SAGA RUBY World Cruise Sector

[coverpoint]

My wife and I have just returned from the Auckland - Cairns sector of the 2010 World Cruise. The flight from UK to New Zealand was extremely long but Air New Zealand proved to be an excellent choice (by Saga). We arrived in Auckland about 7.30am and were on board and in our cabin by 10am, in time for (another) breakfast and then a couple of hours snooze. We had been on the ship before - once as Vistafiord, twice as Caronia and once as Saga Ruby so we knew our way around. The ship really belongs to another age and it is rather sad that we will probably never see this type of cruise ship again. There is no doubt that it must be getting very near the end of its life with Saga - signs of age are everywhere although the service from the staff was never anything other than first class. Food was, on the whole, very good but occasionally left a bit to be desired - the speciality View restaurant was great and we managed to have three meals there. Entertainment was a hit or miss and geared for a British audience (although there were a fair number of Aussies aboard). We enjoyed our cruise but have decided that this was our last time on Saga Ruby.

[Growler]

Hi Coverpoint - did you meet my parents? Norman and Dorothy Nicholson from Cumbria. They too joined in Auckland, but were going as far as Singapore. Jut had an e-mail from them saying that the Ruby ran aground whilst attempting to dock at Java, so that port has been abandoned!

[MMDown Under]

My wife and I have just returned from the Auckland - Cairns sector of the 2010 World Cruise. The flight from UK to New Zealand was extremely long but Air New Zealand proved to be an excellent choice (by Saga). We arrived in Auckland about 7.30am and were on board and in our cabin by 10am, in time for (another) breakfast and then a couple of hours snooze. We had been on the ship before - once as Vistafiord, twice as Caronia and once as Saga Ruby so we knew our way around. The ship really belongs to another age and it is rather sad that we will probably never see this type of cruise ship again. There is no doubt that it must be getting very near the end of its life with Saga - signs of age are everywhere although the service from the staff was never anything other than first class. Food was, on the whole, very good but occasionally left a bit to be desired - the speciality View restaurant was great and we managed to have three meals there. Entertainment was a hit or miss and geared for a British audience (although there were a fair number of Aussies aboard). We enjoyed our cruise but have decided that this was our last time on Saga Ruby.

 

Did you notice the thread that said she had run aground?

 

Looks like I've left it too late to try Saga Ruby!

[Growler]

From an e-mail update

 

"The grounding was very gentle. We just ran out of depth at less than 100 ft from the jetty and needed three tugs and a fair amount of time to pull us back into the channel. Some hurt pride I would imagine with Captain and / or Pilot."

 

Sounds like all ok.

 

Tim

[coverpoint]

Growler :- Don't remember meeting your parents but did have chats to lots of people without knowing their name! Saga Ruby has already missed 4 (I think) ports on this cruise. I expect she has had her fair share of bumps etc over the last 30 years or so. The grounding doesn't sound too serious.