Meet our Captains

Captain Kim Tanner

Hailing from the island of Jersey, where his parents lived on the coast and spent much of their time on the water, it was hardly surprising that Captain Kim became attached to the ocean at an early age. Educated in the highlands of Scotland, he partook in his first ocean yacht race across the Atlantic at the age of 16 during the school holidays, having truly fallen for the sea.

After leaving school and a short spell as a fireman, Kim got carried away travelling the world for almost three years before his father reminded him it might be a prudent idea to have a career in mind. Having spent much of his final year abroad as a charter yacht skipper in the Whitsunday Islands on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, he promptly applied for an officer cadetship with P&O Cruises.

Kim studied in Southampton, and thereafter worked his way up through the ranks on various ships of P&O, Cunard and Princess Cruises. After reaching second in command, he was offered a spot at Saga Cruises in late 2015.

Kim has since been at the helm of Saga Pearl II, Saga Sapphire, Spirit of Discovery, and is delighted to have been the new-build and delivery Captain of our newest vessel, Spirit of Adventure.

When not at the helm of our ships, he lives on the island of Mallorca, but is also fulfilling his lifelong dream of slowly sailing around the world on his own boat. He stays busy with a variety of activities including water-sports, skiing and flying private aeroplanes.

Captain Franko Papic

To Captain Franko, life at sea is a family tradition. He followed in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and great grandfather, becoming the fourth-generation seafarer in his family. He was born and raised on the Croatian coastline, in the small village of Bakarac.

Being at sea has always been a part of his life. At 16, his first job was on a cargo ship in the North Sea, after his second year at Nautical College. After graduation, he commenced his cadetship on Croatian coastal ferries. After three years, he graduated from the Maritime University of Rijeka and went back to sea as a Third Officer in 2005.

The following year, Franko joined Seabourn Cruise Line, where he spent the next 10 years, progressing through the ranks to Staff Captain, and being a part of four new-build ship deliveries. In late 2016, just as the final newbuild was being delivered, he was approached with an offer to join Saga Cruises. He has relished being part of the Saga family for seven years now and he is delighted to be a Saga Captain.

He still lives in Croatia, just on the other side of the bay from where he grew up. Franko has been happily married to his wife Sonja since 2006. They have two children, a daughter called Sara and son called Maro. His passion is music along with playing and collecting guitars and singing, often for guests during service as well!

Captain Steve James

While he is one of our newest masters to take command, Captain Steve James is no stranger to Saga. Growing up in Cheltenham, his fascination with the sea began during family seaside holidays. At 12 he joined the Sea Cadets, igniting a lifelong passion for a maritime career. Aged 18, he joined the Royal Navy as an officer and was selected to serve aboard submarines – a role he describes as both challenging and rewarding.

After six years of service, he needed to complete more sea hours to progress his career and was unexpectedly assigned to Saga Rose, our first-ever cruise ship.

It was his first taste of life working on the sea rather than beneath it, and he quickly fell in love with the fresh air, open skies and diverse itineraries. After completing a further year with the Navy he returned to Saga, working on Saga Ruby, Saga Pearl II and later Saga Sapphire, whilst progressing through the ranks from third officer to staff captain over eight years.

This year he returns as a master for Saga, after gaining more experience with Columbia Cruise Services and five years as a captain for Marella Cruises. "It's an incredibly friendly company to work for," he reflects.

"The unique atmosphere and the wonderful crew and guests are a highlight and really make me feel like I've come home."

When he is not at sea, Captain Steve enjoys spending time with his family and exploring parts of the world you cannot quite get to by sea.

Captain Luko Vojvoda

Captain Luko grew up on the island of Lopud, which lies seven nautical miles West of Dubrovnik in the Elaphites archipelago, before moving to Dubrovnik in his teenage years.

Growing up by the sea, in a city with a long seafaring tradition (and in a family full of seafarers), prompted him, at very young age, to make the decision to work professionally at sea.

In 1993, Luko started his sea career as the deck cadet on general cargo ships. After getting his first qualifications as deck officer, Captain Luko continued working on cargo ships up to the rank of chief officer.

By that time, he was looking for a move into the cruise industry.

In the year 2000, he joined Renaissance Cruises, a US-based company that operated a fleet of smaller-sized vessels at that time.

That was his first "cruising" experience and made him to never look back on cargo ships to this date.

Unfortunately, 9/11 caused the company's bankruptcy, leaving him in search of a new job, which he found by working for a Spanish-based cruise line company operating smaller-sized cruise ships for another couple of years.

It was in 2003 that Captain Luko joined P&O Princess Cruises (later to become part of the Carnival Corporation). He worked in all ranks across many ships and brands within the group and in 2016 her became a captain.

After a number of years sailing on large cruise ships, Captain Luko joined Saga Cruises in 2024. This marked a return to smaller-sized cruise ships, and a more settled and classy style of cruising, which he simply loves doing.

Still based in Dubrovnik with his wife Lina and their son Đivo, when on leave Captain Luko simply enjoys time with his family and friends. He still visits the island of Lopud, particularly during summertime.

Captain Simon Moore

Growing up with the Dover ferries in his backyard, it came as no surprise that Captain Simon embarked on a career at sea. Starting as a navigator on Hoverspeed’s Dover-Calais hovercraft until 2000, he then joined P&O Ferries as second officer on the 1980-built Pride of Kent.

Although he enjoyed his time at P&O Ferries, he returned to Hoverspeed in March 2003. Within a year he took up his first command as captain of a high-speed, wave-piercing catamaran.

After a short stint as a London pilot, and several years as duty harbour master and pilot at Dover Harbour Board, the sea beckoned and in 2009 as senior master of LD Lines’ brand-new high-speed catamaran Norman Arrow.

He returned to P&O Ferries in 2014 as master of Spirit of Britain and was soon promoted to senior master of the Darwin-class Pride of Canterbury, transferring to sister ship Pride of Kent a couple of years later.

And then, in late 2024, Captain Simon joined the team at Saga, where he loves the 'family feel'.

"I am also passionate about the voluntary sector," he says, "And have been involved with the RNLI since 1994 in various operational roles."

He now lives in Hawkinge, a village between Dover and Saga's hometown of Folkestone, with his wife and three children.