Saga Rose Greenland Voyager August 2007

[Saga Ruby]

Isn't it nice that we have each to console us about our favourite ship instead of the fact that I didn't get the suite with the butler and concierge. I can only hope that I don't meet those pax on my cruise. Fran

 

Thanks for that, Fran. My mood is a bit sad with the QE2 leaving service, Marco Polo in a new configuration, and now Saga Rose. It's not only the ships, it is the sophisticated service and environment onboard, the miniaturized tea service presented to pax in deck chairs as we crossed the North Atlantic, the foreseeable end of the small ships. Cruising has gone mass market, energy and adrenalin are the order of the day, some people book cruises who are afraid of being on the water.

 

I rarely look in the rearview mirror but there is a touch of melancholy in the air at my house.

 

Ruby

[franu]

My mood is a bit sad with the QE2 leaving service, Marco Polo in a new configuration, and now Saga Rose. It's not only the ships, it is the sophisticated service and environment onboard

 

Is this happening to make it easier to say "good-bye" when we can no longer go? Yes, we have many more cruises left in us but we are watching the tides ebb.

 

Although I like good service, I don't want to be looked down upon by those whose job it is to serve us. I can leave that part behind. I know it is a thin line which separates sophistication from haughtiness.

 

I hope that I will continue to get the Orient Lines service that we had with the old company. Perhaps someday you will join us.

Fran

[Host Sharon]

I know exactly what you both mean. I am now back from my last voyage on QE2, and stood on the foredeck as we berthed this morning with tears running down my cheeks. Yes she is old, and a bit rough around the edges now and I know in my head it is time for her to go, but my heart wants her to be sailing on for ever. We had beautiful weather in Spain and France but no landing in Guernsey due to choppy seas again. The service was not up to its usual standard but when I chatted to some staff they were losing their jobs come November so you can understand their feelings. It was also a strange cruise in that there were lots and lots of people who have never sailed on QE2 before, and indeed some had never cruised before. As we set sail across the Bay of Biscay to a gentle swell someone asked me if it was always that rough! Not sure how they did yesterday in a Force 7 round Guernsey. The sailaway from Bilbao was wonderful with crowds lining the quayside, small boats out with us in the harbour and two fireboats, sending up spouts and sounding their whistles constantly. Another teary moment. Le Verdon was quieter as there we not so many people around, but again lots and lots of boats following us. What other ship can turn heads and draw crowds like QE2?

[Saga Ruby]

Welcome back. Thanks for the notes on your QE2 cruise. I can easily understand the mood of the ship and the ship's company - as you say, the crew will be jobless as of Dubai. So very sad for them. And, of course, the personal gloom of QE2 admirers on this particular cruise would have lent a somber mood.

 

In 2003, I was in Mobile, Alabama to join the throngs welcoming home a WWII LST. As that aged ship sailed up the estuary, she was accompanied by an antique fire boat with red, white, and blue streams of salutory spray and, in every ship's bay of that shipyard, sailors turned out to greet them. HAL had sailors in dress uniforms lining the rail, a tall ship had their cadets in the yardarms, and all ships great and small were using their ship's horns to greet the return of the LST in admiration of her WWII crew which pulled off this remarkable return from a Greek mooring. Quite a sight and quite a memory.

 

You said about your cruise, ". . . and indeed some had never cruised before." That statement caught me completely by surprise. I was gobsmacked by the concept of newbies on the final voyage of a retiring Queen. I wonder if they will think that that cruise was normal?

 

Remind me of when you leave on your next cruise?

 

Ruby

[Druke I]

Your thoughts re the LST and its reception in Mobile are great. It is grand that some of us remember what was done.

 

We had the pleasure of sailing into San Francisco Bay in Sep 94, the same day the Liberty ship Jeremiah O'Brien returned from the 60th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in Normandy.

 

They had Coast Guard Cutters, San Francisco Fire Department Fire Boats, and a flotilla of sail boats greeting her.

 

There were some "dummies" aboard Windward (the cruise ship we were on) who thought the celebration was for them, not recognizing the significance of the O'Brien's voyage. The O'Brien continues to be a huge draw in San Francisco Bay.

 

Carl Nolte, a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, wrote a wonderful series of articles re O'Brien, and her trip to Normandy and her return. I believe they may have been put into book form. I had the pleasure of being at a luncheon where Nolte regaled us with his tales of the trip.

