Saga Rose Greenland Voyager August 2007

[bcscot]

That was wonderful Ruby. Thank you. I also very much enjoy your entertaining writing style, which is full of detail & wonderful descriptions, as well as a rich & satisfying use of language. Excellent! Thank you again.

 

Your ugly fish sounds similar to a locally famous fish in Madeira. I saw them in the local fish market: long & eel like, black & with a face that would make a Monkfish look attractive. They say however that, although they have a face uglier than sin, they taste delicious.

 

Graham.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

GREAT STORY RUBY!!!

 

Your diary is a sheer joy to read...and savor. I really think you should have it published somewhere. You should submit it to Conde' Nast...it is too good for THE NEW YORKER!!!:D

 

THE STEAM HORN ON THE QM 2:

Was the original horn built for the QUEEN MARY. They removed it from the old QUEEN MARY and sent it back to the same factory in Britain, where it had been made in 1935. They rebuilt it and mounted it on the new QM 2. When you hear the QM 2 sound her horns you are listening to more than 70 years of Transatlantic History. Her bass horn can be heard more than 10 miles away.

 

I wish I could find that quote from E.B. White...about a ship and a Midnight departure...he summed it up so well. Anyone out there with a E.B. White library???

 

HI GRAHAM!!!...You are right...The CONSTANTIA was a name that had never been heard before in shipping circles. Why didn't Waugh name the ship "VICTORIA"??? I always thought the name CONSTANTIA was a silly name for a ship...more akin to the CONSTIPATIA...LOL!!!:D

 

Ross

[bcscot]

THE STEAM HORN ON THE QM 2:

Was the original horn built for the QUEEN MARY. They removed it from the old QUEEN MARY and sent it back to the same factory in Britain, where it had been made in 1935. They rebuilt it and mounted it on the new QM 2. When you hear the QM 2 sound her horns you are listening to more than 70 years of Transatlantic History. Her bass horn can be heard more than 10 miles away.

Ross

 

I seem to remember reading somewhere that QM2 has two horns (sorry Michael, should that be whistles?), one original QM & one replica. I think the QM still has one. The two ships exchanged salutes when they met a few years ago. There was an article on Maritime Matters about it. This would be a good one for Doug.

 

Doug, Doug.....I say, 'dougnewmanatsea', are you out there?

 

Graham.

[Druke I]

Horns or whistles? Most people call them horns, but purists still refer to them as whistles.

 

Like so many things in the English language, particularly as practiced here in the Colonies, usage has brought change and acceptance.

 

My dad, good (but transplanted) Brit that he was, and I used to get into many arguments about the language and its usage, and most of them we never did resolve - English and American usage being so different.

 

Go ahead and call it a horn if you wish - I will continue to refer to it as a whistle.

 

Hooters, of course, is an entirely different topic.

[bcscot]

As we sailed away from this idyllic scene, the ship’s horn sounded one long salute to the villagers with Saga Rose’s bass-note horn echoing endlessly as it bounced off the many fjord walls surrounding us. A single note sounded a capella - a song of the sea with answering chorus.

Ruby

 

Very poetic & evocative Ruby.

 

Sounds like you missed it Penny.

 

Michael: I have before me the Oxford English Dictionary (Webster is for Colonials, a revolting lot!):

 

Horn: an instrument sounding a warning.

 

Hooter: a siren, steam whistle or horn.

 

Whistle: a device producing a whistling (clear, high pitched ) sound.

 

Toot: a short sharp sound.

 

Whether or not 'whistle' is technically correct for ships, for my money I think I would choose 'hooter'. It is onomatopoeic & altogether more interesting & evocative. Many are the times that I have thought that someone sounds like the Queen Mary when blowing their 'hooter'.

 

Horn also would do me nicely. I am sorry but correct or otherwise, the QE2 just does not 'whistle'.

 

Donald: The Veendam does not 'toot' either! The Earnslaw 'toots' though.

 

Any more opinions on the subject out there?

 

Graham.

