It's Merry Christmas Cruising in Hamburg

A panoramic view of the Hamburg Skyline of the Binnenalster taken from Lombardsbrücke. Wikpeida

It’s ‘Merry Christmas Cruising’ in Hamburg This year will again see the visit of cruise ships over the Christmas period officially bring the 2012 Hamburg cruising season to an end. The line-up will include a maiden call by the P&O Cruises ship ‘Oriana’ on 12 December and a visit from Cunard’s ‘Queen Victoria’ on 18 December. A total of around 10,000 expected passengers can look forward to a variety of thematic Christmas markets in wintry Hamburg.

Hamburg. Before the 2013 cruising season officially gets underway with a visit by Cunard Line’s ‘Queen Victoria’ on 7 January, throughout the upcoming Christmas period Hamburg Cruise Center will welcome a total of 5 cruise ships scheduled to call at the Hanseatic city seven times between 30 November and 20 December.

This will be the fifth time in a row that the Hamburg cruising season will run into December. Registering just one single month (February) without any ships calling for the very first time, the rapid development to an all-year-round destination is clearly evident. Whereas in the past the cruising season for northern European ports only included the summer months to the total neglect of the cold time of year, it is the winter months in particular that have now developed into an independent ‘Christmas market cruising season’ for the industry. “Through the targeted marketing of theme cruises, perception has been sustainably altered. What was originally called off-season in the early days is now an independent product,” declared Nadine Palatz, marketing manager at Hamburg Cruise Center and manager of the Atlantic Alliance.

The Atlantic Alliance, an association of 15 ports between Hamburg and Lisbon, has been marketing cruise destinations along Europe’s Atlantic coast since 2008. This has included the creation of special theme cruises, for example, ‘Bright Lights - Christmas Markets in Europe’; see Atlanticalliance.eu for more information.

The Phoenix Reisen cruise ship 'Amadea' will open Hamburg’s ‘Christmas market cruising season’ on 30 November, when the vessel heads out on a 14-day Scandinavian cruise under the motto ‘Christmas markets and winter magic’, before returning to the Hanseatic city on the 14 December. Subsequently, the ship will then embark on a short ‘Nordic Christmas markets’ cruise from/to Hamburg before then setting sail from Hamburg to South America on 20 December.

7 December will again see the return of the Saga Cruises ship ‘Saga Ruby’ to Hamburg. Within the scope of its ‘Advent cruises’, the cruise ship will call for a full day at the Hanseatic city before moving on to Copenhagen via Kiel.

On 12 December, the Hamburg Cruise Center Altona will ceremoniously welcome the P&O Cruises ship ‘Oriana’ (1,828 passengers). Underway from Copenhagen/Oslo to Southampton, the ship will dock at Hamburg for the first time in the course of its ‘Christmas spirit’ theme cruise.

The early hours of 18 December will then see the Cunard Line’s ‘Queen Victoria’ entering the Port of Hamburg, shortly followed on the same evening by the ‘Balmoral, which is operated by the Fred. Olsen Cruise Line. The ‘Balmoral’ is on the ‘German Christmas markets’ tour between Copenhagen and Bremerhaven. Hamburg has a lot to offer within the scope of these Christmas cruises.

For the mostly British passengers who wish to swop tea-time for mulled wine and Spekulatius almond cookies, there are numerous thematic Christmas markets. The latest flyers from Hamburg Tourismus GmbH provide information on all of these markets. Cruise passengers will be handed an English version of the flyers at Hamburg Cruise Center’s Infopoint inside the terminal, where they will be met by a memorable and festive atmosphere with singing Santas and decorations. Detailed information on berths is available at www.hamburgcruisecenter.de

The Port of Kings welcomes eight inaugural visits in 2013

Photograph from Port of Dover
Harbour Information

Port of Dover reports good news for The Port of Kings. . . 

Dover Cruise Port welcomes some new visitors and some old friends as plans are laid for an exciting cruise season in 2013. Eight new cruise ships and their passengers will experience the high quality facilities and services available at Dover’s cruise terminals when the season begins in March 2013.

There are already 148 cruise calls booked for 2013 including eight first time visits to the iconic port. AIDA has confirmed their commitment to Dover by introducing their brand new ship - the AIDAstella and increasing their number of calls to the Port. AIDAstella will be offering a new four-day city tour from Dover covering Amsterdam and Hamburg.

