Saga Rose Greenland Voyager August 2007

[Kapricorn]

Hi, Doug -

 

What photographs did Clive send to you ... personal ones from a cruise which he took on the Victoria, or photographs from brochures? Yes, indeed the Victoria was in the "premium" category. I didn't know that, though, when I booked on her, as I had told my travel agent to put me on a Caribbean cruise of a decent length.

 

To give you an idea of the flavour of the Victoria, as seen from my eyes, here are some of the photographs from my 1972 cruise.

 

1) Roman Restaurant, showing the rich wood paneling and ceiling sleeve, plus the oh-so-70s light fixtures. I'm third from the right, back when I was all of 25!

 

2) staff uniform - nice gold epaulets, and gold trim along the sides of the black pants!

 

3) Captain's Party in the El Patio Lounge. Curtains at the windows were drawn all around the room. In these days, there was no argument about the dress codes. No one would dare to appear in inappropriate clothing. In the back are two ladies with mink stoles (in the Caribbean!)

 

4) Pool games - there were plenty of activities hosted by the entertainment director

 

5) Before the ship's departure from Fort-de-France, local dancers held a performance for the passengers, after which they had some of the passengers dance with them. That's me in the red shirt!

 

Regards,

Donald.

[Saga Ruby]

Ruby: Now that you have your Saga Rose shore excursion books, you must be getting eager to step aboard! I like the idea of only six ports on a 18-day cruise, as I don't care for port-intensive cruises (ie, 10 ports in 11 days). I trust that you will have a good pair of shoes suitable for hikes in Iceland and Greenland.Donald.

 

I am, indeed, eager to embark on Saga Rose. The itineraries that Saga Cruises offers are outstanding. Many people have sailed to Greenland but most of them passed along the southern tip of the island, not turning in a northerly direction where the majestic icebergs are calving. Many people have sailed the coast of Norway but not up to Svalbard which is where polar bears roam and we learn about the weather at the top of the globe. Saga offers itineraries that emphasize unique experiences, not different levels of spa treatments.

 

While some may mock the age of Saga passengers, I find Saga pax to be much more healthy and active, much more interested in the world around them than some of those folks sailing on the floating shopping malls and those who believe that, in all things maritime, size matters. I disagree and any cruise on Saga brings that philosophy into reality.

 

As a native Texan, I have known many storms and violent weather so by nature I tend to stay inside, out of heavy weather. In Bergen two years ago, we arrived in a pouring rainstorm with high winds, the whole magilla except lightning. As I stood on the Promenade Deck of Saga Ruby, I was pondering "go, no go" for a 12-hour tour to Flam.

 

A British woman in her 70s came up and stood next to me. I asked if she was going on the "Norway in a Nutshell" tour and she said yes. When queried as to a tour in miserable weather, she sharply replied, "If we Brits didn't go out in the rain, we would never go out!" Word to the wise.

 

Ruby

[Druke I]

Yes Ruby - my expat daughter in England has complained about the rain! (But she does complain about a lot of things!)

[Saga Ruby]

If someone were to nudge Michael about his expat daughter and son-in-law, Kristi and Mark, he might be willing to tell you about Mark's recent receipt of honours from Lilibet.

 

Mark was awarded an OBE presented this February by Her Majesty for his gallant work during bombings in the Middle East involving a bank and the British Consulate.

 

I hope Michael will relate that story to this Nostalgia Cruise. As we chat about voyages, cruises, and crossings, this exciting story is worth repeating.

 

Ruby

[dougnewmanatsea]

What photographs did Clive send to you ... personal ones from a cruise which he took on the Victoria, or photographs from brochures?

He didn't send me photos - he'll add whatever photos he wants once I send him the article.

 

But I think they will be personal photos, not brochure stuff.

 

Thanks for your photos - looks like a very nice cruise and she was certainly a stylish ship!

 

those who believe that, in all things maritime, size matters. I disagree and any cruise on Saga brings that philosophy into reality.

Oh I think size does matter - smaller is better ;) ! (Well, at least to a point. I think the Saga ships, the R ships, MARCO POLO, DISCOVERY etc. are pretty much the perfect size.)

[Saga Ruby]

I have spent an enjoyable time reviewing the fine photos you sent from your 1972 Victoria cruise in the Caribbean. Talk about a walk back thru time!

 

I liked your comment about nobody would dare to dress inappropriately. I smiled at the fellow in the black-and-aqua tux next to you. At least it wasn't a Nehru jacket.

