Saga Taxi Transfers - Current Situation

[twotravellersLondon]

6 minutes ago, Vivaldi said:

 

The actual extra cost is £2.50 per mile, but Saga takes into account the fact that a private car service is offered up to 75 miles, so you need to pay £2.50 per mile for all miles in excess of 75 to get the private car service.  

 

That seems to fit the cost.

[Windsurfboy]

I live 225 miles away ie 150 miles over free 75,

 

so will I  pay

A :  150×£2.50 per leg so £750 total , or

 

B: just 150×£2.5 ie £375 for the return journey. 

 

If it's A then I can arrange to use the same car hire company Saga normally use for just the two of us for the same amount. Has anyone ever asked if you get a reduction if you don't want Saga to organise your travel

[Kohima]

Sorry it’s bad news Windsurfboy, it’s A….. £2.50 x the excess mileage over 75 x 2.

I would be surprised if Saga offer a reduction for making your own arrangements. They sell the holiday as a package so there will always be some elements which benefit some people more than others. If you see it the other way around you are getting a much better deal with the included transport for 225 miles than someone living 25 miles away. Some people drink a lot, others nothing at all but they can’t get a reduction.

[FatBoy20]

4 hours ago, Vivaldi said:

 

The actual extra cost is £2.50 per mile, but Saga takes into account the fact that a private car service is offered up to 75 miles, so you need to pay £2.50 per mile for all miles in excess of 75 to get the private car service.  

Remember the £2.50 per mile is each way.

[twotravellersLondon]

22 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

I live 225 miles away ie 150 miles over free 75,

 

so will I  pay

A :  150×£2.50 per leg so £750 total , or

 

B: just 150×£2.5 ie £375 for the return journey. 

 

If it's A then I can arrange to use the same car hire company Saga normally use for just the two of us for the same amount. Has anyone ever asked if you get a reduction if you don't want Saga to organise your travel

Don’t think so.

 

The included transfer is currently 250 miles and is to be extended to 300 miles.
 

Within 75 miles a private chauffeur service is included.

 

Between 75 miles and 250-300 miles on selected cruises  a shared service is included.

 

So if you live 225 miles away you still travel for free… but may be asked to share a car.

[FatBoy20]

You get a shared Car 75-300 miles. If you want a Private Car for the 75-300 Mile Band you pay for it @ £2.50 per mile.

[Windsurfboy]

Looking at cost of a private transfer, it looks to me that they charge you the full cost not half cost. My assumption is that Saga logic is , if you ask for a private transfer,  then instead of two couples sharing, they may well end up with two couples on their own. That is an extra car, so you pay full cost not half.

[twotravellersLondon]

4 hours ago, FatBoy20 said:

You get a shared Car 75-300 miles. If you want a Private Car for the 75-300 Mile Band you pay for it @ £2.50 per mile.

If you choose to.

 

 

[nosapphire]

Just be aware that the £2.50 per mile is to extend the shared service if you live outside the 250/300 mile range.

If you live over 75 miles away and want to upgrade to a private car the cost is now £3.70 per mile each way (over the initial 75 miles).

https://travel.saga.co.uk/cruises/ocean/the-saga-experience/inclusions.aspx

 

[Vivaldi]

1 hour ago, nosapphire said:

If you live over 75 miles away and want to upgrade to a private car the cost is now £3.70 per mile each way (over the initial 75 miles).

 

It would appear that Saga is trying to deter people from booking a private car, because that increase in cost, from £2.50 per mile to £3.70 per mile, is astonishing. A taxi firm near me is quoting £270 for a 4 seat car to Dover docks, a trip of 200 miles. Saga would charge me over £460 to upgrade that one-way trip to a private car. I can't quite believe this.

[twotravellersLondon]

4 hours ago, Vivaldi said:

 

It would appear that Saga is trying to deter people from booking a private car, because that increase in cost, from £2.50 per mile to £3.70 per mile, is astonishing. A taxi firm near me is quoting £270 for a 4 seat car to Dover docks, a trip of 200 miles. Saga would charge me over £460 to upgrade that one-way trip to a private car. I can't quite believe this.

 

The answer would seem to be simple... avoid the angst...  just book a private car!

[david05]

13 hours ago, Vivaldi said:

 

It would appear that Saga is trying to deter people from booking a private car, because that increase in cost, from £2.50 per mile to £3.70 per mile, is astonishing. A taxi firm near me is quoting £270 for a 4 seat car to Dover docks, a trip of 200 miles. Saga would charge me over £460 to upgrade that one-way trip to a private car. I can't quite believe this.

Wow that's excellent value, a local taxi company to us charges £315 for a 4-seater car to Dover, 163 miles.

[Mayflower1]

I hope this is not a stupid question but does the level of Car Service depend on the date of Booking - If a Private Car was the Service offered at the time of Booking does that level remain even though Saga may have subsequently amended their Offering ?

[david05]

42 minutes ago, Mayflower1 said:

I hope this is not a stupid question but does the level of Car Service depend on the date of Booking - If a Private Car was the Service offered at the time of Booking does that level remain even though Saga may have subsequently amended their Offering ?

In general no. Whenever you book you can have the private car for a journey up to 75 miles and a shared car for 75 to 250/300 miles (which you can upgrade to a private car at a cost). In the initial post-covid period Saga extended the private car service to 250 miles in an effort to minimise risks and they withdrew this when they felt it was no longer necessary but this is the only time I am aware of when they changed the level post booking.

[Mayflower1]

Thank you for the clarification

[jsforum]

We live 70 miles outside radius but the extra wasn't much and totally worth it. The service was excellent both ways