Spirit of the Lorelei – the maiden season of Saga’s elegant new ship

Discover the enchanting range of river cruises available when Saga’s latest vessel launches next year.

By Sue Bryant

Anticipation is building for the launch of Saga’s fourth custom-built river ship, Spirit of the Lorelei, which launches in July 2027. Carrying 172 guests, this sleek new ship, her name inspired by the myths of the Middle Rhine, will spend her maiden season sailing the Rhine, Main and Danube.

As well as romantic German legends, Spirit of the Lorelei’s elegant design, in rich, earthy colours, evokes the Grand Tour, the 18th-century rite of passage during which young aristocrats would further their education by travelling around Europe. The onboard library is notable for its vivid prints by Marianne North, a pioneering 19th-century botanist who travelled the world, creating beautiful paintings of exotic plant life.

From short city breaks to extended voyages along the eastern reaches of the Danube, and Europe’s sparkling Christmas markets, here are some of the exciting voyages to look forward to when Spirit of the Lorelei makes her grand debut.

Join Spirit of the Lorelei’s spectacular maiden cruise

Be one of the first to sail on the new ship – and pass the dramatic Lorelei Rock, the inspiration for her name. This seven-night sailing, departing on 1 July, takes you from the Dutch waterways along the Rhine, deep into the spectacular scenery of the Middle Rhine Gorge.

Explore arty Rotterdam, where you’ll see quirky contemporary architecture including the bright yellow Cube Houses, sitting at a jaunty 45º angle, and the graceful Erasmus Bridge, locally known as The Swan.

Stopping at Zaandam, there’s a full day in glorious Amsterdam, while the morning in Arnhem is a chance to join a tour with a local historian to learn about the real-life WWII events depicted in the classic film A Bridge Too Far. The skyline of Cologne is dominated by the massive, twin-spired Gothic cathedral, inside which the gilded Shrine of the Magi is believed to house the remains of the Three Wise Men.

Next, you’ll continue south into the most scenic stretch of the Rhine, the Middle Rhine Gorge, where every bend is guarded by a majestic castle and the steep hills are green with braided vineyards and dense forest. Near Sankt

Goarshausen, one particularly sheer rock face, rising 433 feet above the river, is where the mythical mermaid, the Lorelei, sat combing her golden hair and singing.

Your final day is in Mainz, birthplace of Johannes Gutenberg, the father of modern printing, where there’s an included walking tour of the city’s medieval heart.

The Inaugural Cruise: Spirit of the Lorelei

Cross the heart of Europe via the Rhine, Main and Danube

Spend a leisurely 14 days sailing across some of the most beautiful stretches of Europe’s waterways on Spirit of the Lorelei’s new Rhine, Main and Danube Explorer voyage.

You’ll embark in Koblenz, sailing through the Middle Rhine Gorge to the pretty wine-growing town of Rüdesheim. From here, join the Main, where highlights include the beautifully preserved medieval town of Miltenberg, all half-timbered houses and narrow, cobbled streets, and Würzburg, location of the magnificent Baroque Residence Palace, one of the many included excursions.

Spend the morning in Nuremberg, with its sobering history of the Nazi war trials, and at the beginning of the Danube part of the voyage, Regensburg, its grand centre protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Beyond Passau, Spirit of the Lorelei enters the Wachau Valley, the hills lined with vineyards and the banks dotted with apricot orchards. Visit the Baroque Melk Abbey, perched dramatically on a bluff overlooking the river, and sail into Vienna for a full day during which you could visit Schönbrunn Palace, see Klimt’s iconic painting The Kiss at the Belvedere Palace or simply soak up the atmosphere of the city’s elegant coffee houses.

There’s a day in the Slovak capital Bratislava, where you could join a tour into the countryside to visit a family-owned vineyard. Then the final leg of the cruise, as the Danube loops through the lush countryside in a stretch known as the Danube Bend, ends with an overnight stay in elegant Budapest, the two sides, Buda and Pest, divided by the river.

Rhine, Main and Danube Explorer

Explore three stunning cities in one cruise

Here’s an effortless way to explore three capital cities in the space of just six days, on Spirit of the Lorelei’s City Explorer: Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna cruise. You’ll join the new ship in Budapest, where the Panorama Restaurant is the perfect setting for dinner, the lights of the city and its bridges reflecting in the river as night falls. There’s a day to explore, perhaps taking in Buda Castle and St Stephen’s Basilica, before setting sail for Esztergom, the former capital of Hungary.

Enjoy a full day in Bratislava to absorb Slovak culture. Visit the castle that dominates the city, or wander through the medieval old town, stopping to sample bryndzové halušky, Slovakia’s national dish of potato dumplings and a creamy cheese sauce topped with crispy bacon.

Spirit of the Lorelei then sails overnight to Vienna, where you’ll have a full day and evening in this glorious city. Lose yourself in the magnificent art museums, from the Kunsthistorisches Museum, for old masters, to the Leopold Museum’s arresting contemporary art. Stroll the leafy Stadtpark, admire the State Opera House and tuck into a slice of Sachertorte, a decadent, glossy chocolate cake with apricot jam at the centre.

City Explorer: Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna 2027 aboard Spirit of the Lorelei

The Eastern Danube from Budapest to the Balkans – and bears

This nine-night cruise on Spirit of the Lorelei takes you on a round-trip from Budapest, heading deep into the Balkans as far as Romania and back. Highlights include Belgrade, where you can visit the Kalemegdan Fortress and the ornate St Sava Temple, the fourth-largest Eastern Orthodox church in the world. In Novi Sad, Serbia’s second city, check out the 17th-century Petrovaradin Fortress, an imposing citadel towering over the Danube.

The greatest natural highlight of this unusual itinerary is without doubt the dramatic Iron Gates Gorge, forming a natural border between Serbia and Romania, both sides protected as national parks where lynx, wolves and brown bears roam. The gorge itself is some 83 miles long, created as the Danube carves its way between the Carpathian Mountains and the Balkan Hills.

Visit the 14th-century Golubac Fortress, snaking over the rocks at the entrance of the gorge, with its ten imposing towers. Its defenders successfully repelled more than 120 attacks over the centuries.

Historic Highlights from Budapest to Belgrade 2027

Celebrate Christmas on the Danube

Experience the magic and sparkle of the festive season in the heart of Europe on Spirit of the Lorelei’s 14-night Christmas and New Year cruise round-trip from Budapest.

Your all-inclusive adventure begins in the Hungarian capital, with time to explore the atmospheric Christmas markets and try a piece of festive chimney cake, a fluffy sugar, chocolate, or cinnamon-coated dough cooked over an open fire. There are two half days in Bratislava, especially lovely if it’s draped in snow, before sailing to Krems, deep in Austria’s Wachau Valley, for a for a bracing stroll in the frosty air followed by a Christmas Day feast on board.

Your voyage then takes you into Germany, visiting Passau and Vilshofen, from where there’s a guided drive through the Bavarian Forest National Park, dotted with pretty villages and restaurants serving spiced glühwein, or mulled wine.

You’ll spend New Year’s Eve in Vienna, a magical time to be in the city, which turns into one big street party of sizzling sausages, prosecco and dancing. You can’t miss the chimes of the Pummerin, the largest bell of St Stephen’s Cathedral, welcoming in the new year.

Christmas and New Year on Spirit of the Lorelei 2027