advising against UK citizens visiting Belgium. The 16th December cruise is going to Belgium.   

[nosapphire]

The Inaugural cruise on the Adventure 5th November is supposed to be going to mainland France and mainland Spain...🤣

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, nosapphire said:

The Inaugural cruise on the Adventure 5th November is supposed to be going to mainland France and mainland Spain...🤣

Barring a miracle, I can't see that going ahead.

[JMyrtle]

It would seem that the 16th of December cruise isn't going to Belgium anymore! 

Nothing on the Saga website naturally but if you go to the Cruise critic home site and click on their favourites a 5 day  Saga cruise titled Festive Continent comes up sailing on S O D except it's departing from and returning to Portsmouth and docking in somewhere called Terneuzen in The Netherlands part of  Flanders. 

It appears to be slightly south of Rotterdam and The Hague, miles from either Bruges or Antwerp so your guess is as good as mine what's going on. 

The next cruise The Festive Mediterranean which departs 21st of December is also shown as sailing from Portsmouth. 

Edited September 11, 2020 by JMyrtle

[wowzz]

1 minute ago, JMyrtle said:

It would seem that the 16th of December cruise isn't going to Belgium anymore! 

Nothing on the Saga website naturally but if you go to the Cruise critic home site and click on their favourites a 5 day  Saga cruise titled Festive Continent comes up sailing on S O D except it's departing from and returning to Portsmouth and docking in somewhere called Terneuzen in The Netherland Flanders. 

It appears to be slightly south of Rotterdam and The Hague, miles from either Bruges or Antwerp so your guess is as good as mine what's going on. 

The next cruise The Festive Mediterranean which departs 21st of December is also shown as sailing from Portsmouth. 

Let's face it, they are just making it up on a daily basis!

At the moment the government can't make its' mind up if 6 or 8 people can be in the same room at a time,  unless 3 are children and there is an r in the month.

The chances of them changing the rules on cruising this year are less than zero. Why Saga keep pretending that cruises will take place is beyond credulity. 

[nosapphire]

In this case I wonder if the error is from Cruise Critic. Seems that they have every Saga cruise as leaving Portsmouth.

Saga are not the best at keeping anyone updated (customers, shareholders, or travel agents) but I checked the websites for the 2 online agencies that knew about the revised Inaugural before Saga told anyone else, and they still show as per the Saga website.

And no, I d not think the cruises will be going anywhere yet - but in this case, I do not blame the UK Gov as even if the FCO plastered all over their website "Go and enjoy your ocean cruise, no problems" there is that little difficulty of finding ports ready and willing to receive cruise ships for anything other than refuelling and restocking.

Personally, I think the FCO should have followed the Canadian FCO advice. Not only does their website state they advise against ALL international travel and cruises, they also have - very prominently - that they will not be running repatriation flights for anyone who ignores the advice and gets stranded in another local lockdown.

[Alcairns]

Totally agree. However in the U.K. if you breach FCO guidelines or recommendations you are automatically waiving any rights to repatriation or repatriation expenses and possible insurance claims. This is probably why Saga has included Covid Coverage in their insurance package. 

[JMyrtle]

I hope you are right about the change of port although Portsmouth is a lot nearer for us however I also don't want to be dumped in a commercial port with a shuttle service.,

I had never heard of Terneuzen and had to check it out on "What's in Port" so Cruise Critic must have got their Intel from somewhere. 

We had already decided not to bother with Bruges as we could walk round it blindfold and just do our shopping in "Twerp" which we also know like the back of our hand but there is a very good Carrefour there for drinks and delicatessen. 

J23 asked if we booked the cruise we rec' d a credit note for by credit card, yes we did but once you agree to a credit note you loose your section 25 protection because a credit note counts as a refund..

What I also find a little bit sharp is that Saga are pressing us for the balance payment for a cruise that they know probably won't happen, if that is the case we are being used to provide Saga with an interest free short term loan🤔

All I want to do is get on a cruise ship and go somewhere, anywhere, living in a tiny village masks and social distancing hasn't really been part of any of our lives unless we use public transport to go into town however like everyone else I have had enough of the whole silly business now and want to get on with my life

At my age I haven't got much life left and I don't want to waste what little I have sitting here frightened of something that may never happen..

