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• SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE

Passenger (Cruise) Ship, IMO 9818084

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The current position of SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE is at North East Atlantic Ocean reported 1 min ago by AIS. The vessel is en route to the port of Bantry, Ireland , and expected to arrive there on Apr 19, 07:00 . The vessel SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE (IMO 9818084, MMSI 232026551) is a Passenger (Cruise) Ship built in 2020 (4 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of United Kingdom (UK) .

Position & Voyage Data

Map position & weather, recent port calls, vessel utilization, vessel particulars, similar vessels, related news.

SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE current position and history of port calls are received by AIS. Technical specifications, tonnages and management details are derived from VesselFinder database. The data is for informational purposes only and VesselFinder is not responsible for the accuracy and reliability of SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE data.

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SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY Current Position and Live Map Location

Where is the current location of spirit of discovery right now ship spirit of discovery is a passenger ship navigating under the united kingdom flag. the imo number is 9802683 and mmsi number is 232021171. general vessel particulars are as follows length overall (loa) of 236 m and beam (max width) of 34 m. live maps below show the following voyage data - present position, next port of call, estimated (eta) and predicted time of arrival (pta), current speed, course, draught, photos, videos, local time, utc time..

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• Saga Cruises

Saga Cruises Spirit of Discovery Review. The Best Things About The Ship

by Gary Bembridge · July 5, 2019

Saga Cruises launched Spirit of Discovery in July 2019, the first of two sister cruise ships (Spirit of Adventure in 2020). These are the first new-build ships for cruising ever for Saga, which had previously bought and refurbished existing cruise ships. The Spirit of Discovery holds 999 passengers and in my blog and video, I discuss the 8 things that I think are best about the ship, and show and explain why. I also talk about one major watch-out and issue that could stop you from cruising.  

My Saga Spirit of Discovery Review Video

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Jw1VYSLd_eQ

You’re about to discover the eight best things about the new Saga Spirit of Discovery cruise ship, plus one thing that could be a deal breaker and stop you from cruising on this ship

Facts and figures

The Spirit of Discovery is the first of two sister ships being built by Saga Cruises. Spirit of Discovery is the first one, and Spirit of Adventure is the second one.

It holds 999 guests, has 505 crew and 10 passenger decks. Those stats mean that it falls, in many people’s definitions, within the small ship cruising category, which is normally defined as less than a thousand passengers.

The first great thing is the design. It is a great look from the outside. It’s unique. It’s different because it was specifically designed for Saga. But inside, the designers which were SMC (a London-based design organisation) have created a boutique hotel feel and that what’s Saga are going for.

The inspiration for the design was taken from London-based boutique hotels. It is a modern and contemporary look.

A couple of things that I really liked about this more as a ship geek is this that there is a really great connection to the ocean. They have an enormous and wide promenade deck. If you walk around the promenade deck four times, you’ve done one mile. That has disappeared from many modern cruise ships.

At the back of the ship there’s a magnificent terrace area, where you can sit and watch the world go by. It’s multi levels and you can see the ocean.

I love the fact that the design inside is a boutique contemporary hotel feel, and there’s a real sense of a connection to the sea. You even see that in the open spaces. For example, the Lido, which is the pool area. This is also very open. It’s large and again there’s great connection to the ocean.

There’s a real sense of Britishness around the design and the aesthetics. For example, there are 1,000 pieces of artwork across the ship, 400 of which were created for the ship and all have been created by artists that are based in the UK. Most of the suppliers the cheese, the salmon and wine are again from British suppliers.

Dining Options

The second thing that struck me about the ship were the dining options. Saga is all-inclusive and all of the dining, both speciality dining and regular dining, is included within the fare.

There are six dining options across the ship.

