On May 20 1997, Saga's first cruise ship, Saga Rose sailed on her inaugural cruise to the Mediterranean from the Port of Dover.
20 years on and Saga celebrated two decades of cruising with its two current ships, Saga Sapphire and Saga Pearl II being berthed at Dover Cruise Terminals 1 and 2 for the day.
The port was alive with the bustle of passengers, a jazz band and a presentation on the gangway of Saga Sapphire, to Captain Phillip Rentell who retired from Saga after 13 years’ service with the company.
Saga Sapphire set sail on Saturday night on a 17 night voyage, revisiting ports that featured during the 1997 inaugural cruise on Saga Rose.
The onboard entertainment and music is being themed to celebrate the last 20 years. Special guests will be joining the cruise, including past and present Saga VIPs who have shaped the business over the last two decades.
Saga Pearl II also set sail on Saturday night to Norway on an 8 night cruise. Both ships sailed amid a huge send-off with fireworks with Dover seafront packed with local residents enjoying the festivities.
Tim Waggott, the Port of Dover’s chief executive, said: ‘We’re very proud that Saga Cruises chose to mark 20 extremely successful years in the industry at the very place where it all started for them – the Port of Dover.
Saga ships have been regular visitors to Dover since then, he added.
Robin Shaw, chief executive of Saga Cruises said ‘It seemed fitting that we held our 20th anniversary celebrations at the Port of Dover, it’s been an instrumental port in Saga’s cruise business success.
‘Since we started cruising in 1997 with Saga Rose the business really has gone from strength to strength. We’re experts in cruising for the over 50’s, we currently take more than 20,000 passengers a year on luxury cruises around the world.
‘And with the exciting news that we’re adding to our fleet with the arrival of our new-build ship, Spirit of Discovery in 2019, its exciting times for the business and the cruise industry as a whole,’ Shaw concluded.
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