Saga Rose Greenland Voyager August 2007

[MMDown Under]

Sharon -

Again, I am indebted to Conte who introduced me to Silversea, my new version of the late lamented Royal Viking Line. Silversea is a pricey product but well worth it. I cruise less often due to the expense but, when I'm onboard, it is worth every penny.

 

Marion - As far as Africa is concerned, I will be on that cruise from 05 April to 01 May and will be spending a few days in Cape Town before sailaway. Can't wait to get out of town and change the scenery altho' the 15.5 hour flight out of Atlanta will be tedious. What have you been looking at for this year's touring?

 

Ruby

 

Ruby - What a wonderful long itinerary you are going on with Silversea from Cape Town back to FL. A good mix of ports and relaxing sea days. It looks a beautiful ship. Have you been on this ship before? You must be getting excited now that it is so close.

 

The few days in Cape Town prior to your cruise will help you get over the jet lag from the long flight from Atlanta. Living in Australia, we have to get used to long flights.

 

Like you, I prefer longer cruises, so you have time to settle in on the ship and time to meet lots of interesting passengers.

 

I'm like a child in a lolly shop when I research travel, as there is no much to see and do, which still excites me. Currently, I'm looking at cruising possibilities in Northern Europe (London +) in Spring, then SE Asia at the end of the year. South Africa may have to wait until another year. :)

[MMDown Under]

I'm off next week on Oriana until Twelfth Night. We probably won't make Israel, but at any rate I will be on a ship and waited on hand and foot :) so I'm not too bothered.

 

 

Like Ruby, I'm looking forward to hearing about your latest cruise on Oriana and seeing your photos, Sharon. I hope you enjoyed your holiday being waited on hand and foot and you are now relaxed!

[Host Sharon]

Hi everyone - I hope you all had a good and peaceful Xmas and New year.

 

I got home last Sunday and promptly went down with Norovirus. Fortunatley I was home, unpacked and shopped, and even better my cabin mates didn't get it. I'm fine now.

Yes - we made Haifa and Jerusalem was as magical as I remember it - even better I think all the tourists were staying away and it was wonderfully empty for us to be able to see things properly. My other ports were Cadiz, Malaga, Messina, Katakolon, Athens, Izmir and Limmasol (in no particular order). In Limmasol I was on an excursion to a 4th century Byzantine church and a service was just ending, one at which the Orthodox Bishop of Nicosia was visiting and officiating, so he came and spoke to us and blessed us - a lovely moment. Izmir I thought a bit of a dump - why do the cruise ships go there at all ? I visited the original site of Olympia and walked (not up to running) the length of the track. Iam sure more magical moments will occur to me in due course. After a rough couple of days, the weather was warm and sunny so sea days could be spent on deck, in fact Christmas morning we ate breakfast on deck in the sun - perfect.

 

On the serious side, the ship came in with around 400 cases of norovirus on board so we were delayed boarding for a deep clean to take place - sailing around 8pm. For the first week the buffet was completely closed and other strict precautions in place. I think it was working though as cases seemed to decline and by the end of the cruise everything was normal.

[MMDown Under]

Hi everyone - I hope you all had a good and peaceful Xmas and New year.

 

I got home last Sunday and promptly went down with Norovirus. Fortunatley I was home, unpacked and shopped, and even better my cabin mates didn't get it. I'm fine now.

Yes - we made Haifa and Jerusalem was as magical as I remember it - even better I think all the tourists were staying away and it was wonderfully empty for us to be able to see things properly. My other ports were Cadiz, Malaga, Messina, Katakolon, Athens, Izmir and Limmasol (in no particular order). In Limmasol I was on an excursion to a 4th century Byzantine church and a service was just ending, one at which the Orthodox Bishop of Nicosia was visiting and officiating, so he came and spoke to us and blessed us - a lovely moment. Izmir I thought a bit of a dump - why do the cruise ships go there at all ? I visited the original site of Olympia and walked (not up to running) the length of the track. Iam sure more magical moments will occur to me in due course. After a rough couple of days, the weather was warm and sunny so sea days could be spent on deck, in fact Christmas morning we ate breakfast on deck in the sun - perfect.

 

On the serious side, the ship came in with around 400 cases of norovirus on board so we were delayed boarding for a deep clean to take place - sailing around 8pm. For the first week the buffet was completely closed and other strict precautions in place. I think it was working though as cases seemed to decline and by the end of the cruise everything was normal.