• The most important, of course, is the main dining room which is known as the Grand Dining Room. it serves British and international cuisine. It’s a magnificent traditional liner looking type of dining room.
• You then have the Grill and the Verandah, which is up on the Lido deck and this is the more informal dining, so it’s more buffet. Although importantly on formal nights they have the same menu in here as in the main dining room. So, if you don’t want to get dressed up for formal nights you can have the same menu up in the Grill and the Verandah area. The Verandah is an outside area where you can dine alfresco when the weather is good.
• There are three speciality dining options. The first of which is one that I know Saga are very excited about, and passengers are also very excited about, and this is The Club by Jools Holland. Jools Holland being a well-known British entertainer and musician. The Club is a steakhouse, and, in the evenings, they have cabaret, which is all curated by Jools Holland.
• Then there’s Coast to Coast, which is a beautiful restaurant and it’s the seafood restaurant. This seats 74 diners. It’s a new concept to Saga and is only open in the evening.
• The one which really appeals to me is East to West, and this is an Asian fusion restaurant with beautiful decor. It’s only open in the evenings and holds 76 diners.
• Also, which is included, is your sixth dining option on board the Spirit of Discovery and that’s 24-hour room service. Again, no charge as all of the dining options are included within the fare.

Britannia Lounge

For me, the third most amazing and great thing about the ship is the Britannia lounge. Britannia lounge is a classic on all the Saga ships, and this particular lounge is spectacular. When you walk in there’s a real wow factor.

The Britannia lounge is used during the day for talks, or various events, and in the evening it’s where you can go dancing as there’s a dance floor. You have the Britannia deck outside which has some beautiful artwork there and, as it’s on the front of the ship, you have great views as the ship sails through the beautiful scenery.

Britannia lounge I’ve pulled out as one of the best things about the new ship because I do think it is one of the absolute best parts of the ship. It really is a magnificent space.

The fourth thing that I’ve identified as being really good about the ship are the cabins. I want to talk about a couple of cabins specifically.

All of the cabins have balconies, so there’s no inside cabins and no ocean view cabins. It is entirely a balcony ship.

In the brochure and on the website they I identify nine grades, but I think you can better split those down into three key categories: solo cabins, balcony cabins (with two types: standard and deluxe) and then Suites (where there are three types midships, forward and aft).

One of the things I really wanted to talk about solo cabins. 20% or 109 cabins on board the Spirit of Discovery are solo cabins. Saga really cater for solo travellers in a big way. Also, what’s great is they cater for different budget types within solo cabins. They have a standard cabin, superior cabin, deluxe cabin and even have solo suites. So, catering for solo travellers is a really big plus.

Accessible cabins

The other great thing that Saga do is cater phenomenally well for people who have disabilities or need accessible cabins. The accessible cabins I was really impressed with. Of course, it’s a great size to have extra space if you’re in a wheelchair, there is a wet room style bathroom, ramp which heads up and out onto the balcony, but the great thing about it is every single accessible cabin has an interconnecting door to a solo cabin next door. It means if you’re traveling with a friend, family or even a carer, they can have a separate cabin connected to yours – and they don’t have to share a cabin or bunk up with you.

I think there’s real plusses here. Not only do they have a range of cabins for all budgets, but they really cater phenomenally well for solo travellers, with those many different grades, and for people with accessibility needs especially if they’re travelling with carers or friends.

So, the cabins for me definitely are a real big plus.

Entertainment

The fifth thing that I want to talk about is entertainment and their take on entertainment as I think they do somethings slightly differently.

They have the Playhouse Theatre, which can seat 440 at one time. They have production shows in the evening and have guest artists. At other times it acts as a cinema. So, that’s fairly standard and, as you’d expect, it’s pretty high-tech being a new ship.

The Library

The other thing which they have, which I think is great, is the Library. The library is a really interesting venue. It’s not only a great looking venue, where they have 3,500 books in an enormous library, they have self-service teas and coffees here, but they have a couple of really interesting things. They have an enormous craft area, and they run classes on jewellery making and paper crafts. Then they have a large card room. Bridge and card playing is very popular on board, so this dedicated card room which can hold up to 40 people at one time.

In terms of entertainment and activities they have a large enrichment program. There’s always guest speakers and lecturers. The entertainment definitely is more enrichment orientated and they do some great things.

Social Venues

• In terms of social venues, they have a number of places where you can socialise. One of the most interesting is the South Cape Bar. This is the name of a bar which originally appeared on one of their first and earlier ships within the cruise line which was the Saga Ruby back in 2005.
• Another great space, which is part of a hub of the ship is known as the Living Room. During the day this is a coffee bar, and, in the evening, it becomes a cocktail bar. Because it’s right in the heart of the ship and near the atrium, it’s a real hub during the day and in the evening. The living room is a great space, beautiful seating areas and a fun bar.
• Of course, you have the Britannia lounge which I’ve already spoken about, and you have the Terrace at the back of the ship which I’ve also spoken about.

