Saga appoints captains for Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of AdventureSaga appoints captains for Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure

They join Capt. Kim Tanner who will steer Spirit of Adventure on its inaugural 15-night British Isles cruise on July 26. He has been with Saga for five years. 

‘A dream to drive’

‘Being able to captain two brand-new ships is really exciting,’ said Capt. Ikiadis who comes from a long line of seafarers. ‘The sister ships give a respectful nod to previous Saga cruise ships, but these are thoroughly modern and contemporary in  design. They’re also a dream to drive thanks to the fact they boast the very latest in ship technology.’ 

He first went to sea in 1984 and has held many positions since, working for cruise lines such as Azamara and TUI Cruises.

Experience on board larger vessels  

Capt. Bowland has previously held positions with Royal Caribbean and Holland America Line, after starting his career as a cadet with the Royal Canadian Navy in 1985. 

‘When I first joined the cruise industry, the business was all about the guests,’ he said. ‘After many years driving larger ships with 3000+ passengers, I am really looking forward to getting to know our guests and crew.

‘I love exploring, and I can’t wait to show our guests the many fantastic destinations…’

‘Modern and contemporary boutique cruise ships’

Tanner remarked, ‘I’m so looking forward to getting out to sea on our ships again. Although we successfully delivered Spirit of Adventure last year she still hasn’t had any of our guests onboard… The best part of the job is being out on the ocean… with our fantastic modern and contemporary boutique cruise ships.’