Rusty Jock
29 May 2018
Re: Patrick O'Sullivan buys And I followed him in with a top up .That was a major purchase by the new Chairman and I also noticed a very large volume of trades on Friday of over 5 mill shares .
NoQuestionMarks
29 May 2018
Patrick O'Sullivan buys The new chairman bought a 100,000 shares for roughly £128,000. Around 40% of his annual salary in one buy... A decent show of support from the new man."Patrick does not currently have any interest in shares in Saga. Patrick will receive a fee of £325,000 per annum from appointment and will not be entitled to any additional compensation or benefits. There is no further information which would require disclosure under 9.6.13R of the Listing Rules of the UK Listing Authority."
Medway Man
18 May 2018
Re: SAGA could make a mint; if............. As I mentioned in a previous message, there are a lot of new cruise ships due to go into service in the next few years............so many cruise brands will be looking to capitalise on market share; so personally speaking I think your expectations from what SAGA can gain business wise is not realistic, but I am happy to be proved wrong on the matter (especially as I have just upped my share holding in SAGA by 70% approx in last few weeks and have a dividend to come).I actually think, that in the next 10 years, SAGA Cruises as such will no longer exist, as they will have been bought by either Carnival Group UK (on behalf of Carnival Corp) or Royal Caribbean Int.........and run as 'Adult' only ships (not specifically those of SAGA age).The real problem SAGA has with their existing ships and the two new ones is there ability to make money. The new ships are 999 passenger capacity........... great for those who like small or smaller size ships. However, based on conversations with fellow passengers we have met along the way on our cruises, the majority seem to avoid small ships; and it is quite apparent that family groups (so mum, dad, granddad, grandma, kids and grand kids) are on the rise to take advantage of 3rd & 4th berth occupancy in a cabin offers, so they have to look to other brands and not SAGA.Also mentioned in a previous message; a cruise ship only starts to make money once it is at sea, as many ship company's use the 'cost a passenger pays' to cover fuel and docking fees. The cash machine for them is what passengers spend onboard (bars, casino, photographs, fine dining, tours, galley tours etc). So with only 999 passengers, of which you will have a percentage of nominal spenders onboard, scope to make money is that harder. I was going to attach a link to a Facebook thingy (good technical term that) my wife saw on Facebook yesterday of quantities of various items (food and drink) consumed on a typical two week cruise on P&O Azura.....it is staggering.............but she cannot locate it this morning, so I have found the following article from 2015 on Go Cruise and Travel; the second photo/image kind of represents what I mean about 'bums on seats' matter (and size comes into play) in the consumption of booze as an income provider >>>>>>. [link]
NoQuestionMarks
18 May 2018
Re: SAGA could make a mint; if................. Thanks for the link MM.One would deduce that premiums are so high based on the risk/reward ratio.As we get older, sadly, we do succumb to age related illnesses.I would also think that due to the varying costs of medical care from country to country, cruise insurance would be devilishly hard, and time consuming to price accurately.I'd prefer us to concentrate on 'getting our act together' filling our fleet, particularly our new additions, with happy customers.
Welsheagle
17 May 2018
Ex-dividend today Ex-dividend is the reason for the drop.
Medway Man
12 May 2018
SAGA could make a mint; if..................... As someone who takes cruise holidays a few times a year; I recently posted on here that if SAGA were to get the act in gear and bring out a whole range of travel policies (suitable for both fly and cruises (cruise travel policies have different cover sections) from cheap to expensive, they could get a lot of business. I also mentioned the totally ridiculous cost of cruise insurance for those of an older age.I also mentioned that many on cruises holidays lie to the cruise companies that they have cover.....but don't. My wife has a relative who has travelled all around the world a number of times and has never taken out insurance, instructing her family to 'complain and create a fuss' to the travel agents, air company or cruise company should anything happen to her, in the hope that the company will cough up and pay out!Today, on the 'Thisismoney' site there is a an article about the many thousands of Brits who travel abroad (especially to Europe) who don't take out travel insurance as they think the EHIC (old E111) card covers them, even outside of Europe no doubt in some cases.The head bullet points from the article are as follows;- Millions of holidaymakers risk huge medical bills after failing to get the right kind of travel insurance or not buying it at all - 38 per cent of travellers didn't have the right insurance in the last yearnot buying it they put themselves at risk of huge overseas medical bills The majority thought the EHIC would cover them instead while on holidayBut it is not a replacement for insurance and doesn't provide as much coverThe full article can be found at [link] are fortunate to get free travel insurance cover as part of benefits received from my former employer/union as a pensioner; but we still ensured (and paid a one off fee) that the policy gave us additional cover for our cruises and that I have cover as I have a health condition............. so personally speaking I/we would not need to buy a travel policy from Saga or indeed from anyone else.......but as the article shows, many need the cover and if you can give people cover at a reasonable prices, I am sure many would take it.Perhaps Saga needs to approach people like P&O, Cunard, Easy Jet, Ryan Air to name a few; and see if they can be an appointed over 50's travel insurance supplier???????
sasa43
30 Apr 2018
Good article in the Sunday Times... yesterday, indicating that the new man in charge is steadily getting to grips with things, which might lie behind the sp having picked up usefully in recent days; makes for a pleasant change, anyway - sasa.
