saga caribbean cruise march 2023

Saga unveils 2023 ocean cruise itineraries

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Saga Cruises has released its 2023 ocean cruise programme, featuring sailings ranging from five to 78 nights.

The programme starts with a 78-night South American cruise on Spirit of Adventure, departing Portsmouth on January 12.

Destinations in Argentina, Colombia, the Chilean Fjords, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia feature in the itinerary. Prices start from £17,663.

The lead-in price for the 28-night Autumn Colours of New England cruise on Spirit of Discovery, departing on September 26, 2023, is £8,073.

Saga says the sailing is “the perfect way to see the stunning coastline from the east coast of the USA and Canada to Newfoundland”.

A 30-night Springtime in the Caribbean cruise on Spirit of Discovery departing from Portsmouth on March 5, 2023.

The sailing includes for the first time since 2017 a stop-off in Montserrat island in the Caribbean. Prices for the cruise start from £6,515.

Spirit of Adventure (pictured) will operate a 22-night Ancient Cities of the Mediterranean cruise, starting on March 31. The cruise is repeated by Spirit of Discovery on September 4. The lead-in price is £5,168.

Saga also offers a 22-night Venice and the Treasures of the Adriatic cruise on April 9 and on October 9.

The itinerary includes a new port of call Rovinj, Croatia. Prices start from £4,995.

Passengers looking for a shorter cruise can book five-night sailings – such as the Capitals of the Emerald Isle itinerary, the Western Maritime Ports voyage and the Hidden Gems of the British Isles cruise.

There are also a range of short seven-night fjords cruises including: A Norwegian Trilogy on Spirit of Adventure departing May 7, 2023, from £1,664; Fjord Explorer on Spirit of Discovery departing on June 22, 2023, from £1,800 per person and; Norway’s Cities and Fjords departing on July 21, 2023, on Spirit of Adventure.

The line offers an 18-night Classic Italy and the Western Mediterranean departure on June 4 next year. Ports of call include Lisbon, Portimão, Portugal; Majorca, Spain; Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; and Monaco. Prices start from £4,231.

A range of Mediterranean cruises start on April 22 and run through to August 20.

Saga’s ocean cruises are all inclusive with a complimentary door-to-door chauffeur service and come with all dining and house drinks including a selection of cocktails, draft beers and lagers, wines, spirits, mixers and soft drinks.

Also complimentary on board are the wifi, gratuities, fitness facilities, 24-hour room service, sightseeing tours in selected ports, entertainment, porterage of luggage, shuttle buses to nearest town centres and travel insurance with up to £5 million Covid-19 cover included.

Nigel Blanks, Saga Cruises chief executive, said: “We are offering a range of cruises from our 78-night South American itinerary, through to the shorter week-long British Isles and Fjords options, which are a fantastic introduction to cruising for those wanting to try it for the first time.

“And of course, guests can also choose the ever-popular destinations around the USA and Canada, Mediterranean, Croatia, Iceland, Greenland, Italy and the Canary Islands.”

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Saga Cruises launches 2023 ocean cruise itineraries

by Danielle | Apr 5, 2022 | No Fly Cruise News , No Fly Cruises Blog , Saga Cruises

Saga Cruises has today officially launched its 2023 ocean cruise itineraries with a host of new destinations, ports and experiences for guests currently  all with up to 35% off  the full fare price for early bookers (prices below reflect the discount).

Travellers can experience a 78-night South American cruise and Saga’s boutique ships will also be visiting some special and unusual destinations including  Montserrat, St Barts, Grytviken, Antalya, Limassol, the Scilly Isles and Bordeaux. New ports for the cruise line also include  Rovinj, on the Croatian cruise itinerary and  Nordfjordeid, on the Norwegian cruise schedules.  

Ocean cruise highlights:

Saga’s 2023 ocean cruising will kick off in style with a 78-night South American itinerary departing from Portsmouth on  Spirit of Adventure  on January 12. The epic  South American Explorer   cruise will travel  around the vast coastline calling at destinations such as Devil’s Island in Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Colombia, the Chilean Fjords, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, and the Panama Canal transit. Prices start from £17,663 per person.

With many people now booking their once in a lifetime holiday, the  Autumn Colours of New England  cruise on  Spirit of Discovery  departing September 26, 2023 for 28-nights is the perfect way to see the stunning coastline from the East Coast of the  USA  and  Canada  to Newfoundland. Particular sights include arriving into New York’s port, passing the Statue of Liberty and cruising along the Hudson, the autumn display in Acadia National Park from Bar Harbor and the story-book fishing village of Peggy’s Cove in Halifax. Newport, which is considered to be the sailing capital of, is also known for its Gilded Age mansions including the famous, ‘The Breakers’, an 1895 mansion that looks like a Renaissance palace. Prices start from £8,073 per person.

For those looking to head to the warmer parts of the Americas, there is a 30-night  Springtime in the Caribbean  cruise departing Portsmouth on March 5, 2023 on  Spirit of Discovery  from £6,712 per person, which includes a stop for the  first time  since 2017 in  Montseratt , an island of dramatic natural scenery, dominated by the Soufrière Hills volcano and home to wonderful nature and amazing hikes. There is also an  Island hopping in the Caribbean  cruise on  Spirit of Discovery  departing November 7, 2023 for 30 nights from £6,515 per person.

Closer to home but still chasing the warmth, options include the  Ancient Cities of the Mediterranean  cruise departing March 31 for 22-nights on  Spirit of Adventure  (also repeated on  Spirit of Discovery  on September 4). This cruise returns to  Antalya, Limassol  and  Rhodes , along with visits to Malaga, Valletta, Heraklion, Palermo, Cagliari and Lisbon. Highlights on the stop in Limassol include a visit to UNESCO listed Paphos, home of the colourful Dionysus mosaics, picturesque churches, medieval monasteries, museums, countless antiquities, a pretty harbour guarded by a small castle and the underground Tombs of the Kings. In Rhodes, the tour takes in the Filerimos Monastery and Grand Masters’ Palace, the Church of our Lady, built by the Knights of St John in the 15th century and a tour on foot to the 14th century medieval Palace of the Grand Masters. Prices start from £5,168 per person.

Travellers can explore the  Croatian  coast on Saga’s  Venice and the Treasures of the Adriatic  cruise departing Portsmouth on April 9, 2023 on  Spirit of Discovery  and on October 9, 2023 on  Spirit of Adventure . This  new  22-night cruise travels from Dubrovnik along the Dalmatian coast to the Istrian Peninsular. Every port is steeped in history and a stone’s throw from UNESCO heritage sites for guests to visit. It also stops at  Rovinj  – a  new port  for Saga –  one of the last true Mediterranean fishing ports that  faces Venice across the Adriatic and where guests will be dropped by tender into the heart of the town. Prices start from £4,995 per person.

