Saga Taxi Transfers - Current Situation

[arlowood]

We're due to join the SoD in 2 weeks time for our "virgin" ocean cruise with Saga.

Just looking for recent comments from folks who have experienced the taxi transfer service over the past few weeks.

The latest advice from Saga dated 5th May 2022 still seems to indicate "Each household will receive a private car up to 250 miles each way and cars will be thoroughly cleaned prior to your collection"

I seem to recall seeing some discussion about Saga reverting to shared mini-buses/SUV's for those travelling from outside the radius that qualifies for a private car (120 miles?). Don't know if this was just speculation or based on actual experience.

We are planning to go into a mini self-imposed lockdown to try and minimise the risk of being bumped off the ship at embarkation if we test positive. Would be worrying if we found that we had to share our transport to the ship with one or more couples in close contact for over 3 hours.

 

[twotravellersLondon]

1 hour ago, arlowood said:

We're due to join the SoD in 2 weeks time for our "virgin" ocean cruise with Saga.

Just looking for recent comments from folks who have experienced the taxi transfer service over the past few weeks.

The latest advice from Saga dated 5th May 2022 still seems to indicate "Each household will receive a private car up to 250 miles each way and cars will be thoroughly cleaned prior to your collection"

I seem to recall seeing some discussion about Saga reverting to shared mini-buses/SUV's for those travelling from outside the radius that qualifies for a private car (120 miles?). Don't know if this was just speculation or based on actual experience.

We are planning to go into a mini self-imposed lockdown to try and minimise the risk of being bumped off the ship at embarkation if we test positive. Would be worrying if we found that we had to share our transport to the ship with one or more couples in close contact for over 3 hours.

 

 

We're on a SAGA cruise in July and our understanding is that private car transfers are included for anyone up to 250 miles from the port. In pre-covid times we paid a little extra... about £17... to have a car to ourselves. SAGA were always very amenable to our requests and there was never any problem for us.

[Windsurfboy]

I think you must also take into account Saga are instructing people not to take public transport.  Thus given many Saga customer aren't up to driving 200 miles they must use Saga transport. 

 

Saga would be in a very weak position if it forced you to share a car , and they others were positive and you couldn't travel. REFUND PLUS COMPENSATION 

 

Perhaps Saga will follow other cruise lines where you test night before. Then they can introduce shared transport. 

[Vivaldi]

On 6/5/2022 at 12:37 PM, twotravellersLondon said:

In pre-covid times we paid a little extra... about £17... to have a car to ourselves.

 

We live over 200 miles from the ports, and were quoted an extra £409.50 to have a private car to and from Southampton in March 2022. 

 

If one is concerned about the driver or other passengers testing positive on the journey to the port, but less worried about that happening on the homeward journey, it might be possible to ask for a private car for the outward journey only, thus halving the expense.

 

I'd just add that, on two occasions when we have had Saga cruises we had a car to ourselves on the homeward leg, even though we had not requested it - just the way it worked out logistically, apparently. But that has never happened on the outward journey.

 

I hope that you have a great cruise, arlowood!

[Vivaldi]

3 minutes ago, Vivaldi said:

We live over 200 miles from the ports, and were quoted an extra £409.50 to have a private car to and from Southampton in March 2022. 

 

I should have added that this is what we were quoted when we asked about it in 2021 - when it was not known that private transport would in fact be used at the start of 2022.

[arlowood]

Just an update that should hopefully clarify the situation.

 

Received a letter from Saga today with our luggage labels and details of the documentation we need to bring with us (Passport, NHS Covid Pass , Insurance Policy information).

 

This letter also included the Car Service information and there it is clearly stated that we will be travelling in a "Private Car"

 

I interpret this to mean that we will not be sharing transport to the ship with other passengers. BTW, the return journey is also specified as a Private Car.

 

Fingers crossed we will arrive safely and Covid free. Pick up time is 10.20 - 10.50am,  so no scrabbling with early alarm calls. Suggests also that the sail away is likely to be late afternoon/early evening as our journey time from our home to Dover could be around 4hrs +

[JoJo1947]

If you look at the  Saga Web site at the top it refers to Covid... There's a new update and this rolls monthly. For peace of mind I suggest you check when your cruise month appears. No good speculating and worrying. 

[arlowood]

53 minutes ago, JoJo1947 said:

If you look at the  Saga Web site at the top it refers to Covid... There's a new update and this rolls monthly. For peace of mind I suggest you check when your cruise month appears. No good speculating and worrying. 

