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Saga to christen Spirit of Discovery at UK port
Saga will hold the official naming ceremony of its first new-build ship Spirit of Discovery at the Port of Dover next July.
It will be the first ship to be named at Dover following the £250 millionr edevelopment of Dover Western Docks.
"As the place that Saga’s first cruise ship set sail from more than 20 years ago, Dover was ‘the natural choice’," according to chief operating officer Nigel Blanks.
Details of the ceremony, to take place on July 5, were revealed at an event with TV presenter Jools Holland, who is the face of The Club by Jools’ on board Spirit of Discovery, in London.
"With Saga’s Group headquarters based in Kent, we felt it only right that we name our first brand new, purpose-built cruise ship in Kent and what better way to do that than with the iconic White Cliffs of Dover as a backdrop.
"Spirit of Discovery will be the first cruise ship to be named in the port for more than a decade and the first following the regeneration of the Western Docks. We are already planning a few surprises, and will no doubt add a few more before next year, so save the date, as we christen the first of our new-build fleet" added Blanks.
Spirit of Discovery’s maiden voyage will depart from Dover on July 10 and circumnavigate the British Isles.
"We are really excited about her first cruise as it’s a great way to show-off our first new boutique cruise-ship to the British market as we call in to iconic ports such as Newcastle, Edinburgh, Belfast and Liverpool," said Blanks.
The inaugural cruise has already sold out and Saga said sales for most of her other 2019 itineraries are ‘well ahead of expectations’.
Spirit of Discovery, which is the only small ship currently being built for the UK market, carries 999 passengers. Saga said the 109 single cabins were proving ‘extremely popular’.
Her summer destinations throughout summer 2019 include Spain, Scandinavia and the Baltic, as well as a four-night mini-cruise to Holland, Germany and Belgium.
Saga recently announced all-inclusive cruising would be standard from 2020. "I firmly believe this will not only sit very well alongside our ‘Boutique Cruising’ proposition but will reaffirm our position as Britain’s niche luxury cruise operator," added Blanks.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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