Saga Cruises Announces New Ship Captains Ahead Of Return To Sea

Saga Cruises will welcome two new Captains for sister ships ‘Spirit of Discovery’ and ‘Spirit of Adventure’ ahead of a return to the seas this summer. The cruise line also announced the return of a familiar face set to take the helm of brand-new ‘Spirit of Adventure‘ on her inaugural sailing.

Darin Bowland and Jason Ikiadis will join Kim Tanner as the Captains of Saga’s cruise ships, each designed exclusively for over 50s. 

Captain Bowland will head up Spirit of Discovery from 27 June as she heads off around the British Isles, while Captain Tanner will take Spirit of Adventure on her inaugural 15-night cruise around the British Isles on July 26. 

Captain Darin Bowland has previously held positions with Royal Caribbean and Carnival Corporation (Holland America), after starting his career as a cadet with the Royal Canadian Navy in 1985. On joining Saga Cruises, he said: “When I first joined the cruise industry the business was all about the guests. After many years driving larger ships with 3000+ passengers, I am really looking forward to getting to know our guests and crew. Also, I love exploring, and I can’t wait to show our guests the many fantastic destinations that Saga offers.”

Captain Jason Ikiadis comes from a long line of seafarers, including his own father who was a ship’s Captain, and his paternal grandfather who was in the Royal Navy. “Following in their footsteps was inevitable” he says. Captain Ikiadis first went to sea in 1984, and has held many positions since, working up the ranks to Captain for cruise lines such as Azamara and TUI.

“Saga is a well-established and well-known brand, with a loyal base of guests who enjoy that personal experience” said Captain Ikiadis. “Being able to Captain two brand-new ships is really exciting. The sister ships give a respectful nod to previous Saga cruise ships  but these are thoroughly modern and contemporary in  design. They’re also a dream to drive thanks to the fact they boast the very latest in ship technology.”

Regular Saga Cruisers will also recognise Captain Kim Tanner who has been with the cruise line for five years and is popular with guests and crew alike. Captain Tanner said: “I’m so looking forward to getting out to sea on our ships again. Although we successfully delivered Spirit of Adventure last year she still hasn’t had any of our guests onboard and I really can’t wait to show everyone how beautiful she is. The best part of the job is being out on the ocean and showing our guests what Saga cruising is all about with our fantastic modern and contemporary boutique cruise ships.”

Find out more about cruises on Saga here.