Just checked and the update to 19th June confirms that each household will be allocated a private car so I'm expecting that they are keeping to that procedure for our upcoming departure.

 

I've checked back to our original documentation (March 2021) and we were listed as having a "Shared Car". Our recent letter states Private Car so I don't think I am speculating hopefully.

Edited June 6, 2022 by arlowood

[paulatsea]

Is it easy to specify a time for the private car to arrive ? We are going to Dover at the end of august - anyone know if it’s easy to phone up and change the pick up time ?

 

thanks

[lincslady]

You could try, but I slightly  doubt it.  They  sort out the times with various criteria - how far it is  and trying to ensure not everyone arrives at the same time.

 

I live fairly far away - nearly 200 miles, and have always been picked up between 8 and 9.30; people who live fairly near often do  not get picked up until much later, and  some have complained to me about it.  I am not sure of the current arrangement, but a sort of buffet lunch/afternoon tea used to be served until at least 3 o'clock.

 

My drivers have always been spot on the allocated time, or 5 minutes early.

[paulatsea]

16 minutes ago, lincslady said:

You could try, but I slightly  doubt it.  They  sort out the times with various criteria - how far it is  and trying to ensure not everyone arrives at the same time.

 

I live fairly far away - nearly 200 miles, and have always been picked up between 8 and 9.30; people who live fairly near often do  not get picked up until much later, and  some have complained to me about it.  I am not sure of the current arrangement, but a sort of buffet lunch/afternoon tea used to be served until at least 3 o'clock.

 

My drivers have always been spot on the allocated time, or 5 minutes early.

Thanks lincslady - I’m from lincs originally - subdbrooke and nettleham ! Nice part of the country.

what time do you usually arrive ? First time on saga - so do you get a check in time and the driver goes for that ?

[lincslady]

I don't think so, he just takes you at whatever the expected speed is - with a coffee/loo break unless it is a short distance.  I have arrived sometimes at 12.30, sometimes not until 2 - obviously a lot depends on traffic etc.  Some  folk who live pretty close do not even get picked up until after lunchtime.

 

The caveat here is that I have not been on a Saga ship for about 4 years; others may chime in with more up to date facts.

[Wacktle]

We also live in Lincolnshire. Our last cruise was in October. We had been allocated a pickup time that I thought was far too late; I think it was about 12.30-1pm. The driver phoned a few days beforehand. He also thought the time was too late and we agreed an earlier time, without telling Saga. We still arrived at Tilbury too late for lunch onboard. 

Edited July 17, 2022 by Wacktle
Dover changed to Tilbury!

[david05]

39 minutes ago, lincslady said:

I don't think so, he just takes you at whatever the expected speed is - with a coffee/loo break unless it is a short distance.  I have arrived sometimes at 12.30, sometimes not until 2 - obviously a lot depends on traffic etc.  Some  folk who live pretty close do not even get picked up until after lunchtime.

 

The caveat here is that I have not been on a Saga ship for about 4 years; others may chime in with more up to date facts.

It is still as you describe. Although as Wacktle says the driver may contact you and suggest/agree a change of time - this happened to us once. When travelling to Southampton we didn't usually get picked up until after lunch and arrive between 3pm and 4 pm.

[arlowood]

OP back here again. We are based in the East Midlands just south of Nottingham.

Our original pick-up time was scheduled for 10.30 for the planned Dover departure. However the SoD was caught up in a problm in Cadiz and the departure from there was delayed by 17hrs.

This led to the embarkation port being shifted to Portsmouth and we had a call from Saga moving our pick-up time back to 1.40pm. Driver also called to confirm that time and he arrived bang on 1.40pm.

 

Journey down was uneventful and we got to the Park & Ride close to the Portsmouth terminal to have our Covid testing done. Within 15mins we were released to go to the dock area

 

Thereafter things descended into chaos. Access to the terminal is quite restricted with only one 2 lane exit from a roundabout at the entrance to the terminal. We were caught up in a queue consisting of taxis dropping off new passengers, taxis trying to access the port to pick up disembarking passengers and also customers trying to get to the Brittany Ferries ship that was waiting to depart.

We eventually got into the terminal building at around 5.30pm but did not get to board until 10.30pm. We were lucky to have all our luggage at our cabin when we boarded but many were left without luggage until 2am or later. Then we had to attend a muster drill at midnight - some who had already gone to bed had to get dressed again for this drill.