The next thing that I thought was really good, and struck me about the ship, was just how much space and effort was focused on the whole area of wellness.

First of all, they have a spa, which is huge. In the spa you, of course, have traditional spa treatments, a pretty big salon area, a large steam room and sauna area and a great hydrotherapy pool area. So, lots of space dedicated to the pampering side of wellness.

Right up on the top of the ship they have a fitness area and the gym area.

There’s an outdoor sports area, and they have a Fairway golf simulator. So, lots of space and focus on wellness.

All-inclusive

Another really good thing on board the Spirit of Discovery is the all-inclusive nature of the fare.

Saga had been pretty inclusive, but from 2020 they’re going completely all-inclusive. So, what does that mean?

Obviously, your accommodation, all the dining as I’ve already mentioned, gratuities, Wi-Fi and from 2020 drinks are included. They also include a pickup service where you get picked up from your home and taken to and from the ship. Insurance is included, and if you don’t take the insurance you can then also get a slight discount on the fare.

Of course, you have extras like excursions, spa treatments and if you buy stuff in the shop.

But, it’s great to know that all the fundamentals of the cruise experience are included within the fare.

So, those are my views about the eight great and good things about the brand-new Spirit of Discovery ship from Saga. So, what about the downsides that could stop you cruising?

Saga is a UK-based company and they do all of their marketing to UK passengers, and they create a very British experience. Now, that doesn’t mean if you’re not a UK resident you can’t cruise on Saga! If you want to cruise on Saga and you’re out of the UK, make sure that you connect through with Saga in the UK.

However, the biggest issue that you face is: in order to cruise with Saga Cruises, you need to be over 50 years of age. However, if you are 50 years of age and your partner or friend is over 40, they can cruise with you. But you do need to be over 50 before you can cruise on a Saga Cruise.

If you want to find out much more about cruising and Saga Cruises, I have many more videos on the topic so why don’t you watch one of those right now!

Note: I cruised as a guest of Saga on a pre-naming shakedown cruise and toured the ship on its arrival into Dover. Saga had no input or say on the content or images used in my video.

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Tags: adult cruise adult travel cruise advice cruise holiday cruise tips cruise vacation over 50's cruise over 50's travel saga saga cruises spirit of discovery

Gary Bembridge

I grew up in Zimbabwe, but I have been based in London since 1987. My travel life spans more than three decades and that includes more than 95 cruises. In 2005, I launched Tips for Travellers to make it easy and fun for people to discover, plan and enjoy incredible cruise vacations. And the rest, as they say, is history. I have the largest cruise vlogger channel currently on YouTube, with more than 3 million video views per month.

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Saga Cruises Spirit of Adventure Keel Laying Video

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Spirit of Adventure

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Blue Sapphire

Former names: saga sapphire, bleu de france, holiday dream, superstar aries, superstar europe, ms europa, blue sapphire.

Cruise line ANEX Selectum Blu Cruises (Small Cruise Lines)

Blue Sapphire current position

Blue Sapphire current location is at Aegean Sea (coordinates 38.32380 N / 26.29525 E) cruising en route to Cesme. The AIS position was reported 4 minutes ago.

Specifications of Blue Sapphire

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Blue Sapphire Review

Review of blue sapphire.

The 1981-built Saga Sapphire cruise ship (now Blue Sapphire) was one of Saga Cruises UK 's two old vessels - together with the fleetmate Saga Pearl 2 . Sapphire was transferred to Saga Holidays/Saga Travel (part of SAGA Group UK) in 2011 and inaugurated in March 2012.

Saga Sapphire and Saga Pearl 2 were both withdrawn from service (left the fleet) after SAGA Group's two newbuilds - Spirit of Discovery (2019) and Spirit of Adventure (2020) - were delivered. In August 2019 was announced that Saga Sapphire will be acquired by ANEX Tours (Turkey's largest travel agency/tour operator), starting operations for ANEX Tours in mid-2020. The 39-year-old liner was sold to/acquired by ANEX Tours on June 18, 2020.

The ship (renamed "Blue Sapphire") started operations for ANEX Tours in 2021, with an inaugural cruise program based on roundtrips from homeport Antalya Turkey and Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea itinerarires.