[Kapricorn]

Hooter: a siren, steam whistle or horn.

 

Donald: The Veendam does not 'toot' either!

Graham.

 

I was under the mistaken impression that Michael was referring to the bodacious waitresses in the Hooters restaurants. I didn't even know that "hooters" could be also referred to a steam whistle or horn, but I am always learning something new every day!

 

No, Veendam certainly did not "toot" at all. As it was for me a rare occurence, I enjoyed standing at the base of the mast with the horn above me. Every time it blared, every molecule in my body stirred as if enjoying a sublime massage. I felt as if I was in another dimension. It was also difficult for me to keep my eyes open, as every nerve jangled, and it was much better to savour the experience in bliss. I think that I stood there for at least six "toots," or maybe more. :)

 

Donald.

[bcscot]

Donald: In Britain, 'hooter' is a slang term for the nose. I know nothing of 'Hooters' restauants & I cannot find 'bodaceous' in my dictionary (it is only a mini version of the OED). Does it derive from 'bodice' ?

 

Ruby: What is a 'stand-up gal'? Is it a term of affection or derision?

 

Graham.

[bcscot]

I have just been reading the 'other' Saga thread. What a little hidden gem that just bobbed up to the surface. More stories from Ruby, a visit from painter 'Prinsendam' & a unique website suggested by Penny, where you can listen to ships' 'thingies'! There is also an account of Doug's visit onboard the Saga Ruby.

 

I think the QE2 'hooter' in Malta, is the best, although the recording & tinny little computer speakers do nothing for the sound quality. Nice none the less. Thank you Penny.

 

Donald: I wondered if your word was derived from 'bawdy' but I could not find it under that either. Maybe it is a 'Webster' word!

 

Graham.

[Kapricorn]

Graham, I googled "Bodacious" and here it is:

 

Bodacious: Blatant, remarkable, audacious, impressive, or attractive.

 

 

As you can tell from the wide-spectrum definition, this American word is one of those wide-ranging superlatives to which speakers turn when they want to say that some quality is present in large degree; that quality might be unreasonableness, impressiveness, insolence, or (most recently) female attraction, specifically big breasts.

 

Donald.

[Kapricorn]

Graham, if you google "Hooters" it will turn up several entries. The Wikipedia item describes it best, along with a photograph of a waitress in the regulation Hooters uniform. Vancouver used to have a Hooters restaurant on Robson Street, but I think it closed some time ago. We are too blase about these things, I guess.

 

Donald.

[bcscot]

Thank you for the enlightenment.:)

 

Graham.

[Saga Ruby]

Penny sends me the most beautiful photos of Saga Rose and Saga Ruby in exotic locales which come, I think, from a German friend of hers.

 

While onboard Saga Rose, a selection of photos of Saga Rose were available for purchase at the photographer's shop and few of them had the quality, the romance, the exotic locales that Penny has sent to me. Two photos of Saga Ruby in Norway from the German source were "finest kind."

 

A "stand-up gal" is what the Brits would call a "quality" person.

 

Ruby

[bcscot]

Thank you Ruby for the further enlightenment.

 

You are certainly up & about bright & early this morning. Do you reserve those late mornings in bed for Saga Rose? Or were you hoping to catch one of those Australian passengers out on deck?

 

Overall, how would you rate Saga Rose as compared with her sister? I think Saga Ruby has a very slight edge over Saga Rose in looks (Doug seems to agree) but they say that Saga Rose is a bit moe traditional in her interiors.

 

Graham.

[Druke I]

Yes, hooters in the states usually refers to either the restaurant chain or the female breast.

 

On the other hand, if something is a hoot, it is usually something very funny, and nothing to do with the sound an owl makes.

 

I repeat, English is a funny language, with very extreme regional differences.

 

Regarding whistle vs horn, I did have one navigational officer tell me that if it is steam driven, it is a whistle, and if air driven, it is a horn.

