<p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: liberation-serif-1, liberation-serif-2, serif; margin: 1.6em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);"><a data-cke-saved-href="https://cruisemiss.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/sagaolympicexternal.jpg" href="https://cruisemiss.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/sagaolympicexternal.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 204); text-decoration: none;"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-7330" data-cke-saved-src="https://cruisemiss.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/sagaolympicexternal.jpg?w=605&amp;h=231" src="https://cruisemiss.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/sagaolympicexternal.jpg?w=605&amp;h=231" alt="Saga-New-Ship-2019" width="605" height="231" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 5px auto; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; height: auto; max-width: 100%; display: block;"></a></p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: liberation-serif-1, liberation-serif-2, serif; margin: 1.6em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">It’s full steam ahead for Saga Cruises which has today announced plans to update its shipping capacity, with an all-new Saga cruise ship expected to be delivered in Summer 2019 and the option to order a second for delivery in 2021. The ships will be built by the renowned Meyer Werft shipyard – a recognised leader in cruise ship construction.</p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: liberation-serif-1, liberation-serif-2, serif; margin: 1.6em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">The new ship will be for fewer than 1,000 passengers and so will retain the intimacy and personal touch for which Saga is renowned, but with some new features including balconies for all cabins.</p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: liberation-serif-1, liberation-serif-2, serif; margin: 1.6em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);"><a data-cke-saved-href="https://cruisemiss.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/artist-impression-alfresco-dining.jpg" href="https://cruisemiss.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/artist-impression-alfresco-dining.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 204); text-decoration: none;"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-7328" data-cke-saved-src="https://cruisemiss.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/artist-impression-alfresco-dining.jpg?w=605&amp;h=271" src="https://cruisemiss.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/artist-impression-alfresco-dining.jpg?w=605&amp;h=271" alt="Al-Fresco-Dining-Saga-New-Ship" width="605" height="271" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 5px auto; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; height: auto; max-width: 100%; display: block;"></a></p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: liberation-serif-1, liberation-serif-2, serif; margin: 1.6em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">Lance Batchelor, chief executive officer, Saga plc who announced the decision at the company’s half-year results said:</p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: liberation-serif-1, liberation-serif-2, serif; margin: 1.6em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">“The cruise operation remains at the heart of the Saga brand and demonstrates our commitment to deliver excellence in customer service and outstanding value. This investment will be transformational for the cruise business and for our cruise customers.&nbsp; The precise details of the new purpose built ship will be finalised over the coming months but will retain the traditional features our customers cherish.”</p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: liberation-serif-1, liberation-serif-2, serif; margin: 1.6em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">Robin Shaw, chief executive, Saga Cruises, said:</p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: liberation-serif-1, liberation-serif-2, serif; margin: 1.6em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">“Our plan for the first of our new modern and elegant cruise liners is sure to delight our existing passengers and we hope it will entice new passengers to cruise with us. We will retain an intimate small-ship feel, for fewer than 1,000 passengers, a high crew to customer ratio, great public spaces and entertainment facilities and dining can be accommodated in a single sitting.</p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: liberation-serif-1, liberation-serif-2, serif; margin: 1.6em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">The artist impressions have been well received and we will continue to consult with our loyal cruise customers throughout the design and build to ensure they get ships that they have helped to make their own.</p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: liberation-serif-1, liberation-serif-2, serif; margin: 1.6em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">Above all the new ships will continue to provide the quality and excellent service for which Saga is renowned.”</p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: liberation-serif-1, liberation-serif-2, serif; margin: 1.6em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);"><a data-cke-saved-href="https://cruisemiss.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/artist-impression-standard-cabin.jpg" href="https://cruisemiss.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/artist-impression-standard-cabin.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 204); text-decoration: none;"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-7329" data-cke-saved-src="https://cruisemiss.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/artist-impression-standard-cabin.jpg?w=605&amp;h=270" src="https://cruisemiss.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/artist-impression-standard-cabin.jpg?w=605&amp;h=270" alt=" Standard-cabin-Saga-2019" width="605" height="270" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; margin: 5px auto; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; height: auto; max-width: 100%; display: block;"></a></p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: liberation-serif-1, liberation-serif-2, serif; margin: 1.6em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">Bernard Meyer, managing partner of Meyer Werft said: “We are happy and honoured to work with Saga Cruises in bringing their first purpose built new ship to life.”</p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: liberation-serif-1, liberation-serif-2, serif; margin: 1.6em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">Plans for the ship will be refined over the coming months but we anticipate her to have some 540 suites and cabins each with a balcony.&nbsp; Around 15% of cabins will be designed for single occupancy and the maximum capacity for the ship will be fewer than 1,000 passengers.&nbsp; There will be single sitting dining throughout a range of restaurants as well as a variety of bars, speciality restaurants and al-fresco dining options. There will also be outdoor and indoor swimming pools, a spa, saunas, treatment rooms and beauty salon.</p>