Guests looking to test a  short cruise  or those interested in sailing the waters of the British Isles   can select from: a five-night  Capitals of the Emerald Isle  itinerary departing on April 4 on  Spirit of Discovery  from £1,155 per person;  Western Maritime Ports  on  Spirit of Discovery  departing May 1, 2023 for five nights from £1,109 per person;  Hidden Gems of the British Isles  on  Spirit of Adventure , a ten-night cruise departing May 26, 2023 and August 11, 2023, with prices from £2,198 per person; or a  Late Summer Escape  on  Spirit of Adventure  departing September 11, 2023 for six nights with prices from £1,330 per person.

There are also a range of  short  seven-night cruises of the Fjords, including:  A Norwegian Trilogy  on  Spirit of Adventure  departing May 7, 2023 from £1,664 per person;  Fjord Explorer  on  Spirit of Discovery  departing on June 22, 2023 from £1,800 per person and;  Norway’s Cities and Fjords  departing on July 21, 2023 aboard  Spirit of Adventure  or July 30, 2023 on  Spirit of Discovery  from £1,764 per person. These popular cruises will all call at Flam, for an excursion on its famed railway and Geiranger as well as Nordfjordeid, a new port for Saga, which is nestled at the end of the Eidsfjord. The town has a new Viking museum and exhibition, with a full size replica ship and there’s the option of an excursion to the ports of Loen and Olden.

Across the Norwegian Sea is a  Landscapes of Greenland and Iceland  cruise on  Spirit of Discovery  departing on June 29, 2023 for 17-nights. Both awash with natural wonders, the arrival into  Greenland  is a breath-taking 60-mile passage along the Prinse Christian Sound, with mountains on either side, some of which reach over 7,000 feet. The tours showcase the best of the region and the communities that thrive in this beautiful but inhospitable environment. Departing Tilbury, the cruise takes in Isafjördur, Grundafjördur, Reykjavik (Iceland), Qaqortoq, Narsarsua and Nanortalik (Greenland) before calling at Scrabster (Scotland) on the way home. Prices start from £4,900 per person.

Saga’s 18-night  Classical Italy and the Western Mediterranean  cruise departing from Dover on June 4, 2023 adds the beautiful village of Portofino to the itinerary, where  Spirit of Discovery  will anchor alongside superyachts and guests can take a tender to the harbour. The cruise also   takes in Lisbon, Portimão (Portugal), Palma (Majorca), Civitavecchia, Livorno (Italy), Monaco, Cartagena (Spain) and Gibraltar before arriving back to Tilbury.  Prices start from £4,231 per person

There are plenty of options to escape the British winter and head to the warmth of the  Canary Islands , with their volcanoes, rain forests, mountains, cities and fishing ports. A highlight for the year will be Porto da Praia’s return to Saga’s schedule on the  Cape Verde and the Canary Islands  cruise.  Spirit of Adventure  departs from Portsmouth on November 13 for 21 nights taking in Funchal, Santa Cruz, San Sebastian, La Gomera, Porto da Praia, Porto Grande, Santa Cruz, Arrecife, and La Coruña, Spain. Tours to Funchal, Santa Cruz, Arrecife, Cádiz and La Coruña are included. Prices start from £4,650 per person. There are also a further six cruise options to the sub-tropical Canaries between February and Christmas 2023.

And of course, there are a range of  Mediterranean  cruises including three 15-night  Islands of the Western Mediterranean  itineraries departing on April 22 and July 6 on  Spirit of Adventure  with prices from £3,318 per person, and from August 20 on  Spirit of Discovery  with prices from £3,325 per person.  Highlights of Spain and the Balearics  departs on May 6, aboard  Spirit of Discovery  and on September 24, 2023 on  Spirit of Adventure  for 15 nights from £3,234 per person.  Lisbon and Spain’s Atlantic Coast  on  Spirit of Adventure  departs on May 14, 2023 for 12 nights with prices from £2,767 per person.

Saga’s Baltic cruises will be uncovering some wonderful ports including smaller destinations such as Kotka in Finland and Wismar on Germany’s coast with its historic UNESCO listed town centre, plus the ever-popular ports of Tallin, Stockholm and Copenhagen. As an example,  Baltic Capitals  is a 14-night cruise that departs on June 5, 2023 on  Spirit of Adventure  from Dover, with prices starting from £2,866 per person.

The Saga cruise team have also applied their extensive destination knowledge to develop a range of excursions, both included and optional, that will give guests a real behind-the-scenes insight to the places they are visiting.  Examples include: a  small boat trip from the Greenland cruise into the Qooroq Ice Fjord to see the light-blue icebergs that the area is famous for;   a 4×4 drive to Volunteer Point, home to 1200 King penguins and 500 gentoo and magellanic penguins on the South American cruise ;  a seaplane flight over Bergen on the Norway itinerary and a visit to Mount Etna on the Sicilian cruise.

Saga’s Ocean cruises are all-inclusive with a complimentary door-to-door chauffeur service, or Saga can arrange car parking near the port, domestic flights or standard class rail/coach travel.  There are no hidden costs on-board either. Saga Cruises come with all dining and house drinks including a selection of cocktails, draft beers and lagers, wines, spirits, mixers and soft drinks. New this year and in response to guest feedback, a selection of premium label spirits are also available at no additional cost. Also complimentary on board are the Wi-Fi, gratuities, fitness facilities, 24-hour room service, sightseeing tours in selected ports, entertainment (from lectures to recitals to West End shows), porterage of luggage, shuttle buses to nearest town centres and travel insurance with up to £5m coronavirus cover included.

Both  Spirit of Adventure  and  Spirit of Discovery  are small by today’s ship standards, but clever design and a limit to the number of guests (up to 987) give a real feeling of space and comfort, plus all cabins have their own balconies facing onto the ocean.

Although the ships are very distinctive from one another in décor and style, they both feature five restaurants, bars and a living room. Outdoors there is an observation deck, full wraparound promenade and terrace, pool, sports court and deck games. Entertainment and wellbeing facilities include The Playhouse (a 444-seat theatre with complete unobstructed views seating, home to Saga Cruise’s resident performance company), the signature Britannia Lounge with a dance floor and live entertainment, The Library with refreshments, craft and card rooms, The Spa with hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam and treatment rooms, The Salon, a gym, shop and medical centre.

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Saga Cruises Announces Ocean Cruise Schedule for 2023

7th April 2022

3 min. read

Saga Cruises has announced its ocean cruise schedule for 2023, with sailings ranging from five to 78 nights.

The itinerary kicks out on January 12 with a 78-night South American cruise on the Spirit of Adventure, which departs Portsmouth.

The itinerary includes stops in Argentina, Colombia, the Chilean Fjords, the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia. Prices begin at £17,663.

