Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2021

5 3 received by our guests, not least because they feel part-and-parcel of normal life for the moment.” It’s been a difficult 18 months, but there have been moments to cherish. “The emotions at Spirit of Adventure’s naming in Portsmouth – joy, excitement, happiness and quiet reflection on everything that has happened during the past year when she was laid up in Tilbury – won’t easily be forgotten,” says Blanks, who admits that after such a long period of not sailing, the feeling of getting guests back onboard is hard to beat – regardless of where the ship sails. “That said, there was another special moment when Spirit of Adventure embarked on her first international cruise from Tilbury to the Baltics on 29 August. For me, that marked the final step in the return to cruising.” Meanwhile, Spirit of Discovery will depart for her first international cruise on 2 September for a 22-night ‘Coastlines of Croatia’ cruise with calls to Hvar and Split, Croatia; Venice, Italy; Valletta, Malta; Kotor, Montenegro; and Minorca, Spain. Blanks’ key priority for the next year is to give guests an exceptional experience. “I want to give them the best experience I can now that they’re finally able to join us on the seas again,” he says. “Secondly, it’s all about our ships. We’ll be keeping a close eye on how things go with Spirit of Adventure’s first few cruises and adjusting things as we go. As Spirit of Discovery hasn’t sailed for 18 months, we’ll be looking at anything we might want to change or improve too.” Looking ahead, Blanks says that Saga is in a very strong position. “Not many lines can say they have two new ships at the cutting edge of modern, boutique cruising and we’re going to be setting a standard for years to come as a result. In some ways, though, what we have today and what we will focus on in the future doesn’t change what we’ve always focused on – quality service, the very best experience for our guests and the chance to see and enjoy the world in luxury. I’ve been doing this with Saga for well over 30 years and I know these values will endure long after I’ve gone and others are here in my place.” CFR Guests can enjoy venues such as The Grill onboard Spirit of Adventure above Spirit of Adventure was christened by Commodore Inga J. Kennedy, recently retired head of the Royal Navy Medical Service, at Portsmouth International Port in July 2021