(ANEX Tours/shipowner) In November 2019, after acquiring Thomas Cook Group's subsidiaries in Germany (Oger Tours, Bucher Reisen, Neckermann) and Russia (Intourist / 1929-founded USSR-Russia travel brand privatized in the 1990s by Vladimir Yevtushenkov), ANEX Tours became the world's second-largest tour operator - after TUI Group. The company's Chairman (Neset Kockar) commented that expects the annual passenger volume to increase to 8 million and the turnover to reach ~EUR 10 billion (~USD 11B).

Thomas Cook Group (2007-founded / 2019-defunct) was a British travel group formed by the merger of Thomas Cook AG (British-German, 2001-founded) and MyTravel Group plc (British, 1972-founded). Neset Kockar (ANEX Tours) was the second-largest shareholder in Thomas Cook Group - after Fosun International (China).

In late-February ANEX Turkey announced its new brand "Selectum Blu Cruises", with CEO Necdet Ucarlar. ANEX Tours plans to expand Selectum Blu Cruises' fleet to 3 ships (second-hand vessels), with itineraries in Europe, Asia and Caribbean, and homeporting in Turkey, China (or Vietnam) and the Dominican Republic. ANEX Tours sell holidays (including ship cruises) since 1996.

Saga Sapphire's last drydock refurb (by SAG UK) was in 2015. Following the acquisition, ANEX Tours Turkey planned a drydock refurbishment for Blue Sapphire to be conducted in 2020-Q3. As of December 1, 2020, the ship was docked at Port Marmaris Turkey .

For SAGA UK, the vessel (IMO number 7822457) was Malta- flagged (MMSI 256208000) and registered in Valletta . Following the ANEX acquisition, Blue Sapphire is now Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 311000978) and registered in Nassau .

"Selectum Blu Cruises" is operated via the Malta-based subsidiary "AnexSea Cruises Ltd" (February 2020-incorporated, company number C94928, headquartered in Sliema, Malta) and plans to acquire/purchase a second vessel.

History - construction and ownership

Saga Cruises (Saga Shipping) is a UK-based company, division of Saga Group. By purchasing Saga Rose, Saga Group started its passenger shipping operations. The boat operated as flagship until 2005 when was added Saga Ruby (bought from Cunard Line). For the 2003 summer Saga Cruises chartered mv Minerva (built 1989), which was renamed to Saga Pearl. Saga Rose was retired after a final 37-night Mediterranean voyage. Subsequently, the ship was scrapped in China. Saga Ruby departed for Gibraltar out of Southampton for the last time on Jan. 10 and was handed over to the new shipowner on January 13, 2014.

Saga Sapphire was originally built for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises as ms Europa (link to the HP ship). "MS Europa" was the 5th ship for Hapag-Lloyd with that name. Through the years, the vessel was renamed several times - SuperStar Europe (1999-2000, owner Star Cruises Asia ), Superstar Aries (2000-2004, owner Star Cruises Asia), ms Holiday Dream (2004-2008, owner Club Vacaciones), Bleu de France (2008-2011, owner Pulllmantur-CDF ). In November 2010, the ship was bought by Saga UK but remained on charter by CDF-France (Pullmantur subsidiary) for the next year. After an extensive refit in 2012, the ship received the name "MS Saga Sapphire".

The 752-passenger ship Saga Sapphire was introduced (as the company's flagship) in March 2012. Sapphire was the largest vessel operated by Saga Group (a UK-based corporation that specializes in financial services and also cruise shipping for 50+ aged travelers).

In November 2011, Saga Holidays took ownership of Pullmantur CDF’s Bleu de France, immediately beginning a multimillion drydock refurbishment of the 706-passenger vessel. The vessel changed hands a few times since its debut in 1981 as Hapag-Lloyd's Europa. Saga Cruises successfully created a stylish but contemporary ship with lovely British touches. A part of the refurb was the stunning 7-m installation of 1395 stainless steel fish (Atrium Lobby's centerpiece). To Saga Sapphire's staterooms (Deck 8) were added 46 step-out balconies - increasing the balcony cabins to 65. Amenities include electronic safe box and lifejackets (in the closet), DVD player, smart HDTV, direct-dial phone (intercom), hairdryer, mini-fridge, individually controlled air-conditioning. Public spaces were redesigned and now support using mobile devices via Wi-Fi connectivity (Saga UK's first such amenity).