Medway Man
21 Apr 2018
Saga could gain a lot of customers if.......... Today (Saturday) the Money Mail online edition is actually carry an interesting article on cruise insurance........ and detail that many standard travel insurance policies don't cover them.If the people at SAGA have got the heads screwed on, they should take advantage of this and bring out a whole range of policies or options.........as the insurance required on (say) a Mediterranean cruise, would be totally different if you was sailing direct to New York.From our own experience when on cruises, loads of people do not buy travel insurance of any type (and lie that they have it) and many just buy what the travel agent flogs them, whether it is suitable or not. Everyone's requirements for insurance cover will differ, as everyone's circumstances are different............we always take out additional cover for her jewellery whilst on a cruise, even though it is kept in the safe.The biggest issue with cruise insurance is the cost........my wife is taking her mum on a 2 night jaunt over to Belgium in a few weeks......her mum is 79 no medical issues, and one insurance quote we gt for the 2 nights was £99.......but typically in the £60 region.As it happens, I approached my old union, and they are arranging cover for £25.00But Saga could mop the market up, if they were to act quick.Thisismoney article (Money Mail) >>>>>> [link]
Medway Man
20 Apr 2018
Re: Peel Hunt Southampton's "Ocean" and "QE2" Cruise Terminals at Port Gate 4 are like very old friends to us, as we have sailed from them virtually every cruise...... in fact since 2008 when doing our first cruise, this years cruises will be 33 and 34...........and hopefully we shall have good weather, fine wine and more sizeable wins in the Casino!
millwallfan
20 Apr 2018
Re: Peel Hunt I totally accept that It is each to their own but I think it is true that the vast majority of 'doubters' quickly change their mind once they have 'dipped their toes' . If you choose the right cruise line for your needs then once on board it is a holiday within a holiday. With the 4 and 5 star lines whilst on board You get good food 24 hours a day, good and varied entertainment, plus things like ice rinks, surfing flow riders , bumper cars and casino etc etc . Then you have the chance in a 2 week med cruise for example to get off in 6 or 7 different ports from which you can visit places like Rome, the leaning tower of Pisa, Venice, Dubrovnik, Santorini, Barcelona. Monte Carlo Lisbon, Gibraltar Etc etc. and all without having to board a plane. Get on and off at Southampton with unlimited luggage. For under £2,000 apart from school summer holidays , that represents pretty good value against the cost of 14 nights in a quality hotel plus restaurant bills etc. Just my view but it suits me and, this July, 60 family and friends with a wedding on board.
Medway Man
20 Apr 2018
Re: Peel Hunt From experience, over 50's can also cause major issues, especially if they have been drinking all day...... but most cruise brands have adult only ships................ so the choice is yours.All I would say is; cruise ships don't put up with the aggravation you get at some land hotels; if people are causing issues to other passengers, they are usually warned once, warned a second time (perhaps by a Senior Officer) and if they have to..........on a third time, the passengers and their luggage are kicked off at the next port of call...........................and it does happen!
Medway Man
20 Apr 2018
Re: Peel Hunt Size matters for some..........some people like little ones, but in the main, people like big, as they ride out the storms better........but it's a choice you have to make. Equally it suits us to bigger ships as there are more things to do.......but that is our choice.But a new ship in itself, is not a game changer, unless it was the only new ship in the whole wide world.................. and it's not. Also you have to bear in mind TUI Cruises are small and are a rival to SAGA ships (not passenger age wise though), likewise Fred Olsen and the new Ocean Viking Ships and others......... everyone has rivals except Cunard on their regular Transatlantic crossing schedule.
FRTEB
20 Apr 2018
Re: Peel Hunt " Personally I wouldn't be seen dead on a cruise ship of any description, but that is my choice. " Me neither, but if I really really absolutely had to go on a cruise I'd much rather choose a smaller ship for the over 50's with no young ruffians allowed, rather than the hideously monstrous floating blocks of flats whose owners allow riff-raff onboard complete with screaming rug-rats (no offence intended to the riff-raff or their screaming rug-rats). ...So I can see the attraction of Saga's smaller cruise ships, if you like that kind of thing, which I don't.
NoQuestionMarks
20 Apr 2018
Re: Peel Hunt I didn't mean to post the sell recommendation, damn computer!!!
NoQuestionMarks
20 Apr 2018
Re: Peel Hunt Food for thought there MedwayMan, thanks for your opinion.When assessing Saga I thought the smaller sized cruise ships would be an attraction to quite a few customers? It would certainly attract me if I were inclined to cruise(which I am not) and one would assume the Saga ships can dock at smaller ports that the larger ships cannot?I bought a few Saga last week, 120-130p seemed good value to me. I wouldn't have paid much more and will 'jump ship' at the first sign of trouble...
