Saga’s No-Fly Premium
Saga's per diems are up 11% for 2027/28 and a fourth river ship arrives in 2027. Expect no-fly boutique cruising from Dover and Portsmouth to keep getting dearer.
Clients who want a small ship, everything included and no airport are paying more every season. Saga‘s results, published on 30 September, show it is charging more per passenger per night and still filling its ships. For UK advisors selling over-50s clients on no-fly cruising from Kent and Hampshire, the message is to quote 2027/28 early.
The numbers
For the six months to 31 July 2026, Saga’s ocean cruise business made an underlying profit before tax of £47.7 million, up 38%, the company reported. Its two ships, Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure, sailed 92% full (94% a year earlier) at a per diem of £440, up 12.5% from £391. Saga says 68% of ocean passengers book again.
Forward pricing is climbing faster than occupancy. For the current year, 2026/27, Saga reports 91% of capacity sold at a £439 per diem, 11% ahead of last year. 2027/28 is already 55% sold, 3 percentage points ahead, at a per diem of £488, up 11.4%.
River cruise profit rose 54% to £6.0 million at a 92% load factor. Saga says advance bookings are strong for its fourth purpose-built river ship, Spirit of the Lorelei, launching in 2027, and that “plans for further vessels beyond 2027 are also in development.” It joins Spirit of the Rhine, Spirit of the Danube and Spirit of the Moselle, which launched in July 2025.
Group underlying profit before tax almost doubled to £46.6 million (from £23.5 million), and Saga now expects full-year profit of £65 million to £70 million. “Cruise customer demand for our luxury ocean cruises remained strong,” said chairman Roger De Haan. Chief executive Mike Hazell said: “All our core businesses are growing, cash generation has increased and debt continues to fall.”
Why it matters at the quayside
Saga’s ocean cruises from the UK sail from Dover or Portsmouth, the company says, and that no-fly convenience is what its clients pay a premium for. With both ships largely sold for the current year and per diems rising about 11% a year, the cheapest cabins on the best-dated sailings (Norway in summer, Christmas markets, round-Britain) will keep going earliest. The Lorelei’s 2027 debut adds river capacity, but Saga’s river ships are small and launch-season demand is clearly running ahead.
For advisors
- Who to pitch: repeat no-fly clients and couples over 50 who dislike flying but want an all-inclusive, small-ship product. Saga’s 68% repeat rate shows the product keeps them.
- When: now, for 2027/28. More than half the season is sold and per diems are about 11% higher than this year, so later booking is unlikely to be cheaper.
- What to book: Spirit of the Lorelei launch-season sailings for river first-timers, and Dover or Portsmouth departures for clients within reach of Kent or Hampshire.
- Watch: Saga’s next river ship announcement beyond 2027, and how competing no-fly lines from Southampton respond on price.