 

Welcome Back, Sharon.

 

Sounds like you had a wonderful cruise, with interesting ports. The warm and sunny weather would have gone down well in a British winter.

 

Sorry to hear you came down with the dreaded norovirus after you got home. 400 cases before you got on was a lot of cases. I hadn't heard of a buffet being completely closed for a week before, but good that the strict precautions worked.

[Saga Ruby]

In Limmasol I was on an excursion to a 4th century Byzantine church and a service was just ending, one at which the Orthodox Bishop of Nicosia was visiting and officiating, so he came and spoke to us and blessed us - a lovely moment. Izmir I thought a bit of a dump - why do the cruise ships go there at all?

 

For the first week the buffet was completely closed and other strict precautions in place. I think it was working though as cases seemed to decline and by the end of the cruise everything was normal.

 

Welcome home! It seems that you had a very interesting cruise, plus/minus the norovirus - whoops! I was on a ship a few years ago where they had just been thru a difficult viral time. I asked a crew member how they handled the epidemic and she said that all the entertainers were stationed in the buffet area. The pax would point to their choices on the buffet table and were served by the staff member. I thought that was a great way to handle this difficult situation. Sometimes pax on ships get all huffy about being on a ship with norovirus - I silently think about how that virus gets walked up the gangway by the cruisers.

 

What did you think about Nicosia? I was there with my family in the '50s and it was still quite colonial with the slowly-turning fans in the hotel lobby and a distinct class system. But your blessing in Limmasol by the archbishop is quite a souvenir. I have a vague memory of wanting to visit Izmir because I love the artisanal Turkish ceramic tiles manufactured there. Did you visit a tile emporium?

 

Ruby

Edited January 14, 2013 by Saga Ruby

[Host Sharon]

Ruby - to be honest I would rather be on a ship with known NV and where all precautions are in place than one in which it happens mid-voyage and the spread has already happened.

 

I didn't go to Nicosia (my parents were there in the mid '50s too) but at Larnaca and Lefkara so cannot help you there, but Larnaca is looking very dilapidated indeed. At Izmir we did our own thing but I didn't realise quite how far the centre is from the berth (with my bad fot/ankle it was quite a walk) so by the time we got anywhere interesting (the bazaars) I was in a lot of pain. So two of us got a taxi back to the ship and I got the HoHo bus for a more comfortable tour round. So, sorry - no tile factories.

Edited January 19, 2013 by Host Sharon

[Host Sharon]

Some photos of latest trip here.

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/114801993219771801790/OrianaXmasNewYearCruise201213#

[Kapricorn]

Sharon, thanks for the link to your interesting photographs! The royal barge in the Lisbon museum is extremely imposing and beautiful. Of all the cities, Athens seemed to be the most lively and bustling, as well as offering plenty of historical artifacts for one's appreciation.

 

Donald.

[Conte Di Savoia]

Wow Sharon! I love these pictures of your latest cruise on Oriana. I feel like I was right there with you especially since we've traveled aboard her in 2000. She still looks great, in fact, IMHO the best looking cruise ship in service. How is the service and food aboard her since P&O was gobbled up by Carnival? Do they still serve those wonderful curries at lunch? Our waiter was surprised that Americans would eat them but I thought they were terrific.

[Host Sharon]

Thanks Conte, Service was excellent, especially in view of the fact that the crew were exhausted with all the extra anti-norovirus precautions. And yes - they still serve a curry every day at lunch - once I have eaten a P&O curry and a P&O trifle I know I am back "home" !

[Saga Ruby]

Ruby - to be honest I would rather be on a ship with known NV and where all precautions are in place than one in which it happens mid-voyage and the spread has already happened.

 

On the Saga ships, we could not enter the DR without being courteously directed to the hand-sanitizer dispensers at the entryway. I appreciated the attention to detail for prevention rather than racing after a cure. Digression - I also enjoyed so much your suite of pix from your Oriana cruise.

 

Do they still serve those wonderful curries at lunch? Our waiter was surprised that Americans would eat them but I thought they were terrific.

 

True confessions - as a native Texan, I was not exposed to curries in my childhood and now, as an adult, I have tried a curry only once and it was such a hot dish, I could not finish my serving. I would like to try it again but don't know what to order as a first exposure. Does one have to be born into an appreciation of this Indian dish?

