No independent exploring

[nosapphire]

46 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Perhaps Saga are being ultra-cautious to take account of their particular customer profile, age in particular, on the advice of their lawyers?

It may be advice from lawyers - but I would have thought that the lawyers would be even more twitchy about sailing round the Black Sea than they would be about independent shore excursions elsewhere.

Apart from the fact that other lines also have a very high percentage of passengers of the same age, being ultra-cautious because of age is directly contradicting their current advertising, promoting the "age does not stop us" ethos.

Although, the underwriters for their included insurance have changed - so that may have something to do with it after all.

[twotravellersLondon]

1 hour ago, Harry Peterson said:

Perhaps Saga are being ultra-cautious to take account of their particular customer profile, age in particular, on the advice of their lawyers?

 

I think that's spot on Harry.

 

The litigation claims, especially in the US are now in the realms of billions. These are class actions and individual claims that the cruise lines didn't do enough to prevent covid on ships... everything from deaths to emotional stress is being allegeded.

 

Also remember that 25% of SAGA's market are still to be persuaded to cruise again and SAGA's cautious approach may well win them back. It's certainly worked with us!

[Denarius]

3 hours ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

Because they have had so many requests for tables for 2.

 

Nit on SofA. Just had dinner and tables for 4 freely available. But no more than 4, and 4?chairs at a table designed for 8 looks stupid!

[kruzgal]

My Mum is on SOA with a friend and before she went I told her to refuse to share a table because of the risk of then being classed a close contact and forced to isolate for 5 days.  Their policy of isolating close contacts who are testing negative has forced people to behave in a way that then makes life difficult, but it would be stupid to take the risk. 

[stephenSJ]

Got back to our cabin last night to find a little red sticker on door. My theory is that means isolation. Called reception who claimed to have no idea what a red sticker meant and would not know how to find out and suggested I ask housekeeping,as this was 10.30 pm we went to bed.

This morning woken at 7.30 to ask what we wanted for breakfast. Explained we were not on isolation and called reception who agreed we were not isolated. We asked for sticker to be removed.

Perhaps this means someone who is positive is wandering round. Certainly if you are said to be positive get a second test as their competency is questionable.

The whole ship is being tested yet again today.

[Windsurfboy]

Doesn't sound fun

 

By the way Saga cruise CEO

 

Nigel.blanks@saga.co.uk

[nosapphire]

48 minutes ago, stephenSJ said:

Got back to our cabin last night to find a little red sticker on door. My theory is that means isolation. Called reception who claimed to have no idea what a red sticker meant and would not know how to find out and suggested I ask housekeeping,as this was 10.30 pm we went to bed.

This morning woken at 7.30 to ask what we wanted for breakfast. Explained we were not on isolation and called reception who agreed we were not isolated. We asked for sticker to be removed.

Perhaps this means someone who is positive is wandering round. Certainly if you are said to be positive get a second test as their competency is questionable.

The whole ship is being tested yet again today.

That is quite alarming.

Reception are the first point of call for all passengers, and if they are not being kept informed it shows a worrying lack of communication on board, as well as the known lack of communication from head office.

It is also pretty poor service that reception did not even try and find out for you.

What on earth is happening to Saga?

[stephenSJ]

10 minutes ago, nosapphire said:

That is quite alarming.

Reception are the first point of call for all passengers, and if they are not being kept informed it shows a worrying lack of communication on board, as well as the known lack of communication from head office.

It is also pretty poor service that reception did not even try and find out for you.

What on earth is happening to Saga?

We have arrived in Valencia to be told we cannot disembark as we are too sick, everything is on hold while the captain tries to resolve. One wonders if not too much effort was made to reach Cartegena yesterday as they could see a problem brewing. If silver dawn could leave after us and do same trip and arrive ok why not us.  Must be tempting to save port fees and fuel and be able to blame the weather which to be fair was bad 

7 days into cruise,1 port and that not on original schedule. 

Begs the question will we visit anywhere going forward.

Very quiet in theatre last night as fit numbers dwindle.

Our neighbors are lockdown with white suited attendants visiting cabin.

