Russian/Turkish tour operator to buy ‘Saga Sapphire’

2019-08-31T11:05:28+00:00 August 31st, 2019|Ships|

Turkish/Russian tour company Anex Tour has been identified as the purchaser of the former Hapag-Lloyd and Saga 800-pax luxury cruise ship ‘Saga Sapphire’.

The company also recently took an 8% stake in troubled tour operator Thomas Cook.

According to reports appearing in Travel Trades Gazette, the vessel will be delivered to Anex Tour in mid-2020 and will homeport in Antalya.

Anex operates primarily in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Germany, while subsidiary Onex Travel operates in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland.

‘Saga Sapphire’ was built in 1981 and entered service in early 1982, sailing as ‘Europa’, which at the time was one of the most luxurious cruise ships afloat.