The lead-in fee for the Spirit of Discovery’s 28-night Autumn Colours of New England voyage, which departs on 26th September 2023, is £8,073.

Sailing, according to Saga is “the perfect way to see the stunning coastline from the east coast of the USA and Canada to Newfoundland”.

On 5th March 2023, the Spirit of Discovery will embark on a 30-night Springtime in the Caribbean trip from Portsmouth.

For the first time since 2017, the cruise includes a stop at the Caribbean island of Montserrat. The cruise starts at £6,515 per person.

Beginning 31st March, the Spirit of Adventure will embark on a 22-night Ancient Cities of the Mediterranean trip. The cruise will be repeated on 4th September aboard the Spirit of Discovery. The start-up cost is £5,168.

On 9th April and 9th October, Saga will offer a 22-night Venice and the Treasures of the Adriatic trip.

Rovinj, Croatia, is a new port of call on the route. Prices begin at £4,995.

Five-night cruises, such as the Capitals of the Emerald Isle itinerary, the Western Maritime Ports excursion, and the Hidden Gems of the British Isles cruise, are available for passengers searching for a shorter cruise.

A Norwegian Trilogy on Spirit of Adventure departing 7th May 2023, from £1,664 per person; Fjord Explorer on Spirit of Discovery departing June 22, 2023, from £1,800 per person; and Norway’s Cities and Fjords on Spirit of Adventure departing 21st July 2023, from £1,800 per person.

On 4th June of next year, the line will offer an 18-night Classic Italy and the Western Mediterranean cruise. Lisbon, Portimo, Portugal; Majorca, Spain; Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; and Monaco are among the ports of call. Prices begin at £4,231.

From 22nd April to 20th August, a variety of Mediterranean cruises are available.

Saga’s ocean cruises are all-inclusive, including all dining and house drinks, such as a variety of cocktails, draft beers and lagers, wines, spirits, mixers, and soft drinks, as well as a complimentary door-to-door chauffeur service.

WiFi, gratuities, workout facilities, 24-hour room service, sightseeing tours in selected ports, entertainment, luggage porterage, shuttle buses to nearby town centers, and travel insurance with up to £5 million Covid-19 cover are also included on board.

Saga Cruises’ chief executive, Nigel Blanks, said: “We are offering a range of cruises from our 78-night South American itinerary, through to the shorter week-long British Isles and Fjords options, which are a fantastic introduction to cruising for those wanting to try it for the first time.

“And of course, guests can also choose the ever-popular destinations around the USA and Canada, Mediterranean, Croatia, Iceland, Greenland, Italy and the Canary Islands.”

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• Saga Cruises

SoA Western Med, March 2023

By SaraSailing , March 18, 2023 in Saga Cruises

Recommended Posts

SaraSailing

Much to my own surprise, I'm back on a Saga ship and hoping the drama of last February in Norway isn't going to try for an encore. I think today is day 4. We've made it through the Bay of Biscay and are turning the corner of Portugal. The rest to follow in the comments...

I look forward to reading your updates. I note that you have two good speakers on board - a wine expert and a former chef to the Royal Household.  We will embark SofA on 22nd April, but have no information on who our speakers will be.

DAY ONE - PORTSMOUTH

The shared "VIP" transport picked me up just after 11am, and a speedy 2 hours to drop off at the port. Portsmouth staff were pleasant, helpful, friendly, and super efficient: from drop off to being in my cabin was 35 minutes.  It's lovely to get straight into cabins, no waiting around with hand luggage until permission is granted. It's a nice Saga touch to be escorted to your cabin - and especially nice as my guide turned out to me my cabin steward too.  I'm in a superior single this time. To the best of my guessing power, it seems the superior cabins are just a touch longer than standard, but otherwise identical. The seating area by the window is nice, the dinky balcony perfectly adequate and there are plugs and usb sockets everywhere. The TV is slap bang in front of the foot of the bed, which suits my post-dinner movie habit. The shower room is compact and bijou. Or small, if you prefer. The shower is fine for showering, but leg shaving is a contortionist's art form. The wardrobe is big for one, but the same size in a double cabin, which would need more careful allocation of space. I do miss the walk-in deluxe wardrobe, but the deluxe cabins are seriously tight in the window seating area, so it's swings and roundabouts.

I just had time for a quick wander around before my parents arrived on the shuttle bus from the terminal. Next time we really must ask to share a car, as I'm on their route to the port. As it was, we both shared with different people. The green sofa clashing with the carpet is still an assault on the eyes at the top of the grand staircase from the Living Room to the bar.

One thing Saga do is allocate place and time of dinner for the first night, to spread everyone out. Despite our linked bookings, we'd been given two different times in two different restaurants - which was quickly sorted out by the dining room staff (I did go and ask at lunch time, the people trying to move bookings after the start of dinner service didn't do so well.) We were definitely ready for our fist lunch in The Grill, and then suitcases showed up and we could unpack. Then we were waved off by the Portsmouth harbour staff and a brass band,

(One day I will learn to use my camera the right way up!)

26 minutes ago, LandC said: I look forward to reading your updates. I note that you have two good speakers on board - a wine expert and a former chef to the Royal Household.  We will embark SofA on 22nd April, but have no information on who our speakers will be.

Hello! Yes, Oz Clarke (who I watched on TV when I was a kid). He's pretty visible around the ship and always seems to have time to talk to people. The destination expert seems good, and we have a few other speakers. Not seen the royal pastry chef yet, but I've slept a LOT!  

DAY 2 - BAY OF BISCAY

As with most ships, we skirted round the outside. Not exactly rough, but fairly big swells, windy and wet. I basically ate and slept.

Met the chef, who told me something I didn't know before - a lot of the batters and sauces use gluten-free flour. And a lot of gluten free flour contains pea protein - to which I am very allergic. So no fish and chips for me unless I put in a special request the day before. He's also asked for all my dining room meals to be cooked with butter or olive oil, which I didn't even realise until I saw my menu on Friday night. I'm not sure what oil I'm avoiding, but I'm glad. I don't use seed oils at home, so it is a bonus to reduce how much I get of them when away.

Here's a photo (upside down) of a slightly soggy pizza. Flavour is decent. But not a patch on Silversea's pizza, and definitely not close to Nick Nairn's amazing pizza up in Port of Menteith.

DAY 3 - OFF PORTUGAL

The formal night had been postponed until Saturday, as a precaution, as worse weather was expected. But it really wasn't bad, and plenty of people were up and about.  There are lots of activities on board, and so far I've avoided all of them. I'm happy with sea air and limited responsibility. It's been a great time to catch up on sleep, though today I was awake enough to watch my first post-dinner movie.   We forgot to take photos of the scallops and black pudding starter, but the scallops were beautifully cooked - no mean feat in a dining room that size. Also not photographed, I managed to get some chilli sauce with my lunchtime prawns. It had to be fetched from the dining room, but was well worth the wait - deeply smoky and spicy.

