Saga cruises

[hollyjess]

Good morning all. Just heard that Saga cruises are commencing may. All passengers must have had the vaccine which makes sense. Wonder will we still have to wear masks and social distancing etc.

[lindylooellalouise]

We will definitely be booking a Saga cruise been tempted for a while but as soon as we are both vaccination we’re going to book.🙏

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, hollyjess said:

Good morning all. Just heard that Saga cruises are commencing may. All passengers must have had the vaccine which makes sense. Wonder will we still have to wear masks and social distancing etc.

You could head to the Saga forum on CC for more information. And yes, masks and social distancing will still be required,  as I understand it. 

[yorkshirephil]

1 hour ago, hollyjess said:

Good morning all. Just heard that Saga cruises are commencing may. All passengers must have had the vaccine which makes sense. Wonder will we still have to wear masks and social distancing etc.

I would imagine so, we don't yet know for sure whether someone who has antibodies can still transmit the virus or be a carrier. The vaccine won't stop everybody from getting covid. It also depends on whether the staff can be vaccinated in their home countries or in a country where the vaccine can be purchased. I am sure Saga have looked at all these things but there is still no guarantee they will be allowed to cruise in May. 

[ace2542]

28 minutes ago, wowzz said:

And yes, masks and social distancing will still be required,  as I understand it

The staff will be vaccinated in "due course" but it is the intention I believe to sail with staff unvaccinated in the beginning. So of course they will require masks for a long time. Probably for good.

[majortom10]

Very brave or stupid whichever way you look at it for Saga to sail with staff that have not been vaccinated when they require all guests to have been. Even when vaccinated you can still carry and spread the vaccine and should think the staff would be in a very tricky situation of catching Covid and if so could spread through the staff very quickly.

[Eglesbrech]

It may all be academic anyway as the PM is quoted today as a saying that it is too early to say if restrictions will be lifted in spring. The FCO updated on 16 January still says that cruise travel is not permitted.

 

The same message is being given up here, in fact they are saying not to book a summer holiday unless it is refundable and it could be next year before there is any sort of travel normality. It’s all very depressing.

 

 

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

Very brave or stupid whichever way you look at it for Saga to sail with staff that have not been vaccinated when they require all guests to have been. Even when vaccinated you can still carry and spread the vaccine and should think the staff would be in a very tricky situation of catching Covid and if so could spread through the staff very quickly.

My own belief on someone having been vaccinated, then being infected enough to pass on the infection to others, is so small as to be insignificant.

I base this on the evidenceis from the dozens of diseases having been wiped out by vaccinations over the generations.  I accept that coronavirus is more akin to influenza, and likely to need regular vaccination to keep it under control, but I see no reason to believe that there will be very few vaccinated people who are likely to pass this on to others.

[Eddie99]

The outlook today is not good, is it?  Talk of hospitality on land remaining closed till “at least May”.  Cruising is, surely, bound to be behind that - probably last to re-open?
 

I wonder when/if we’ll start to see results from the vaccination programme, if indeed we will be able to spot a specific decline which can be attributed to the vaccine?

 

With over 1800 deaths reported yesterday, it doesn’t feel like we should be very confident, sadly.

 

 

[Dinglebert]

This may very well be the saving of SAGA.   One of their execs was on the radio at lunchtime and said they had canvassed their customers and got a 97% approval vote for the suggestions.  They didn't believe the result so checked again and got 98%.

 

They won't care less about the people who think its not a good or fair idea as they will be able to fill their ships with the people who think it is a good idea.

 

Interesting to see the responses from other lines.

[ace2542]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

Very brave or stupid whichever way you look at it for Saga to sail with staff that have not been vaccinated when they require all guests to have been

Or very desperate? Perhaps this speaks to where they or at least this aspect of the Saga business are financially if they are willing to risk sailing under those particular conditions.

Edited January 21, 2021 by ace2542

[Eglesbrech]

1 minute ago, Dinglebert said:

This may very well be the saving of SAGA.   One of their execs was on the radio at lunchtime and said they had canvassed their customers and got a 97% approval vote for the suggestions.  They didn't believe the result so checked again and got 98%.

 

They won't care less about the people who think its not a good or fair idea as they will be able to fill their ships with the people who think it is a good idea.

 

Interesting to see the responses from other lines.

They will care if someone with a current booking takes them to court for age or disability discrimination but perhaps it’s a calculated risk as most of their passengers will be able to be vaccinated quite quickly. 
 

They do however have a contract and that requirement was not in it. 

 

For future bookings then you are right they probably won’t care given their demographic and by that time everyone should have been offered a vaccine and it is then their choice at that point if they don’t take it.
 

There is still the matter of disability (though personally I can’t see many / any groups who will struggle to take at least one of the vaccines but others will be more knowledgable than I on that front).

 

Tui are already saying they won’t implement this type of thing but then their demographic is much younger and will have a while to wait for full vaccination.

[LandC]

We got a cruise sale mail shot from Saga in the post this morning.  The inaugural on Adventure is still advertised on 4th May, but the first cruise on Discovery is now shown as Romantic Ireland, departing on17th June.  I understood that Saga was planning a Mediterranean cruise departing early June, but perhaps they have decided it would be just too difficult to organise, given that ports may not be willing to accept cruise ships.

[nosapphire]

I honestly cannot see the Inaugural cruise sailing as planned - either the date, or the itinerary, or both will almost certainly have to change.

It will still be an Inaugural when she sails - we just don't know where, don't know when....

 

[wowzz]

21 hours ago, nosapphire said:

we just don't know where, don't know when...

But at least it will be sunny!