 

I do enjoy nasi goreng, a wonderful Indonesian dish - be sure to get your seafood cracker when it is served. And nobody does it better than Holland America. When available here in the States, I always order it to see what variation on a theme will arrive at table. The goreng family of fine food is great fun to explore.

 

Ruby

Edited January 21, 2013 by Saga Ruby

[Host Sharon]

Try a Korma curry Ruby - they can be fairly mild. I don't like very hot curries, but the ones that P&o serve are toned down for general consumption - nothing like the crew make for themselves!

[Host Sharon]

Well, this has been very busy week .... booking cruises! My friend and I managed to get a cabin on the new Royal Princess. A huge behemoth I know, but it should be itneresting and it's only 2 nights! And then in August the same friend and I are sailing on Oceania Cruises' Nautica. From one extreme to another, she only carries 640 pax so two very different experiences to come.

[Saga Ruby]

. . . in August the same friend and I are sailing on Oceania Cruises' Nautica. From one extreme to another, she only carries 640 pax so two very different experiences to come.

 

I sailed on Nautica for over a month, Istanbul to Singapore. It was wunderbar. If Conte had not noodged me about Silversea, I would still be sailing the seven seas on Oceania, altho' Marina's size is a bit too massive for my tastes. After Africa on S/S, I intend to see what Oceania is offering for future cruises because S/S is a bit pricey and I'm not sure I need a butler for my minimal domestic needs.

 

What is Nautica's itinerary?

 

A digression - the travel industry has had a setback due to the baby boomers and other retirees slamming shut their pocketbooks after this global recession. As a result, the more upscale cruise lines are offering shorter cruises with smaller tariffs, hoping to attract those pax who can only be gone from their jobs for that period of time. It will be interesting to see the response from potential passengers.

 

Ruby

[Host Sharon]

I sailed on Nautica for over a month, Istanbul to Singapore. It was wunderbar. If Conte had not noodged me about Silversea, I would still be sailing the seven seas on Oceania, altho' Marina's size is a bit too massive for my tastes. After Africa on S/S, I intend to see what Oceania is offering for future cruises because S/S is a bit pricey and I'm not sure I need a butler for my minimal domestic needs.

 

What is Nautica's itinerary?

 

A digression - the travel industry has had a setback due to the baby boomers and other retirees slamming shut their pocketbooks after this global recession. As a result, the more upscale cruise lines are offering shorter cruises with smaller tariffs, hoping to attract those pax who can only be gone from their jobs for that period of time. It will be interesting to see the response from potential passengers.

 

Ruby

 

Hi Ruby - I suspect our Nautica cruise may be one of those bargains then! It's 12 nights to/from Southampton to Edinburgh, Invergordon, Lerwick, Geirganger, Hellesylt, Alesund, Belfast, Cork, Dublin and Portland. It was almost 75% off brochure price, plus $300 on board credit and a case of wine. In other words - too good to refuse!

[Saga Ruby]

Hi Ruby - I suspect our Nautica cruise may be one of those bargains then! It's 12 nights to/from Southampton to Edinburgh, Invergordon, Lerwick, Geirganger, Hellesylt, Alesund, Belfast, Cork, Dublin and Portland. It was almost 75% off brochure price, plus $300 on board credit and a case of wine. In other words - too good to refuse!

 

Okay, I have to ask, ". . . a case of wine." Is the wine to be consumed onboard, are you supposed to tuck that case of wine under your arm as you disembark, what? You certainly got a great deal on that cruise.

 

Digression - it was on Nautica that I asked the excellent concierge, Bruno, if the crew would like to have my English-language magazines brought onboard. He brightened up and said, "Yes! They would be most appreciated! Just put them in my chair when you are thru and I will distribute them among the crew."

 

When we sailed into Muscat, Oman, I had lunch at a very ritzy hotel which sold English newspapers in the gift shop that were only a few days old. I read them, then gave passed them on to Bruno.

 

Recently, onboard Shadow, as I read my copies of Wired, a magazine that covers the e-world, I gave the magazines to the Computer Center tech. He was thrilled and I intend to take more copies onboard Whisper.

 

I hope this story prompts some of our readers to do the same. Crew are working hard for us pax and they appreciate having something fresh to read.

 

Ruby

Edited February 4, 2013 by Saga Ruby

[Host Sharon]

Okay, I have to ask, ". . . a case of wine." Is the wine to be consumed onboard, are you supposed to tuck that case of wine under your arm as you disembark, what? You certainly got a great deal on that cruise.