Decks and Cabins

Saga Sapphire/Blue Sapphire staterooms (382 total, in 25 categories) and include 6 Royal Suites, 1 Owner Suite, 3 Grand Suites, Standard Outside (1 Suite, 2 Singles, 21 Doubles /all with obstructed views), Standard Inside Single, 6 wheelchair-accessible cabins. Of all staterooms, 179 are with baths (of which 20 have showers) and 58 are studios (single-occupancy cabins, including 2 with balconies). The total 65 Balcony cabins are with relatively narrow step-out verandas (still but big enough for sitting).

The boat has 12 decks , of which 9 are passenger-accessible and 8 with cabins. The cruise ship is of an older design and has no identical (production-line fabricated/same-sized) cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Dining venues on Saga Sapphire are fare-included. Saga Sapphire’s main Pole to Pole restaurant is situated on Deck 7, accommodating a maximum of 620 people. Pole to Pole is split into separate themed areas on seven continents, with intimate impression. The windows are down each of the room’s sides and geographical variation is provided by enlarged photographs. Dinner is open-seating. It is served between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. The passengers choose to dine as couples or join a table of four or six. Traditionalists prefer eating at the same table, at the same time and with the same companions each day. They can be accommodated by speaking to the maitre d’ on request on cruise’s first day and are expected to use the same table throughout the cruise.

Each morning, a continental buffet is being set out in the restaurant, with waiter service for tea and coffee, fresh toast or cooked items. Waiter-service lunch is provided also in Pole to Pole. The Grill is Saga Sapphire’s alternative dining area on Deck 9. Full waiter service is also available throughout the day, with a self-service salad section during lunch. At lunchtime, if weather permitting, a barbecue grill is being set up on the Verandah. The Grill stays open 30 minutes after Pole to Pole at breakfast. Continental buffet and daily cooked specialities are served at breakfast. Saga Cruises has decided to increase the number of self-serve buffet offerings. Make a reservation for speciality restaurant East to West at no extra charge. The restaurant offers an Asian fusion menu of Thai, Chinese, Sri Lankan and Indian. Lunchtime burgers, hot dogs, fish and chips, are served poolside at the Beach Club, which also offers unlimited soft ice cream.

Follows the complete list of Saga Sapphire restaurants and food bars.

• Pole to Pole Restaurant (Main Dining Room)
• East to West Restaurant (Asian cuisine)
• The Grill (alternative dining area)
• The Verandah.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The Drawing Room up on Deck 11 provides computers for travellers’ access to the Internet. Wi-Fi is also available. The Academy on Deck 4 is used as an addition to Brittania Lounge for onboard lectures. There and in the library are many books to borrow, as well as DVDs and iPads. The two shops on Deck 8 supply formal wear, resort clothes, confectionery, souvenirs, travel necessities, pharmaceuticals.

Daytime lectures and evening shows are held in Britannia Lounge which is on Deck 8. It serves also as the meeting point for the departures to shore excursions, afternoon teas, and cocktail parties. Britannia Lounge is furnished with soft chairs and sofas - it is the boat's main entertainment venue with an array of musicians and cabarets in the evening, hosting lectures and dancing lessons throughout the day. To the opposite is situated the Card Room, decorated in gold leaf, open to card-game enthusiasts. The Drawing Room up on Deck 11, with expansive observation windows and panoramic views, is furnished with furniture eclectic collection and knick-knacks - an entertainment venue that is alternative with vessel’s second dance floor. The Drawing Room is also a perfect place for a daytime retreat. Cooper's Bar on Deck 8 is a popular pre-dinner bar, themed around the comedian Tommy Cooper. The flat-screen TV is used for half-hour comedy shows.

The Aviators Bar is one deck down, adjacent to Reception Desk. Drinks are available also from the Beach Club on Deck 11, by the pool. The Clubhouse is adjoining the pool area - an indoor room with games like table football and tennis. A small troupe of singers and dancers are available onboard the Saga Sapphire. They perform productions of show tunes that are popular. The afternoon tea is accompanied by a classical trio or string quartet, playing for pre-dinner dancing. Comedians, guest singers, virtuoso instrumentalists take part in cabaret performances, although Saga Sapphire is not a late-night clubbing vessel.

