Saga Cruises
Saga Cruises, formally Saga Shipping, is the cruise division of the British over-50s specialist Saga plc and is based in Folkestone, England. It began in 1997 with the former Cunard ship Gripsholm, renamed Saga Rose, and for two decades sailed secondhand classic ships such as Saga Ruby, Saga Pearl II and Saga Sapphire.
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About Saga Cruises
A fleet renewal replaced them with Saga's first newbuilds from Meyer Werft: Spirit of Discovery in 2019 and Spirit of Adventure, which debuted in 2021 after pandemic delays. Saga has also built its own river fleet at Serbia's Vahali yard, starting with Spirit of the Rhine in 2021, followed by Spirit of the Danube and Spirit of the Moselle, with Spirit of the Lorelei due in 2027, and it also sells cruises on the Douro Serenity in Portugal.
Cruises are sold to travelers aged 50 and over as all-inclusive holidays: the river ship pages list drinks, gratuities and Wi-Fi as included, specialty restaurants on the ocean ships carry no charge, and a return chauffeur service to the port is part of the offer. Ocean cruises sail round trip from Portsmouth and Dover to the Canary Islands, the Mediterranean, Norway and the Baltic, with long voyages to the Caribbean and South America.
What Saga Cruises is known for
Saga is known in Britain for cruises built entirely around the over-50s, with smaller new ships, all-inclusive fares and a door-to-door chauffeur service that takes much of the hassle out of getting to the port. Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure are modern but carry fewer than 1,000 guests, so the line offers new-ship comfort without big-ship crowds, and its included specialty dining and solo-friendly approach are part of the draw.
The flip side is price and audience. Advertised fares sit well above other UK lines on similar routes: in late 2026 a two-week Canary Islands cruise on Spirit of Discovery was listed from £3,768 per person, against about £1,500 for a two-week Canaries cruise on Fred. Olsen, though Saga bundles in more. The age rule also makes the atmosphere quiet and mature by design. The ocean fleet is only two ships, so itinerary choice is narrower than on larger lines, and the most valuable Britannia Club rewards start only at 500 nights at sea.
Who it's for
Premium · smaller crowds, better food and service than mainstream
- Couples
- Solo travelers
- Adults only
- History and culture
Saga suits British travelers aged 50 and over, including solo travelers and couples, who want an all-inclusive cruise from a UK port on a modern ship of under 1,000 guests, with transport to the ship arranged for them. Its river cruises suit the same audience on the Rhine, Danube, Moselle and Douro, with the same inclusive approach.
Because Saga sails only for guests aged 50 and over, younger travelers and families with children are not catered for, and anyone wanting nightlife, big production shows or the lowest possible fare will find better options on mainstream lines.
How it rates
- Cabins
- 4.7/5
- Dining
- 4/5
- Entertainment
- 3/5
- Service
- 5/5
- Pools & decks
- 4.3/5
- Value
- 3/5
The fleet's average on each metric, across 6 rated ships in service. Each ship is scored 1 to 5 by Cruise Frog's editors; these are not reader reviews.
Rankings and comparisons
Where Saga Cruises sails
Ships
Best rated
#14.2 ★Spirit of Adventure2021 · 58,199 GT · 999 guests · Canary Islands · MediterraneanSpirit of Adventure is Saga's second new ship and a sister to Spirit of Discovery, built by Meyer Werft and delivered in September 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic held back her debut…#24.0 ★Spirit of Discovery2019 · 58,250 GT · 999 guests · Canary Islands · MediterraneanSpirit of Discovery was Saga's first purpose-built ship, delivered by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, in June 2019 and sailing from July that year. At 58,250 gross tons she…
#34.0 ★Spirit of the Danube2022 · 172 guests · DanubeSpirit of the Danube is Saga's second purpose-built river ship, constructed at the Vahali shipyard in Serbia and sailing since 2022. Like her sisters she is 135 meters long and…Every ship
Coming soon
Former ships
| Ship | Sailed | Gross tons | Left |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saga Sapphire | 2012–2020 | 37,049 | June 2020 |
Where to fly in
- London Heathrow (LHR)2 Saga Cruises ships sail from Portsmouth, England40 lounges on Lounge Frog
Quick answers
What is Saga Cruises known for?
