Covid restrictions - which have been lifted and which remain?

[nosapphire]

1 hour ago, twotravellersLondon said:

Extracted:

Very sadly cruise companies are dammed when they do and dammed if they don't put procedures and protocols in place in light of current circumstances in a timely manner. Our policy is that if we don't trust a company or have no confidence in a company, we won't cruise with them.

End extracted:

 

While I agree that all cruise lines are trying various systems to see what does or doesn't work, and whatever they do or do not do somebody will say they got it wrong (and hindsight is so useful..)

But the critical posts here are less about what Saga are/are not doing and more about the fact they the information about what they are/are not doing seems to be a mystery to Saga's own staff, not just the customers.

Once upon a time, you could ask Saga telephone staff and they would (a) have full knowledge and be able to tell you, or (b) say they did not know but would find out for you.

Nowadays, they could also have (c) "It is currrently XXX, but that could change by the time you are on board".

Most of us are sensible enough to understand that this is a very fluid situation and nobody can stick rigidly to a system regardless of whether it does or does not work.

The confusing answers, where it seems the one thing that cannot be said is "we don't yet know" makes a customer feel (a) management is poor, or (b) that management thinks their customers are idiots who are not capable of understanding. And this is what stops people "trusting" a company (this is such an overworked word, and quite meaningless most of the time).

 

[twotravellersLondon]

8 minutes ago, nosapphire said:

The confusing answers, where it seems the one thing that cannot be said is "we don't yet know" makes a customer feel (a) management is poor, or (b) that management thinks their customers are idiots who are not capable of understanding. And this is what stops people "trusting" a company (this is such an overworked word, and quite meaningless most of the time).

 

 

Yet SAGA bookings are up by 46%, capacity is 68% well over 22,000 people have recently cruised with SAGA and SAGA has recently won the Wave Awards Grand Prix...

 

We have had considerable contact with SAGA in the last few months and weeks and, from our current personal experience, we have had no problems.

 

Result we're just about to book a 2023 river cruise with SAGA.

[Denarius]

1 hour ago, nosapphire said:

While I agree that all cruise lines are trying various systems to see what does or doesn't work, and whatever they do or do not do somebody will say they got it wrong (and hindsight is so useful..)

But the critical posts here are less about what Saga are/are not doing and more about the fact they the information about what they are/are not doing seems to be a mystery to Saga's own staff, not just the customers.

Once upon a time, you could ask Saga telephone staff and they would (a) have full knowledge and be able to tell you, or (b) say they did not know but would find out for you.

Nowadays, they could also have (c) "It is currrently XXX, but that could change by the time you are on board".

Most of us are sensible enough to understand that this is a very fluid situation and nobody can stick rigidly to a system regardless of whether it does or does not work.

The confusing answers, where it seems the one thing that cannot be said is "we don't yet know" makes a customer feel (a) management is poor, or (b) that management thinks their customers are idiots who are not capable of understanding. And this is what stops people "trusting" a company (this is such an overworked word, and quite meaningless most of the time).

 

Quite true.  I started this thread not to debate whether Saga's protocols are right or wrong - that is a matter of opinion, and opinions vary. I started it to establish fact, to record what is actually happening onboard the ships. Could we please keep on topic!

[Holcha]

The books looked like reference books but I didn’t check closely.  Will have another look tomorrow.  It could be something ornamental to resemble books but will look closer.  Not like a library I have seen on other ships where you check a book out - didn’t see anyone to ask.  Will do better investigation tomorrow.  Sorry for any confusion.  Bar stools still have notices advising not to use.

[Denarius]

4 minutes ago, Holcha said:

The books looked like reference books but I didn’t check closely.  Will have another look tomorrow.  It could be something ornamental to resemble books but will look closer.  Not like a library I have seen on other ships where you check a book out - didn’t see anyone to ask.  Will do better investigation tomorrow.  Sorry for any confusion.  Bar stools still have notices advising not to use.

When I was on SofA a couple of weeks ago there were imitation books made of cardboard on some of the library shelves. Looked quite realistic until you got up close. Maybe this is what you saw and that they merely dusted the shelves and then put them back. I await your update!

[twotravellersLondon]

56 minutes ago, Denarius said:

I started this thread not to debate whether Saga's protocols are right or wrong - that is a matter of opinion, and opinions vary. I started it to establish fact, to record what is actually happening onboard the ships. Could we please keep on topic!

5 hours ago, Denarius said:

I am surprised (or on balance perhaps I am not) to read that Saga say there are no books in the library whilst a passenger currently on SofA says that there are (post #3 ) Either the passenger concerned has imagined it (unlikely), the books have been removed again (with Saga U turns are par for the course at present) , or Saga head office do not know what is going on on their own ships!

 

 

To even suggest that the Head Office of a heavily regulated industry such as a cruise line don't know what's happening on their own ships is very much a matter of opinion rather than fact.

