Thoughts on my first Saga cruise, 32 day Eastern Mediterranean

[Lady Meer]

3 hours ago, david05 said:

According to Saga's website the pre-allocated dinning on the first night continues until at least the end of August. Of course there is some flexability eg you don't have to eat in a speciality restaurant if that food is not to your liking and we changed our allocated dinning time to one that suited us without any bother.

I didn’t take any notice of where we going to eat on the first night - I think I was so excited to be on a ship again. Oops it was Italian which I absolutely hate! My fault entirely for not paying attention. It turned out OK as I was able to order steak and a baked potato! 

Edited July 5, 2022 by Lady Meer

[Denarius]

19 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

Denarius, sorry to take so long to reply. Yes there was the simple fare and always available . But no chef's reccomendation.  Just fish, a red meat and other meat option,  as the daily meal choice.

You are correct about the Chef's Recommendation. I was confusing Saga with Star Clippers, with whom I have sailed more recently. I have copied the following menu, which confirms what you say, from a previous post.

Edited July 5, 2022 by Denarius

[Windsurfboy]

Must confirm  quality was excellent,  just needed a bit more choice of daily  changing main courses

[Windsurfboy]

Denarius  your thoughts on merits of saga vs star clipper would be interesting,  new thread of course 

[Medeba]

Windsurfboy.  Just curious.  Were there any Covid infections onboard?  If so, do you know what the quarantine protocols were?  

[Windsurfboy]

44 minutes ago, Medeba said:

Windsurfboy.  Just curious.  Were there any Covid infections onboard?  If so, do you know what the quarantine protocols were?  

 

Yes. About 10 passengers 

 

If you were infected , 5 days in quarantine cabin minimium,  then released with negative test.

 

Contacts,  two levels

 

Close contact , isolation in own cabin for 5 days, daily testing.

 

Contact , tested every day at 8am , free to mix if negative.

 

I don't know what distinquishes contacts from close contact. I think close contact is same table all the time, perhaps same booking.   Saga were quite secretive about covid protocols 

[Medeba]

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Yes. About 10 passengers 

 

If you were infected , 5 days in quarantine cabin minimium,  then released with negative test.

 

Contacts,  two levels

 

Close contact , isolation in own cabin for 5 days, daily testing.

 

Contact , tested every day at 8am , free to mix if negative.

 

I don't know what distinquishes contacts from close contact. I think close contact is same table all the time, perhaps same booking.   Saga were quite secretive about covid protocols 

Thank you, that's very helpful.  So, as far as you know, no one with Covid was required to disembark to be quarantined ashore (my biggest fear) because of local protocols?

[Windsurfboy]

No all stayed on board , 10 cases over 4 weeks , a very low level

[escrick]

My neighbours took their first Saga cruise (on Spirit of Adventure), and said they felt safer on the ship re.covid than in our home city.

[nosapphire]

On 7/6/2022 at 1:10 PM, Medeba said:

Thank you, that's very helpful.  So, as far as you know, no one with Covid was required to disembark to be quarantined ashore (my biggest fear) because of local protocols?

I asked Saga what the situation would be for passengers who had taken Saga included insurance and who were ordered to disembark by a port authority because of testing positive for Covid.

My questions were (a) whether cover would still apply even if there was no medical reason for the  positive passenger to be off loaded (i.e, it was simply because of port/country regulations), and (b) if their partner had not tested positive but did not want to sail off leaving their partner ashore, would they also be covered?

The answer was reassuring - for (a) testing positive would be covered for medical insurance, even if not ill, and (b) would be on a case by case basis - and if both passengers were on the same booking and in the same cabin, it would be treated as unreasonable to expect the non-positive passenger to stay on board while their partner was offloaded.

This was not for just the actual disembarkation, but also the costs of staying ashore and the costs and arrangements for repatriation.

Saga do have a very good track record for looking after passengers disembarked for medical reasons (I think it may have slipped a bit during the pandemic, but probably only because of the pure volumes).

[Medeba]

1 hour ago, nosapphire said:

I asked Saga what the situation would be for passengers who had taken Saga included insurance and who were ordered to disembark by a port authority because of testing positive for Covid.

My questions were (a) whether cover would still apply even if there was no medical reason for the  positive passenger to be off loaded (i.e, it was simply because of port/country regulations), and (b) if their partner had not tested positive but did not want to sail off leaving their partner ashore, would they also be covered?

The answer was reassuring - for (a) testing positive would be covered for medical insurance, even if not ill, and (b) would be on a case by case basis - and if both passengers were on the same booking and in the same cabin, it would be treated as unreasonable to expect the non-positive passenger to stay on board while their partner was offloaded.

This was not for just the actual disembarkation, but also the costs of staying ashore and the costs and arrangements for repatriation.

Saga do have a very good track record for looking after passengers disembarked for medical reasons (I think it may have slipped a bit during the pandemic, but probably only because of the pure volumes).

That is good news.  We don't have Saga's insurance but our insurers have similar cover.  My concern is not so much the insurance cover but having to be quarantined ashore in less than desirable accommodation.

[Host Sharon]

On 6/29/2022 at 1:01 PM, lincslady said:

I am surprised that there were not many choices in the buffet restaurant at lunchtime.  I have not yet, unfortunately, been able to go on one of the new ships, but on Sapphire I remember that as well as the  traditional hot dishes and puddings there were, which we enjoyed, lots of cold offerings including a lovely cheeseboard and fishy/cold meat/mixed different salads, and some healthy and not so healthy but delicious cold desserts.

 

More the sort of thing many of us enjoy as the lighter meal of the day.

All these were on offer in The Verandah as well as The Grill. The beer-battered fish & chips is to die for, and I also loved the veggie hot dog. As this was a (very) hot weather cruise, there was more often than not an additional deck barbie or some description, as well as pancakes (savoury & sweet) etc.

 

[JoJo1947]

Some people are hard to please🥳 

[Windsurfboy]

19 hours ago, JoJo1947 said:

Some people are hard to please🥳 

 

Meow 

 

Some people have different requirements  , beer battered fish and chips may be to die for, but too much for  us at lunchtime.  

 

 

[Host Sharon]

On 7/13/2022 at 1:07 PM, Windsurfboy said:

 

Meow 

 

Some people have different requirements  , beer battered fish and chips may be to die for, but too much for  us at lunchtime.  

 

 

Agree it was too big, but I just ask for a small portion, as I did most nights in the  MDR. I also asked for the veggie hot dog without the bread roll. Theyare very accommodating. My friend often asked for one main meal, with the veggies from a different meal. It was never a problem.