Thank you for taking the time to share your cruise with us. I hope you and your parents have a great time.

Patiently waiting for the next update. 

Delighted to see that you are posting a report of your cruise. The reports you posted of your first Saga cruise were very balanced, detailed and informative, and I won't be the only regular on these pages to be keen to read your posts. It will be particularly interesting to learn whether there have been any improvements (or otherwise) in the onboard experience since that first cruise.

The standard single cabin is shorter than the superior one, and consequently has one fewer chair between the bed and the balcony. The superior single is, I believe, identical to the standard double. 

Have a great cruise, and I look forward to reading about it. Thanks!

4 hours ago, Vivaldi said: Delighted to see that you are posting a report of your cruise. The reports you posted of your first Saga cruise were very balanced, detailed and informative, and I won't be the only regular on these pages to be keen to read your posts. It will be particularly interesting to learn whether there have been any improvements (or otherwise) in the onboard experience since that first cruise.   The standard single cabin is shorter than the superior one, and consequently has one fewer chair between the bed and the balcony. The superior single is, I believe, identical to the standard double.    Have a great cruise, and I look forward to reading about it. Thanks!  

Lovely to hear from you! The good thing is the exterior is getting a lot more maintenance now. I think they are still catching up, but the woodwork is in much better condition. We have the same guest relations director - Diego, who is a star. And the level to which the dining room are caring for my daft allergies is amazing. For dinner I have a private chef who deals with my food away from everyone else (because all the sauces are gluten free, therefore pea protein, therefore really not pretty outcomes). The crew that I met last year have been super friendly - as well trained as on a much smaller ship. (I do have to say, in between I went to Alaska on my favourite Silver Shadow, and it was as brilliant as ever.) I'll post today's formal night photos (such as I have) tomorrow. Which is Gibraltar and a dolphin watching trip. I think the ship is much better suited to this climate, so not expecting quite the same drama!

5 hours ago, Scorpio41 said: Thank you for taking the time to share your cruise with us. I hope you and your parents have a great time.   Patiently waiting for the next update. 

Laptop about to fade out, so I'll wait for photos to replicate and post tomorrow...

DAY 4 - SOUTH OF PORTUGAL

The weather took a distinct turn for the better, the sun shone and people appeared on deck (some for the first time).  Whilst the Lido and the Verandah are popular in terms of service, and the upper decks for sun, the rear terraces are a lovely place to sit in peace. Deck 11 is a smoking area, which is a shame, as the smell pervades the back of decks 10 & 12. It's not even pleasant to walk through - it would be nice for it to be more contained, or at least kept in a smaller area.  In terms of daytime entertainment, I believe Oz Clarke did his second talk before leaving the ship in Gibraltar. And there was the usual range of crafts, cards and deck games. I avoided all of them, though I might watch some talks on the TV replay instead. 

The captain uses the tone and style of a children's entertainer (but the sort that secretly hates children). The usual run of things would be a captain who gives clear positional, weather and safety info, then a cruise director who can talk more about entertainment. We've heard from the cruise director once, as the captain is the only star of this show. Lunchtime highlight was captain's announcement: "Do I need to introduce myself again?", followed by a chorus across the Grill: "NO!" There's a pantomime air that I haven't experienced from a captain before. Dressed for formal dinner captain looks like a Disney prince, so good on him for staying in character! Formal dinner, and we dined with a couple - the man was a uni peer of my father, and also shows up on my mum's first year physics dept photo, Whilst we've hardly seen them more than three times in the interim, there is a photo of two year old me hogging a swing in a garden in north London, whilst their son (also two) waits politely. Sorry, Jonathan. With the prevalence of gluten free flours (and therefore legume flours/proteins) I'm getting very special dinner treatment. I do pick from the menu at breakfast time, so they know what I'll need. But things I've never thought of before - like a prawn tian - need to be done separately for me. It feels a bit embarrassing, but everyone is very nice about it, and the outcome of too much exposure is a big deal. If I were being sensible, I'd probably eat lunch in the dining room too, so that I can pre-order. Had a sighting of a whale spout in the morning, but not sure how many people saw it. Then after dinner I stepped onto my balcony to be deafened by a hoarde of gulls screaming and riding the air stream. They stayed with us for hours, and it was an amazing sight. Here's a random set of photos. Lunchtime cheese is lovely, desserts are super sweet, beyond what my palette can enjoy. A rainbow! Lots of sea. A bit of dinner. And the gulls (if the video makes it, sound on!).

Enjoying your blogs.

From your photo, the Captain could do an "Elvis"?

1 minute ago, Wacktle said: Enjoying your blogs. From your photo, the Captain could do an "Elvis"?    

I know, it was a funny catch - but I'm sure his sense of humour can handle it!

Windsurfboy

Loving blog , can't wait to get on SOD in November. 

Very interesting, in our 32 nights on SOA in May never saw Captain eating in MDR, perhaps that was spill over from the covid protocols.  

It would be, I feel sure.  Normally the Captain and probably other Officers will host tables on formal nights. I have the impression that the invited are those with hundreds of days on Saga and those in top suites.  (This true of other lines; maybe not with Saga).

3 hours ago, lincslady said: It would be, I feel sure.  Normally the Captain and probably other Officers will host tables on formal nights. I have the impression that the invited are those with hundreds of days on Saga and those in top suites.  (This true of other lines; maybe not with Saga).

We were invited twice to join an Officer's table on the Christmas/New Year  SoD cruise. Standard cabin and not hundreds of nights on board.

1 hour ago, JoJo1947 said: We were invited twice to join an Officer's table on the Christmas/New Year  SoD cruise. Standard cabin and not hundreds of nights on board.

You did well! Most people on the captain's table are in the higher echelons of suite or days sailing. Or, the captain dinner is touted as a prize for those who stay loyal.  Interestingly, Silversea (pre-covid)would start inviting people to officers' tables pretty quickly. We've had some wonderful, some bizarre, and some hilariously bad experiences - and probably not easily predictable. Our top favourite is a Filipino head of house keeping, who we've sat with twice. She is epic. Also, on Silversea, very few people are aiming for the captain's table - it's the free laundry at 100 days that is the true prize!  But yes, I think this is a return to 'normality', whatever that means now. (As an aside, our local co-op replaced the hand wash station with a lottery stand, which feel faintly ironic.) Dolphin watching today in Gibraltar, will post once the photos are up.

I've never heard of it being touted as a prize. When we on aboard the SoD last October no dining with Officers or Officers mingling had restarted. Christmas thereon all back to pre covid

I understand that on another British line which shall be nameless passengers PAY to be on the Captain's table!

We have done quite a few, some jolly and a few stilted.  This mainly because we had got to know one particular Captain pretty well on another line.  It is surprising how many people will ask you later ' how did you come to be  invited'.  

