Spirit of Adventure and Spirit of Discovery set sail this winter with a stellar line-up of entertainment

On a cold Valentine’s Day in 1984, Christopher Dean and Jayne Torvill brought warmth to living rooms across the nation with their mesmerising ice dance. TV coverage captured the couple’s intensity and daring choreography that earned them an Olympic Gold medal.

Ravel’s Bolero at the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, was at a level that had never been seen before, and – across artistic impression and technical merit – the routine was awarded 12 perfect scores of 6.0 and six 5.9s.

The talented ice dancers became much-loved household names. Turning professional, they continued to perform at the highest level in their sport for another 10 years, retiring from competition in 1994 after returning to the Winter Olympics to win bronze at the Lillehammer games.

Christopher and Jane remained in the limelight as both coaches and judges on the ITV series Dancing on Ice and have performed ice dance shows worldwide, the last being their farewell tour, Our Last Dance, in 2025.

Now, the couple are set to charm guests on Spirit of Adventure’s Canary Wonders cruise on 7 December 2026, sharing highlights and stories from their career as well as answering guests’ questions at a hosted Q&A session.

On the same cruise guests can meet another legend who found success in the 1980s. DJ Ken Bruce started his career at BBC Radio 2, taking over from Terry Wogan on the Breakfast Show at the beginning of 1985, and went to host the Mid-morning show for more than 30 years. Ken holds the record for being the longest-serving DJ on Radio 2 and will be presenting his ever-popular PopMaster-style quiz, so Saga guests can test their music knowledge while on the High Seas.

There will be more reaching for the stars with speaker Ian Hall, of the Astronomical Society, who will give talks on the night sky during Spirit of Adventure’s overnight stay in Funchal, Madeira. Here, guests can take advantage of their new-found knowledge on a stargazing tour.

Further adventures include an optional off-road tour to capture the volcanic vistas of La Palma; a cable car ride to the summit of Mount Teide in Tenerife; a volcanic trek in Fuerteventura; and a visit to Jameos del Agua Cave, in Lanzarote, featuring the fantastical Cesar Manrique architecture.

Now, that’s entertainment!

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Best of the Canaries

Eras: The world première of a dazzling dance spectacular

Former BBC Strictly Come Dancing stars Vincent Simone and Michelle Tsiakkas will be joining Spirit of Discovery’s Best of the Canaries cruise to premiere their dazzling new dance show, Eras.

On the 5 December sailing, Vincent and Michelle will be joined by their respective professional dance partners, Victoria Martin and Simone Arena, for the première performance of Eras.

The show celebrates the histories of Latin and ballroom dance throughout the ages and features insights into Vincent and Michelle’s time on Strictly.

The celebrity dancers will instruct classes too, helping guests to polish their salsa or learn the foxtrot. From beginners to experienced dancers, everyone will be welcome.

The Best of the Canaries cruise will also feature guest speaker horticulturalist and TV presenter David Domoney (Love Your Garden, ITV’s This Morning). He will share how plants, gardens and the natural world can enrich life. Garden lovers will be in their element as the cruise sails to the Floral Island of Madeira, where there are many outstanding gardens to visit in the capital Funchal.

In the Canaries, guests can also consider a visit to the Palmetum, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The former landfill site has been transformed into a glorious botanical garden, home to more than 2,000 plants and trees, including 500 palm species. Just ask the onboard Explore Ashore team to help with directions.

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And Moorish temperatures await

Spirit of Discovery’s winter sun itineraries also include the “hot” destination of Morocco. Expect T-shirt weather during the Casablanca and Canary Island Duo cruise on 6 January 2027. In Casablanca, North African, Arab and European influences meet and on Saga tours guests can wander in the 19th-century medina and venture into colonial downtown to pick up spices at the exotic central market.

Visit Casablanca and Canary Island Duo

In February, during the A Taste of Morocco and Historic Spain cruise, Spirit of Discovery calls into Morocco’s northern-most port, Tangier. On the Strait of Gibraltar, about 20 miles from the Spanish coast, this multi-cultural city makes for a fascinating visit. On an included walking tour, head up to the ancient kasbah, a former military fortress that’s now home to elegant architecture, before visiting the medina, a warren of ancient, cobbled streets.

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Experience the ancient wonders of Egypt – and more

In March, Egypt bathes in sunshine and blue skies so it’s a perfect time to discover its ancient treasures before the summer crowds descend. An overnight visit to Alexandria during Spirit of Adventure’s 27-night Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean cruise on 21 March 2027 offers the opportunity to visit the Pyramids of Giza, The Grand Egyptian Museum and El Alamein.

It’s not just Egypt that will please history buffs as ship tours visit Pompeii and Herculaneum, in Italy; the UNESCO-listed Acropolis in Athens, Greece; Ancient Ephesus in Turkey; the archaeological sites of Kourion and Kolossi in Cyprus and 16th-century forts built by the Knights of St John in Valletta, Malta.

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Katherine Jenkins OBE to perform on South America sailing

It’s not too late to join the 73-night Grand Voyage to South America on Spirit of Adventure – and a very special guest will be on board to help celebrate 30 years of Saga Cruises. Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins OBE will be performing twice in the ship’s Playhouse theatre, giving all guests the opportunity to enjoy her fabulous show.

The cruise departs on 7 January 2027, an epic adventure which features full-day port calls, overnight calls and three-night overland options including Machu Picchu, the incredible lost city of the Incas.

In Buenos Aires, Argentina, Spirit of Adventure moors overnight so there’s time to visit a Latin American Estancia ranch to meet the gauchos and their beloved horses before an evening in the city to watch a fiery Argentinian tango.

The Falklands is another special destination with an overnight stay to absorb the history, landscape and wildlife – including penguins. From the capital, Stanley, guests can join a free tour to see Magellanic penguins in Gypsy Cove, a National Nature Reserve.

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Or if you prefer a winter wonderland …

The Arctic Circle is the prime position for a chance to see the elusive aurora borealis. If there’s a clear sky over the icy fjords, and the Northern Lights come out to play, being on the top deck of Spirit of Discovery is the perfect place to watch the northern lights.

The ship departs for Norway on 20 February 2027, a prime time for chasing the aurora borealis and joining winter adventures such as husky sledding and reindeer sledding, meeting the Sami people and visiting an ice hotel. From Honningsvåg, there’s an included excursion to the North Cape before an overnight call to Alta.

Further calls on the 17-night Northern Lights and Arctic Vistas cruise include Bergen, Alesund, Trondheim, Tromso and Flam.

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Saga Cruises include all meals, drinks, chauffeur to and from the port, travel insurance, entertainment, room service and one complimentary excursion in every port.