Small cruise ship remained in the UK port overnight before departing for the Isle of Wight
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Portsmouth International Port welcomed Saga Cruises’ Saga Sapphire for the first time on 1 July.
Arriving in the UK port at 8am as part of a ‘Maritime Heritage Cruise’, Saga Sapphire remained in port overnight, giving cruise guests plenty of time to visit the city’s attractions, including HMS Warrior and HMS Victory in the Historic Dockyard.
Saga Sapphire departed for the nearby Isle of Wight at 7am on 2 July to enable guests to watch the ‘Round the Island’ race, one of the world’s largest yacht races that involves more than 1,700 boats and around 16,000 sailors.
“We’re delighted to see Saga Sapphire following in the wake of Saga Pearl II and Saga Ruby,” said Rupert Taylor, harbour master at Portsmouth International Port. “Saga knows that we are perfectly placed to offer incredible days out for passengers, with such rich maritime heritage right on the doorstep. That means guests can get off the ship on arrival, and within minutes can be exploring the historic dockyard and other world class attractions. And with such easy access for cruise ships from the English Channel, it’s unquestionably a great option for cruise operators too.”
Saga Sapphire is one of 32 cruise ships visiting, leaving or departing from Portsmouth International Port this summer.