 

Speaking of mink stoles - on a transit thru the Panama Canal in '79, we were anchored off the mouth of the Canal, Atlantic side, waiting our turn to enter Gatun Locks. It could not have been more hot or humid and there was no air moving at all. You could almost see the humidity hanging in the still air.

 

Most pax were on the Promenade Deck of the Stella Solaris sitting in deck chairs, awaiting the commencement of this exciting event, enervated from the heat. A woman "of an age" walked by in high heels, stockings, summer suit, and mink stole. I almost expired from the heat just looking at her.

 

Ruby

[Kapricorn]

The British lady would feel right at home here in Vancouver, Canada! The weather continues to be miserable, with 27% more precipitation than normal so far this year. I'm not one for venturing outdoors in rain unless absolutely necessary.

 

Glad that my pictures took you back on memory lane. In the photograph at the Captain's Ball, I'm the one on the right, not sitting beside the guy in the black-and-aqua formal wear. At the dining room table, you will see one of the other guys wearing white turtleneck underneath his jacket, which passed for formal wear. I don't see turtlenecks nowadays. In these days no-one wore what would be considered to be "tacky."

 

I didn't even bring shorts on that cruise. In these days I always wore long pants and shoes, even on shore excursions. Of course I brought swim trunks for the ship's poolside, and wore a calf-length caftan while walking between pool and my cabin.

 

I had to smile at your mention of the well-dressed lady with a mink stole in the Panama heat.

 

Passengers on certain ships may be "old" but with their wealth of experience they would be much more interesting to mix with than twenty- or thirty-something cruisers. I just know that you will have a fabulous time, as usual, on the Saga!

 

Donald.

[Saga Ruby]

In my family, we girls were taught endlessly about respecting the people around you both in the US and foreign lands, learning from various religions practiced in churches and mosques, keeping our voices down in museums, dressing for our surroundings rather than to suit ourselves.

 

In August 1962, my father took the family on one last trip before my sister had her bridezilla wedding. We were in Europe briefly then sailed off on a cruise to the Greek Islands, Cyprus, Israel and Jordan.

 

My sister brought along a small card showing the American Sign Language hand signs for the alphabet. Out of boredom in airports and on trains, we learned the alphabet. In West Berlin, we were sitting in the lobby of the Hotel Bristol Kempinski, waiting for our parents to check us in, telling silent jokes to each other in sign language. At one point, we burst out laughing, my mother rushed over and scolded us about pretending to be deaf. We protested that we were just telling jokes.

 

Since my father always ate at 6:00pm regardless of locale, we opened up most of the finer restaurants in Western Europe to the dismay and silent disapproval of the wait staff. In Switzerland, on top of a high alp in the town of Bergenstock outside of Lucerne, we were seated at a table in the hotel restaurant and had the place to ourselves.

 

A busboy was dispatched with a cart containing a soup tureen full of cream of chicken soup - real cream, large chunks of chicken, freshly sauteed mushrooms- and four soup bowls and plates. This "waiter in training" was to serve us our first course. It was obvious that he was nervous about ladling the creamy soup properly into the bowls.

 

Before the actual service, the busboy returned to the kitchen to fetch a ladle, my sister and I were telling jokes, he came back to the table, reached over to place the soup bowl in front of me and spilled a drop or two on the linen tablecloth, at which time my sister and I burst out laughing at the punchline of a joke.

 

The red-faced busboy threw down the ladle onto the cart and fled to the kitchen. My sister and I got a royal bawling-out from our parents who were irritated at the timing of our laughter, we were thoroughly contrite at upsetting the busboy, and my father called the maitre d’ over to apologize for his barbaric daughters.

 

In comedy, timing is everything.

 

Ruby

[Kapricorn]

What memories we still possess! Parents in these days, while loving and training us in proper manners and etiquette, were strict and disciplined us whenever necessary. Dr. Spock changed the whole thing. I'm not sure that it was entirely for the better.

 

Do you still remember the American Sign Language alphabet?

 

When my parents and I were traveling by tour bus in Europe in 1964, in the south of France I accidentally swallowed a Life Saver and it lodged in my throat. We had to wait for the bus to finally arrive at a scheduled stop, and my mother and I hurried to a cafe to ask for a glass of water with which to dislodge and wash down the Life Saver. The lady manager replied that they don't serve water, and sold us a glass of wine. This was my first taste of wine, at the age of 17! It did the trick, though, with the Life Saver.

 

Donald.