Also making its Dover debut is Hapag Lloyd’s Christopher Columbus 2 on its 14-day tour of the British Isles in addition to NCL’s Norwegian Star, Princess Cruises Sea Princess, Royal Caribbean International’s Vision of the Seas, MV Explorer from V Ships and MV Voyager from All Leisure Group.

Carnival Cruise Lines is launching its widest selection of European itineraries to date with Carnival Legend offering its first Norwegian Fjords package along with 12-day cruises to the Baltic, the Mediterranean and the British Isles. In total Carnival Legend will operate a magnificent 17 European cruises visiting 34 ports across 18 countries and will also be celebrating an inaugural visit to Dover. 

Dover Cruise Port is delighted to welcome back ships from Costa Cruises, Fred Olsen, Saga and MSC, the latter will be offering a series of Northern Europe and Mediterranean mini-cruises. Holland America’s MS Ryndam will cast-off on a range of Northern European routes and in September 2013 a double dose of cruise splendour will be served up when Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity are both berthed at Dover. 

Kate O’Hara, Head of Business Delivery, Port of Dover commented; “We have another busy year ahead for the cruise business in Kent as the popularity of cruise holidays continues to grow. We welcome back repeat cruise lines and embrace new ships and new customers who are drawn to the diverse range of activities and attractions that the region has to offer. Customers will enjoy not only the outstanding facilities and matchless levels of service but also the wealth of shore excursion opportunities in this beautiful county.”

Quoted from Source:   doverport.co.uk

Change Afoot for Saga With Two ‘New’ Ships Underway

Captain's Blog: travel.saga.co.uk

May 9th, 2012, Sue Bryant, Cruise Critic Contributing Editor, describes the Saga Sapphire finally getting under way after delays set her inauguration back.  We are all wishing Saga Sapphire safe journeys and all her passengers to enjoy their holidays.

..."Saga Cruises' Saga Sapphire has finally embarked on a much-delayed maiden voyage –- if it can still be called that -- after two previous attempts at an inaugural cruise had to be scrapped due to engine trouble.

The 706-passenger, 33,819-ton ship left Southampton on Sunday, bound for the Baltic, after emergency repairs had to be carried out in Valencia in April. The original maiden voyage was cut short and passengers flown home when an engine failed, and the revised second itinerary was cancelled when repairs took longer than expected. . . "

Continue reading Sue Byrant's article at:   cruisecritic.com

Saga Sapphire Has Last Minute Delay and Itinerary Change

The Telegraph in England reported the Saga Sapphire had last minute delays on her inaugural cruise due to a workers strike in Italy.

As quoted . . . "The inaugural voyage of the cruise ship Saga Sapphire, the latest and much trumpeted addition to the Saga fleet, has been delayed and re-routed to the dismay of passengers.

The Sapphire should have set sail on her inaugural voyage from Southampton today. But Saga staff began telephoning passengers last week to break the news that their departure had been delayed by a week, until April 2.

The phone calls came as a shock to passengers, some of whom were still being contacted last Friday afternoon, just three days before they were due to sail.

"I am very disappointed," said Keith Symons, 88, of Wilton, Wiltshire, who was packed and ready to go when he was told about the delay on Friday.

To read more of the Saga Sapphire situation, go to:   telegraph.co.uk

Saga’s captain celebrates 50 years at sea

Saga Holidays, the leading travel company offering global adventures for the over fifties, is celebrating another fiftieth milestone. Captain David Warden-Owen, currently at the helm of Saga Ruby, has clocked up half a century at sea. Just months before Saga Sapphire, the newest vessel to join the Saga Cruise fleet, makes its nautical debut, the company has been taking a look back at Captain Warden-Owen’s 50 year career sailing more than 400,000 passengers to more than 300 ports.

Warden-Owen began his sea-faring career in 1962, after attending HMS Conway Naval College and completing a cadetship with Shaw Savill Line. His first passenger cruise was with Cunard and his 50 years at sea will be a celebrated aboard the brand new Saga Sapphire. Captain Warden-Owens will sail the sparkling new Sapphire to more than half a dozen Caribbean islands, with a bonus stop in Spain on the way back to its UK port.

