Saga’s new boutique cruise ship, Spirit of Adventure, has completed her river conveyance from the Meyer Werft shipyard to Emden in Germany.
Spirit of Adventure is the second new-build ship for British-based Saga Cruises, following the launch of the 999-passenger Spirit of Discovery in 2019.
After leaving the inland shipyard, the ship sailed backward along the River Ems towards the North Sea with the assistance of two tugs. The tricky route involves several tight turns and minimal room between each side of the river banks.
Originally set to debut in August, the intended maiden voyage was cancelled when Saga postponed all sailings until at least 1 September due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Delays at the shipyard also meant the ship will not be officially delivered to Saga until the end of October. The new maiden voyage for Spirit of Adventure is expected to depart Southampton on 5 November 2020 sailing to the Mediterranean for 17 nights.
Saga has been working with the industry and the government to put in place state-of-the-art appropriate health protocols, to ensure a safe return to service in the autumn for all passengers and crew.