6 hours ago, lincslady said: It would be, I feel sure.  Normally the Captain and probably other Officers will host tables on formal nights. I have the impression that the invited are those with hundreds of days on Saga and those in top suites.  (This true of other lines; maybe not with Saga).

It may have changed, but Saga spread invitations to dine on Officer's tables throughout the grades and with no particular regard to status. (A friend of mine got the invite on her first cruise with Saga) (and she was in a low grade inside cabin). I did hear that the selection was made by the general passenger facing staff, not the officers. We've been on officer's tables several times, and we are always in a cheap grade, and while we are regulars, certainly not one of the most frequent Saga cruisers.

Once, on the Saga Pearl II (a much smaller ship) we were at sea on Valentine's day. It was a formal night, and the ship made a real occasion of it - chocolates in the cabin, heart shaped confetti on the tables, etc.

When we sat down, we realised that many of the tables either had different people on them or missing diners. We found out that the "missing" diners were all solos, and every single solo on the ship was (as we could hear) having an uproarious time on an officer's table (they had to create extra tables and bring down more officers than usual to cater for the number of solos).

The dining room ran merrily late that night.

3 hours ago, lincslady said: I understand that on another British line which shall be nameless passengers PAY to be on the Captain's table!   We have done quite a few, some jolly and a few stilted.  This mainly because we had got to know one particular Captain pretty well on another line.  It is surprising how many people will ask you later ' how did you come to be  invited'.  

OMG. That is funny, to PAY. Officers are spread thin and wide here, the captain and staff captain less so. We're perfectly happy doing our own thing, especially as I seem to have gained a private chef! But two more formals to go, so we'll see what happens. I think it's great to see long term friendships develop, or even transitory ones.

2 hours ago, nosapphire said: It may have changed, but Saga spread invitations to dine on Officer's tables throughout the grades and with no particular regard to status. (A friend of mine got the invite on her first cruise with Saga) (and she was in a low grade inside cabin). I did hear that the selection was made by the general passenger facing staff, not the officers. We've been on officer's tables several times, and we are always in a cheap grade, and while we are regulars, certainly not one of the most frequent Saga cruisers. Once, on the Saga Pearl II (a much smaller ship) we were at sea on Valentine's day. It was a formal night, and the ship made a real occasion of it - chocolates in the cabin, heart shaped confetti on the tables, etc. When we sat down, we realised that many of the tables either had different people on them or missing diners. We found out that the "missing" diners were all solos, and every single solo on the ship was (as we could hear) having an uproarious time on an officer's table (they had to create extra tables and bring down more officers than usual to cater for the number of solos). The dining room ran merrily late that night.

I love reading the room and seeing where the energy goes. Fascinating to sense the relaxation after the captain's table have received their main courses.

A good few years ago on one of Saga Ruby's longer cruises, seats at the Captain's table one evening were auctioned off for charity. It wasn't a formal night and an indian dinner was served with the waiters dressed in Indian outfits but they were not the usual waiters rather Jo Bose (cruise director), Horst Pint and Jan Novack (hotel manager and ?deputy) and the Chief Engineer (whose name unfortunately I don't remember). It was a noisy table and the last to leave the restaurant! In addition, because it was a long cruise and a small ship, everyone was invited to the Captain's table once during the cruise.

10 hours ago, david05 said: A good few years ago on one of Saga Ruby's longer cruises, seats at the Captain's table one evening were auctioned off for charity. It wasn't a formal night and an indian dinner was served with the waiters dressed in Indian outfits but they were not the usual waiters rather Jo Bose (cruise director), Horst Pint and Jan Novack (hotel manager and ?deputy) and the Chief Engineer (whose name unfortunately I don't remember). It was a noisy table and the last to leave the restaurant! In addition, because it was a long cruise and a small ship, everyone was invited to the Captain's table once during the cruise.

That sounds like fun. Jo is our cruise director this time, and I feel Jan might have been the hotel director last year.  I do love a good curry night on a ship. We've just been to the Khukuri last night, and everything was delicious. 

DAY 5 - GIBRALTAR

What an interesting place. Both more British than Britain, and very not British at the same time. There is the only Morrison's outside of the UK (apparently a beacon for ex-pats still living in Spain), and a number of chain stores that I thought had gone bust long ago - but no one told the Gibraltar branch. M&S appear to be selling clothes from the 90s. Mothers Day today, and I managed to get their steward to sneak a gift into my parents' cabin. The ship also gave us chocolates, with a card that said, "Celebrating all Mum's". Whilst I can be a bit loose with grammar, that apostrophe certainly grated!

4. The tour boat was also not easy to get on and off for anyone with mobility problems. The mobile steps and big drop into the boat were not walking stick friendly, though everyone made it. It is disappointing not to see an accessible offering, especially after amazing whale watching trips in an accessible boat for over 15 years in Juneau, Alaska. 

5. The bench seats in the boat were slippery, totally unsupportive, and crowded. Some people had to sit in the middle facing each other with their knees touching. And then everyone on the outside had their back to the water. There were also quite a few other non-Saga tourists on the boat, including several children - that definitely detracts from the Saga 'boutique' offering. 

6. We were lucky that the water was flat as a pancake, and there were very few other boats in the bay. As it was, walking sticks kept falling over, and most people had quite a restricted view of the water. The boat did, of course, have life jackets and life rafts, but I can't imagine the evacuation process going well with that many people - plus all the life jackets were inside the middle benches, which meant to get them everyone on that bench had to stand for the lid to be lifted.

That said, the boat crew were great. The captain did a lovely job of turning and making steady progress, which the dolphins appreciate. And the others were informative, if you were in earshot. I found a space sitting on the floor on the raised front, and stayed put, just waiting for the dolphins to come by. Unlike seeing them out at sea, these dolphins are in no rush. They seem to have a lot of fun playing with the boats, sticking their noses up, laughing at us, rolling and generally dancing around. The trip was short (too short after all the delays), and it seemed like no time before we had to head back to the marina. I'd have happily paid twice the price for fewer people, a more accessible trip, and a little longer actually out on the water. (Dolphin photos on big camera, will add once I can get them off, need a usb adapter.)

I opted out of the coach ride to the ship, and instead took the long-ish (for me, still being careful with an old stress fracture) walk to the cable car. Maybe 25 minutes or so the get there? The cable car is £18 return, or £34 if you want to go into the nature reserve. I think I queued for about another 20 minutes to get on the small cable car. The ride up is less than 6 minutes, including a stop at the middle station (not in summer). I knew I was starting to get a bit short on time, and definitely didn't want another queue, so I asked just to stay on for the ride back down.  I'd heard the barbary macaques come to see the cable car at the top, and I wasn't disappointed. Thought I was briefly very close to a set of monkey balls being displayed at the open window - reflex reaction moved me back very fast, I really didn't want to lose glasses to this cheeky monkey.

