Saga holidays - any experience?
Discussion
as above has anyone had experience of Saga holidays? The reasons for asking are twofold:
- parents are thinking of a Saga cruise round the UK, possibly Norwegian Fjords). 1st time on a cruise but with a few health issues like the idea of the 'comfort blanket' that Saga (seem to) provide. I know that Saga seem to be massively more expensive than most other tour companies - but their set-up is geared towards a demographic who may need extra care/attention and as such can you put a price on piece of mind....
- Mrs DG is looking at a Saga holiday (she's just over 60, I'm just under) to Machu Pichu and whilst we are in (hopefully!) good health we're only of average fitness and the concerns about altitude are there (dad suffered quite badly when they went 30 years ago). The flip-side if you will is that at our ages I suspect we'd be very much on the younger end of the scale for Saga, would we feel out of place?
Any thoughts?
- parents are thinking of a Saga cruise round the UK, possibly Norwegian Fjords). 1st time on a cruise but with a few health issues like the idea of the 'comfort blanket' that Saga (seem to) provide. I know that Saga seem to be massively more expensive than most other tour companies - but their set-up is geared towards a demographic who may need extra care/attention and as such can you put a price on piece of mind....
- Mrs DG is looking at a Saga holiday (she's just over 60, I'm just under) to Machu Pichu and whilst we are in (hopefully!) good health we're only of average fitness and the concerns about altitude are there (dad suffered quite badly when they went 30 years ago). The flip-side if you will is that at our ages I suspect we'd be very much on the younger end of the scale for Saga, would we feel out of place?
Any thoughts?
We went to Cuba with Saga. Really good trip with ages from 50 to 70.
Bit of a booze cruise in fact with cocktails being consumed from the morning rest stop onwards.
Bit stuffed now, of course, for easy travel to USA.
Any tour to more difficult places will tend to be self limiting as those going will have considered the activity levels.
Then, any tour company which provides a tour leader with you all the time will, usually, provide a good level of care.
Some tours we've been on have had only the local guide and that is not quite so reassuring to some.
Remember the UK tour companies are using tour companies based in the countries they go to, so itineraries tend to be similar whichever company you use. Its things like the number of included meals and trips that might vary depending on headline cost.
Regarding high altitude, when we went to Ecuador we obtained some pills from our local travel clinic, our own GP. I just had one, on our first day in Quito, walking up the hills. Altitude sickness is, from what I've read, not related to fitness in an absolute sense.
Companies we've used are Riviera, Travelsphere, Exoticca, Great Rail Journeys and Travelbag.
We've not had a bad holiday from any of these companies but for reassurance go with a tour with a tour manager, who are usually from the UK. Even those with a manager not from the UK have been fine, the managers speaking perfect English and often having lived in the UK.
We only started travelling to many far flung places in our retirement.
Still loads of places to go to though.
Bit of a booze cruise in fact with cocktails being consumed from the morning rest stop onwards.
Bit stuffed now, of course, for easy travel to USA.
Any tour to more difficult places will tend to be self limiting as those going will have considered the activity levels.
Then, any tour company which provides a tour leader with you all the time will, usually, provide a good level of care.
Some tours we've been on have had only the local guide and that is not quite so reassuring to some.
Remember the UK tour companies are using tour companies based in the countries they go to, so itineraries tend to be similar whichever company you use. Its things like the number of included meals and trips that might vary depending on headline cost.
Regarding high altitude, when we went to Ecuador we obtained some pills from our local travel clinic, our own GP. I just had one, on our first day in Quito, walking up the hills. Altitude sickness is, from what I've read, not related to fitness in an absolute sense.
Companies we've used are Riviera, Travelsphere, Exoticca, Great Rail Journeys and Travelbag.
We've not had a bad holiday from any of these companies but for reassurance go with a tour with a tour manager, who are usually from the UK. Even those with a manager not from the UK have been fine, the managers speaking perfect English and often having lived in the UK.
We only started travelling to many far flung places in our retirement.
Still loads of places to go to though.
Edited by 3454.5 on Wednesday 21st December 22:21
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