Sapphire’s outdoor cinema “View from the Top” is situated above the Beach Club (Saga's first). The mini-golf course St Andrews is on Deck 12, in front of the ship. Saga's shore excursions are usually led by local guides and they prove to be popular because of the reasonable price.

The Saga Sapphire beauty and spa salon is situated deep down on Deck 2. Alongside the hair salon and the treatment rooms are the steam room and the sauna. A rudimentary gym also awaits for you. There are a whirlpool bath and a heated indoor pool. The main pool is situated on Deck 11 and it is surrounded by sun loungers and deckchairs. Saga Sapphire View from the Top is an outdoor cinema above the Beach Club - the first of its kind for Saga UK. Also on Deck 11 is a small golf course, called St Andrews.

Saga Cruises passengers are not comfortable with the concept “resort casual”. Saga Sapphire is not dedicated to 21st-century fashion. Most of the men wear ties and jackets even on casual evenings; suits are for informal nights. Also frequently used are the cravats and blazers, particularly among Britannia Club members. Women usually wear blouse-and-skirt combinations, dresses, light, and airy or elegant cocktail outfits. The seven-night cruises have two formal nights; the 2-weeks voyages have three.

Tips for cabin stewards and waiters are included in fares. There are no gratuities added automatically to bar bills or spa treatments. The pound sterling is the currency on board.

Follows the complete list of Saga Sapphire lounges, clubs, and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• The Academy (hosts lectures)
• Aviator's Bar; Cooper's Bar
• Photo Gallery & Shop
• View from the Top
• Britannia Lounge; The Drawing Room; Library; Card Room
• The Beach Club; The Club House
• Aqua Spa; Treatment Rooms; Hair&Beauty Salon; Sauna; Steam Room; Indoor Pool; Outdoor Pool; 2 Hot Tubs; Gym
• Sun Deck with outdoor games (shuffleboard, deck quoits)
• St Andrews (mini-golf course).

Itineraries

Blue Sapphire itinerary program was planned to start with a Maiden Voyage in May 2021. However, the Inaugural Cruise was eventually rescheduled for August 28th. The 7-night itinerary (Aug 28 - Sept 4/Antalya roundtrip) visited Alexandria (Egypt), Kusadasi-Ephesus  and Marmaris .

In 2021-2022, the ship was homeported in Antalya Turkey for roundtrips visiting ports and islands in the Eastern Mediterranean. In September-November 2021, ANEX Tours scheduled for Blue Sapphire homeporting in Marmaris Turkey with roundtrips to Greek islands and Turkish ports. For 2021-2022 winter season, the boat was deployed in the Persian Gulf, with homeporting in Dubai UAE .

Selectum Blu Cruises 2023 program (May-October) had scheduled roundtrips from homeport Bodrum Turkey . The 3-4-night/4-5-day Eastern Mediterranean itineraries visited Greek island ports - Mykonos , Santorini , Rhodes , Kos . Some voyages visit Piraeus-Athens and Heraklion (Crete Island) . The season started on May 2nd

ANEX Selectum Blu Cruises brand targets customers mainly from Eastern Europe and Russia-Ukraine-Kazakhstan. Turkish passengers are estimated to be 15-20% of the source market. All onboard announcements are made in several languages.

Note: Saga Sapphire itinerary program was based on roundtrips from the UK ports Dover and Southampton to the British Isles, Norway Fjords, Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Canada/New England, and the Caribbean with round-trip Transatlantic crossings.

Blue Sapphire - user reviews and comments

Photos of blue sapphire.

Blue Sapphire ship related cruise news

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Bodrum Cruise Port, one of the major passenger entrance gates, and adding value to tourism in the Bodrum district of Mugla, hosted the 101st and last...

Egyptian ports restart with Alexandria receiving World Navigator and Blue Sapphire

On August 28, Alexandria Port (Egypt) received the World Navigator ship coming from Port Heraklion (Crete Greece), with a total of 178 passengers and...

Saga Cruises sold its Saga Sapphire ship to Anex Tour Turkey

The UK-based cruise shipping company that specializes in services for the over 50s - SAGA Cruises, announced it had completed the previously...

SAGA Cruises sells Saga Sapphire ship to ANEX Tour Turkey

The cruise experts in services for the over 50s, SAGA Cruises, today announced the completion of the previously agreed sale of its Saga Sapphire ship...