[wowzz]

19 minutes ago, JMyrtle said:

At my age I haven't got much life left and I don't want to waste what little I have sitting here frightened of something that may never happen..

Amen to that!

[wowzz]

This article definitely say no cruises before April 21.

https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2020/09/11/saga-shares-crashed-on-thursday-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

[Jay23]

Hi everyone.  I have just picked these posts up.   Curiouser and curiouser!   As Wowzz says, Saga know they won't be cruising this year but they continue to procrastinate.    

Now that it is quoted that Discovery isn't going to Bruges (Zebrugge) or   anywhere else either ? surely they are not offering the cruise we signed up for and we can opt out and get a refund???   Of course Saga hasn't given us this information officially. 

Portsmouth is it?  Really?

Patience running out.

What a lovely day it is today everyone.   Warm sunshine.  We had coffee in the garden and tea in the garden.   J

[nosapphire]

41 minutes ago, wowzz said:

This article definitely say no cruises before April 21.

https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2020/09/11/saga-shares-crashed-on-thursday-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

 

Yet elsewhere they are reported as saying they expect to cruise this year, with the tour side (land based holidays) starting in April next year.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-saga-results/saga-targets-150-million-pound-capital-raise-in-covid-19-fight-idUKKBN2610TF

(see about half way down).

Bear in mind that their main interest at the minute is keeping all the shareholders on side (I was going to say "on board", but you'd all think that was deliberate..😏

Although... I see that the agency that manages the ships for Saga (V ships) is now advertising for officers and engineers for both the Discovery and the Adventure, to start this month. So maybe they really do plan to sail this year.

[wowzz]

5 hours ago, nosapphire said:

 

Yet elsewhere they are reported as saying they expect to cruise this year, with the tour side (land based holidays) starting in April next year.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-saga-results/saga-targets-150-million-pound-capital-raise-in-covid-19-fight-idUKKBN2610TF

(see about half way down).

Bear in mind that their main interest at the minute is keeping all the shareholders on side (I was going to say "on board", but you'd all think that was deliberate..😏

Although... I see that the agency that manages the ships for Saga (V ships) is now advertising for officers and engineers for both the Discovery and the Adventure, to start this month. So maybe they really do plan to sail this year.

I really don't see how they can plan to cruise this year, as I can't see the FCO changing their advice anytime soon.

[nosapphire]

This is taken from the Sunday Times:

Quote (the underlined area marked in BOLD is my emphasis)

Travellers hoping to board one of Saga's cruise ships soon will be sent a coronavirus test a week before they depart. Then, instead of catching a train or bus to the port, they will be picked up in a car, organised by Saga. At the port, they face further tests, including one for blood oxygen levels, before being allowed to board.

"We've doubled our medical team" said Euan Sutherland, Saga's boss, who hopes cruises will be allowed to operate again this year.

Staff will receive daily tests and there will be no buffet meals. While the ship will adhere to guidelines on social distancing, Sutherland added: "This is probably the only place where you don't need to socially distance, because everybody will have proved they don't have Covid".

End Quote.

So when you get your test in the post, it will then include instructions that you MUST NOT GO OUT OR MEET ANYONE AT ALL just in case you catch it after testing yourself.

All credit to them for thinking of ideas to restart - but slightly over the top to claim "proof" of not having Covid.

Now - if they can come up with a test for norovirus before people get on board........🤢

Added:

With 800 passengers, there is no way that they will be able to "adhere to guidelines on social distancing". It's impossible to avoid a scrum at the bars or dining areas on those ships.

Edited September 13, 2020 by nosapphire
added

[wowzz]

48 minutes ago, nosapphire said:

So when you get your test in the post, it will then include instructions that you MUST NOT GO OUT OR MEET ANYONE AT ALL just in case you catch it after testing yourself.

To be honest, having to self isolate for 7 days, just to go on a 7 day cruise, doesn't seem worth it to me. 

It will be impossible to police. What happens if you live in a household of 5 or 6 others, for example? Are you meant to stay in your bedroom for 7 days?

[JMyrtle]

I didn't think today was the 1st of April!

What about people of working age, not everyone on Saga is a pensioner, may share their household with someone of working age or has commitments elsewhere?

This is like  something  worthy of "Bonkers Boris", not thought out and totally unworkable.