I HAVE BEEN CRUISING SINCE 1969 AND I HAVE BEEN ON MOST OF THE BIG SHIPS, BUT I AM GETTING A BIT DESPONDANT WITH THE WAY THE CRUISE INDUSTRY IS GOING. WITH THE PRICE YOU PAY IS ONLY A FRACTION OF THE END COST BECAUSE IT IS NOW BASED ON A HARD SELL AND CHARGING YOU FOR SO MANY EXTRAS. HOWEVER THIS WEEKEND WE
WERE INVITED TO PREVIEW THE NEW SAGA PEARL 11 AT SOUTHAMPTON. WE WERE OFFERED A OVERNIGTH STAY FOR
£49 PER PERSON. WE ARRIVED ON FRIDAY AT SOUTHAMPTON TO FIND THAT BECAUSE OF LATE DELIVERY OF BEDS THE PREVIEW HAD BEEN CANCELLED AND EVERYONE HAD BEEN NOTIFIED BY PHONE N OT TO COME, BUT WE WERE NOT AT HOME
AAND DID NOT RECEIVE THE CALL. WE WERE MEET BY A SAGA DIRECTORS WHO SAID THAT IF WE WENT HOME THEY WOULD PAY ALL OUR EXPENSES. BUT THEY ALSO SUGGESSTED THAT WE COULD STILL STOP ON BOARD AS ARRANGED
WHICH MEANT WE WOULD HAVE THE WHOLE SHIP TO OURSELVES. AS WE WERE TALKING 5 MORE PEOPLE ARRIVED
AND THEY ALSO DECIDED TO STOP. WE WERE TAKEN ON BOARD AND SHOWN TO OUR BALCONY CABIN AND WE WERE
OFFERED AFTRENOON TEA WITH SANDWICHS AND CAKES. IN THE EVENING WE ALL MEET FOR A COCKTAIL PARTY AND
A WONDERFUL 4 COURSE DINNER. BECAUSE THE ENTERTAINMENT HAD BEEN CANCALLED THEY ARRANGE FOR US TO SEE
THE REHERSAL OF THE PRODUCTION SHOW WITH FULL ORCHRESTRA AND SINGERS AND DANCERS. WE STOPPED UP
TALKING TO THE DIRECTORS AND SENIOR STAFF UNTIL 1 A.M. AND OF COURSE ALL THE DRINKS WERE FREE. AFTER A BIG
BREAKFAST THE DIRECTORS CARRIED OUR CASES TO OUR CARS. WITH ABOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE TO GO HOME WITH.
THIS WAS ALL DESIGNED FOR A FULL SHIP BUT WE WERE ONLY 7. AND WEW WERE TREATED LIKE ROYALTY.
THIS IS WHAT SERVICE IS ALL ABOUT. I AM NOW CONVERTED TO LOOK FOR GOOD SERVICE THAT INCLUDES PICKING YOU UP FROM HOME, INSURANCE AND GRATURTIES THIS IS WHAT CRUISING USED TO BE ABOUT AND IS NOW GETTING VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND ON TODAYS GIANT SHIPS. THANK YOU SAGA I WISH YOU GREAT SUCCESS WITH YOUR NEW SHIP THE SAGA PEARL 11
Comment
by Burrows, Southampton (25 Mar 10 11:16)
about
this REVIEW
Sounds like a definate case of being in the right place at the right time to me. Very nice, but what relevance has it got to an actual cruise? You were shown to your FREE balcony cabin. You were GIVEN bottles of champagne. The DIRECTORS carried your cases. Do you really think that you would get the same service on a typical Saga cruise, or even if all of the invited guests had shown up to your visit for that matter? There was only half a dozen of you to be waited on hand and foot at the end of the day! If you were able to afford around £3000 for just a weeks cruise, then you would be getting somewhere near your experience perhaps? Unfortunately most of us can't afford that sort of money and therefore have so settle for the "hard sell" end of the market. I was recently lucky enough to be invited to experience a free cruise myself, complete with FREE balcony cabin and FREE unlimited drinks plus excellent entertainment from celebrity guests. BUT at the end of the day they were trying to SELL me something. Basically you get what you pay for in this world. Service usually comes at a cost. The (subtle) HARD SELL that you experienced on the Saga Pearl II obviously did the trick for both them and you. The facts are that at the end of the day you have to be able to afford the type of cruise that you believe this to be, and with prices STARTING at well over £1000 a week per person, many of us can't! Best wishes and happy cruising.
Opinion: AgreeComment
by JONES, t (20 Mar 10 07:20)
about
this REVIEW
I think they couldnt find a suitable header to be fair. But it's nice to see that they made a good effort to look after you on your trial visit. It bodes well for when the ship is in service.
I asume no tips needed ????????????????? It's a joke !!