Saga Taxi Transfers - Current Situation

[JoJo1947]

9 hours ago, Medeba said:

When I contacted Saga in connection with final payment for our August cruise we were told that we would have a shared car. We live about 90 miles from Dover and are considering paying the extra to have a private car.

We always have a private car and budget the cost within the holiday. Nothing wrong with a shared car but the step up into the car is to high for me. At one time the driver had a portable step but H&S put paid to that 

[arlowood]

13 hours ago, Medeba said:

When I contacted Saga in connection with final payment for our August cruise we were told that we would have a shared car. We live about 90 miles from Dover and are considering paying the extra to have a private car.

That must be a change in policy. We are well outside the 75ml range (abt 200mls) and we had a private taxi to and from the ship for our SoD cruise back in the middle of June. Our driver who took us to the ship was a Saga/Titan employee and he said that Saga were sticking with the private taxi format for all while there was still a lot of Covid around.

 

Would seem like a rash move to go back to shared transport in light of the spike in cases of the new Omicron variants doing the rounds

 

I would certainly consider paying for a private transfer if only to avoid a "denied boarding" scenario if one of your shared taxi occupants tests positive before embarkation

Edited July 18, 2022 by arlowood

[paulatsea]

1 hour ago, arlowood said:

That must be a change in policy. We are well outside the 75ml range (abt 200mls) and we had a private taxi to and from the ship for our SoD cruise back in the middle of June. Our driver who took us to the ship was a Saga/Titan employee and he said that Saga were sticking with the private taxi format for all while there was still a lot of Covid around.

 

Would seem like a rash move to go back to shared transport in light of the spike in cases of the new Omicron variants doing the rounds

 

I would certainly consider paying for a private transfer if only to avoid a "denied boarding" scenario if one of your shared taxi occupants tests positive before embarkation

Only danger is if the driver tests positive - I read of someone who had a private saga transfer and the driver tested positive and they were denied boarding.

[LandC]

I understand Saga have provided private cars for July departures. We are booked on SofA next month.  I contacted  Saga last week about another issue, and asked if private transfers would also be provided for August departures.  I was advised that a decision has not yet been made.

[Northern Miss]

I am on SofA on the 6th August out of Southampton and on 'My Saga' it tells me I'm in a shared car and my pick up time is 9.00am.

[david05]

37 minutes ago, Northern Miss said:

I am on SofA on the 6th August out of Southampton and on 'My Saga' it tells me I'm in a shared car and my pick up time is 9.00am.

I understand that MySaga showed a shared car for those over 75 miles unless you had paid for a private transfer (ie not shared) even when because of covid Saga were not providing shared cars. The Saga website currently states that the private service will be provided for cruises sailing until the end of July.

[Medeba]

3 hours ago, LandC said:

I understand Saga have provided private cars for July departures. We are booked on SofA next month.  I contacted  Saga last week about another issue, and asked if private transfers would also be provided for August departures.  I was advised that a decision has not yet been made.

I'm surprised that you were told last week that a decision hadn't yet been made about private transfers as I knew weeks ago that we had a shared car.  I booked my private transfer today for my cruise on 17 August which confirms the information on the Saga website about 'free' private cars ceasing at the end of July for anyone living more than 75 miles from the departure port.

[Windsurfboy]

Would Saga still stop you boarding if other party in shared car tested positive 

[paulatsea]

19 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

Would Saga still stop you boarding if other party in shared car tested positive 

Yes - as far as I know - and that includes the driver - unless something has changed recently.

Edited July 18, 2022 by paulatsea

[Windsurfboy]

So why aren't  Saga asking people to test themselves in morning before getting in car.

 

Are Saga still discouraging /banning Public transport.

 

Given high prevalence of covid I'd drive myself now

[paulatsea]

10 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

So why aren't  Saga asking people to test themselves in morning before getting in car.

 

Are Saga still discouraging /banning Public transport.

 

Given high prevalence of covid I'd drive myself now

Driver is supposed to be tested I think 

[david05]

12 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

So why aren't  Saga asking people to test themselves in morning before getting in car.

 

Are Saga still discouraging /banning Public transport.

 

Given high prevalence of covid I'd drive myself now

Saga are still asking people to test beforehand.

[Kenmure]

As far as we know at present the driver has to test negative before pickup. So the first thing is to check the driver has done this before you leave. If the driver hasn’t done one there are two alternatives. Refuse to travel with that driver and give that driver a lateral flow testing kit. While the driver’s doing this you can phone the Saga travel number and register your annoyance! That means you can rest assured that the driver won’t  be why you’ve been sent home as it will be you who was positive.

Which brings one to the already asked question as to whether you should self test before you leave. Well if you do and you are negative, great. If you are positive it’s a different matter. Why? Insurance! 
if you get to Southampton and Saga tests you and you are positive they have irrefutable evidence for the insurance company. If you cancel at home due to a positive lateral flow test the company is going to ask for more evidence which can only mean getting a PCR test done immediately which is nigh on impossible now.