 

Digression - it was on Nautica that I asked the excellent concierge, Bruno, if the crew would like to have my English-language magazines brought onboard. He brightened up and said, "Yes! They would be most appreciated! Just put them in my chair when you are thru and I will distribute them among the crew."

 

When we sailed into Muscat, Oman, I had lunch at a very ritzy hotel which sold English newspapers in the gift shop that were only a few days old. I read them, then gave passed them on to Bruno.

 

Recently, onboard Shadow, as I read my copies of Wired, a magazine that covers the e-world, I gave the magazines to the Computer Center tech. He was thrilled and I intend to take more copies onboard Whisper.

 

I hope this story prompts some of our readers to do the same. Crew are working hard for us pax and they appreciate having something fresh to read.

 

Ruby

 

I think the case of wine will be delivered to my home and is prob. from the travel agent ?? I just need to remember to save half for my cabin buddy :rolleyes:

 

I have to admit I have never thought of saving magazines for the crew. I often leave paperbacks in the library.

[Saga Ruby]

I know you are less than a month from your sailaway in early March. Are you getting a neon-beach tan beforehand to avoid any sunburn side effects or are you buying cases of suntan lotion? And who is going to walk the dog while you're gone?

 

I'm sure you'll be excited to leave Vancouver weather and find good weather in Hawaii. Remind me - what port city do you depart from?

 

Ruby

[Kapricorn]

I know you are less than a month from your sailaway in early March. Are you getting a neon-beach tan beforehand to avoid any sunburn side effects or are you buying cases of suntan lotion? And who is going to walk the dog while you're gone?

 

I'm sure you'll be excited to leave Vancouver weather and find good weather in Hawaii. Remind me - what port city do you depart from?

 

Ruby

 

Actually, I am supposed to AVOID the sun, because since November I have been taking a drug for a medical condition, and an effect of this prescription is to make the skin photosensitive. I will see my doctor in April for a follow-up. When I told him that I would be going to Hawaii during March, he smiled, shrugged and said, "use lots of sunscreen."

 

What bad timing! As all of you know very well, Vancouver is mostly overcast and wet during winter, so I have not had the opportunity to find out if I do get adverse reaction from the sun's rays. I hope that the sun will come out sometime this month during the dog-walking so that I can find out if my skin will actually break out in a rash, so that I can make the proper preparations for the cruise, to decide if to get SPF 30 or SPF 50 sunscreen, or stick with SPF 8.

 

During my absence, my friend has arranged for a colleague to drive her home during lunch hour to walk the dog, and her brother will stay at her place for the second week to walk the dog while she is at work.

 

I will fly to San Diego on Sunday March 3. I am meeting a few friends there for dinner that evening, people whom I met on the Panama Canal cruise last year. The cruise will depart the next day. It will have been nearly six months since my last cruise, so I am looking forward to it despite the sun proscribing.

 

Donald.

[Kapricorn]

The sun magically made its appearance this afternoon! I took the opportunity to apply SPF 8 sunscreen on my face, remove my shirt and put on shorts and sandals, and sat on the balcony for 25 minutes in the sun's rays. The balcony is recessed within the building, thus I am protected from the chilly wind blowing past the structure. Now, hours later, no rash anywhere on me. Of course, that probably was not sufficient exposure. I will have to gradually lengthen the exposure as long as the sun decides to appear much more frequently.

 

Donald.

[Saga Ruby]

Hi Ruby - I suspect our Nautica cruise may be one of those bargains then! It's 12 nights to/from Southampton to Edinburgh, Invergordon, Lerwick, Geirganger, Hellesylt, Alesund, Belfast, Cork, Dublin and Portland.

 

I have studied your itinerary map like the proverbial tea leaves. Do you find it unusual that the ship sails from English ports to Norway ports or is that standard for your part of the world? I'm stuck on the word "Celtic."

 

The sun magically made its appearance this afternoon! I took the opportunity to apply SPF 8 sunscreen on my face, remove my shirt and put on shorts and sandals, and sat on the balcony for 25 minutes in the sun's rays. Donald.

 

Just checking in - any signs of a rash? Your story reminds me of a trip to Maui where I sat on an enclosed lanai, watched beach activities and the sun set as I read my Kindle. After a few days, I was surprised to see a decent sunburn on my lower legs - evidently the ferocious rays of the sun bounced around inside my lanai and I wound up with a mild sunburn. From that day forward, each morning, I lathered on the suntan lotion.