[Saga Ruby]

Overall, how would you rate Saga Rose as compared with her sister? I think Saga Ruby has a very slight edge over Saga Rose in looks (Doug seems to agree) but they say that Saga Rose is a bit moe traditional in her interiors.Graham.

 

Having sailed on both ships, I must say that I have no preference. To me the tale is told by the outstanding level of service by all crew members (remember Father Christmas?) and the upper levels of management onboard. A shipyard can build a wonderful ship but to maintain that level of true hospitality and concern for a passenger's well-being is the challenge, one well-met by Saga Cruises. Most cruise lines cannot keep up standards on ships that are 40+ years old, they just build a new behemoth and throw it on the water for their 3-, 4-, and 7-day cruisers.

 

The nautilus staircases on Saga Ruby are so lovely that I took my time coming and going to lifeboat muster. That grand staircase on Saga Rose somehow speaks to me although I've seen many of them on apartment barges, excuse me, megaships. I was not happy two years ago on Saga Ruby with my miniature inside cabin that had a pallet, not a proper twin, but otherwise I cannot think of negatives, only positives. I am quite choosy about cruise lines and Saga Cruises fulfills my wish list quite handsomely.

 

You shift-daft people are much wiser than I am about marine architecture, but in my opinion, the Saga ships are worthy of all praise given to them. A digression - I like Saga's well-traveled passengers; it is one of the few times I can openly discuss countries around the world. Many people talk about how many cruises they have done; I think about how many days at sea I have under my belt. There is a vast difference.

 

Ruby

[bcscot]

Yes, hooters in the states usually refers to either the restaurant chain or the female breast.

 

Oh dear! I suppose I should stop talking about ships' hooters now. It seems that it may be misconstrued. What a pity. We talk of ships as being female, but that is just a little too much I think!:(

 

On the subjects of transatlantic poking of fun, & often embarrassing & confusing differences in language usage, the American author, Bill Bryson, is one of the masters. He was a journalist, married an English girl & lived for twenty years in England. He is very intelligent, witty & has a great turn of phrase. Having great insight into both cultures, he has many wonderful observations about the differences & does a good job of poking fun at those on both sides of the 'Pond'. When on the receiving end, it is hard to be too upset when you know that the 'other side' will get their share too!

 

His descriptions of living in England & later returning to the US,are very funny. His further descriptions, of his childhood growing up in Iowa in the 1950s, are also hilarious & would bring back memories to many. For anyone with any sort of connection to, or interest in Britain, his books are a must. We are especially fond of the audio-tapes for long car journeys as he reads his own stories so well.

 

He is somewhat self-deprecating in his stories, but he is extremely sharp, witty & observant, not to mention very intelligent. He wrote a wonderful book on the English language called: "The Mother Tongue & How It Got That Way." I thoroughly recommend it: witty & informative.

 

Graham.

[Saga Ruby]

On the subject of . . . often embarrassing & confusing differences in language usage, the American author, Bill Bryson, is one of the masters. He was a journalist, married an English girl & lived for twenty years in England. Graham./quote]

 

I would like to second that motion about the brilliant writing of Bill Bryson. I accidentally read his book, "A Walk in the Woods" many years ago and so much admired his writing skills while I laughed my head off.

 

I then ordered all his previous works from Amazon and spent the better part of a year, laughing, crying, hooting at his wry, spot-on observations. When he and his wife moved back to Hartford, he wrote "Notes from a Big Country" about learning to live in America again and, in one chapter, has a hilarious story about the agonies and idiocies of car rental in the United States. Short answer - the rental agency always wins.

 

I saw that he, his wife, and children have moved back to England. Was it something we said?

 

Ruby

[bcscot]

One thing even more important to the British than potatoes, is tea. Nobody else seems to appreciate the finer points of making a good cup of tea (except the Japanese & they do it differently). Bill Bryson said that "only the British could get so excited about a hot drink"!