[Host Sharon]

You said about your cruise, ". . . and indeed some had never cruised before." That statement caught me completely by surprise. I was gobsmacked by the concept of newbies on the final voyage of a retiring Queen. I wonder if they will think that that cruise was normal?

 

Remind me of when you leave on your next cruise?

 

Ruby

 

It was not quite the final voyage Ruby. She left yesterday for her last ever Southampton-Southampton trip to the Med, then she leaves on 17th November for Dubai. I guess because it was a short 5 nighter, it attracted the now-or-never crowd, including about 100 Japanese. It was not remotely like my previous cruises on her so I don't know what the newbies thought. It is six weeks before my Christmas Markets cruise, then a long 6 month break until QM2!

I took the photo below in Le Verdon sur Mer last Saturday.

 

[Saga Ruby]

I took the photo below in Le Verdon sur Mer last Saturday.

 

What a beautiful photo! The QE2 looks fresh and loverly from your fine picture. One would never know that she is on her way to retirement. As you can imagine, I have regarded that ship as "large" and yet, in comparison to the pier, she is not as large as I thought. In my RVL world, 22,000gt was the standard so 40- or 50,000gt was large. My, my, how times change our perceptions.

 

Ruby

[Druke I]

You would have loved the Golden Odyssey, all 10,000GRT of her!

 

Way back in the 60s, when I first sailed on Oriana (the 1st), she was considered huge, all of 42,000GRT. She was the 6th (or 8th) largest passenger ship then in service!!!!

[Host Sharon]

For me I think it depends how long I am going to be on board and where I am going. As you know my usual ship is Artemis at 45,000 tons, but for a transAtlantic, where you may not be able to get out on deck much, I prefer something around the 70,000 (QE2 is 69,000). For small Med ports I liked Saga Ruby in her previous incarnations at 26,000. QE2 looks smaller as well, because she does not have a high superstructure and the lifeboats are placed high up on her and she has that lovely long foredeck giving a sleek line.

 

More photos of my last cruise on her at

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/sharonp40/QE2AutumnGetaway2008#

[Druke I]

Well, Celebrity's newest ship, Oasis, has arrived in the States. I still think she is only ugly ship, and fairly large, at 122,000GRT (too big for my tastes).

 

There are several photos of her on the Celebrity Forum.

 

That is one ship I am reasonably sure that I will not be a passenger. (clumsy sentence)

Edited November 4, 2008 by Druke I

[Druke I]

I goofed. It is Celebrity's Solstice, which just arrived.

Oasis is RCL's new ship (another one I think is ugly!).

[Host Sharon]

How about this for one ugly ship?? P&Os Ventura
[img]http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v367/224/82/693457176/n693457176_2071236_2703.jpg[/img]

But then so many of the new ships are horrible.

[Druke I]

P&O's Ventura is a "knock-off" of Princess' Grand/modified Grand class.

I agree, not the best looking ship on the water.

I still think Artemis, nee Royal Princess, is one of the better looking ships, and not overpowering in size.

[Saga Ruby]

[quote name='franu']Although I like good service, I don't want to be looked down upon by those whose job it is to serve us. I can leave that part behind. I know it is a thin line which separates sophistication from haughtiness.

I hope that I will continue to get the Orient Lines service that we had with the old company. Perhaps someday you will join us.
Fran[/quote]

In Dallas in the 80s, all the foodies were thrilled when several upscale French cuisine restaurants opened and the places were always packed. I developed a habit of having lunch at one favourite place and, on a date, I would ask to go to that restaurant. However, after a couple of years, many of us got tired of the waiters' snobbery toward their own customers.

Example: With a date, I requested an omelet and the waiter leered at me, asking if I wanted it soft, medium, or hard. I was flummoxed and didn't appreciated being mocked in front of a nice man. Not surprisingly, most of us got fed up (nyuck, nyuck) with the service and went elsewhere which, in Dallas, is quite simple to do and the "French restaurant" fad faded quite rapidly as most Dallas restaurants are wont to do.

Have you had similar experiences on the high seas? I cannot remember being socially taunted by dining room staff on a ship and am curious about your comment.

Ruby

[Druke I]

Well, it's not taunting - but one of several reasons I was not happy with Crystal cruises was the rude maitre 'd on Crystal Harmony, way back in Dec 93.