Saga Cruises ships could be used as hospitals

Laid up cruise ships could be used as floating hospitals for Coronavirus (COVID-19) patients. The UK company Saga Cruises offered its two liners to...

ANEX Tour to Purchase Saga Sapphire

One of the leading tour operators in central and eastern Europe, ANEX Tours Turkey is entering into cruise shipping business via acquiring the Saga...

Saga Cruises Introduces 3 Canary Islands Itineraries

Three Canary Islands itineraries on Saga Pearl II and Saga Sapphire feature themed voyages from fitness to crime fiction with a wealth of adventure...

Saga Sapphire Sets Sail on a Secret Cruise in November

Captain Horne’s Mystery Cruise surprises up to 720 passengers every day for 3 weeks. The intriguing cruise aboard Saga Sapphire leaves...

Crew Member Medevaced From Saga Sapphire

Portuguese air force helicopter has medevaced a crew member from Saga Sapphire on Saturday, January 27, south of the island of Madeira.  The...

Canary Islands Cruise Aboard Saga Sapphire Appeals to Passengers Who Want to Be Active

Canary Islands in Spring cruise aboard Saga Sapphire appeals to passengers who love to be active. The focus is on yoga and Pilates sessions ...

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Blue Sapphire Wiki

Saga cruise passengers are 50-60+, mainly British and repeaters (known as "saganauts"). This typical UK cruise ship is adults-only (child-free environment). Ship's last Captain (for Saga) was Julian Burgess. While operated by Saga UK, the ship was Malta- flagged (MMSI 256208000) and registered in Valletta .

In 2018, Saga Sapphire passengers had the unique opportunity to visit the Meyer Werft shipbuilding yard (in Papenburg Germany ) and see the construction of Saga's new ship Spirit of Discovery . The location was part of organized from Bremen cruise tour itinerary during the 6-night "Easter Getaway" cruise (March 28, 2018). The shipyard's guided tour enabled guests to see the vessel's construction progress and learn about its design and the shipbuilding process itself. The unique 6-night cruise itinerary was priced from GBP 968 pp departing from Southampton England . The UK travel package (to and from Portsmouth) included all meals, table wines (at lunch and dinner), afternoon tea, 24-hour room service, unlimited tea/coffee (selected venues), free Wi-Fi internet, onboard gratuities, porterage, free shuttle bus transfer (to nearest town).

In 2018, the ship had scheduled "Isle of Man and the TT" (motorcycle race) themed cruise (7-day itinerary May 29 - June 5) leaving roundtrip from Dover to Dublin , Liverpool , Isle of Man (Douglas, June 2) and Isle of Portland (June 4). The all-inclusive ticket prices started from GBP 1000 pp (double-occupancy Inside Cabin fare). Saga Cruises all-inclusive deals on the voyage included UK land travel (to / from homeport Dover), 24-hour room service, welcome aboard cocktail party, onboard meals and entertainment, table wine (at lunches and dinners), house-brand alcohol, cocktails, beers, mixers, soft drinks (all served complimentary in onboard bars and lounges), Afternoon Tea service, unlimited tea and coffee, Wi-Fi, all gratuities, porterage, free transfers (shuttle bus to / from the ship in call ports).

During Saga Sapphire's drydock refurbishment in June 2016 (at Blohm+Voss Shipyard in Hamburg ) were extended Aviators Bar and the pool deck area. The ship's main engines received routine maintenance.

Blue Sapphire's first drydocking by ANEX Selectum Blu Cruises was conducted in 2022 and included a full-scale refurbishment of all public spaces and passenger staterooms, as well as a complete hull treatment and technical overhauls. The ship

s last drydocking was in 2024 (February-May) conducted at ICDAS Shipyard ( Cesme Turkey ).

Saga Sapphire cruises 2020 (last voyages for SAGA UK)

Next tables show the ship's last cruises for Saga Group.

16-day "Norwegian Fjords" from Southampton to Dover

7-day "Irish Coasts and Cities" roundtrip from Dover

8-day "Scandinavian Vistas" roundtrip from Dover

19-day "Tastes of Spain and Portugal" roundtrip from Dover

(last voyage for Saga UK) 15-day "UK and Ireland" from Dover to Southampton

Unfortunately, due to the global Coronavirus pandemic , all the March-April voyages were cancelled.