 

You said that there was a good selection of teas on the Rose, Ruby. There is a lot more to it than just the tea itself though. One big problem on a ship is the chlorinated water. Another is getting boiling hot water. Tea made with tepid, chlorinated water is worse than nasty. Did you hear if people were able to get a decent cup of tea on the Saga Rose?

 

I always use a large insulated mug on the ships. It allows me to keep the boiling water out of the urns hot & gives a decent volume. The HAL tea seems to be blended for chlorinated water as it tastes better on the ships than it does at home. Their 'afternoon tea' however is horrid. I look forward to trying afternoon tea on Cunard.

 

Graham.

[patwell]

Very poetic & evocative Ruby.

 

Sounds like you missed it Penny.

Graham.

 

That I did Graham...and thank you for posting this...poetic indeed and no surprise coming from Ruby. I've been sneaking on here when my company have their backs turned...read too fast and you miss all the good stuff!! Best I wait til they leave and i can concentrate!!!

 

And Graham, QM2 has one of the original horns from QM and one replica. The original was shipped back onboard QE2 I was told. To stand under it when it blows is a moment in time that is never forgotten. The hair on your neck will stand up!!

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

[bcscot]

Getting back to ships' whistles (horns), when QM2 made her maiden entry into San Francisco Bay, blasting her mighty whistle, the "authorities" on the Golden Gate Bridge returned the salute, giving blasts on the bridge's foghorn.

 

That certainly made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, but that was not as exciting as being on board a ship when she gives three blasts on the whistle before backing away from Pier 35 and into the shipping channel in San Francisco, before turning and proceeding towards that magnificent Golden Gate Bridge. Brings a tear to my eye every single time.

 

I agree that sailing into,or out of, San Francisco is a marvelous experience. It must be one of the finest ports in the world. Arriving by sea is such a wonderful way to experience the city too. It is so dramatic: the Golden Gate, Alcatraz, the skyline of the city on it's hills, & then the close proximity to Fisherman's Wharf, the old ships including the Balclutha (!!!), the street cars & the city centre.A surprise bonus for us was the sight of the lovely old tramcars from Europe that run along the waterfront. It was so nice to see those old trams still running.

 

My wife was a little disappointed by the Golden Gate, thinking it was no bigger than the Lions' Gate Bridge in Vancouver. When we got back, the Lions' Gate had shrunk & has never been the same since!

 

It was sort of strange seeing the replica of the Golden Gate in Lisbon this year, alongside a replica of the Christ from Rio. Sort of unoriginal & out of place. We did see the 'Funchal' in Lisbon though, a very original old ship.

 

Graham.

[bcscot]

Ross: If you do not have the 25th anniversary edition of 'Brideshead', put it on your Chistmas list. Apart from the original film being digitally reconditioned (all 13 hours of it), there are lots of 'extras' including 'Revisiting Brideshead', a film about the making of Brideshead, with recent interviews with some of the cast.

 

It seems that not all of the interior sequences were filmed on a set. Some were filmed in old hotel bedrooms that were designed by people who also designed liners' cabins, back in the 30s. They also used a hotel in Wales which has a dining room made to look like one on a ship. The outdoor sequences were shot on the QE2, mid Atlantic, so a lot of the ocean views are authentic mid Atlantic scenes.

 

Summaries of the actors were given, concluding with one of Aluisius, the Teddy Bear. He apparently is an American 'Teddy Roosevelt' bear, who spent the first 38 years of his life in the window of a delicatessen in Maine. He was called 'Delicatessen', but when the shop (store) closed, he was adopted by an actor/teddy bear collector. At the age of 42, he auditioned for & got the part of Aluisius the bear in Brideshead, & became famous. He changed his name to Aluisius & now lives in a bookshop in Oxfordshire!:)

 

If anyone else wants to know what we are talking about, buy the 25th anniversary edition DVD set of 'Brideshead Revisited'. At the very least, it is a good portrayal of an Atlantic crossing in the 1930s, however it is way more than that; a stunning classic.

 

Graham.