I got a front space for the ride down and was able to film the fast descent. It's nice to get up high, if only briefly. The cable car is not wheelchair accessible. After a few great rides in SE Alaska and Norway, this is very disappointing. Having checked a few reviews, even the local taxis (one company, strong union) can't handle a non-folding chair in the back, as they are full of seats. They do have two slightly more accessible vehicles, which need to be booked in advance - but I'm told it's hit and miss whether you actually get them. However, back down in the main square the drinking water fountain had a wheelchair level tap as well as a standing height one, and there were quite a few accessible parking bays. Maybe eventually things will improve here, but currently the accessibility for tourists is poor. Another long-ish walk back to the ship, and I was tired and hungry. Then I remembered I'd not eaten breakfast, and I'd missed lunch!

Dinner at the Khukuri, which was lovely. Always good to get a well-made curry. Somehow my request for San Pellegrino now goes ahead of me, and a bottle arrived in the restaurant when we sat down. Obviously with curry I do have to be careful about legumes - but everything was taken care of and I had a lovely meal. 

Room service somehow interpreted my request for hot milk as cold milk, but with a bit of boiling water from the kettle I still made a decent mug of cocoa before bed. 

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• Saga Cruises

SoA Western Med, March 2023

By SaraSailing , March 18, 2023 in Saga Cruises

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SaraSailing

Much to my own surprise, I'm back on a Saga ship and hoping the drama of last February in Norway isn't going to try for an encore. I think today is day 4. We've made it through the Bay of Biscay and are turning the corner of Portugal. The rest to follow in the comments...

I look forward to reading your updates. I note that you have two good speakers on board - a wine expert and a former chef to the Royal Household.  We will embark SofA on 22nd April, but have no information on who our speakers will be.

DAY ONE - PORTSMOUTH

The shared "VIP" transport picked me up just after 11am, and a speedy 2 hours to drop off at the port. Portsmouth staff were pleasant, helpful, friendly, and super efficient: from drop off to being in my cabin was 35 minutes.  It's lovely to get straight into cabins, no waiting around with hand luggage until permission is granted. It's a nice Saga touch to be escorted to your cabin - and especially nice as my guide turned out to me my cabin steward too.  I'm in a superior single this time. To the best of my guessing power, it seems the superior cabins are just a touch longer than standard, but otherwise identical. The seating area by the window is nice, the dinky balcony perfectly adequate and there are plugs and usb sockets everywhere. The TV is slap bang in front of the foot of the bed, which suits my post-dinner movie habit. The shower room is compact and bijou. Or small, if you prefer. The shower is fine for showering, but leg shaving is a contortionist's art form. The wardrobe is big for one, but the same size in a double cabin, which would need more careful allocation of space. I do miss the walk-in deluxe wardrobe, but the deluxe cabins are seriously tight in the window seating area, so it's swings and roundabouts.

I just had time for a quick wander around before my parents arrived on the shuttle bus from the terminal. Next time we really must ask to share a car, as I'm on their route to the port. As it was, we both shared with different people. The green sofa clashing with the carpet is still an assault on the eyes at the top of the grand staircase from the Living Room to the bar.

One thing Saga do is allocate place and time of dinner for the first night, to spread everyone out. Despite our linked bookings, we'd been given two different times in two different restaurants - which was quickly sorted out by the dining room staff (I did go and ask at lunch time, the people trying to move bookings after the start of dinner service didn't do so well.) We were definitely ready for our fist lunch in The Grill, and then suitcases showed up and we could unpack. Then we were waved off by the Portsmouth harbour staff and a brass band,

(One day I will learn to use my camera the right way up!)

26 minutes ago, LandC said: I look forward to reading your updates. I note that you have two good speakers on board - a wine expert and a former chef to the Royal Household.  We will embark SofA on 22nd April, but have no information on who our speakers will be.

Hello! Yes, Oz Clarke (who I watched on TV when I was a kid). He's pretty visible around the ship and always seems to have time to talk to people. The destination expert seems good, and we have a few other speakers. Not seen the royal pastry chef yet, but I've slept a LOT!  

DAY 2 - BAY OF BISCAY

As with most ships, we skirted round the outside. Not exactly rough, but fairly big swells, windy and wet. I basically ate and slept.

Met the chef, who told me something I didn't know before - a lot of the batters and sauces use gluten-free flour. And a lot of gluten free flour contains pea protein - to which I am very allergic. So no fish and chips for me unless I put in a special request the day before. He's also asked for all my dining room meals to be cooked with butter or olive oil, which I didn't even realise until I saw my menu on Friday night. I'm not sure what oil I'm avoiding, but I'm glad. I don't use seed oils at home, so it is a bonus to reduce how much I get of them when away.

Here's a photo (upside down) of a slightly soggy pizza. Flavour is decent. But not a patch on Silversea's pizza, and definitely not close to Nick Nairn's amazing pizza up in Port of Menteith.

DAY 3 - OFF PORTUGAL

The formal night had been postponed until Saturday, as a precaution, as worse weather was expected. But it really wasn't bad, and plenty of people were up and about.  There are lots of activities on board, and so far I've avoided all of them. I'm happy with sea air and limited responsibility. It's been a great time to catch up on sleep, though today I was awake enough to watch my first post-dinner movie.   We forgot to take photos of the scallops and black pudding starter, but the scallops were beautifully cooked - no mean feat in a dining room that size. Also not photographed, I managed to get some chilli sauce with my lunchtime prawns. It had to be fetched from the dining room, but was well worth the wait - deeply smoky and spicy.

Thank you for taking the time to share your cruise with us. I hope you and your parents have a great time.

Patiently waiting for the next update. 

Delighted to see that you are posting a report of your cruise. The reports you posted of your first Saga cruise were very balanced, detailed and informative, and I won't be the only regular on these pages to be keen to read your posts. It will be particularly interesting to learn whether there have been any improvements (or otherwise) in the onboard experience since that first cruise.

The standard single cabin is shorter than the superior one, and consequently has one fewer chair between the bed and the balcony. The superior single is, I believe, identical to the standard double. 

Have a great cruise, and I look forward to reading about it. Thanks!

4 hours ago, Vivaldi said: Delighted to see that you are posting a report of your cruise. The reports you posted of your first Saga cruise were very balanced, detailed and informative, and I won't be the only regular on these pages to be keen to read your posts. It will be particularly interesting to learn whether there have been any improvements (or otherwise) in the onboard experience since that first cruise.   The standard single cabin is shorter than the superior one, and consequently has one fewer chair between the bed and the balcony. The superior single is, I believe, identical to the standard double.    Have a great cruise, and I look forward to reading about it. Thanks!  

