Spirit of Adventure completes conveyance down Ems River ahead of delivery to Saga

Saga Cruises’ new cruise ship, Spirit of Adventure, has completed her conveyance down the Ems River from the Meyer Werft shipyard to Emden, from where she will embark on sea trials.

The second newbuild for the small, British cruise line, Spirit of Adventure is a sister ship to Spirit of Discovery, which was delivered in 2019. She was meant to be delivered in August, but that has been pushed back to November due to the coronavirus.

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At 58,000-gross tons and carrying just 1,000 passengers, Spirit of Adventure is an intimate cruise ship by modern standards, maintaining Saga’s popular small-ship atmosphere, with a low-key, traditional cruise experience.

She will offer a few new experiences though, such as the world’s first Nepalese restaurant on a cruise ship. This will be one of three speciality restaurants, alongside Amalfi, a high-end Italian restaurant and the Supper Club, a dining and live entertainment venue.

The ship will also feature a 500 sqm spa, an outdoor pool, a 444-seat theatre and a large library.

Spirit of Adventure departed Meyer Werft earlier in the week and is now in Emden, the Netherlands, where final outfitting and sea trials are set to take place.

In order to maximise manoeuvrability from her propellers at the stern of the ship, she sailed backwards on the river with the assistance of multiple tugboats and a team of marine pilots.

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When Spirit of Adventure is delivered, she will be christened by Saga in Portsmouth, in what cruise officials in the city say will be a huge boost for the local cruise sector.

Portsmouth City Council boss Gerald Vernon-Jackson said it would be a ‘huge boost’ in the city’s ambitions to ‘significantly grow’ its cruise offer.

“We’re looking forward to Saga’s brand-new vessels becoming a familiar sight in our city,” said Councillor Vernon-Jackson.

“Our cruise transformation is already well underway with a significant berth extension plan, followed by a dramatic terminal transformation, which will be completed next year,” he added.

A spectacular firework display will be held on Southsea Common to celebrate the $400-million vessel’s arrival, which will be her maiden visit to a British port and could see her make Portsmouth a homeport for part of her maiden season.