His extensive experience and friendly personality made Captain Warden-Owen the natural choice to become Master of Saga’s first ship in 1997 - Saga Rose. He believes the vessel was a legend of her time, and still speaks fondly of her: “I just loved Saga Rose. Not only did she have classic lines, but she was also one of the best seagoing ships I have ever been on” Of his fifteen years with Saga, he added: “I’ve Captained all of the Saga Fleet, and without a doubt the single most enjoyable part of my job has been the many friendships myself and my wife have made over the years with the passengers. I’m looking forward to sailing my half century on Saga Sapphire, and no doubt seeing many familiar faces among our customers”

Robin Shaw, CEO Saga Cruises, said “Captain Warden-Owen will celebrate his 50th year by experiencing multiple adventures and ports. He is incredibly admired and loved by both his crew at sea, and the Saga Cruises’ team port side. He is part of an established stable of Captains with 200 years of experience between them, and we are incredibly proud of him. Happy half century Captain!”

Saga Cruises started 2012 ahead of the game by becoming the first travel company to feature Aurasma virtual technology in its brochures, allowing customers to virtually visit Saga’s cruise ships in Norway and onboard.

March 2012 sees the much anticipated launch of new ship Saga Sapphire. After a multi-million refit, Saga Sapphire will offer 706 passengers a cruising experience with a modern British twist. I-pads will mix with old fashioned sweets and gourmet fish & chips served alfresco at The Beach Club.

Prices per person for 31 nights on Sapphire’s Caribbean Celebration cruise with Captain Warden-Owen are from £4564 departing November 17 2012 (includes travel insurance, all on-board gratuities, welcome cocktail party, Captain’s Dinner, all meals onboard including 24-hour room service, all port taxes and visa, UK mainland travel service to departure point including chauffeur service).

Source:  breakingtravelnews.com

Saga names latest acquisition Saga Sapphire

Saga Cruises has decided to name its latest acquisition Saga Sapphire: the 37,301 gross ton  vessel that is currently trading as Bleu de France willjoin the fleet of the British company in March next year.


The ship’s name was announced by the company after it got its Britannia Club members talking about the new addition to Saga Cruise’s Fleet.  Members of SAGA’s loyalty club, which offers exclusive benefits to regular travellers, were asked for their thoughts on what the new ship should be called, with Saga Sapphire voted as their top choice.


The 1981 built  ship that startedlife as Europa of Hapag-Lloyd is set to sail its inaugural cruise on 26 March 2012 with details of its itineraries to be released shortly. The announcement of a new addition to the fleet is in response to the continued and growing popularity of the Saga cruise experience.  The 37,301-ton vessel, previously named Bleu de France will undergo a multi-million pound refurbishment planned for later this year.  Saga Sapphire will be overhauled with a stylish and contemporary design throughout to bring her up to the exacting standards Saga Cruise passengers enjoy on the company’s other ships.


“I’m delighted to announce the name of the newest addition to our fleet,” said Saga Cruising CEO, Robin Shaw.  “The excellent addition of Saga Sapphire will offer SAGA customers even more opportunities to discover a range of new and exciting ports of call.” Saga Cruises was voted top cruise operator for the second year in a row in the latest Which? Survey highlighting the exceptional standards on board, attention to detail, value for money, interesting itineraries, all contributing factors to Saga’s loyal customer base.


The company already has three other cruise liners.


Source: cruisebusiness.com

Saga gets Astoria at long last!

UK cruise operator Saga has finally got the vessel it has wanted as a replacement for its ageing Saga Rose, with the acquisition of the former Club Cruise owned Astoria at auction in Gibraltar.

Saga was in the process of buying Astoria earlier this year just before Club Cruise went into receivership and the vessel arrested in Barcelona. The UK operator already had a slot booked at Malta Shipyards for a refit, but this was lost as the delay in the vessel’s purchase went on. Astoria will now undergo a £14m refit at a yet to be named European shipyard this winter before entering service as the 446 passenger capacity Saga Pearl II in March 2010. During the refit the 1981-built vessel will be fitted with new balcony cabins, upgrading of the show lounge, spa and two swimming pools, the addition of a library, new galleys and a new Veranda Restaurant.  

The vessel’s inaugural cruise, an 18 night voyage to Norway and the Northern Lights, will sail from Southampton, UK on 15 March. Calls will be made at Bergen, Analyses, Alta, Tromso, Marvin, Sondheim, Alesund, Olden, Flåm and Stavanger. This was an early season cruise pioneered by Saga this year.