 

Ruby

[Kapricorn]

Just checking in - any signs of a rash? Your story reminds me of a trip to Maui where I sat on an enclosed lanai, watched beach activities and the sun set as I read my Kindle. After a few days, I was surprised to see a decent sunburn on my lower legs - evidently the ferocious rays of the sun bounced around inside my lanai and I wound up with a mild sunburn. From that day forward, each morning, I lathered on the suntan lotion.

 

Ruby

 

Nope, Ruby, no rash anywhere. :) I'll have to try it a bit longer the next time, but it won't be today because it's again overcast and wet.

 

Your story reminded me of a co-worker who went on a cruise to Hawaii. She didn't care too much for the sun, so she stayed in the shade of a poolside bar. However, she did get sunburn the same way that you did - the sun's rays had bounced from the deck into the shade.

 

A few years ago, on a Mexican Riviera cruise on Mercury, I sunbathed on the top deck surrounding the ship's pool. I got a nice tan, but was puzzled by two small burn marks on my side just above the swimming trunks. The ship's doctor couldn't figure it out either. The next time I took the same cruise, I did some sleuthing. The culprit was the metal swinging door in the side of a trash receptacle about 30 feet from my deck lounge chair. The metal had reflected the sun's rays intensely onto my side as I laid on the chair. On subsequent cruises I noted that the metal swinging door was replaced by a plastic one.

 

Donald.

[Host Sharon]

I have studied your itinerary map like the proverbial tea leaves. Do you find it unusual that the ship sails from English ports to Norway ports or is that standard for your part of the world? I'm stuck on the word "Celtic."

 

 

Ruby

 

It is fairly unusual to go from Scotland up to Norway and then back down again, but many cruises go straight up from Scotland, Orkneys and Norway to Iceland, especially US lines. My friends did a similar Silverseas one a couple of years back. I guess they figure that's what Americans want to see??

 

Celtic? The Celts settled Scotland, Wales and Ireland from the Iron Age (800BC) onwards. I suppose Oceania thought they'd throw a few Vikings into the mix??

 

Glad you can face the sun Donald. I'd hate to have to sit int the shade all the time.

[Saga Ruby]

A few years ago, on a Mexican Riviera cruise on Mercury, I sunbathed on the top deck surrounding the ship's pool. The culprit was the metal swinging door in the side of a trash receptacle about 30 feet from my deck lounge chair. The metal had reflected the sun's rays intensely onto my side as I laid on the chair. On subsequent cruises I noted that the metal swinging door was replaced by a plastic one.Donald.

 

That is quite a story! Was there a memorial plaque in your name on the new plastic door?

 

In a Panama Canal cruise, I was sunbathing on the open deck but I did know to cover my legs with a towel. Later that night, I couldn't sleep from the pain of the equatorial sunburn on the top of my feet that I missed covering with the towel. Who knew?

 

Celtic? The Celts settled Scotland, Wales and Ireland from the Iron Age (800BC) onwards. I suppose Oceania thought they'd throw a few Vikings into the mix??

 

You have me smiling. Celtics, Pictish, Vikings - when we dig in to the history of those early explorers, it makes our visits to their ancient lands so interesting. The Picts made excellent settlements in the Orkneys which I so much enjoyed visiting. And the replica Viking ship in Norway that sailed us out to an island restaurant was an eye-opener. The Vikings did not have seats in their boats; they stood. Whew!

 

Ruby

[Saga Ruby]

I am truly humbled that this thread is now over a quarter million Views and almost 4,700 posts. How ironic that this thread has outlasted the ship - and my namesake isn't doing very well on her final world cruise. But here we are.

 

We have had wonderful input from so many ship-daft folks, we have made new friends and lost a few yet, thru it all, my personal favourite - civility was the main ingredient. All of the exciting information reflects the Seven Seas - broad and deep.

 

My personal thanks to each and every one of you who took the time to keep this thread alive, who gave us glittering insights to the subject of maritime adventures and their own adventures and, as always, my thanks to Conte for being the first responder - the rock that started this avalanche.

 

Conte - did you survive this ferocious snowstorm? Can you see out of your window? Did you stock MREs to get thru the challenge and do you have power? Seems like Mother Earth is determined to show that she's the Boss in this decade.

 

Again, many thanks to all you lovely people for joining us, informing us, educating us.

 

Saga Ruby

Edited February 13, 2013 by Saga Ruby