Outcry as Saga travel firm advertises cruise ‘exclusively for Brits’

Saga, the insurance and travel company aimed at the over-50s, has apologised after customers were sent a brochure advertising a cruise “exclusively for Brits”, prompting a furious backlash.

Twitter user Anthony Bale, who is a university professor, said his mother was “outraged” after being sent the magazine, the front page of which outlined the characteristics of the cruise.

He posted a photograph of the promotion, which read: “Exclusively for Brits. Exclusively adults only. Exclusively for over-50s.”

His mother, Ruth Bale, 75 a retired probation officer, told the Guardian she was shocked to receive the brochure. “I think it’s a very sad reflection that it’s seen as a marketing point, that you’d want to go on a cruise exclusively composed of one nationality.

“It’s terrible that it’s regarded as an acceptable thing to say. It’s different from the way things were.”

“You’re very aware on these cruises that while passengers are mainly British, the staff are usually exclusively from places like the Philippines and places like that. “Are the staff going to be Brits only? How far does “exclusively for Brits” extend? It’s really awful that they think that’s what people want.”

Mrs Bale said she felt motivated to speak out about the brochure due to wider concern about British society.

“The extremes have got the voice and their voices are louder and more violent than everyone else. You look around and think ‘What are we coming to?’”

“It’s the bigotry that has a voice and you’ve got to say something. It’s not right.”

Shortly after her son posted a photograph of the brochure, the “Over 50s lifestyle” section of the Saga website went offline, followed by the entire website, reappearing later during the morning.

Saga subsequently apologised, blaming its business partner, cruise.co.uk and insisting that people of all nationalities were welcome on its tours and cruises. The Guardian has approached cruise.co.uk for comment.

It is unclear whether the website fault was related to the promotion.

Several Twitter users responded angrily to the notion of a holiday exclusively for British people.

One said: “As a childless British over-50 I am presumably their target market.

“I’d rather take a trip to Dignitas than die of boredom on a Saga cruise for “Brits”. Brexit marketing for middle-England racists.”