Saga Ruby/Rose for what its worth, if you know anybody onboard as a passenger, all they need to do is write a note to the Captain and usually a visitor permit can be arranged.
On a cruise down to the Canaries we docked behind Sagafjord and it was no problem to pop onboard for a look round
Away back in the 80s when Vistafjord was calling into the Orkneys l got in touch with the local shipping agent and asked what the chances were of visiting onboard, mentioning l had just returned from a QE2 and was booked on her new Maiden Voyage, there was surprise that anybody would want to visit, but they would ask anyway, back came word send him down to the pier for 10am.
So down l trotted on the day, and there was a tender waiting, said who l was and off we went, met at the gangway by Perr the Restaurant Manager, never did forget his name, and off l was taken on a indepth tour including into the kitchens as well and up to the bridge, l thought that would be the end of it then we went into the restaurant and presented with a menu l was being fed as well...babbled away about my QE2, and his family the job etc etc out came the wine after what seemed like 5 mins we had gone through soup, mains pudding and coffee and then time to leave again by tender and before leaving he presented me with a Vistafjord T shirt and fish plate and other odds and ends in a beautiful Cunard/NAC plastic bag and off l went happy as could be!!!
Fast forward 20 years and lm on the Hotel Managers Table and the host is The Purser, during the evening the above tale was recounted and it turns out He used to work with Perr many moons ago, and sadly he was very ill with a terminal illness and wasnt expected to last much longer.
Managed to visit a few other ships when they called, the shipping agent thought l was nuts for wanting to visit a boat!!, But rest assured with varying degrees of visits and ship tours, Nobody looks after a visitor like Cunard
