for a 2019 delivery, with an additional option for a sister ship expected in 2021. Named Spirit of Discovery, the new ship would measure , becoming the largest ship ever to be built for Saga. In explaining how Saga intended to modernise the brand, Saga's new-build director, David Pickett, explained that after Saga went public in 2014, the company had expanded access to capital investment, opening up more possibilities to invest in its fleet. The new ship had allowed Saga to expand its offerings not featured before on its older vessels, such as fitness facilities, a large theatre, and specialty dining venues. Saga also partnered with Siemens to install their ships' propulsion and power distribution systems for the two vessels in order to maximise the ships' efficiency and ensure their reliability. In July 2017, Saga announced it would retire Saga Pearl II in mid-2019 with a 54-night farewell cruise to South Africa from Portsmouth. The following year, Saga revealed plans to retire Saga Sapphire by 2020, with a farewell cruise to Norway. In May 2019, it was reported Saga Pearl II had been sold to Aqua Explorer Holdings of the British Virgin Islands, and the ship would be moved to Perama as a result of the sale. In August 2019, Turkey-based ANEX Tour had reportedly purchased Saga Sapphire for its first ship to launch its cruise business, with a scheduled debut in mid-2020 from Antalya. In April 2020, Saga's managing director Nigel Banks said Saga's plans to transfer Saga Sapphire to ANEX Tour may be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but on 18 June 2020, the sale was completed and it was announced the ship would debut for ANEX Tour in 2021 as Blue Sapphire. With the exits of Saga Pearl II and Saga Sapphire, Saga completed its fleet renewal program and hoped to usher in a new era for the company, with the cruise line's first new-build delivered on 24 June 2019. But while in anticipation of her delivery, in April 2019, Saga reported it was still encountering significant financial difficulties, with its shares hitting a record low in light of lower profits. Saga blamed its losses on Brexit and the fears surrounding economic uncertainty for driving bookings and commitments to holidays down for the brand. The retirement of Saga Pearl II, combined with the increase in marketing expenditure for the brand's new ship, was also credited for