Spirit of Adventure

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Onboard

Because it started as a replacement for Swan, Spirit of Adventure and Swan are very similar. Spirit of Adventure, like Swan, is all about small-ship cruising to more unusual destinations, with excursions and gratuities included in the price and open dining in the evening. Lectures are a key part of the daily entertainment, but Spirit people are not averse to quizzes, cookery games, table tennis and other fun pursuits. There are a couple of formal nights per cruise, but otherwise, smart, casual dress is quite acceptable.

About Spirit of Adventure

Spirit of Adventure was formed in 2005 by U.K. company Saga, which sells holidays, cruises and all types of personal insurance to people older than 50. The cruise line was created as a replacement for Swan Hellenic, which was put up for sale by parent company Carnival Corp. and looked unlikely to find a buyer, (although, in the end, it was saved). The cruise line's first cruise was in March 2006, and since then, the ship -- also called Spirit of Adventure -- has been sailing in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, Antarctica and the Caribbean. In 2007, a holding company called Acromas was created to bring together the newly-merged businesses of Saga and the U.K.'s Automobile Association. Acromas also took over as the parent company of Spirit of Adventure.

Spirit of Adventure Fleet

Saga bought one ship, Berlin, for its new cruise line from German river cruise specialist Peter Deilmann, which had two ocean-going vessels at the time. It now has just one, -- Deutschland.

The ship was immediately sent for a refit and emerged from the shipyard in Genoa, Italy, in March 2006, as Spirit of Adventure with a new and very extensive library, a self-service restaurant and new bridge- deck cabins. A lot of teak flooring was laid, giving the ship a yacht-like feel. The kitchens were completely overhauled and the dining room upgraded.

In July, Acromas acquired Astoria from Germany's Transocean Tours with the intention that it would start sailing for Spirit of Adventure in April 2009, under the new name Quest for Adventure.

That plan has since been shelved. Spirit of Adventure is to stay a one-ship cruise line for now, and Astoria will sail for Saga as Saga Pearl II when Saga Rose is retired in October 2009.

Fellow Passengers

This is a British ship through and through, attracting educated, well-travelled couples and single travellers, aged 55-plus, who want a friendly cruise with like-minded souls. Most have cruised before, but this is also great for first-timers, who shudder at the thought of big ships, fluffy production shows and glitzy casinos. Passengers have to be older than 21.