Spirit of the Rhine

The 2021-built MS Spirit of the Rhine cruise ship is Saga UK's first newbuild riverboat (constructed in Serbia at Vahali Shipyards) and was inaugurated in September 2021. Saga Group’s vessels operate under long-term charter agreements, are owned by various companies (shipowners and cruise lines), and primarily target the British market.

The sisterships are Spirit of the Rhine (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 sail on Europe’s major rivers (Danube, Main, Rhine, Moselle, Elbe) as well as on the Belgium–Dutch 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 Rhine is operated by the UK-based cruise company under an exclusive time-charter agreement. The shipowner is the Dutch 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 operator, Saga Holidays, provides package holidays, cruises, and tours worldwide. Saga plc also owns Titan Travel UK (specializing in escorted tours, short-break coach tours, and cruises) and Destinology (offering custom-designed luxury all-inclusive holidays and cruises).

The vessel (ENI number 2338872) is currently Switzerland-flagged (MMSI 269057750) and registered in Basel.

Decks and Cabins

Saga Spirit of the Rhine staterooms (96 total) give this boutique-style riverboat a maximum passenger capacity of 182. All cabins are designed for double occupancy and are similarly sized (17 m² / 185 ft²). Lower Deck cabins (Deck 1) feature non-opening porthole windows (positioned near the ceiling) and are slightly smaller (14 m² / 150 ft²). Cabins on Deck 2 (Main) and Deck 3 (Upper) have French Balconies accessed via floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors.

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 Balconies (IS - Middle Deck, GS - Upper Deck) and "Single Standard" cabins (KS - Lower Deck).

On Spirit of the Rhine, Saga provides standard cabin amenities (complimentary in 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 storage, bedside tables, wall-mounted reading lamps, LED ceiling lighting, individually controlled air conditioning, and 220V/110V electrical outlets. The seating area includes two armchairs, a coffee/dining table, and a mirrored vanity desk with a chair, plus a wall-mounted magnifying mirror.

All staterooms feature a private en-suite bathroom (with glass-door shower, single-sink vanity, WC, hairdryer, premium bath amenities, and plush robes), electronic safe (in the closet), direct-dial telephone (for onboard use only), mini-bar (refrigerator), and complimentary bottled water (replenished daily). Each cabin is equipped with a smart HDTV offering satellite channels, infotainment and Internet access, movies on demand, and real-time bridge camera views. Complimentary Wi-Fi Internet is available shipwide.

Complimentary alcoholic beverages (beer and wine by the glass) and soft drinks are served during lunch and dinner. On MS Spirit of the Rhine, Saga Cruises includes gratuities (onboard tipping), beverages (beer, wine, and soft drinks), and VIP coach transfers (from passengers’ homes or hotels) in the cruise fare.

The vessel has 4 passenger decks, three of which feature cabins.

Shipboard facilities

Saga's Spirit of the Rhine features a wellness area (small gym on Deck 1), Panorama Restaurant (Deck 2, with adjacent galley), and the Panoramic Bar Lounge (Lorelei Lounge on Deck 3), which serves as a music venue, cinema, and lecture hall and includes a grand piano, dance floor, terrace with outdoor seating, and a library/reading corner. The Foyer (Deck 3) houses the Reception Desk, Tour Desk, and ship entrances on both port and starboard sides. The Rheinfels Cafe (A La Carte Restaurant, aft on Deck 3) is also located here.

The Sundeck (Deck 4) includes an outdoor Terrace Lounge (also used for alfresco dining with 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 chess board), and an aft-located Jacuzzi (outdoor whirlpool hot tub).

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

All main venues (Bar Lounge, Restaurant, Cafe, Atrium) feature floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows. A midship glass elevator (passenger lift) connects all cabin decks. All decks are also linked by stairs located 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. Fares include at least three shore excursions on 7-night itineraries and up to eight excursions on longer voyages.

On MS Spirit of the Rhine, Saga Cruises includes gratuities (onboard tipping), beverages (beer, wine, soft drinks), and the door-to-door "Saga VIP" travel service as standard. Saga also offers Standard Class train travel and complimentary airport parking for guests traveling with their own vehicles.

Saga VIP is a premium travel service (private chauffeur) that includes return MPV (multi-purpose vehicle/minivan) transfers from guests’ homes to the airport, domestic flights to the international departure airport, transfers to UK departure points (Eurostar station or ferry terminal), and standard-class train travel from local rail stations. Guests traveling with their own vehicles receive complimentary airport parking. The number of passengers per MPV is typically 3–5.

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 selects the mode of transportation and departure airport.

Travel insurance is optional and available at an additional cost.

Itineraries

The inaugural cruise of Spirit of the Rhine (6-day itinerary) was originally scheduled for March 23, 2021. For the ship’s maiden season (2021), the following itineraries were planned.