Saga Pearl II’s first season will see the vessel offer a series of cruises to North Africa, the Canaries, France and the Mediterranean, Greenland, Iceland and the Arctic, the Baltic and Scandinavia and the British Isles and Ireland, 

One special cruise during 2010 will be the seven night ‘Remembering Dunkirk’ voyage, which commemorates the 70th anniversary of the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from the beaches of northern France during WWII. This cruise departs Dover, UK on 29 May and calls at Dunkirk, Rotterdam, Ghent, Boulogne, Cherbourg and St. Peter Port (Guernsey).

Meanwhile, the final cruise of the much loved Saga Rose will see the vessel undertake a 37 night round-trip ‘The Farewell Voyage’ from Southampton sailing on 30 October 2009 with calls at Vigo, Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Venice, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Katakolon, Heraklion, Rhodes, Limassol, Haifa, Alexandria, Piraeus, Valetta, Toulon, Alicante, Casablanca and La Coruna. Aboard the final sailing, which is ‘all inclusive’, will be a host of famous Brits, including Katherine Jenkins, Des O’Connor, Ronnie Corbett, Sally Gunnell, Terry Waite, Nicholas Parsons, Baroness Boothroyd, Lord Carey, Sir Bernhard Ingham, Tom O’Connor, Edwina Currie and Peter Sissons. 

Saga looses Malta conversion slot

As talks continue between the UK cruise line Saga and the receivers/bondholders of bankrupt Club Cruise on the purchase of the Dutch company’s 18,600grt, 1981-built Astoria, at appears that Saga has lost the slot it had at Malta Shipyard’s for the conversion of the vessel.

Saga was in the early stages of buying Astoria from Club Cruise for €30m before the Dutch owner went bankrupt, and was then to spend a further €15m on converting the vessel as a replacement for the 1965-built Saga Rose. 

Saga still looking for replacement for Saga Rose

UK cruise operator Saga is now actively seeking a replacement for its ageing Saga Rose which is being retired from service at the beginning of 2010 because of the new SOLAS regulations. 

Saga was hoping to buy Club Cruises’ Astoria and have her converted in Malta before entering service at the end of this year. However, following the collapse of Club Cruise, and the arrest of Astoria in Barcelona, the deal has run into difficulties. Saga even paid a 10% deposit for the ship and is advertising her in its latest brochure re-named Saga Pearl II.

Saga is now looking for another ‘classic’ cruise ship with a passenger capacity of between 550 and 650 passengers.  

New boss at Saga

UK cruise operator Saga Holidays has a new boss in the shape of Susan Hooper, formerly senior vice president at RCCL. She takes over from outgoing CEO Ian Coghlan.

Killybegs to get its first direct cruise call

The Irish fishing port of Killybegs, the largest in the country, will receive its first direct cruise call this July when Saga Cruises’ Saga Rose visits the port, while on a 16-day cruise to Greenland from Liverpool.

Saga continues with purchase of Astoria

UK cruise line Saga is continuing with its purchase of Club Cruises’ Astoria, despite the vessel being involved in a forced sale following the collapse of the Dutch cruise line. However, Saga has now stopped selling cruises on the vessel in 2010 until the dispute is resolved. 

Saga had agreed to pay €30m for the 1981-built vessel before Club Cruise defaulted on loan payments for its fleet and was forced to put the fleet up for sale. The 500 passenger capacity Astoria is currently under arrest in Barcelona, although Saga hopes to start cruises on the vessel from the spring of 2010.

Astoria is being bought to replace the ageing Saga Rose. She was to have been renamed Quest for Adventure, but will now to name Saga Pearl II, if the deal goes through. While negotiations continue on the purchase of Astoria, Saga is also looking for an alternative ship should the sale fall through.

Saga’s new ship plans in the air!

UK cruise operator Saga’s replacement plans for its ageing Saga Rose are up in the air following the financial problems at Holland’s Cruise Club. The British operator was in the process of buying Club Cruises’ 500 passenger capacity Astoria and following a multi-million £ refit in the summer of 2009 was to have entered service for Saga as Pearl II in October.

However, all of the Club Cruise fleet are now expected to sold at auction.