 

[Kohima]

When you experience a situation where there is indeed a demonstrable gap between the Head Office and the ship, as have I, you know it is fact rather than opinion. 

[Holcha]

Good Morning

Yes Denarius, the “books” in the library are in fact cardboard lookalikes, and are obviously for decoration only.  When we were on SoA last year there were no paperback books for sale in the shop however there are a few for sale now.  Not sure if these were available when you were on.

 

Exploring independently is allowed, so great relief there.  Today will be our last do the five covid tests.  Not heard of any more positives since the 3 on Monday.  Testing is slick and the results are very quick.

 

Mask wearing enforced if you are not actually drinking or eating in the Living Room, but not required between courses in the dining rooms.

 

A huge disappointment to us was when we went to the Supper Club.  Reservation was 6:30 and we expected music around 7 as previously experienced.  The pianist did not arrive until 8:30.  We queried this assuming again COVID related, but no, apparently passengers had complained about the music, specifically that they couldn’t talk.  A little background piano music surely wouldn’t hurt.  There are four other establishments with no live music when dining so what is the problem.  I did formally register my disappointment rather than a formal complaint.  Clearly it is impossible to please us all.

 

If I see rules being reduced further I will let you know.  Enjoying everything else very much.  Interesting speakers, variety of music etc. and wonderful crew.

 

[twotravellersLondon]

17 hours ago, twotravellersLondon said:

I started this thread not to debate whether Saga's protocols are right or wrong - that is a matter of opinion, and opinions vary. I started it to establish fact, to record what is actually happening onboard the ships. Could we please keep on topic!

 

On every cruise line carrying tens of thousands of passengers a year there will always be one or two people, for whatever reason, who will be dissatisfied, disappointed and disenchanted, and will have their own particular opinion of the company that they're keen to share.

 

The fundamental point is that, like the vast majority of cruisers reading reviews and boards, we're sensible, intelligent people who have learnt not rely upon the information or opinions we read. Even CC recommends that we should use what we read here as starting points for doing independent research and then judge for ourselves the merits of the material that has been shared on the forum.

 

So we've considered our personal experience over the years, looked at the 40 or so CC reviews of SAGA cruises (a tiddlingly small number considering the number who have recently cruised with SAGA) and lots of other things including  SAGA's 91% Consumer Satisfaction Rate and the fact that SAGA has one of the highest ratings on comparable cruise review sites. The idea of "communication" was recently aired on these boards, attracted very little attention, was mainly focused on past events and very few members contributed to the discussion with current experiences.  

 

Like Denarius we're far more interested in the first-hand experience of people currently on board the Spirit of Discovery and the Spirit of Adventure so that we can see for ourselves what protocols are in place at various times and when and how they change. We're not going to chop and change, cancel or rebook on the basis of one or two comments because we take CC's advice "not rely solely on information or opinions we read" seriously... and... we know that things may well change before we board. But... a wide selection of real facts and possibly photos from people currently on board will give us a far better means of preparing ourselves for a couple of forthcoming longish cruises. 

 

Denarius started this thread to establish facts about what is actually happening onboard the ships. There is always some drift but It would only be fair to our author and in line with CC's guidelines as Denarius has already asked "Could we please keep on topic!"

[david05]

Interesting that mask wearing is enforced in The Living Room if not actually eating or drinking. Not what is suggested in the recent letter about our forthcoming cruise so will see if it changes.

[Holcha]

Please accept my most heartfelt apologies for overstepping the mark with regards to comments.  Have no fear, I shall not comment nor post on this thread again.

[Windsurfboy]

4 hours ago, david05 said:

Interesting that mask wearing is enforced in The Living Room if not actually eating or drinking. Not what is suggested in the recent letter about our forthcoming cruise so will see if it changes.

 

Same applies to Brittania lounge I assume,  but you can get up and dance without a mask. Completely illogical. 

[david05]

54 minutes ago, Holcha said:

Please accept my most heartfelt apologies for overstepping the mark with regards to comments.  Have no fear, I shall not comment nor post on this thread again.

Please do keep us informed of changes. Is mask wearing required in the Brittania lounge at the present time?

[Windsurfboy]

1 hour ago, Holcha said:

Please accept my most heartfelt apologies for overstepping the mark with regards to comments.  Have no fear, I shall not comment nor post on this thread again.

 

No need to apologise , drift is part of the fun of these threads and yours was a minor deviation .  Please keep us informed of what you observe on board.

 

I'm really interested in library situation,  as an avid reader who can only read real books in sun. If library has no books , need to pack at least 10 for a month. Need to get weight lifting to carry cases

 

Edited April 29, 2022 by Windsurfboy

[twotravellersLondon]

2 hours ago, Holcha said:

Please accept my most heartfelt apologies for overstepping the mark with regards to comments.  Have no fear, I shall not comment nor post on this thread again.