[Saga Ruby]

I do indeed remember the sign language alphabet. A bit rusty but it's still there ("q" still makes my hand cramp). My sister and I had no clue about separating words that are "letter spelled" so we would make a horizontal slash with our hand and move on to the next word. It is my understanding that the correct way is to spell the letters, then move the hand slightly over for the next word.

 

Throughout my childhood and into adulthood, I got tired of being constantly corrected about social etiquette by my parents. Now, I appreciate so much the constant polishing of a rough diamond until it became second nature to me. We can always put aside exquisite manners if we wish, but I have the advantage of knowing what is proper, whether I use it or not.

 

Even today, I am bothered by the concept of "we're in Rome, it's hot, my husband will never wear slacks for the Basilica." I know the right thing to do and I do it. In my family, there were no excuses.

 

Did you continue to eat Lifesavers so as to enjoy the lovely wines of southern France?

 

Ruby

[Kapricorn]

You're right, some of those using finger spelling move their hand slightly to spell the next word. More seasoned users use a nearly imperceptible pause between words, just like speakers do while talking.

 

I haven't had a Life Saver for the past 43 years, since the incident in France. I do drink French wine, though.:)

 

Right now I am reading "Transatlantici: The History of the Great Italian Passenger Liners." A very fascinating book, with photographs on each page. The beauty of the Rex and Conte di Savoia are apparent.

 

Donald.

[Druke I]

Last night, our local PBS station ran an hour long program "Normandie: A Legendary Liner".

 

Very interesting, and much of it in early color film, filmed by a French family aboard.

[Kapricorn]

Last night, our local PBS station ran an hour long program "Normandie: A Legendary Liner".

 

Very interesting, and much of it in early color film, filmed by a French family aboard.

 

We didn't get that here in Vancouver. Perhaps sometime in the future. It sure sounds really interesting, especially with film taken by passengers! Normandie, Conte di Savoia and pre-iceberg Titanic would be the liners that I would like to travel back in time upon which to sail.

 

Donald.

[Saga Ruby]

Donald, may I inquire why you know so much about ASL? Can you use ASL as a language? My sister went on to take lessons for ASL at the University of Texas and, one thing leading to another, wound up a lifelong volunteer for the blind, driving groups or individuals around, becoming active in the Lions Club Eye Bank.

 

Michael, it's official. I am green with envy that you saw the documentary on the Normandie on PBS. I ran the program title on my Dallas PBS station and no joy. It was the "early color film" that caught my eye.

 

Right now, I am following the flight of "Glacier Girl," a P-38 fighter that was pried out of the Greenland ice in 1992, restored in Middlesboro KY, and is now completing the flight plan she started 65 years ago in WWII. I had the pleasure of viewing the Middlesboro restoration back in the '90s and am now sailing to Greenland in August - it's a small world.

 

The WWII pilots were incredibly brave in their emergency landing on the Greenland icecap and the current pilots are equally valiant to be taking Glacier Girl across the Atlantic Ocean so many decades later. You can follow the flight of Glacier Girl at www.airshowbuzz.com - she is "Operation Bolero."

 

Ruby

[Druke I]

I knew you were a lady with many interests - but did not realize it also extended to WW2 planes.

 

On Sunday, 4-29-07, while at a block party at a neighbors' house, we heard the unmistakable roar of a Packard Merlin (Rolls Royce under license), looked up and saw a P51D Mustang go over, and then begin doing "lazy 8s" a couple of miles South of us.

 

Two weekends later, at the local airport, "Wings of Freedom" appeared: a B17 Flying Fortress, a B24 Liberator, and a B25 Mitchell. I did see the B24 and B25 on their downwind approaches, but missed the B17 that day, although I did see it flying over a couple of days later.

 

It was grand seeing those wonderful "warbirds". When I was a lad in grammar school, after the threat of air raids was pretty well over on the Left Coast, we used to flock to the windows when a flight of planes when over. During those days of WW2, there were a great many more military airfields in the greater San Francisco Bay Area than today.

 

I do recall the story of rescuing that P38 and its rebuilding.

