Discover the timeless appeal of the Med with Saga Cruises

Spirit of Adventure. Image credit: Saga Group Limited.

 

Saga Cruises’ Spirit of Adventure

We’re on Spirit of Adventure, one of two sister ships (the other is Spirit of Discovery) designed specially for Saga’s more mature passengers – and it fits this demographic to a tee.

 

There is no glitzy decor, loud music or gimmicks. Instead, the ship has a straightforward layout – even the most navigation-challenged passengers admitted it was easy to find their way around – along with art deco touches, a balcony cabin or suite for all, and 109 rooms for those travelling solo. 

 

The ship also has a wonderfully friendly vibe, with conversations flowing in the bar, at dinner and by the pool, as well as equally wonderful staff who keep an eye out in case any less-mobile guests need help.

 

Sea days are a hive of activity, with quizzes, crafting, table tennis, carpet bowls, darts and talks. A few of us also indulge in spa treatments (a delightful 100-minute seaweed wrap and massage for me, since you ask).

 

Come evening, there’s non-stop entertainment, with shows, singers and musicians in the theatre and Britannia Lounge, plus cabaret acts in The Supper Club.

Basilica di San Frediano in Lucca. Image credit: Jane Archer

 

Mediterranean cruise for mature travellers

We’re on an 18-night Italian Highlights cruise from Portsmouth to the Mediterranean that’s taking in everything from A-list cities to Barbary macaques, calling at Lisbon, Palma, Livorno (Florence), Civitavecchia (Rome), Sorrento, Olbia, Cartagena and Gibraltar. 

 

Saga has added free overview excursions at each port as of this year, with some including a choice of excursions, but we’ve opted for a selection of paid-for tours with unusual themes.

 

That’s how we’ve ended up in Lucca, a city 30 minutes from Livorno that most cruisers drive past on their way to Florence.

 

What a mistake. Lucca is delightful, still enclosed in defensive walls built in the 1500s and dotted with art nouveau shopfronts, towers built by rich merchants to show off their wealth and a Roman amphitheatre converted into a grand square enclosing homes and restaurants. It’s busy, but far from crowded.

 

We also skipped the crowds in Rome and joined a tour to Tuscania, another gorgeous walled town, this time up in the hills about 45 minutes from Civitavecchia. It was founded by the Etruscans, conquered by the Romans, and apart from the odd car or bike, felt like it had barely changed since then.

 

The tour ended at a farm where an olive oil tasting turned into a wine-sampling session, when the owners revealed they also had a vineyard making a very tasty selection of reds and whites – strangely, no one seemed to mind.

Khukuri House restaurant. Image credit: Jane Archer.

 

Dining on board Saga Cruises

There’s no fixed dining on Spirit of Adventure, but you can set your watch by the number of passengers heading to The Dining Room at 7pm, so there are inevitably queues (which you can skip by sharing a table).

 

We did that twice, but also ate in The Grill, which serves a buffet breakfast and lunch and switches to waiter service in the evening. It’s the same menu as The Dining Room, but we liked the more casual ambience.

 

There are also three speciality restaurants – Amalfi for Italian, Khukuri House for Nepalese and, our favourite, The Supper Club for steaks. All are complimentary but bookings are needed and they often get busy.

 

On some sea days, the staff also set up themed lunches by the pool – paella and tapas after our day in Palma was great. We were less enthused by the suckling pig sandwiches en route to Cartagena in Spain’s pork producing region.

 

Yet the place turned out to be more interesting than the foodstuff. Ideal for exploring alone – the port is less than 10 minutes from the town centre – it has a castle offering views of the city, high-end shops, lots of restaurants and a vibrant feel.

 

It also has a huge Roman theatre dating back some 2,000 years that was only unearthed in 1988, beneath the ruins of a church. That must have been a discovery to celebrate – which is how we’d describe sailing with Saga.

 

Cartagena’s Roman theatre. Image credit: Jane Archer.

 

Book it

 

Saga has a 15-night Treasures of the Mediterranean cruise on Spirit of Adventure departing Dover on September 10, 2027, and returning to Portsmouth, from £6,314. The price includes home-to-port chauffeur transfers, drinks, tips, speciality dining, a pre-set excursion in each port, Wi-Fi and travel insurance, and calls at Lisbon, Cartagena, Monaco, Ajaccio in Corsica, Mahón in Menorca and Gibraltar.
travel.saga.co.uk

 

Sell cruises to mature travellers

 

❂ Suggest a no-fly cruise from the UK so older clients avoid any hassle or delays at airports.

 

❂ Make sure you know which lines have the most single cabins and best deals for solo cruisers, because a lot of mature clients travel alone.

 

❂ Check whether clients want to travel only with adults or are planning a multigenerational cruise. Several ships appealing to mature clients are designated adult-only.

 

❂ Ask lots of questions so you know what’s important to them, whether it’s varied dining, goodvalue drinks packages, interesting excursions or onboard activities. 

 

Lead image: Cobbled street in Lucca, Italy. Image credit: Shutterstock/Catarina Belova.