Save the date for Saga's first-ever new ship christening.
The British brand announced the Spirit of Discovery will be
christened at the Port of Dover on July 5, 2019.
It will be the first ship to be named at Dover following the
£250m redevelopment of Dover Western Docks.
"As the place that Saga's first cruise ship set sail from
more than 20 years ago, Dover was the natural choice," revealed
Chief Operating Officer Nigel Blanks.
"With Saga's Group headquarters based in Kent, we felt it only
right that we name our first brand new, purpose-built cruise ship
in Kent and what better way to do that than with the iconic White
Cliffs of Dover as a backdrop. Spirit of Discovery will be the
first cruise ship to be named in the port for more than a decade
and the first following the regeneration of the Western Docks. We
are already planning a few surprises, and will no doubt add a few
more before next year, so save the date, as we christen the first
of our new-build fleet," Blanks noted.
The Spirit of Discovery's maiden voyage, A British First, will
sail from Dover on July 10, 2019. The 999-guest luxury boutique
ship will circumnavigate the British Isles, the company
said.
"We are really excited about her first cruise as it's a great
way to show-off our first new boutique cruise-ship to the British
market as we call in to iconic ports such as Newcastle, Edinburgh,
Belfast and Liverpool," added Blanks.
The inaugural cruise has already sold out and most other 2019
itineraries are well ahead of expectations with the 109 single
cabins proving extremely popular, Saga said.
The Spirit of Discovery's destinations throughout summer 2019
include Spain, Scandinavia and the Baltic, as well as a four-night
mini-cruise to Holland, Germany and Belgium.
In addition, Saga recently announced the company's strategic
decision to move to all-inclusive cruising as standard from
2020.
Blanks said: "The decision to go all-inclusive in 2020 had been
made to distance ourselves further from the competition and mass
cruise market". He said: "I firmly believe this will not only sit
very well alongside our 'Boutique Cruising' proposition but will
reaffirm our position as Britain's niche luxury cruise
operator."