[Conte Di Savoia]

Christie's at Rockefeller Center is having an auction of Ocean Liner memorabilia this Thursday, June 28. On Saturday I had the privilege of visiting the gallery to see some very fine (and expensive) items which are going to be offered up, everything from Titanic related documents, furnishings from the Normandie, paintings, ship models, posters. It goes on and on. I was in ocean liner heaven!! Anyone interested in drooling for a while can check out the web site: http://www.christies.com/features/jun07/1829/overview.asp

Several of the items are from the estate of Jan Loeff. I met Jan aboard Silver Cloud on the occasion of that ship's second cruise. He was a true gentleman and had an enormous knowledge of ships and a large collection of memorabilia he had collected over the years. He told me how you never know where your going to find ship memorabilia. Some years ago he was at a flea market in the midwest. He unexpectedly found an original Titanic deck plan. The dealer was unaware of what he had and Jan picked up one of the greatest bargains in his large collection. There are no bargains at Christie's. They know exactly what they have.

[Kapricorn]

Conte di Savoia, I did some drooling over the auction items! Thanks for letting us know about the web site.

 

A few weeks ago a resident on Vancouver Island found an original Titanic 2nd-class passenger list among the items in one of several boxes. It belonged to his grandmother, who had been given the list during embarkation, and she had folded it and put it in one of her coat pockets. During the sinking a few days later, she put on the coat and, along with her daughter, left in a lifeboat. On the Carpathia, discovering the passenger list in her coat pocket, she loaned it to the ship's wireless operator to provide a list of survivors from the 2nd class. It is the daughter's son who is now in possession of the list, and he refuses to sell it. It has been loaned to the Titanic exhibit at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria BC. If this passenger list is ever in an auction, I imagine that it would get really big bucks, being probably the only original list taken off the Titanic.

 

About thirty years ago, I browsed in an antique shop here in Vancouver BC and found an original photograph of the Majestic, steaming up the Hudson River past the NYC skyscrapers. It is 21" x 27", with the text "White Star Line, S.S. Majestic, World's Largest Steamer" in the lower right corner. It is still in its original wooden frame, with glass over it. It was probably hung in a shipping or travel agent's office sometime during the 1920's. I asked the owner how much he was selling it for, and he shrugged and said 10 dollars, so I grabbed it. I have no idea if it might be worth a bit more than that today??? Right now it is hanging on the wall above my computer table.

 

Donald.

[Kapricorn]

Donald, may I inquire why you know so much about ASL? Can you use ASL as a language? My sister went on to take lessons for ASL at the University of Texas and, one thing leading to another, wound up a lifelong volunteer for the blind, driving groups or individuals around, becoming active in the Lions Club Eye Bank.

Ruby

 

I learned ASL when I was 23. I'm still fluent in it, as I have a few friends who are Deaf. Yes, ASL has its own syntax and grammar.

 

That's great about your sister being a volunteer!

 

Donald.

[Saga Ruby]

What a wonderful story about the original second-class passenger list from the Titanic. A simple act of stuffing something in one’s pocket becomes a piece of major significance, both shortly after the Carpathia rescue and in the 21st century. A classic case of a minor item assuming major historical significance.

 

It still amazes me to get home from overseas and find a piece of ticket, receipt, or invoice from a foreign land, forgotten in the meleé of the journey home. In a recent dig in my purse, I found a small purple Paris bus ticket from 2005 that had gotten jammed in a crevice. It brought back memories of the Paris Metro and city bus system which seem to revolve literally around the Paris Opéra downtown.

 

When I got on the bus and sat down for the brief ride to the Opéra, it seemed as though the Parisians were staring more than usual. When I hopped off at my stop downtown, from the corner of my eye I saw the "Handicapped Only" sign over my bench. Uh oh.

 

So what articles from Christie’s are you bidding on? Better to bid at the Christie’s auction than to take your chances on eBay. It seems that the counterfeiters nowadays are as artful as the identity thieves.

 

Ruby

[Kapricorn]

Ruby, I also find odds and ends among my possessions. For example, I still have the 1972 ticket from the Victoria, and the cabin door key from the Atlantic in 1963. I am something of a pack rat!

 

I had to laugh about you sitting under the "Handicapped Only" sign on the Paris bus, and the reaction of the other occupants. I'm sure that you thought that you might have dirt on your face, or forgotten to do a button on your blouse.

 

Alas, drooling is the only thing that I can do about these Sotheby's auctions. I'd love to have a couple of the Normandie chairs, or the plates from the Empress of Ireland, but I simply don't have space in my apartment. Did you notice the Stairtower Ceramic Ensemble and "Bacchanalia" panel from the Stella Solaris among the auction items?

 

Donald.

[Conte Di Savoia]

There is a new review of Saga Rose by Ted Scull on Cruise Critic today. Ruby, I think we've made a wonderful choice to cruise on her.

 

I decided not to attend the Christie's auction today. I already have too much "stuff" around the house. The items are tempting but I have a difficult enough time tracking what I already have. Where are those Santa Rosa menus anyway?

