31 Nights at Sea with Saga: Flying Fish, Fancy Potatoes and a Caribbean Adventure
by guest blogger, Penny Hutchinson.
One evening, my brother called with an incredibly generous offer: to pay for Steve (my husband) and me to do something we had always dreamed of, an offer that took approximately no time at all to accept. After everything we had been through with our health, he wanted to give us something truly special to look forward to.
We had always dreamed of taking a Caribbean cruise, so we are enormously grateful to my brother William and sister-in-law Jacklyn for making that dream possible. We chose Saga cruise line because so much was included in the package.
The Journey Begins
On 31 October, a taxi collected us from home and took us to Portsmouth to board Saga's Spirit of Discovery. We were shown to our cabin, which would be our home for the next 31 nights. Every cabin has a balcony, so naturally I went straight outside to take in the view, once I had worked out the child lock, that is. Saga cruises are for over-50s, so perhaps they know their audience all too well. Every cabin was designed for comfort, with fresh fruit and water supplied daily. Dressing gowns, slippers, a pair of binoculars and, best of all, an umbrella, were also provided.
Our cabin soon felt like home, and having our own balcony made a real difference on such a long cruise. It gave us somewhere private to sit and watch the sea go by and, of course, another vantage point from which to conduct our increasingly serious search for flying fish.
A band played on the dockside as we departed, marking the beginning of our adventure.
The ship, although only a few years old, is still very traditional, with only a few particularly modern areas. It's spacious, and there are always seats to be found. I also believe it caters very well for the solo traveller.
I had expected the atmosphere to be rather formal and perhaps a little old-fashioned, but the reality was very different. There was a broad range of ages on board, including many passengers younger than us.
Food
As a vegetarian, I was invited to meet the chef to discuss my dietary requirements. Each evening, I received a form to complete with my choices for the following day's meals, which we jokingly referred to as my homework. Thankfully, there were no exams at the end. We ate in the main restaurant most of the time, and the staff quickly got to know us. They were excellent throughout, consistently friendly, attentive and helpful. Saying goodbye at the end of the cruise was genuinely emotional. The food for me was very good. However, I often had to ask the waiter what all the posh terms on the menu actually meant. Who knew a humble potato could have so many aliases? By the end of the cruise, I half expected it to arrive at the table in disguise. Thankfully, whatever name it was travelling under, it always tasted delicious.
Leisure
Most of the entertainment was very good, although securing seats in the theatre could be challenging, with many passengers queuing well in advance. I particularly enjoyed the talks, including, somewhat unexpectedly, a fascinating presentation about Jack the Ripper by a forensic scientist. The talks and shows were also repeated on the television in our cabin.
There was also a cinema on board, although we did not have an opportunity to use it, apparently 31 nights still weren't quite enough.
With plenty of days at sea, we spent a great deal of time around the pool. As on many ships, sunbeds were often reserved early. On one occasion, Steve and another passenger had a slight disagreement over a place in the shade, which resulted in the other passenger sitting remarkably close to Steve. I found the situation rather amusing, although Steve was less entertained. Our grandson asked what we found most exciting on the trip, and I can honestly say it was the flying fish. We spent many sea days without so much as a bit of seaweed passing by, not another ship, cargo boat or plane, just loads of blue sky and sea. One day, we saw hundreds of flying fish, probably thousands, and we were ridiculously excited. I'm slightly embarrassed to admit quite how excited. They were so tiny that it was impossible to catch them on camera, although that certainly didn't stop us spending ages trying.
The islands were brilliant, with coaches for the excursions waiting for us as we came off the ship. Plenty of information was provided before the trips, and we went armed with guides. There was always a crew member accompanying us, clutching a bag of sweets for the journey, clearly an essential piece of excursion equipment.
One island that particularly stood out was Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. We toured the island in an old pickup fitted with wooden benches and a canopy. It was a very bouncy ride and we were rather numb by the end of it, but it was a lovely way to see the island and one of those excursions that has stayed in my memory, although my backside would never be the same.
Spa and Beauty Salon
I visited the hair salon twice during the cruise. The prices were reasonable, although I was less satisfied with my second visit and felt the finished style was somewhat more traditional than I had anticipated. Let's just say it wasn't quite the look I had pictured when I sat down.
We did not use the spa, as appointments were booked very quickly. Evidently everyone else had been quicker off the mark, or more in need of a lie-down.
Shops
I found the selection of shops rather limited. They were small and relatively expensive, and they did not stock many of the practical items we were looking for. I was also disappointed by the range available in the duty-free shop. There was also a jewellery shop, which appeared to attract relatively little business. The familiar expression, “If you need to ask the price, you can't afford it,” perhaps applied rather too well in this case. Needless to say, we did plenty of looking.
Saga will not suit everyone, and inevitably there was a mixture of personalities on board. However, the overwhelming majority of people we met were warm and friendly.
What I liked about Saga
A separate storage area for wheelchairs, walking frames and scooters for use when going ashore. As I need crutches or a walker to help me get around, this was a great help on the rockier days. It was also brilliant for keeping my balance when I wore heels I wouldn't normally dare to wear; who knew a walker could double as both a mobility aid and my own personal catwalk assistant?
Excursions included at every port, with additional paid options available
Speciality restaurants included
Drinks and snacks included, with premium drinks available at an additional cost
Wi-Fi included
Nationwide taxi transfers to and from home, or complimentary car parking
All gratuities and port fees included
Food
24-hour room service
Main dining rooms
Buffet
Speciality restaurants
Dietary requirements catered for
Entertainment
Two main entertainment venues: the theatre and Britannia Lounge. Although theatre capacity is limited, shows can also be watched on the television in your cabin.
Daily lectures and talks
Guest artists
Workshops
Activities throughout the day
Drinks
A wide choice of bars
Cocktails of the day
Dislikes about Saga
Mainly the price. Although everything is included, it is a pricey trip. However, deep down, it's worth every penny.
After 31 nights, we came home with wonderful memories, a new appreciation for flying fish and firm evidence that it is entirely possible to spend a month at sea and still not find time to visit the cinema. Would we do it all again? Absolutely, although next time I’ll be quicker booking the spa, Steve may steer clear of the battle for the shady sunbeds, and I might think twice before trusting anyone with a pair of hairdressing scissors.
Still, if our biggest problems were elusive spa appointments, territorial sunbeds and an adventurous haircut, I’d say we sailed away with a pretty good deal
By guest blogger, Penny Hutchinson. If you have any travel-related articles you would like to contribute, please contact Travel Blog Jamie at jamiewrobins@hotmail.co.uk.
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