Saga Rose Greenland Voyager August 2007

[Druke I]

Crystal is still owned by NYK, a large Japanese conglomerate. Their first ship, the former Crystal Harmony, was built in Nagasaki Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. She is a very nice ship, but left the fleet some years ago, and is now marketed to the Japanese cruise segment as Asuka II.

 

I don't know about Seabourn or Silversea. Perhaps "google" can help you out.

 

And the count continues to climb - 3600 replies, and over 110,900 views!

Edited September 5, 2010 by Druke I

[Host Sharon]

Seabourn is under the Carnival umbrella along with P&O, Cunard, Ocean Village and HAL. Silverseas is indeed Italian owned (mafia owned I have heard!)

[Saga Ruby]

Seabourn is under the Carnival umbrella along with P&O, Cunard, Ocean Village and HAL. Silverseas is indeed Italian owned (mafia owned I have heard!)

 

Oh my! A frisson of a thrill if Silversea is mafia-owned! I've been enjoying the Inspector Brunetti mysteries based in Venezia so I'll be on the look-out for any connection. Maybe the casino will be running 24/7?

 

Seeing that Seabourn is under the corporate umbrella of Carnival was a bit of a shock. I had forgotten that connection amongst those particular cruise lines. So RCI and Carnival rule the waves in the world of cruises?

 

Trams - I tried to look up Acomas but no joy. As late as May of this year, the Web says that Saga Holidays still owns and operates their ships. I was interested in your comments about bucketloads of cash being paid for the Saga ships. Can you give me a tip about finding more info on Acomas?

 

Ruby

[trams]

You can read all about Acromas here http://www.acromas.com/

You can see that amongst other things they own all the various SAGA companies.

[Saga Ruby]

You can read all about Acromas here http://www.acromas.com/ You can see that amongst other things they own all the various SAGA companies.

 

Thanks for the link, trams. I find it interesting that all things Saga are now under the corporate umbrella of Acromas. I know Oceania was bought out by Apollo although where it stands at the current moment I do not know. Does Apollo also own Regent Cruises?

 

I like to know who is lurking in the background of companies with which I do business. Or not.

 

Ruby

[Druke I]

Regeant & Oceania are still under the Apollo banner, with Frank Del Rio running the cruise lines. There is another name in between Apollo and the cruise lines, but I don't recall it at the moment.

[Druke I]

I "googled" it - Prestige Cruise Inc.

Edited September 6, 2010 by Druke I

[Druke I]

Actually, it is Prestige Cruise Holdings.

[Druke I]

http://www.maritimematters.com has an interesting article about one of my favorite ships, Kungshom (aka Sea Princess, Victoria, Mona Lisa).

 

We took her from Kobe Japan to Vancouver BC via Honolulu, back in May 89. Had a wonderful upgrade on that trip, from an inside to a stateroom (equivalent of today's mini-suites). She was Sea Princess at that time.

Edited September 7, 2010 by Druke I

[Host Sharon]

www.maritimematters.com has an interesting article about one of my favorite ships, Kungshom (aka Sea Princess, Victoria, Mona Lisa).

 

We took her from Kobe Japan to Vancouver BC via Honolulu, back in May 89. Had a wonderful upgrade on that trip, from an inside to a stateroom (equivalent of today's mini-suites). She was Sea Princess at that time.

 

Also featured briefly in the new book !! We have a superb photo of Sea and Royal Princesses together.

[Druke I]

That trip on Sea Princess was great. The ship was only half full, Osaka to Honolulu, so they went to single seating dinner (split the time between 1st & 2nd), and the service was very very good.

 

Ship did fill up, Honolulu to Vancouver, and they went back to normal 1st & 2nd.

 

That trip gave us a real appreciation for the size of the Pacific. We followed the same basic route that the Japanese Imperial Navy took for the Pearl Harbor Raid. During the trip between Osaka and Honolulu, we did not see a single plane nor another ship. We saw only two frigate birds, possibly from Midway Island.

[Kapricorn]

A big "Hi!" to all!

 

I got back this morning from my 15th and final cruise aboard Mercury. Despite the inclement weather, I had a great time and will fondly remember this cruise. I was extremely well treated by the regular staff, with every consideration taken for my comfort and well-being.

 

My favourite master, Captain Patsoulas, was aboard, and he is shown in this photograph presenting me with a bottle of wine and flowers for being the Most Frequent Celebrity Cruiser on this voyage. This time, I rated an invitation to the Captain's Table, hosted by none other than Patsoulas himself. He told everyone at the table that I am the "Mercury celebrity."

 

 

Later, after I've settled down to everyday home routine, I will tell a bit more about the cruise as well as look through digital photographs for my favourite ones to share here.