When he talked to you, he talked "down" to you. I found him to be smarmy and not at all pleasant.

We have not sailed with Crystal since then, and doubt that we would sail with them again in the future.. Edited November 7, 2008 by Druke I

[franu]

[QUOTE]Have you had similar experiences on the high seas? I cannot remember being socially taunted by dining room staff on a ship and am curious about your comment.
[/QUOTE]
As I previously had mentioned there was the attitude of the Greek wait staff while cruising the Aegean but to be honest, it is more a European trait.

Is it that women travelling solo are nobody because they have no man to "protect" them? Or do they think we will be less than generous with our tips? Whatever the imaginary cause might be, I can handle it but I would love to announce to the inferior sex ( a title given to only those deserving of it) that I am a cause to be reckoned with.
Fran

[Druke I]

I am glad you clarified your "inferior sex" comment.

Saves me from spouting any MCP statements!

[franu]

Michael, You must have confused me with someone else. I would never tack such a comment on an undeserving, innocent being. There are enough qualifying without including the innocent.

Sorry to disappoint you. I guess that you must find another windmill.
Fran

[Host Sharon]

I must be lucky in that I have never been on the receiving end of such treatment and have only had courtesy and respect both on board ship and on shore.

Oh dear - Tuesday is looming now and the QE2 final farewell. A Harrier Jet is going to drop a million poppies over her in Southampton to mark the 90th anniversary of the end of WWI, then she will set sail for the last ever time..........:(

[Druke I]

Are you sure it is a Harrier that is to drop a million poppies?

Harrier is a pretty small plane. I should think they would need a Hercules or perhaps a Nimrod to carry a million poppies.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

HI GANG!!!

I have just returned from my "Excellent Adventure" on the JEWEL OF THE SEAS. The second night out of Boston...we hit an unpredicted storm...with winds recorded up to 136 mph. We had 40 to 50 foot waves...but no big rollers...thank Heavens!!! They called a "Code Red" on the ship and all the officers were up on the bridge all night. I tried to open the door to our balcony about 2:00 AM and the wind was roaring through like I was standing behind a 747...LOL...and I could not see a thing in the blackness. The JOS sailed through it wonderfully...but managed to crack a few welds in the stern of the ship...that held the cabins together. This was eventually repaired. We were in smooth seas by the next morning...and the rest of the voyage was fantastic.

Ross

[Druke I]

That is a pretty big storm!

[Host Sharon]

[quote name='Druke I']Are you sure it is a Harrier that is to drop a million poppies?

Harrier is a pretty small plane. I should think they would need a Hercules or perhaps a Nimrod to carry a million poppies.[/quote]


Yes - a Harrier Jump Jet - so she can hover and bow to the ship. It's a million paper poppies, like they sell every November for the British Legion to help war veterans.

CGT - that was a pretty nasty adventure! We berthed next to Jewel of the Sea in Zeebrugge last April. She looked a nice ship and not too big.

[Druke I]

Yes, a Harrier can bow or curtsy.

Have you read "Sea Harrier Over the Falklands" by Commander 'Sharky' Ward, DSC, AFC, RN?

It is an excellent accounting of Harriers in action during the '82 campaign in the Falklands. Edited November 10, 2008 by Druke I

[Kapricorn]

Hi! I got home last night from two great sun-filled weeks on [I]Vision of the Seas[/I]. While aboard, I decided to make this back-to-back a yearly event, but an announcement was made that this would be [I]Vision's[/I] last season on the Mexican Riviera before being sent to the Caribbean. The 78,000-ton ship will be replaced by the 137,000-ton [I]Mariner of the Seas[/I]. Oh! Oh! Scratch RCI off my list for future Mexican Riviera cruises.

When mega-apartment barges eventually become the only option on that route, then I'll also have to scratch the Mexican Riviera off my list. I expect that my cruising choices will dwindle year by year.

During the first week on [I]Vision[/I], a Mr Sexy Legs competition was held beside the outdoor pool. I intended to merely observe the proceedings for my amusement, but despite my protests my friends pushed me into it. There were 12 or 13 competitors, and I was the oldest. I ended in Top 5 with the award of Mr Smoothest Legs. Immediately afterwards us five finalists judged the female version of the contest (though it was called Miss Fitness). It was an interesting experience, but one which I did not repeat on the second week.

Donald.