• 7-day "INAUGURAL BEATLES CRUISE" / "KEUKENHOF AND DUTCH DELIGHTS" itinerary (May 3) roundtrip from Amsterdam
• 10-day "FROM REMBRANDT TO RUBENS" (May 10) from Amsterdam to Brussels
• 8-day "MYSTERY CRUISE" (May 19) from Brussels to Arnhem
• 8-day "GILBERT AND SULLIVAN" (June 24) from Amsterdam to Arnhem
• 15-day "BELGIUM AND THE NETHERLANDS" (July 15) roundtrip from Amsterdam (GBP 2500 pp)
• 15-day "ACROSS THE CONTINENT" (July 29) from Amsterdam to Budapest, Hungary (GBP 2800 pp)
• 15-day "RHINE, MAIN AND MOSELLE" (May through November 2021) from Arnhem to Amsterdam (GBP 1940 pp)
• 12-day "FROM AMSTERDAM TO THE ALPS" (June through October 2021) from Amsterdam to Davos, Switzerland (GBP 2450 pp)
• 12-day "RHINE AND GLACIER EXPRESS" (June through October 2021) from Montreux to Amsterdam (GBP 2750 pp)
• 8-day "CASTLES AND VINEYARDS" (June through October 2021) from Amsterdam to Basel
• 13-day "RHINE WINE FESTIVAL" (September 21) from Amsterdam to Trier, Germany (GBP 2450 pp)
• 8-day "SOUNDS OF THE 60S AND 70S" (October 11) from Basel to Amsterdam
• 5-day "RHINE CHRISTMAS MARKETS" (December 16) from Cologne to Dusseldorf (GBP 850 pp)
• 15-day "CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR" (December 20) from Cologne to Dusseldorf (GBP 2250 pp)
• 8-day "NEW YEAR ON THE RHINE" (December 27) from Cologne to Dusseldorf

The inaugural season booking prices ranged between GBP 1450–1850 per person (double occupancy) for 8-day voyages.

However, due to the Coronavirus crisis, Spirit of the Rhine’s maiden voyage was rescheduled to September 23, 2021. The 13-night itinerary (from Trier Germany) visited Bernkastel-Kues, Piesport-Mosel, and Traben-Trarbach.

The following are examples of regularly scheduled itineraries operated by Saga Spirit of the Rhine.

12-day "From Amsterdam to the Alps" itinerary - Day 1 (flight UK-Amsterdam, embarkation, overnight stay), Day 2 (Amsterdam city tour and canal cruise), Day 3 (Cologne), Day 4 (Koblenz to Rudesheim), Day 5 (Rudesheim to Mainz), Day 6 (Strasbourg), Day 7 (Breisach), Day 8 (Basel debarkation, 2-night Hotel Gaia stay, Bern tour), Day 10 (travel to Davos, Lake Lucerne cruise, 2-night hotel stay), Day 12 (flight Davos-UK). The cruisetour includes 7 nights cruising, 2 nights in 4-star hotels (Basel and Davos), 28 meals (11 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 11 dinners), and 5 excursions.

12-day "The Rhine and Glacier Express to St Moritz Spirit" itinerary - Day 1 (flight UK-Geneva-Montreux, 2-night hotel stay, Chillon Castle tour), Day 3 (transfer to St Moritz, 2-night hotel stay, Glacier Express train excursion), Day 4 (Bernina Diavolezza and Diavolezza Glacier tour), Day 5 (transfer to Basel, embarkation), Day 6 (Breisach), Day 7 (Strasbourg tour and canal cruise), Day 8 (Mannheim-Mainz-Rudesheim, Heidelberg Castle tour), Day 9 (Rudesheim to Koblenz, Ehrenbreitstein Fortress tour), Day 10 (Cologne), Day 11 (Amsterdam city tour, canal cruise, culinary tour, overnight stay), Day 12 (debarkation). The cruisetour includes 7 nights cruising, 4 nights hotel stays (Montreux and St Moritz), 28 meals (11 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 11 dinners), and 7 excursions.

8-day "Castles and Vineyards of the Rhine" itinerary - Day 1 (flight UK-Amsterdam, embarkation, overnight stay), Day 2 (Amsterdam city tour and canal cruise), Day 3 (Cologne), Day 4 (Koblenz to Rudesheim), Day 5 (Rudesheim to Mainz, Heidelberg Castle tour), Day 6 (Strasbourg city tour and canal cruise), Day 7 (Breisach), Day 8 (Basel debarkation, flight Basel-UK). The cruisetour includes 7 nights cruising, 20 meals (7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners), and 3 excursions. Themed cruises in 2021 featured guest speakers including Alastair Stewart (August 26), Jonathan Agnew (October 4), and Nick Nairn (October 25).