Spirit of the Danube

The 2022-built MS Spirit of the Danube cruise ship is Saga UK's second newbuild riverboat, constructed in Serbia (at Vahali Shipyards) and inaugurated in March 2022. Saga Group's vessels are operated under long-term charter agreements, being owned by different companies (shipowners and cruise lines), and primarily target the British source market.

The sisterships are Spirit of the Rhine (launched in 2021), Spirit of the Danube (2022), Spirit of the Moselle (2025), Spirit of the Main (TBA), and Spirit of the Elbe (TBA).

Saga River Cruises ships are positioned in the luxury segment and operate on Europe’s major rivers (Danube, Main, Rhine, Moselle, Elbe), as well as on Belgium–Netherlands inland waterways. Saga Cruises' ocean-going newbuilds are the sisterships Spirit of Discovery (2019) and Spirit of Adventure (2020).

Like all Saga riverboats currently in service, Spirit of the Danube is operated by the UK-based cruise company under an exclusive time-charter agreement. The shipowner is the Dutch shipping company Rijfers Nautical Management BV.

Saga plc is a British travel company and cruise brand targeting primarily UK travelers aged 50+. Saga UK serves approximately 2.7 million customers annually. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) under the ticker symbol SAGA.

The ship operator Saga Holidays provides worldwide travel packages, cruises, and tours. Saga plc also owns Titan Travel UK (specializing in escorted tours, short-break coach tours, and cruises) and Destinology (custom-designed luxury all-inclusive holidays and cruises).

The vessel (ENI number 2339346) is currently Switzerland-flagged (MMSI 269057798) and registered in Basel.

Decks and Cabins

Saga Spirit of the Danube staterooms (96 total) provide this boutique-style riverboat with a maximum passenger capacity of 182. All cabins are designed for double occupancy and are similarly sized (17 m2 / 185 ft2). All Lower Deck cabins (Deck 1) feature non-opening porthole windows (located near the ceiling) and are smaller (14 m2 / 150 ft2). Cabins on Deck 2 (Main Deck) and Deck 3 (Upper Deck) feature French balconies accessed via slide-opening floor-to-ceiling windows.

A total of 12 cabins are designated as "Single" and can be booked without a single supplement (subject to availability). These include "Single Deluxe" cabins with French Balcony (IS-Middle Deck, GS-Upper Deck) and "Single Standard" cabins (KS-Lower Deck).

On Spirit of the Danube, Saga provides standard cabin amenities (complimentary for all staterooms regardless of category), including a hotel-style queen bed (convertible to two twin beds) measuring 200 x 160 cm, luxury bedding and pillows, ample wardrobe space, bedside tables, wall-mounted reading lamps, LED ceiling lighting, individually controlled air conditioning (thermostat-controlled), and 220V / 110V power outlets. The seating area includes two armchairs, a coffee/dining table, and a mirrored vanity table (writing desk) with a chair, along with a wall-mounted magnifying mirror.

All staterooms feature private en-suite bathrooms (with glass-door shower stall, single-sink vanity, WC, hairdryer, premium bath amenities, and plush robes), an electronic safe (in the closet), direct-dial telephone (for shipboard use only), mini-bar (refrigerator), complimentary bottled water (replenished daily), and a smart HDTV (satellite reception, infotainment system with Internet access, movies-on-demand, and real-time bridge cam views), as well as complimentary WiFi Internet (shipwide coverage).

The vessel has 4 passenger decks, of which 3 are with cabins.

Shipboard facilities

Saga's Spirit of the Danube features a wellness area (small gym on Deck 1), Panorama Restaurant (Deck 2, with adjacent galley/kitchen), Panoramic Bar Lounge (Belvedere Lounge on Deck 3, functioning as a music salon, cinema, and lecture hall, with a grand piano, dance floor, outdoor terrace seating, and a library/reading corner), Foyer (Deck 3 lobby area with Reception Desk, Tour Desk, and portside/starboard entrances), and Cafe (A La Carte Restaurant Delta, located aft on Deck 3).

The Sundeck (Deck 4) includes an outdoor Terrace Lounge (also used for alfresco dining with deck barbecues and bar service), the Wheelhouse (retractable navigation bridge), a shaded seating area (with four retractable awnings, deckchairs, and tables), a large sunbathing area (with loungers and low tables), a deck games area (with a giant chessboard), and an aft-located Jacuzzi (outdoor whirlpool hot tub).

Due to its small seating capacity (34 seats), the A La Carte Restaurant is complimentary but available by reservation only and open for dinner service. The Dining Room Restaurant is also complimentary, waiter-served, and features an open kitchen (show cooking).

All of the ship’s main venues (Bar Lounge, Restaurant, Cafe, Atrium) feature floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows. A glass elevator (midship passenger lift) connects all cabin decks. All decks are interconnected via stairways (forward, midship, and aft), including a grand staircase in the midship Atrium. The Sundeck is accessed via a staircase (14 steps).

Saga river cruise deals

Complimentary alcoholic beverages (beer and wine by the glass) and soft drinks are served during all onboard lunches and dinners. Unlimited teas, coffees, and snacks are available throughout the day. Included in the fare are at least 3 land tours (on 7-night itineraries) and up to 8 shore excursions (on longer itineraries).

On MS Spirit of the Danube, Saga Cruises also includes gratuities (onboard tipping), beverages (beer, wine, soft drinks), VIP coach transfers (from passengers’ homes/hotels), and the door-to-door "Saga VIP" travel service in the cruise fare. Saga also offers Standard-Class train travel, as well as complimentary airport parking for passengers traveling with their own vehicles.

Saga VIP is a premium travel (private chauffeur) service that includes return MPV (multi-purpose vehicle/minivan) transportation from home to the airport, return service to a local airport (for domestic flights to the international departure airport), return transfers to the UK departure point (Eurostar station or ferry terminal), and Standard-Class train travel (from the local rail station to the departure point). Passengers traveling with their own vehicles are provided with free airport parking.

Saga river cruise deals also include Economy-Class flights (domestic only, subject to availability). Saga VIP services are available to residents of mainland UK (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), as well as the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands. Saga typically selects the mode of transportation and/or the UK airport. The number of passengers per MPV is typically 3–5.

Itineraries

Spirit of the Danube's itinerary program began with her Maiden Voyage on March 21, 2022. The 7-day itinerary ("Dutch & Belgian Waterways", from Arnhem to Amsterdam) visits Kinderdijk, Willemstad, Ghent, Antwerpen (overnight), Dordrecht, and Amsterdam (overnight).

The inaugural season (2022) was primarily based on Danube River voyages across 10 countries. Each voyage includes up to 5 complimentary shore excursions. The onboard entertainment program features special guest appearances by Miranda Krestovnikoff (British radio and TV presenter, born 1973), Eric Knowles (British antiques expert and TV personality, born 1953), and Mark Sargeant (English chef and restaurateur, born 1973), who participate in Q&A sessions and onboard events.

For 2022 (May–August), Saga UK scheduled a unique voyage for Spirit of the Danube, priced from GBP 2650 per person (double occupancy). The 9-night/10-day "Oberammergau and a 4-Country Cruise" itinerary (from Budapest Hungary to Oberammergau Germany, overnight) includes 7 nights of cruising, a 2-night hotel stay, 24 meals (9 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 9 dinners), VIP door-to-door travel service (from the UK), travel insurance, and attendance at the exclusive Oberammergau Passion Play (held once every 10 years).