Service in restaurants almost back to normal. There are a few tables of 4 for those traveling together but almost all 2 tops 

[Denarius]

59 minutes ago, nosapphire said:

That is quite alarming.

Reception are the first point of call for all passengers, and if they are not being kept informed it shows a worrying lack of communication on board, as well as the known lack of communication from head office.

It is also pretty poor service that reception did not even try and find out for you.

What on earth is happening to Saga?

I am on my first Saga cruise and whilst I cannot fault the rank and file staff communication from the officers and management is woefull. And the captain and officers are invisible. I have been onboard for a week and have yet to see one of them in the flesh. Looks ss though they are keeping out of the way of passengers lest they be told what they don’t want to hear!

[Windsurfboy]

Have they updated you on covid numbers. 

[stephenSJ]

3 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

Have they updated you on covid numbers. 

We have never been given any figures,the ones I gave were unofficial from a crew member. It is played down but we have heard of negative people having to pack up and move cabins so they can group the positive together to make services easier. 

Looking out over the industrial port we have been docked in we saw an ambulance taking off pax, not necessarily COVID of course.

[twotravellersLondon]

15 minutes ago, Denarius said:

I am on my first Saga cruise and whilst I cannot fault the rank and file staff communication from the officers and management is woefull. And the captain and officers are invisible. I have been onboard for a week and have yet to see one of them in the flesh. Looks ss though they are keeping out of the way of passengers lest they be told what they don’t want to hear!

 

In the past, we've always found that officers and senior staff have been about the ship, chatting and meeting cruisers. Could their absence at this point be an attempt to reduce contact and avoid covid?

Is so, it would be very reassuring... nobody wants the senior officers laid up.

[stephenSJ]

We will not be getting off today 

The solution is to debark pax and crew with COVID now to get below the acceptable level otherwise the cruise cannot continue to Barcelona.

That will happen this afternoon once arrangements can be made re hotels etc 

[stephenSJ]

Meant to say that the captain STILL has to make appeals for people to wear masks. Unbelievable that people still sit around the ship without masks. 

 

[Windsurfboy]

11 minutes ago, stephenSJ said:

We will not be getting off today 

The solution is to debark pax and crew with COVID now to get below the acceptable level otherwise the cruise cannot continue to Barcelona.

That will happen this afternoon once arrangements can be made re hotels etc 

 

This is turning into a nightmare,  both for passengers kicked off ship , and for those on ship.

 

Surely better to just go to countries without such unattainable low limits for Covid, rather than put people through such stress. 

 

I wonder if Saga has been bought by the Chinese government. 

 

But seriously,  if this continues we will turn up with hand luggage so we can exercise love it,  before first port

 

[Windsurfboy]

6 minutes ago, stephenSJ said:

Meant to say that the captain STILL has to make appeals for people to wear masks. Unbelievable that people still sit around the ship without masks. 

 

 

Are they eating or drinking , most comunial spaces on the ship are bars/cafes, where it's the norm to have a drink when you sit down.  Perhaps they are following normal rules in pubs , cafes and restaurants,  that when you are sitting at table with a drink or food no need to wear mask. I think that's also the rule on ships. You don't  need to take a sip of coffee and put mask back on, till you want another sip.

 

I think the captain and Saga are trying to blame people, rather than admitting that ships with all the hospitality , eating and drinking areas,  where you don't have to wear  mask are inherently good for spreading covid, full stop.

 

Given every cabin is a nice airy balcony  cabin, people will mainly sit and read in cabin.

 

 

[twotravellersLondon]

8 minutes ago, stephenSJ said:

Meant to say that the captain STILL has to make appeals for people to wear masks. Unbelievable that people still sit around the ship without masks. 

 

That's really sad.

 

We really do feel for the crew and for many of the more vulnerable passengers on board... we know that many fully vaccinated people are catching covid and that many of those have caught covid more than once. We would always try to be careful, cautious and considerate to other people... and we would comply with the Captain's requests... if for no other reason except to allow others to have some greater peace of mind.

 

[stephenSJ]

We mainly venture out only to eat or exercise outside.