Lovely to hear from you! The good thing is the exterior is getting a lot more maintenance now. I think they are still catching up, but the woodwork is in much better condition. We have the same guest relations director - Diego, who is a star. And the level to which the dining room are caring for my daft allergies is amazing. For dinner I have a private chef who deals with my food away from everyone else (because all the sauces are gluten free, therefore pea protein, therefore really not pretty outcomes). The crew that I met last year have been super friendly - as well trained as on a much smaller ship. (I do have to say, in between I went to Alaska on my favourite Silver Shadow, and it was as brilliant as ever.) I'll post today's formal night photos (such as I have) tomorrow. Which is Gibraltar and a dolphin watching trip. I think the ship is much better suited to this climate, so not expecting quite the same drama!

5 hours ago, Scorpio41 said: Thank you for taking the time to share your cruise with us. I hope you and your parents have a great time.   Patiently waiting for the next update. 

Laptop about to fade out, so I'll wait for photos to replicate and post tomorrow...

DAY 4 - SOUTH OF PORTUGAL

The weather took a distinct turn for the better, the sun shone and people appeared on deck (some for the first time).  Whilst the Lido and the Verandah are popular in terms of service, and the upper decks for sun, the rear terraces are a lovely place to sit in peace. Deck 11 is a smoking area, which is a shame, as the smell pervades the back of decks 10 & 12. It's not even pleasant to walk through - it would be nice for it to be more contained, or at least kept in a smaller area.  In terms of daytime entertainment, I believe Oz Clarke did his second talk before leaving the ship in Gibraltar. And there was the usual range of crafts, cards and deck games. I avoided all of them, though I might watch some talks on the TV replay instead. 

The captain uses the tone and style of a children's entertainer (but the sort that secretly hates children). The usual run of things would be a captain who gives clear positional, weather and safety info, then a cruise director who can talk more about entertainment. We've heard from the cruise director once, as the captain is the only star of this show. Lunchtime highlight was captain's announcement: "Do I need to introduce myself again?", followed by a chorus across the Grill: "NO!" There's a pantomime air that I haven't experienced from a captain before. Dressed for formal dinner captain looks like a Disney prince, so good on him for staying in character! Formal dinner, and we dined with a couple - the man was a uni peer of my father, and also shows up on my mum's first year physics dept photo, Whilst we've hardly seen them more than three times in the interim, there is a photo of two year old me hogging a swing in a garden in north London, whilst their son (also two) waits politely. Sorry, Jonathan. With the prevalence of gluten free flours (and therefore legume flours/proteins) I'm getting very special dinner treatment. I do pick from the menu at breakfast time, so they know what I'll need. But things I've never thought of before - like a prawn tian - need to be done separately for me. It feels a bit embarrassing, but everyone is very nice about it, and the outcome of too much exposure is a big deal. If I were being sensible, I'd probably eat lunch in the dining room too, so that I can pre-order. Had a sighting of a whale spout in the morning, but not sure how many people saw it. Then after dinner I stepped onto my balcony to be deafened by a hoarde of gulls screaming and riding the air stream. They stayed with us for hours, and it was an amazing sight. Here's a random set of photos. Lunchtime cheese is lovely, desserts are super sweet, beyond what my palette can enjoy. A rainbow! Lots of sea. A bit of dinner. And the gulls (if the video makes it, sound on!).

Enjoying your blogs.

From your photo, the Captain could do an "Elvis"?

1 minute ago, Wacktle said: Enjoying your blogs. From your photo, the Captain could do an "Elvis"?    

I know, it was a funny catch - but I'm sure his sense of humour can handle it!

Windsurfboy

Loving blog , can't wait to get on SOD in November. 

Very interesting, in our 32 nights on SOA in May never saw Captain eating in MDR, perhaps that was spill over from the covid protocols.  

It would be, I feel sure.  Normally the Captain and probably other Officers will host tables on formal nights. I have the impression that the invited are those with hundreds of days on Saga and those in top suites.  (This true of other lines; maybe not with Saga).

3 hours ago, lincslady said: It would be, I feel sure.  Normally the Captain and probably other Officers will host tables on formal nights. I have the impression that the invited are those with hundreds of days on Saga and those in top suites.  (This true of other lines; maybe not with Saga).

We were invited twice to join an Officer's table on the Christmas/New Year  SoD cruise. Standard cabin and not hundreds of nights on board.

1 hour ago, JoJo1947 said: We were invited twice to join an Officer's table on the Christmas/New Year  SoD cruise. Standard cabin and not hundreds of nights on board.

You did well! Most people on the captain's table are in the higher echelons of suite or days sailing. Or, the captain dinner is touted as a prize for those who stay loyal.  Interestingly, Silversea (pre-covid)would start inviting people to officers' tables pretty quickly. We've had some wonderful, some bizarre, and some hilariously bad experiences - and probably not easily predictable. Our top favourite is a Filipino head of house keeping, who we've sat with twice. She is epic. Also, on Silversea, very few people are aiming for the captain's table - it's the free laundry at 100 days that is the true prize!  But yes, I think this is a return to 'normality', whatever that means now. (As an aside, our local co-op replaced the hand wash station with a lottery stand, which feel faintly ironic.) Dolphin watching today in Gibraltar, will post once the photos are up.

I've never heard of it being touted as a prize. When we on aboard the SoD last October no dining with Officers or Officers mingling had restarted. Christmas thereon all back to pre covid

I understand that on another British line which shall be nameless passengers PAY to be on the Captain's table!

We have done quite a few, some jolly and a few stilted.  This mainly because we had got to know one particular Captain pretty well on another line.  It is surprising how many people will ask you later ' how did you come to be  invited'.  

6 hours ago, lincslady said: It would be, I feel sure.  Normally the Captain and probably other Officers will host tables on formal nights. I have the impression that the invited are those with hundreds of days on Saga and those in top suites.  (This true of other lines; maybe not with Saga).

It may have changed, but Saga spread invitations to dine on Officer's tables throughout the grades and with no particular regard to status. (A friend of mine got the invite on her first cruise with Saga) (and she was in a low grade inside cabin). I did hear that the selection was made by the general passenger facing staff, not the officers. We've been on officer's tables several times, and we are always in a cheap grade, and while we are regulars, certainly not one of the most frequent Saga cruisers.

Once, on the Saga Pearl II (a much smaller ship) we were at sea on Valentine's day. It was a formal night, and the ship made a real occasion of it - chocolates in the cabin, heart shaped confetti on the tables, etc.

When we sat down, we realised that many of the tables either had different people on them or missing diners. We found out that the "missing" diners were all solos, and every single solo on the ship was (as we could hear) having an uproarious time on an officer's table (they had to create extra tables and bring down more officers than usual to cater for the number of solos).

The dining room ran merrily late that night.