 

Not Saga's finest hour but the ensuing cruise was very enjoyable and we will be back some time in the future

Edited July 17, 2022 by arlowood

[paulatsea]

Thanks for your replies - I will try and contact the driver beforehand and arrange a pickup as early as I can.

 

[paulatsea]

30 minutes ago, arlowood said:

OP back here again. We are based in the East Midlands just south of Nottingham.

Our original pick-up time was scheduled for 10.30 for the planned Dover departure. However the SoD was caught up in a problm in Cadiz and the departure from there was delayed by 17hrs.

This led to the embarkation port being shifted to Portsmouth and we had a call from Saga moving our pick-up time back to 1.40pm. Driver also called to confirm that time and he arrived bang on 1.40pm.

 

Journey down was uneventful and we got to the Park & Ride close to the Portsmouth terminal to have our Covid testing done. Within 15mins we were released to go to the dock area

 

Thereafter things descended into chaos. Access to the terminal is quite restricted with only one 2 lane exit from a roundabout at the entrance to the terminal. We were caught up in a queue consisting of taxis dropping off new passengers, taxis trying to access the port to pick up disembarking passengers and also customers trying to get to the Brittany Ferries ship that was waiting to depart.

We eventually got into the terminal building at around 5.30pm but did not get to board until 10.30pm. We were lucky to have all our luggage at our cabin when we boarded but many were left without luggage until 2am or later. Then we had to attend a muster drill at midnight - some who had already gone to bed had to get dressed again for this drill.

 

Not Saga's finest hour but the ensuing cruise was very enjoyable and we will be back some time in the future

I heard about the change of port - sounds awful - I thought muster drills were gone now ? On p&o you just watch a video in the cabin and scan in at the muster area to show you know where it is ?

[Kohima]

I think the flexibility of the driver may depend on who employs him. After the experience of arriving at 5.15 at Tilbury in October for a 6pm departure, we requested an early pick up when our driver called us in February a few days before our cruise. He explained that he was directly employed by Saga and had to stick to the allocated times. Fortunately our allocated time did enable us to arrive for a late lunch.

[paulatsea]

6 minutes ago, Kohima said:

I think the flexibility of the driver may depend on who employs him. After the experience of arriving at 5.15 at Tilbury in October for a 6pm departure, we requested an early pick up when our driver called us in February a few days before our cruise. He explained that he was directly employed by Saga and had to stick to the allocated times. Fortunately our allocated time did enable us to arrive for a late lunch.

Ok thanks - How far in advance do you get the pick up time ?

[lincslady]

arlowood -that was an awful start to your cruise.  Thank goodness it improved from then on.

 

I am glad others have chipped in with up to date  stories - don't forget all of you that normally when no bugs are around if you live more than 75 miles away you will usually be sharing your car.  I am sure they will want to revert to this when they can, for financial reasons.

[arlowood]

1 hour ago, paulatsea said:

I heard about the change of port - sounds awful - I thought muster drills were gone now ? On p&o you just watch a video in the cabin and scan in at the muster area to show you know where it is ?

It wasn't a formal drill. As you say we just had to watch a video in our cabin but to comply with Martime Safety laws we had to physically walk to our muster area and be checked through that by the Saga staff.

So yes - just a walk through but still a pain in the proverbial at midnight after such a chaotic embarkation experience

[Kohima]

In February our pick up time was shown on My Saga several weeks before departure. We had a letter about it a week before departure and the phone call from the driver the day before. On other occasions we haven’t always had a phone call from the driver; he has just turned up at the appointed time.

[Medeba]

5 hours ago, lincslady said:

arlowood -that was an awful start to your cruise.  Thank goodness it improved from then on.

 

I am glad others have chipped in with up to date  stories - don't forget all of you that normally when no bugs are around if you live more than 75 miles away you will usually be sharing your car.  I am sure they will want to revert to this when they can, for financial reasons.

When I contacted Saga in connection with final payment for our August cruise we were told that we would have a shared car. We live about 90 miles from Dover and are considering paying the extra to have a private car.

[paulatsea]

23 minutes ago, Medeba said:

When I contacted Saga in connection with final payment for our August cruise we were told that we would have a shared car. We live about 90 miles from Dover and are considering paying the extra to have a private car.

Luckily I’m just inside the range so we have a private car just for us.

[Medeba]

21 minutes ago, paulatsea said:

Luckily I’m just inside the range so we have a private car just for us.

Lucky you!