Saga is known in Britain for cruises built entirely around the over-50s, with smaller new ships, all-inclusive fares and a door-to-door chauffeur service that takes much of the hassle out of getting to the port. Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure are modern but carry fewer than 1,000 guests, so the line offers new-ship comfort without big-ship crowds, and its included specialty dining and solo-friendly approach are part of the draw.
Who is Saga Cruises best for?
Saga suits British travelers aged 50 and over, including solo travelers and couples, who want an all-inclusive cruise from a UK port on a modern ship of under 1,000 guests, with transport to the ship arranged for them. Its river cruises suit the same audience on the Rhine, Danube, Moselle and Douro, with the same inclusive approach.
Where does Saga Cruises sail?
Saga Cruises's ships in service sail Mediterranean (2 ships), Northern Europe (2 ships), Canary Islands (2 ships), Rhine (2 ships), Caribbean (1 ship), Norwegian Fjords (1 ship), Canada and New England (1 ship), South America (1 ship), Danube (1 ship) and Douro (1 ship).
How is Saga Cruises rated?
Saga Cruises's fleet averages 4.0 out of 5 on Cruise Frog, across 6 rated ships. Its best-rated ship is Spirit of Adventure at 4.2.
Does Saga Cruises have new ships coming?
Yes: Saga Cruises has 1 new ship on the way: Spirit of the Lorelei (debuts July 1, 2027).
How many ships does Saga Cruises have?
Saga Cruises has 6 ships in service on Cruise Frog: Douro Serenity, Spirit of Adventure, Spirit of Discovery, Spirit of the Danube, Spirit of the Moselle and Spirit of the Rhine.
Who owns Saga Cruises?
Saga Cruises is part of Saga plc.
Where is Saga Cruises based?
Saga Cruises is headquartered in Folkestone, England. It has operated since 1996.
What is Saga Cruises's loyalty program called?
Saga Cruises's past-guest loyalty program is Britannia Club.
What is the largest Saga Cruises ship?
Spirit of Discovery is Saga Cruises's largest ship at 58,250 gross tons, carrying 999 guests.
Cruising with children
Saga is not a cruise choice for a holiday with young children. Its age-restricted product can work for families travelling with eligible adult children, but the companion rule is important.
Read the Saga Cruises family guide →Is a drinks package worth it?
House wine is included in Saga Cruises' fares, so you may not need a drinks package. If you'd want cocktails or premium wines, enter what they cost.
House wine is included in Saga Cruises' fares, so you may not need a drinks package at all. Saga Cruises ↗
Per person, a day, as the line quotes it.
A typical drink you'd buy on board.
Optional. Count coffees and sodas if the package covers them.
The days the package is charged for.
To make the drinks package pay for itself
6drinks a day
A $75-a-day package costs the same as 5.8 drinks at $13. Over 7 days that's $525, or 41 drinks for the cruise.
Pay as you go
At 5 drinks a day, buying drinks one at a time costs about $70 less than the package.
- Drinks package, 7 days
- $525
- Drink by drink, 5 drinks a day
- $455
Break-even is a target for your wallet, not a dare for your liver.
Traveller reviews
What people who've been say. One review each; you can update yours.
Related news about Saga Cruises and its ships
- The 12 best adults-only cruise ships, ranked: 2026
Twelve ships where no child can board, from Viking Vela and Virgin's Lady ships to Saga's over-50s newbuilds and the British adults-only ships of P&O, Marella and Ambassador, ranked by our editorial scores.
Ship ranking
- The 5 best adults-only cruise lines, ranked: 2026
Only a handful of cruise lines keep children off every sailing. We rank the five that do, from Virgin Voyages' party ships to Saga's over-50s fleet, and explain which lines only have adults-only ships.
Cruise line ranking
- 5 things Saga Cruises does well—and 1 it doesn’t
Five strengths of Saga Cruises, one clear drawback, and the travelers most likely to enjoy its cruise style.
Cruise lines