3 hours ago, lincslady said: I understand that on another British line which shall be nameless passengers PAY to be on the Captain's table!   We have done quite a few, some jolly and a few stilted.  This mainly because we had got to know one particular Captain pretty well on another line.  It is surprising how many people will ask you later ' how did you come to be  invited'.  

OMG. That is funny, to PAY. Officers are spread thin and wide here, the captain and staff captain less so. We're perfectly happy doing our own thing, especially as I seem to have gained a private chef! But two more formals to go, so we'll see what happens. I think it's great to see long term friendships develop, or even transitory ones.

2 hours ago, nosapphire said: It may have changed, but Saga spread invitations to dine on Officer's tables throughout the grades and with no particular regard to status. (A friend of mine got the invite on her first cruise with Saga) (and she was in a low grade inside cabin). I did hear that the selection was made by the general passenger facing staff, not the officers. We've been on officer's tables several times, and we are always in a cheap grade, and while we are regulars, certainly not one of the most frequent Saga cruisers. Once, on the Saga Pearl II (a much smaller ship) we were at sea on Valentine's day. It was a formal night, and the ship made a real occasion of it - chocolates in the cabin, heart shaped confetti on the tables, etc. When we sat down, we realised that many of the tables either had different people on them or missing diners. We found out that the "missing" diners were all solos, and every single solo on the ship was (as we could hear) having an uproarious time on an officer's table (they had to create extra tables and bring down more officers than usual to cater for the number of solos). The dining room ran merrily late that night.

I love reading the room and seeing where the energy goes. Fascinating to sense the relaxation after the captain's table have received their main courses.

A good few years ago on one of Saga Ruby's longer cruises, seats at the Captain's table one evening were auctioned off for charity. It wasn't a formal night and an indian dinner was served with the waiters dressed in Indian outfits but they were not the usual waiters rather Jo Bose (cruise director), Horst Pint and Jan Novack (hotel manager and ?deputy) and the Chief Engineer (whose name unfortunately I don't remember). It was a noisy table and the last to leave the restaurant! In addition, because it was a long cruise and a small ship, everyone was invited to the Captain's table once during the cruise.

10 hours ago, david05 said: A good few years ago on one of Saga Ruby's longer cruises, seats at the Captain's table one evening were auctioned off for charity. It wasn't a formal night and an indian dinner was served with the waiters dressed in Indian outfits but they were not the usual waiters rather Jo Bose (cruise director), Horst Pint and Jan Novack (hotel manager and ?deputy) and the Chief Engineer (whose name unfortunately I don't remember). It was a noisy table and the last to leave the restaurant! In addition, because it was a long cruise and a small ship, everyone was invited to the Captain's table once during the cruise.

That sounds like fun. Jo is our cruise director this time, and I feel Jan might have been the hotel director last year.  I do love a good curry night on a ship. We've just been to the Khukuri last night, and everything was delicious. 

DAY 5 - GIBRALTAR

What an interesting place. Both more British than Britain, and very not British at the same time. There is the only Morrison's outside of the UK (apparently a beacon for ex-pats still living in Spain), and a number of chain stores that I thought had gone bust long ago - but no one told the Gibraltar branch. M&S appear to be selling clothes from the 90s. Mothers Day today, and I managed to get their steward to sneak a gift into my parents' cabin. The ship also gave us chocolates, with a card that said, "Celebrating all Mum's". Whilst I can be a bit loose with grammar, that apostrophe certainly grated!

4. The tour boat was also not easy to get on and off for anyone with mobility problems. The mobile steps and big drop into the boat were not walking stick friendly, though everyone made it. It is disappointing not to see an accessible offering, especially after amazing whale watching trips in an accessible boat for over 15 years in Juneau, Alaska. 

5. The bench seats in the boat were slippery, totally unsupportive, and crowded. Some people had to sit in the middle facing each other with their knees touching. And then everyone on the outside had their back to the water. There were also quite a few other non-Saga tourists on the boat, including several children - that definitely detracts from the Saga 'boutique' offering. 

6. We were lucky that the water was flat as a pancake, and there were very few other boats in the bay. As it was, walking sticks kept falling over, and most people had quite a restricted view of the water. The boat did, of course, have life jackets and life rafts, but I can't imagine the evacuation process going well with that many people - plus all the life jackets were inside the middle benches, which meant to get them everyone on that bench had to stand for the lid to be lifted.

That said, the boat crew were great. The captain did a lovely job of turning and making steady progress, which the dolphins appreciate. And the others were informative, if you were in earshot. I found a space sitting on the floor on the raised front, and stayed put, just waiting for the dolphins to come by. Unlike seeing them out at sea, these dolphins are in no rush. They seem to have a lot of fun playing with the boats, sticking their noses up, laughing at us, rolling and generally dancing around. The trip was short (too short after all the delays), and it seemed like no time before we had to head back to the marina. I'd have happily paid twice the price for fewer people, a more accessible trip, and a little longer actually out on the water. (Dolphin photos on big camera, will add once I can get them off, need a usb adapter.)

I opted out of the coach ride to the ship, and instead took the long-ish (for me, still being careful with an old stress fracture) walk to the cable car. Maybe 25 minutes or so the get there? The cable car is £18 return, or £34 if you want to go into the nature reserve. I think I queued for about another 20 minutes to get on the small cable car. The ride up is less than 6 minutes, including a stop at the middle station (not in summer). I knew I was starting to get a bit short on time, and definitely didn't want another queue, so I asked just to stay on for the ride back down.  I'd heard the barbary macaques come to see the cable car at the top, and I wasn't disappointed. Thought I was briefly very close to a set of monkey balls being displayed at the open window - reflex reaction moved me back very fast, I really didn't want to lose glasses to this cheeky monkey.

I got a front space for the ride down and was able to film the fast descent. It's nice to get up high, if only briefly. The cable car is not wheelchair accessible. After a few great rides in SE Alaska and Norway, this is very disappointing. Having checked a few reviews, even the local taxis (one company, strong union) can't handle a non-folding chair in the back, as they are full of seats. They do have two slightly more accessible vehicles, which need to be booked in advance - but I'm told it's hit and miss whether you actually get them. However, back down in the main square the drinking water fountain had a wheelchair level tap as well as a standing height one, and there were quite a few accessible parking bays. Maybe eventually things will improve here, but currently the accessibility for tourists is poor. Another long-ish walk back to the ship, and I was tired and hungry. Then I remembered I'd not eaten breakfast, and I'd missed lunch!

Dinner at the Khukuri, which was lovely. Always good to get a well-made curry. Somehow my request for San Pellegrino now goes ahead of me, and a bottle arrived in the restaurant when we sat down. Obviously with curry I do have to be careful about legumes - but everything was taken care of and I had a lovely meal. 

Room service somehow interpreted my request for hot milk as cold milk, but with a bit of boiling water from the kettle I still made a decent mug of cocoa before bed. 

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