Saga Spirit of Adventure to Scandinavia July 2025

[Mervyn and Trish]

A quick laundrette report. Only 2 on board, total of 6 washers and 6 dryers. Free including washing tablets. But Saga loyalists who've done 150 nights or more, and there are a lot of them about, get free laundry and dry cleaning done for them.

Nonetheless Saga passengers using the laundrettes are as badly behaved as any other lines, taking other people's drying out before it's finished for example. But not seen any actual fights yet!

[Stephen]

They’ll be dicing with death handling you combinations Merv

[Mervyn and Trish]

Even I won't touch those without rubber gloves.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Just for comparison I was looking at Saga v Cunard.

Last year we had three weeks on Queen Victoria in Queens Grill. Taking the total cost (cruise, onboard spend, gratuities, air fares, hotel etc) an equivalent Saga cruise in 2026 is 40% more expensive.

Looking at two comparable cruises to the Med in April 2026 a twin balcony on Saga is the same as a Queens Grill Master Suite (Saga is actually twice the price).

Now I can fully accept that Saga has some benefits over other cruise lines but I am having a hard time trying to justify the overall benefit for the significant extra cost.

Actually I need to appoint you as my travel agent.

Looking at a similar cruise to this next year, Saga want just over £10k for a balcony cabin, with all the perks thrown in. The early booking discounts have mostly disappeared. Cunard want £13,500 with all the added costs to come for the cheapest Princess Grill cabin. Queens sold out.

I would never rule out Cunard as a good choice for us if we can afford Princess but they don't win that one!

[Stephen]

We’ve heard Princess are good and would maybe consider a Princess cruise round the UK.
Enquired about a ship visit at Southampton for a look over but they have nothing planned for this year or next.

[Mervyn and Trish]

If you do consider Princess look at the Reserve Collection. Extra perks.

[Stephen]

Will do. .

[Mervyn and Trish]

More on entertainment.

Excellent Simon and Garfunkel tribute last night called Sound of Simon.

And this afternoon the on board company did a half hour Agatha Christie play.

In a short while we're going to stop in the open sea to do a test on the bow thrusters. Routine the Captain says. Okay. If we don't make it through someone please fill in a comp form for me.

[Stephen]

Hope you’ve left me your whiskey.

[Onelife]

More on entertainment.

Excellent Simon and Garfunkel tribute last night called Sound of Simon.

And this afternoon the on board company did a half hour Agatha Christie play.

In a short while we're going to stop in the open sea to do a test on the bow thrusters. Routine the Captain says. Okay. If we don't make it through someone please fill in a comp form for me.

Best not be down wind if the captain is going to test his bow thruster

[towny44]

If the tests fails and the Captain cannot turn the thrusters off, will you round in ever decreasing circles, until you dissappear down the whirlpool you've created?

[Mervyn and Trish]

It's a worry. If we get stuck at sea will the food run out?

[Stephen]

It's a worry. If we get stuck at sea will the food run out?

….Not for the fish

[Onelife]

It's a worry. If we get stuck at sea will the food run out?

….Not for the fish

Here's hoping he has a whale of a time

[Mervyn and Trish]

Not dizzy yet

[Onelife]

Not dizzy yet

Try holding your breath for 5 minutes…. on second thoughts try 10 minutes

[Mervyn and Trish]

Sorry. Still here.

Anyway...

WiFi/Internet, included in the fare and very good.

If I was on a different cruise line you wouldn't have had daily updates at the prices they charge. Yeah okay OL, you might consider that a plus!

And apart from it not allowing streaming I haven't noticed any real difference is speed from the broadband at home when reading emails, posting on here, browsing Facebook etc.

[Mervyn and Trish]

In fact I just checked. Its downloading at over 70 Mbps. Upload is slower at around 1Mbps, but plenty fast enough for this and sending photos to family by Messenger and WhatsApp.

[david63]

WiFi/Internet, included in the fare and very good.

I believe that Saga, along with most other cruise lines, are now using Starlink which, from what I have experienced, is far superior to the "old" system. At least that is one thing that Musk has got right.

[Stephen]

I used it on Azura recently and wasn’t overly impressed. It was hit and miss with a lot of cut outs and varying speeds.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Tenders. Nicer than most I've been on with padding, albeit thin, on the seats. And they all face forward. Still cosy but no travelling backwards playing kneesy. Like most they hold 150 as lifeboats, 100 as tenders. With fewer than 1000 aboard tendering is quicker than the megaships.

[Stephen]

If I remember correctly the tenders were very posh and comfortable

IMG_0977.jpg

[Mervyn and Trish]

Ah those are only for loyalty club members whose cards must be shown when abandoning ship.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Lifts. Six, three forward, three aft, which work well. The only time we've waited briefly is when the theatre turns out or a returning tour reboards..

As ever there are a number of passengers who've failed their lift proficiency test. Is this lift going up? No that's why the arrow is pointing down. No worries I'll go down to go up, 11 to 5 to 12. Why isnt that lift going? Being you keep pressing the call button before the doors have even closed. I'll just press all the up and down buttons, it'll come quicker even if it is going the wrong way. Don't worry about me trying to get out, you just barge your way in to be sure of getting a space. Now where did I wsnt to go, I'll just stop right outside the door and think about it for a few minutes. Doh!

[david63]

Lifts. Six, three forward, three aft, which work well. The only time we've waited briefly is when the theatre turns out or a returning tour reboards..

As ever there are a number of passengers who've failed their lift proficiency test. Is this lift going up? No that's why the arrow is pointing down. No worries I'll go down to go up, 11 to 5 to 12. Why isnt that lift going? Being you keep pressing the call button before the doors have even closed. I'll just press all the up and down buttons, it'll come quicker even if it is going the wrong way. Don't worry about me trying to get out, you just barge your way in to be sure of getting a space. Now where did I wsnt to go, I'll just stop right outside the door and think about it for a few minutes. Doh!

That's what happens when you go on a floating care home