Saga Pearl II tests and refit

The old ship that will become the new Saga Pearl II has sailed into Swansea for tests. Saga Pearl II was formerly Astoria and now Saga is inviting ports to bid for the chance to refit and refurbish her to Saga standards. She carries 450 people, so she’s tiny compared to the mega-cruise vessels that are going to be launched this year, but small ships have their advantages, particularly for those who prefer a quieter and more laid-back cruise and for those who have particular health or mobility problems as a small ship with a smaller crew allows all those on board to understand the needs of the passenger in a short time, rather than always having to be explained to new people, as happens on a really big cruise liner. And that’s Saga’s main selling point really – having a cruise for the over-fifties only means that a lot of those on board will have the same needs and activities, which makes it easier to please them.

Swansea is going to tender for the work to refit the ship, which was going to be refurbished by a Maltese firm that has gone into liquidation. The contract could mean four or five months work for the port. Four ports are bidding to get the ship ready for her workload, taking cruises around the world, from next year.