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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 14^th 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 4x4 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.

Nigel Blanks, CEO of Saga Cruises, said: “Our guests are already excited about our 2023 schedule and so are we. 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.

“Our beautiful boutique ocean cruise ships, Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure, have been designed with our guests in mind from the décor and the wrap-around promenade through to the numerous restaurants and entertainment facilities. Every cabin has its own private balcony with uninterrupted sea views and everything from the chauffeur service to meals, Wi-Fi and gratuities are included in the price.”

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.

To book a 2023 Saga ocean cruise, visit saga.co.uk/cruise or call 0800 092 3660.

Selected destination images are available here, and cruise ship images here.

For journalist enquiries, please contact: sagatravel@headlandconsultancy.com.

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April 5, 2022