Perhaps it’s best to travel and keep your fingers crossed!!

[paulatsea]

2 minutes ago, Kenmure said:

As far as we know at present the driver has to test negative before pickup. So the first thing is to check the driver has done this before you leave. If the driver hasn’t done one there are two alternatives. Refuse to travel with that driver and give that driver a lateral flow testing kit. While the driver’s doing this you can phone the Saga travel number and register your annoyance! That means you can rest assured that the driver won’t  be why you’ve been sent home as it will be you who was positive.

Which brings one to the already asked question as to whether you should self test before you leave. Well if you do and you are negative, great. If you are positive it’s a different matter. Why? Insurance! 
if you get to Southampton and Saga tests you and you are positive they have irrefutable evidence for the insurance company. If you cancel at home due to a positive lateral flow test the company is going to ask for more evidence which can only mean getting a PCR test done immediately which is nigh on impossible now.

Perhaps it’s best to travel and keep your fingers crossed!!

Thanks Kenmure - I agree -  do you know how easy it is to contact saga quickly if the driver has not been tested ?

it would probably be too late to organise port parking so would probably have to get a cab and get reimbursed somehow.

is there a direct number for private transfer queries ?

I am beginning to think it’s better to drive and park myself now - I still have time to arrange .

 

[paulatsea]

Also - are the drivers / firms involved normally good at making sure they are tested before pick up ?

 

 

[Kenmure]

When you get your final travel pick up details you get a dedicated phone number which deals with on the day queries. This is usually for reporting the late arrival of the driver.

The ultimate happened to us once when the driver didn’t turn up at all! Of course we had been in ongoing touch and eventually they managed to get anther company to fulfil the pickup.

That took about two hours but fortunately we are only 70 miles away from Southampton.

[Kenmure]

7 minutes ago, paulatsea said:

Also - are the drivers / firms involved normally good at making sure they are tested before pick up ?

 

 

Your guess is as good as mine. However our last one hadn’t tested as he said all testing had finished so he was a bit surprised when he got to Southampton to have something pushed up his nose! Fortunately he proved negative, but we have learnt from that one!

Generally he was bad news as although he came from Southampton he didn’t know where the ship was berthed and had to be guided by my wife who had Googled it whilst travelling!

[paulatsea]

2 minutes ago, Kenmure said:

Your guess is as good as mine. However our last one hadn’t tested as he said all testing had finished so he was a bit surprised when he got to Southampton to have something pushed up his nose! Fortunately he proved negative, but we have learnt from that one!

Generally he was bad news as although he came from Southampton he didn’t know where the ship was berthed and had to be guided by my wife who had Googled it whilst travelling!

Do you still use this service kenmure or do you drive yourself now after these mishaps ?

[Kohima]

With regard to drivers testing, I would think a lot depends on who employs the driver and their own honesty. I would imagine Saga’s own drivers are pretty reliable but Saga made a lot of their directly employed drivers redundant in the pandemic so there aren’t so many of these. Nowadays Saga has sometimes to use whoever is available, with the result that drivers aren’t always aware of, or compliant with, the requirements. This was our personal experience on our last homeward journey when it became apparent about 20 minutes into the journey. The driver had never worked for Saga before.

[Kenmure]

14 minutes ago, paulatsea said:

Do you still use this service kenmure or do you drive yourself now after these mishaps ?

Yes we use this service because no matter what Saga will get you to the terminal and if delayed they usually delay departure if you are using their service.

[paulatsea]

10 minutes ago, Kenmure said:

Yes we use this service because no matter what Saga will get you to the terminal and if delayed they usually delay departure if you are using their service.

Ok thanks - good to know . Ill

stick with the limo.

[paulatsea]

23 minutes ago, Kohima said:

With regard to drivers testing, I would think a lot depends on who employs the driver and their own honesty. I would imagine Saga’s own drivers are pretty reliable but Saga made a lot of their directly employed drivers redundant in the pandemic so there aren’t so many of these. Nowadays Saga has sometimes to use whoever is available, with the result that drivers aren’t always aware of, or compliant with, the requirements. This was our personal experience on our last homeward journey when it became apparent about 20 minutes into the journey. The driver had never worked for Saga before.

Thanks Kohima

[Windsurfboy]

Thank you.

 

We weren't asked to test at home in May  before our journey. Our driver was late because he was a last minute change and had to go to office to be tested. 

 

Given Kenmore's sensible  advice passengers  wouldn't self test at home. So are in danger from other passengers. 

 

Logical thing if using shared cars is like other cruise lines Saga asks passengers take a video supervised test at home ( £20 ) the night before. Show certificate to driver. Still test at port, but this will reduce risk of sharing with a positive passenger

[Denarius]

I am joining SofD on 31 July and the travel arrangements which I received a few days ago state private car even though I booked shared transport.

[maesteggirl]

We are also on that cruise and when I spoke to Saga yesterday checking it was a private transfer -(MYSAGA said shared )- I was told they were extending private transfers until the end ofAugust.