Mask wearing in theatre is 100 % as staff enforce,moving around ship much same but as soon as someone sits down in library ,lounge,or living room probably drips to 20%. Then there are a few who have nose poking out or so confused they genuinely forget.

[stephenSJ]

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

 

Given every cabin is a nice airy balcony  cabin, people will mainly sit and read in cabin.

__---------------_---------+---------------------

Weather been to bad to sit out this am as cloudy and cold. All our balcony furniture is lashed together with next doors furniture to stop it blowing away in recent storm.

 

[nosapphire]

3 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

Doesn't sound fun

 

By the way Saga cruise CEO

 

Nigel.blanks@saga.co.uk

I was tempted to send a link to the Saga forum to him, so he could see what a lot of the passengers on board (and especially the new-to-Saga) are really saying.

But then I thought, if he bothered to read them, the most likely outcome would be a swift instruction to the ship for somebody to sabotage the free wi-fi................😥

[Kenmure]

We are also on SoA at the moment and are still standing after 7 lateral flow tests and one PCR test!

One would agree with Denarius that the Captain and Officers on board have been invisible round the ship which is also contrary to our many other Saga Cruises. Indeed yesterday afternoon was the first time the Captain had made any announcement for 48 hours. Sadly some of the info he gives us is not quite correct as are subtle promises of more freedom being given with decreasing infection rates. At yesterday’s announcement he said there were only two positive results. Soon after he said that we saw that three groups of guests were being escorted off the ship by crew in biohazard suits.

Today I went to visit the Hotel Services Director to ascertain what arrangements were being made for back to back cruisers such as us but nothing had been forthcoming as yet from Head Office.

Unfortunately I had to wait until he had been berated by two other guests which was totally unnecessary who then started on me. One can appreciate what a difficult job he has!

Our bottom line was simple……our contract with Saga which was still valid when we embarked was that one of the conditions stated that we could go ashore independently. This contract was broken literally just as the gangplank was raised so we had no other option but to sail. As far as other conditions onboard were concerned we were willing to accept although on reflection they are such that Saga are getting themselves in such a position that they are likely putting off people travelling with them. Having spoken to a number of guests onboard it would appear there are a number of regular Saganauts who had “done” the Canaries many times as they had all the offered excursions but wanting to accept the ambience of the onboard high standards of Saga’s service were happy to do the cruise knowing that they could do their own thing in the visited ports. Saga’s handling of this cruise in this matter severely lets down supposedly valued long term customers.

[Denarius]

2 hours ago, nosapphire said:

I was tempted to send a link to the Saga forum to him, so he could see what a lot of the passengers on board (and especially the new-to-Saga) are really saying.

But then I thought, if he bothered to read them, the most likely outcome would be a swift instruction to the ship for somebody to sabotage the free wi-fi................😥

Probably. The blinkers appear to be well and truly in place as Far as Saga head office are concerned

Sat with a lady at dinner yesterday who had emailed them. She had received a stock reply which asserted that all other major cruise lines were operating the same restrictions. Whilst we onboard have seen with our own eyes Arcadia passengers leaving the ship independently. Do they think that we are idiots!!!

Edited April 6, 2022 by Denarius

[stephenSJ]

Silver Dawn is following us around. We have had 2 sewage lorries and one ambulance. They in the next berth have had a constant stream of tour buses and a shuttle service running.

[Windsurfboy]

34 minutes ago, Denarius said:

Probably. The blinkers appear to be well and truly in place as Far as Saga head office are concerned

Sat with a lady at dinner yesterday who had emailed them. She had received a stock reply which asserted that all other major cruise lines were operating the same restrictions. Whilst we onboard have seen with our own eyes Arcadia passengers leaving the ship independently. Do they think that we are idiots!!!

 

No other UK based cruise line are implementing no independent excursions 

[Denarius]

27 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

No other UK based cruise line are implementing no independent excursions 

27 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

No other UK based cruise line are implementing no independent excursions 

I know. But the reply from Saga which my dining companion received insisted that they all were. Assuming that a company of Saga’s standing would not tell blatant lies, this shows a woeful  lack of knowledge of the true situation and does not inspire confidence.

Edited April 6, 2022 by Denarius
Typos