 

Donald, I did see the Stella Solaris panels. They are magnificent and would look great in an upscale restaurant somewhere. They also had beautifully reupholstered Gustavo Pulitzer Finali chairs from one of your favorite ships, Incres' Victoria. Much of this was brought back to the States by Peter Knego who retrieved these items from the beach at Alang. I regret that I never sailed on Victoria. I always heard wonderful reports about her. Gustavo Pulitzer Finali was responsible for her design (as he also was for Conte di Savoia). He not only designed her interior furnishings but was also responsible for much of her exterior appearance as well. I have a book written in Italian which discusses his entire career and projects and includes pictures from Studio Pulitzer of his concepts for this ship.

[Saga Ruby]

The artwork on the Stella Solaris was admirable with many quality pieces as shown in the Christie’s auction. Onboard, one turned a corner, walked up a staircase, ambled down a hallway and there was artwork of interest in each area. Although I was not a fan of her Greek bridge staff, I am a big fan of the ship. Is artwork placement indicated in the original blueprints of a new ship or physically marked when the ship has been made cruiseworthy?

 

Conte, I never doubted that my Saga Rose cruise to Greenland and Iceland will be special in the pantheon of my ocean voyages. You and I have been on many ships and many cruises over many years. If Saga Rose is half the cruise I had on Saga Ruby to Far North in 2005, it should be a memorable experience. My guess is that Saga Rose will somehow exceed Saga Ruby, perhaps in ship’s architecture and interior design, but I am supremely confident that I will continue to be a Saga Cruises devotee.

 

Michael (Druke I) was kind enough to give me a head’s up on the new Saga Rose review on Cruise Critic. It is refreshing to see a reviewer appreciate a ship that is over 40 years old and does not offer a FlowRider or a shopping mall onboard. Although I was told by "our" TA that Saga Rose does not have flatscreen TVs except in suites, the Cruise Critic review states that they are in all cabins. We shall see.

One comment made by our Saga TA is that, when she had a group of 80 folks get off the "Spirit of Adventure" recently, most of them called to book another cruise on Saga. I wasn’t the least bit surprised to hear it. Many cruise lines have good service, food, and staff - few have the classic, intimate maritime lines of the ship, the exquisite personal service provided by the Filipino staff, plus the civility of the passengers.

 

Donald - you referred to syntax in ASL. Can you give me a sentence in English that would be the equivalent of ASL? In Spanish, we say, "The dog brown chased the ball blue." In German, it is my understanding that a bunch of nouns are tamped into place by a verb at the end of the sentence. What are you literally saying in ASL for a brown dog chasing a blue ball? In what order?

 

Ruby

[sagavista]

I found a wonderful review of Saga Rose on the Cunard Line board. It is under the heading, Sagafjord & Vistafjord, and it is currently on page 5. Post #18 by PRINSENDAM has a wonderful review of Saga Rose.

[Saga Ruby]

I found a wonderful review of Saga Rose on the Cunard Line board. It is under the heading, Sagafjord & Vistafjord, and it is currently on page 5. Post #18 by PRINSENDAM has a wonderful review of Saga Rose.

 

Thanks for the note. I've been sitting here reading thru the 2-page thread and it is quite interesting to read the various comments about classic ships, both in days of yore and today.

 

For those who might wish to read the thread, you can find it here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=10341740#post10341740

 

Ruby

[nottamember]

Hello to all,

Hi i was a dancer aboard the Saga Rose in 2006 and am excited to be returning in two months time :)

It was so nice to read all your comments about this ship and i now see why all my passengers had huge smiles every day walking around the ship.

I use to stand at the back of the ballroom on a formal night and roll my eyes everytime the passengers cheered and clapped when the captain said "welcome to this beautiful ship", now before you all shoot me down, the reason i did this was because i always felt the passengers did it to .... suck up to the Captain? but after reading your comments i understand most of the passengers come on the ship because of its classic lines and old values and honestly love the ship.

so now instead of rolling my eyes this time i will stand and smile knowing those cheers and claps are heart felt.

I must admit after living on board for a year things got abit claustrophobic towards the end but i must admit secretly i love her....she was my home....so many ships now are all about money but i can honestly say the heads of the company run it for the passengers not for the money it is instilled in us staff that we are to make you feel at home "welcome them into your home" and what a pleasure it is to welcome so many people to share in the experiances on board that to be honest on other cruise ships you don't get.