From Handwiki ![]() Spirit of Discovery in Oslo, August 2019
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| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Spirit of Discovery |
| Owner: | Saga Group |
| Operator: | Saga Cruises |
| Port of registry: |
London, |
| Ordered: | 1 October 2015 |
| Builder: |
|
| Yard number: | 714 |
| Laid down: | 28 June 2018 |
| Launched: | 12 May 2019 |
| Sponsored by: | Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall |
| Christened: | 5 July 2019 |
| In service: | 2019–present |
| Identification: |
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| Status: | In Service |
| General characteristics | |
| Length: | 236 m (774 ft) |
| Decks: | 10 passenger decks |
| Capacity: | 999 passengers |
| Crew: | 523 |
Spirit of Discovery is a 58,250 GT cruise ship operating for Saga Cruises. Built by Meyer Werft, the ship was delivered on 24 June 2019[1] and began operations on 10 July 2019.[2] Upon delivery, she became Saga's first ever new-build ship.[3][4] She is Saga's largest ship to ever operate in its history, a title she will share with her sister ship, Spirit of Adventure, after she was delivered in September 2020.[5][3][4]
In October 2015, Saga Cruises, which had previously purchased secondhand vessels, ordered its first new build[6] from Meyer Werft for a scheduled 2019 delivery.[6] The order also came with an option for an identical sister ship scheduled to be delivered in 2021.[6]
On 29 March 2017, the ship's name was announced as Spirit of Discovery.[7][4] On 1 March 2018, the first steel was cut for Spirit of Discovery at Meyer Werft.[8] Construction officially began with her keel-laying and coin ceremonies on 28 June 2018.[9] On 12 May 2019, she was floated out[10] and later completed her conveyance across the river Ems on 26 May 2019 to begin her sea trials in the North Sea.[11]
Spirit of Discovery was delivered on 24 June 2019.[1] Shortly after her delivery, she incurred an incident when she collided with bollards at the Great Sea Lock upon leaving Emden on the evening of 24 June.[12] She only sustained several superficial abrasions and scratches, but the bollards received significant damage.[12] She arrived in the United Kingdom on 28 June.[1] On 5 July 2019, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall christened Spirit of Discovery at the Port of Dover, making her the first ship to be christened in Dover in more than a decade.[1][13]
Spirit of Discovery sailed her maiden voyage on 10 July 2019, which circumnavigated the United Kingdom and included calls in Ireland.[13] Throughout her inaugural season, she sailed throughout Northern Europe, Spain , and the Mediterranean.[14][15] In January 2021, the ship is scheduled to sail her longest voyage thus far, a circumnavigation of South America.[16]
Describing how Saga retained its brand's experience with the debut of Spirit of Discovery, David Pickett, newbuild director of Saga, explains:
Our ship is of quite an unusual size in the modern marketplace. There are not many ships of 999-passenger capacity. It was the right size for us, as the Saga experience is typified by small ship style, high standards of customer service and a friendly ship where there is a strong relationship between customers and crew. The ship is 236 m long, 100 m less than mega ships. We have a high crew to passenger ratio. Saga Cruises is a premium brand.[17]
Spirit of Discovery also houses several specialty restaurants, a theater, and fitness and wellness facilities, features not included on the fleet's previous vessels.[17] Additionally, Saga designed Spirit of Discovery for an all-inclusive cruising experience, in which the cost of the cruise covers expenses incurred from beverages, gratuities, specialty dining, room service, internet access, and local chauffeur services.[18] Spirit of Discovery also offers 100 passenger cabins designed for solo travelers and employs 523 crew members.[8][19]
Saga partnered with Siemens to employ Siemens SISHIP SiPODs for the ship's propulsion and power distribution systems.[17] The ship is powered by four nine-cylinder 32/44 common rail MAN engines equipped with selective catalytic reduction, each producing 5,400 kilowatts (7,200 hp), for a total of 21,600 kilowatts (29,000 hp).[17] To better recover waste heat, the ship is also equipped with a centralised heating water system that reduces pump power by 65 kW to save 200 MWh per annum.[17] Spirit of Discovery is built to Polar Code.[20]
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Categories: [Cruise ships]
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