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Saga to operate almost 200 cruises in 2022

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Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure will undertake 46 cruises collectively
Saga is planning to operate nearly 200 ocean and river cruises next year, with river vessels Spirit of the Rhine and Spirit of the Danube clocking up 91 itineraries between them.

55 chartered river cruises will also be available from Saga, while Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure will undertake 46 cruises, collectively.

Nigel Blanks, CEO, Saga Cruises said the programme includes ‘some really unique options, from little known Croatian islands, to access to cultural events that only take place once every 10 years.’ He added, ‘Even firm favourites such as Norway, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean have unique excursions from dog-sledding and ice hotels, to whale and bird watching, to sea-bed trekking and cooking dinner from the heat of a volcano.’

Spirit of Adventure

Spirit of Adventure departs Southampton on July 22 for Spitzbergen, sailing across the Arctic Circle to discover the landscapes of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago under the light of the Midnight Sun. Sights also include the Lofoton Islands where there will be opportunities to learn about Norway’s Viking heritage before cruising the southern tip of Norway to the Renaissance town of Kristiansand. Prices start at £5,269 per person for 18 nights.

A 22-night cruise from Southampton to Croatia and the cities of the Central Mediterranean takes place August 6 visiting classic destinations such as Venice and Malta, and introducing passengers to more unusual ports of call such as Zadar on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast and Ravenna, Italy. Prices start at £7,008 per person.

Spirit of Discovery 

Spirit of Discovery will undertake a 17-night Baltic cruise into the Gulf of Bothnia from Dover on July 31 stopping in the ports of: Kemi, Finland; Visby, Sweden; Skagen, Denmark. Passengers will have a chance to see the landscapes of the Jutland Peninsula, the island-scattered Stockholm Archipelago and Finland’s hinterland. Excursions include the cities of Gothenburg, Stockholm, Gdansk, Tallinn and Riga with their ranges of unique architecture and UNESCO World Heritage sites. Prices start from £4,949 per person.

Spirit of the Danube

A seven-night birdwatching on the Danube Delta itinerary will take place in 2022, starting with a two-night hotel stay in Bucharest before departing on Spirit of the Danube on the wildlife-rich Danube Delta. The vessel will then pause at the historic fishing village of St Georghe for a two-night mooring at the tip of the reserve for further exploration via smaller boats that can negotiate lakes and marshes. 

Giving expert insights and talks onboard will be wildlife presenter Martin Hughes-Games. The final full day includes a trip to the Romanian town of Braila, where passengers can explore independently or head across the border to Moldova. Prices start at £1,899 per person for cruise departing from various UK airports on June 18.

In May, July and August, Spirit of the Danube will travel through Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and Germany calling at a variety of towns before visiting the small village of Oberammergau in the Bavarian Alps. In 1634 a ‘Passion Play’ was staged there after plague struck the village and the residents pledged to perform it every decade - a spectacle cruise passengers will witness. Prices start from £2,649 per person for the nine-night sailing with departures from various airports around the UK.

Spirit of the Rhine

The Floriade Expo in the Netherlands also takes place every 10 years; in summer 2022, Spirit of the Rhine will visit the Expo, Meise Botanic Gardens and Keukenhof Gardens with celebrity guest and horticulturist Pippa Greenwood hosting talks. Setting off from various UK airports, prices start at £2,049 per person for the 10-night programme.