[bcscot]

Donald: The Discovery Channel is showing a documentary about the QM2, tomorrow morning.It is a new documentary about both the interiors & the mechanical workings of the QM2. It is not the old one that has been around for years. I thought that you might be interested.

 

I noticed in the paper yesterday that a key is being auctioned in Britain which is supposed to be the missing key for the binocular locker on the Titanic. Mr Blair, second officer, is supposed to have forgotten to hand it in when he was taken off the ship at the last minute in Southampton, adding to the accumulation of circumstances which would lead to the disaster. They hope to get 70,000 pounds for the key!!! It was not even on the ship at the time of the sinking.

 

PS- For more on 'FURRY FRIENDS', please see my post on the HAL board, about 'Mr Ouzo on the Volendam'!

 

Graham.

[Kapricorn]

Graham, today I finally watched "Inside QM2" which I taped last week from Discovery Channel. Would this be the same one being shown tomorrow?

 

I've read the newspaper article about the missing Titanic key, but I don't think that it would be of great value, unless a Titanicenthusiast thinks that that one single key was responsible for the deaths of 1,500 people.

 

I'm off to dinner with a couple of pals now, but will later read your "Mr Ouzo on the Volendam" post.

 

Everyone, have a great long weekend! Is there a Labour Day holiday in Australia?

 

Donald.

[wynkys]

Donald,

 

There is a Labour Day holiday here in Australia but as originally with the railway gauges ,it was hard to agree on a mutually acceptable date. This year, for example, Labour Day was celebrated on 5 March in Western Australia, 12 March in Victoria, also 12 March in Tasmania but referred to there as Eight Hours Day, 7 May in Queensland, also 7 May in the Northern Territory but referred to as May Day and 1 October in New South Wales, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. So go figure!

Referring to the previous discussion on differences in language, years ago I went to Club Med on Bora Bora and one day attended a body painting competition. Contestants were paired off and an American girl had an Australian fellow painting her. There was a time limit imposed and the Australian fellow was doing very well until his partner screamed to him to paint a target on her 'fanny'. This term in Australia has almost the exact diametrically opposed meaning to that in the States and the memory of the look of shock and confusion on the Aussie's face remains with me to this day.

Ruby, I am thoroughly enjoying the report of your trip and look forward to the remaining episodes.

 

Wayne

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Ross: If you do not have the 25th anniversary edition of 'Brideshead', put it on your Chistmas list. Apart from the original film being digitally reconditioned (all 13 hours of it), there are lots of 'extras' including 'Revisiting Brideshead', a film about the making of Brideshead, with recent interviews with some of the cast.

 

It seems that not all of the interior sequences were filmed on a set. Some were filmed in old hotel bedrooms that were designed by people who also designed liners' cabins, back in the 30s. They also used a hotel in Wales which has a dining room made to look like one on a ship. The outdoor sequences were shot on the QE2, mid Atlantic, so a lot of the ocean views are authentic mid Atlantic scenes.

 

Summaries of the actors were given, concluding with one of Aluisius, the Teddy Bear. He apparently is an American 'Teddy Roosevelt' bear, who spent the first 38 years of his life in the window of a delicatessen in Maine. He was called 'Delicatessen', but when the shop (store) closed, he was adopted by an actor/teddy bear collector. At the age of 42, he auditioned for & got the part of Aluisius the bear in Brideshead, & became famous. He changed his name to Aluisius & now lives in a bookshop in Oxfordshire!:)

 

If anyone else wants to know what we are talking about, buy the 25th anniversary edition DVD set of 'Brideshead Revisited'. At the very least, it is a good portrayal of an Atlantic crossing in the 1930s, however it is way more than that; a stunning classic.

 

Graham.

 

FANTASTIC GRAHAM!!!

 

You are right...my Brideshead tape is acting funny and I should get the DVD version. Yes...those dining room scenes and a few of he interior scenes were just fantastic...really reminded me of "the old" QUEEN ELIZABETH...with tons of wood paneling. Too funny about Aluisius!!!

Brideshead is "A stunning classic".

 

Ross