 

Donald.

 

[Druke I]

Welcome home.

 

Glad to hear it was a good trip, and look forward to photos.

[Kapricorn]

Here are my favourite photographs which I took during the cruise.

 

All of a sudden the sun shone through an opening in the black clouds, and Mercury's white superstructure glistened brightly against the darkness.

 



No cruise album is complete without a spectacular scenery at Hubbard Glacier.

 



Salmon near the end of their long, years-long journey back to Ketchikan.

 



Rain-laden clouds on a Ketchikan afternoon.

 





 

 

 

Donald.

[Druke I]

Great photos, Donald.

[Host Sharon]

Welcome back - great photos Donald.

Edited September 14, 2010 by ships cat

[Saga Ruby]

Donald - Your trip photos are the usual excellent quality. My particular favourite is the "black and white" of sun and cloud on the top deck of Mercury.

 

I was looking for your fishing pole in the water in the salmon photo. Or do you only observe?

 

By the bye, how does one catch salmon? Fly-fishing, standard fishing pole, or stand in the water and grab fish out of the air as they jump upstream? In the past, I've seen many Nat Geo pix of bears doing exactly that.

 

Ruby

[Host Sharon]

I just got the cover proof. I'm really excited now :)

 

Edited September 14, 2010 by ships cat

[Druke I]

Great cover photo. Still a very pretty ship.

 

After it is published, I'll have to try a find a copy. Perhaps http://www.Amazon.com will have it.

 

Perhaps you will be able to provide the ISBN.

Edited September 14, 2010 by Druke I

[Kapricorn]

I was looking for your fishing pole in the water in the salmon photo. Or do you only observe?

 

By the bye, how does one catch salmon? Fly-fishing, standard fishing pole, or stand in the water and grab fish out of the air as they jump upstream?

 

Ruby, I've never fished in my life. In Ketchikan there are usually two to five anglers on the bridge during the salmon season. They hold their poles and wait for salmon to be baited. Sometimes they do it just for sport and toss the salmon back into the water, and other times they keep them to bring home to eat.

 

I just got the cover proof. I'm really excited now :)

 

Ships cat, what an eye-catching book cover! It definitely will be one worth reading.

 

Donald.

[Host Sharon]

Thanks everyone. Yes - the book should be available through Amazon and as soon as I know the ISBN I will post it.

 

Alaska does look fabulous - another one for my bucket list. For those that have been many times - is the Hubbard Glacier erducing in size? I know the Briksdal in Norway is much smaller in just three years and Spitzbergen too looks much less snowy than when I was there 30 years ago.

[Saga Ruby]

Thanks everyone. Yes - the book should be available through Amazon and as soon as I know the ISBN I will post it.

 

Alaska does look fabulous - another one for my bucket list. For those that have been many times - is the Hubbard Glacier erducing in size? I know the Briksdal in Norway is much smaller in just three years and Spitzbergen too looks much less snowy than when I was there 30 years ago.

 

A note to our US readers - when Sharon's book comes out, it will probably be available on amazon.co.uk and can be shipped over the Pond to our shores. This is all very exciting and that drop-dead gorgeous cover is devoon!

 

About glaciers and snow-covered mountains - one major reason for my travels to the North Pole and cruises around Greenland and Iceland was my surprise when I saw current pix of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and Mount Fuji in Japan. I was gobsmacked to see that their wondrous snowy-white crowns were greatly diminished in size and depth.

 

I have no personal opinion about global warming versus climate change but the eyes can see the difference in Alaskan glaciers and the depth of snow on Denali (Mount McKinley) over the years. As far as your bucket list, I wish you long life but you may not need snowshoes when you get to your colder climes. Perhaps your bucket list can include one of the first cruises through the Northwest Passage from Atlantic to Pacific?

 

Ruby

[Kapricorn]

Alaska does look fabulous - another one for my bucket list. For those that have been many times - is the Hubbard Glacier erducing in size? I know the Briksdal in Norway is much smaller in just three years and Spitzbergen too looks much less snowy than when I was there 30 years ago.

 

I have cruised to Hubbard Glacier at least 15 times since 1999, and I have not observed any reduction in its size. However, there is smaller glacier from another direction in the same bay, and I saw to my atonishment that the central part of it is actively calving and showing an expanse of white ice surface. In the past, that glacier had always been static, dark and grimy.

 

Donald.

[Host Sharon]

As Ruby suggests, I had better move Alaska up my list !!

 

By the way, the ISBN for Artemis is 978-1-4456-0094-9

Cost is £19.99

 

If Amazon cannot get it (and they should) it can also be ordered from www.amberleybooks.com but not till December!

[Druke I]

Thanks for the info.

 

Order will be placed in December, as requested.