Cheap cruise deal cruising holidays

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 23, 1996--Saga International Holidays Ltd., the Boston-based specialists in vacations for people aged 50 and over, has bought its own cruise liner to meet growing demand from this sector of the market.

The former Sagafjord, a five-star ship rated 16th in the world for quality out of 220 ships in an independent survey, has been acquired from Cunard. Currently on charter to a German operator and re-named Gripsholm, she will gain a new name under the Saga flag.

Saga's $30 million investment will be used to create a product which will occupy a unique position in the international cruise holiday spectrum -- classic, quality cruising at affordable prices.

And in a climate in which cruise companies are wooing ever-younger customers, Saga's cruise ship will be the only one in the world on which passengers under 50 are banned.

Saga's American cruise customers will share the ship with customers of the Boston tour operator's United Kingdom parent company.

The 24,474 ton-liner, which takes 620 passengers, will be taken over by Saga in spring 1997. She will operate a series of summer cruises in the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and the Baltic, operating out of the historical British port of Dover, before a winter refit.

Announcing this acquisition, Saga Chairman Roger De Haan said that Saga had been selling cruise holidays on the world's leading lines for many years.

"At present, demand is exceeding supply. Running our own ship is the only way to ensure that we can offer the number of quality berths which our customers require.

"We sell holidays direct to our customers, unlike cruise lines who sell mainly through travel agents. We have no need for costly offices at prestigious addresses which cruise companies often have around the world.

"Our operating costs consequently are far lower, and we will be bringing in spectacular prices for a product which will reflect much of the style and quality of service which are the essence of cruising in the classic manner. Not only that, but our pricing structure will include a no-tipping policy."

The Berlitz 1996 Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships, undertaken when she was sailing under the Sagafjord name, gave the ship a five-star rating and a quality score of 132.6 compared to the Guide's No. 1 quality-rated liner which earned 136.8 points.

The Guide's comments about the former Sagafjord, which entered service in 1965, include the following:

"One of the most beautifully proportioned ships afloat...

Quiet as a fine watch, this classic ship provides the refined

life at sea for discriminating passengers...

"The main lounge is among the best afloat for cocktail

parties...large, fairly spacious suites and cabins with superb

appointments all with excellent insulation.

"Sumptuous dining room with its high central ceiling and grand

entrance staircase is both a rarity and a real classic among

ships today...High quality food and service."

De Haan said that, under the Saga flag, she would continue to set standards that many other cruise operators would want to follow.

The ship has 321 cabins of which 298 (93%) are outside. Said De Haan, "Some of the new ships coming on to the market are so large that you can spend two weeks on board and fail to meet a long-lost friend who's taken the same cruise. For our purpose, a 600-passenger capacity is ideal. The classic style of the public rooms and the quality of service we will deliver will enable us to sustain and build on the special ambiance that she is renowned for.

"There has been a lot of development at the cheap-and-cheerful end of the cruise market, but typical Saga customers are looking for a better product. We will be providing a higher quality cruise experience, in a beautiful and distinctive ship, but at prices far below those of the established cruise lines."

CONTACT: Saga Holidays, Boston

Sherry Bounnell, 617/262-2262