 

Must be some misunderstanding.  That would be a great loss. Your comments were some of the most valuable and were spot on the topic every time... We certainly greatly appreciated them and had been looking forward to further updates.

Edited April 29, 2022 by twotravellersLondon

[nosapphire]

8 hours ago, Holcha said:

Extracted

 

A huge disappointment to us was when we went to the Supper Club.  Reservation was 6:30 and we expected music around 7 as previously experienced.  The pianist did not arrive until 8:30.  We queried this assuming again COVID related, but no, apparently passengers had complained about the music, specifically that they couldn’t talk.  A little background piano music surely wouldn’t hurt.  There are four other establishments with no live music when dining so what is the problem.  I did formally register my disappointment rather than a formal complaint.  Clearly it is impossible to please us all.

 

end Extract

 

If I recollect correctly, on the SoD (same layout as SoA) the Club restaurant is on a tier above, and open to,  the main dining room; apparently there were some complaints from people in the middle of the main dining room about the piano music drifting down from the Club above them.

These may be the complaints referred to, rather then anything from people actually in the Supper Club.

Our table was at the back of the MDR, so the music was very faint - but I suppose if you were in the middle it would have been more noticeable.

[david05]

10 minutes ago, nosapphire said:

If I recollect correctly, on the SoD (same layout as SoA) the Club restaurant is on a tier above, and open to,  the main dining room; apparently there were some complaints from people in the middle of the main dining room about the piano music drifting down from the Club above them.

These may be the complaints referred to, rather then anything from people actually in the Supper Club.

Our table was at the back of the MDR, so the music was very faint - but I suppose if you were in the middle it would have been more noticeable.

On the SOA the Supper Club is not open to the MDR (one of the few differences between the two ships).

[nosapphire]

12 hours ago, david05 said:

On the SOA the Supper Club is not open to the MDR (one of the few differences between the two ships).

Thanks for that. Evidently Saga listened to the comments from SoD passengers about sound drifting down.

Does make me wonder why people would book a table in a supper club, promoted as having a pianist, and then complain about the pianist - far as I recall the Saga pianists are always good, and do not blast one's ears off.

[Windsurfboy]

On 4/25/2022 at 3:16 PM, Holcha said:

Crew are ensuring that any guests who are not actually drinking but sitting for example in the Living Room must wear their mask. So when coffee is finished put it back on

 

Pre cruise letter from Saga,  Nigel  Blanks,  states that masks are to we worn when walking between indoor venues (inc lifts), masks are not needed in indoor venues with the exception of theatre,  card and craft rooms. So now when coffee finished no need to put mask back on. 

[Denarius]

5 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Pre cruise letter from Saga,  Nigel  Blanks,  states that masks are to we worn when walking between indoor venues (inc lifts), masks are not needed in indoor venues with the exception of theatre,  card and craft rooms. So now when coffee finished no need to put mask back on. 

Sounds like the letter which I received before my 29 March cruise on SofA. But the protocol onboard was as described by Holcha.

[Windsurfboy]

11 minutes ago, Denarius said:

Sounds like the letter which I received before my 29 March cruise on SofA. But the protocol onboard was as described by Holcha.

 

How can on board override the CEO.

[Denarius]

3 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

How can on board override the CEO.

A very good question.

Before my recent cruise I received a letter as you describe. It also stated that ports could be explored independently unless prohibited by the port authorities and that tables in the restaurants would seat 6 max. Once we got onboard however, we were told that masks were to be worn at all times apart from when eating or drinking, and that there was to be no independent exploration. Tables in the restaurant seated 4 max, not 6. As independent exploration has been reinstated (?) I had assumed that other protocols had reverted to their previous state and your letter appears to indicated that they have, or should have. Perhaps things have changed since Holcha's post of 25 April; perhaps someone currently onboard could clarify the situation.

[Windsurfboy]

I think  covid rates increased after you received your letter. Rates are going down and Hopefully rates will continue to decrease (rapidly) before  I sail May 21st, so no excuse to tighten  restrictions. 

Edited May 2, 2022 by Windsurfboy

[Windsurfboy]

Those of you who would actually like the library to lend books , you might like to bring this to the attention of Saga and Nigel.blanks@saga.co.uk

 

 https://www.librariesconnected.org.uk/page/public-health-england-statement-safe-handling-library-books

 

Public health England guidance on books.

 

"The risk from books with a cardboard/paper cover is negligible after 24 hours. " 

 

thus quarantine books for 24hrs after return and they are 100% safe

Edited May 3, 2022 by Windsurfboy

[Holcha]

Still insisting masks are worn when not eating drinking in Living Room, etc.  I will attempt to give an update in a few days.  ATM mask wearing in Britannia but we haven’t attempted to remove when not drinking.