Saga Ruby (ex-Caronia and ex-Vistafjord)

[Scott Ebersold]

I travelled on her as both the Vistafjord and Caronia.  And ... loved her! 

One night on my birthday the first mate I actually let me turned her 45 degrees to Port in the Agean sea!!!  No joke.   There was a cadet close on hand and I was given explicit instructions, but they turned off the electric controls and handed the wheel over.  It was unbelievable.

I have some pics but they were pre-digital camera.  I'll share them when I get them digitized.
 
Scott

[Andrew Collier]

Awesome Scott, thats a real priveledge! Must have been unreal 

One day maybe my turn will come

Looking forward to seeign the pics!

[Andrew W]

Awesome Scott, thats a real priveledge! Must have been unreal 

One day maybe my turn will come

Looking forward to seeign the pics!

Ho ho ho - "my turn will come" - very good.

[Andrew Collier]

 

[KEV]

Ali-I just looked at your great pics and had to blink twice as at first some of the views looked so similar to QE2. I know where I'm going when I grow up!

[Andrew Collier]

http://jecobinplans.com/estore/index.php?cPath=23_34

If anyone is interested, detail drawings of Saga Rose/Saga Fjord and Saga Ruby/Vista Fjord (as well as Cunard Countess and Cunard Princess) are available from Jecobin on the above link.

Cheers 

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Most of us probably are aware of the bits and pieces of other great liners Stephen Payne drew inspiration from such as the breakwater from the Normandie.  I spent 10 days onboard and just discovered this little nod to the past, which I have written up on my blog.  I can't believe this went unknoticed until I was reviewing my photos.

http://qe2-prideoftheclyde.blogspot.com/2011/02/stephen-paynes-clever-nod-to-past.html

I know that these bumpouts were pointed out here being on the Saga Ruby (Caronia), but I could not find the post.  Either way, I completely forgot about this feature on QM2.  Here's a cropped shot of the Ruby when she was last in NYC.
(Image removed from quote.)

I loved the place! Here is a picture I took of it at the time. It was my favourite little niche to stand and watch the sea go by    .



https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/2199934467

[Cruisemarsh]

Sailed on Caronia for a 9 night cruise in 2002. We flew to Rome and cruised back home was the motto....

She was a lovely little ship, fantastic design and was a proper little liner.

[cunardqueen]

I'll look into it with Saga and see what they say, regarding a shippie trip! 

If your a passenger then all you need to do is pen a note to the Captain during the voyage, and usually they say yes, then you can bring a guest or two onboard.
Quite how open they are to receiving "under age " visitors, would be interesting.

[Tyne Turbine]

Not sure if this link has been posted before but to me it is well worth a viewing:

[pete cain]

Brilliant stuff , thanks for sharing, it's really a shame that the time is coming when we'll never see the likes of these beautiful ladies
 sailing the seas, I know Rose has gone , but Please Mr Saga, keep Ruby around for  a wee while yet, after all 'Discovery',
 a ship of similar vintage & style ; is going for a biggy refit soon, if they (all leisure holidays) see the benefit of keeping a ''classic'' at sea , then................................................

[pete cain]

Tyne Turbine jogged my memory , posting the youtube link above, I remembered these 2 brilliantly photographed videos, (the music , especially on departure might not be to everybodys taste, but the rest is rather nice)

  

http://
    

 
  as ever thanks to youtube & those who post in this case  NJPhotographer62
   
  forgot to say doesn't she look so classic , drawing alongside the two clones?

[Michael Gallagher]

Saga Ruby is having a month long refit in autumn 2012 so thats positive.

[Twynkle]

Saga Ruby is having a month long refit in autumn 2012 so thats positive.

Hope so...

[Andy F]

Saga Ruby is having a month long refit in autumn 2012 so thats positive.

I'm edging ever closer to qualifying...

[Stowaway2k]

Saga Ruby in Shanghai
March 18, 2012

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Beautiful pictures, Kyle. She's got real sparkle!

That looks like an overnight in port... did you get to meet any of the passengers or crew?

[Rod]

I have had the privelidge of sailing on both the Saga and Vista as a passenger. As a young person...well I was about 35 at the time. BOTH ships had the same elegance and service as the "Old" QE2. I cannot speak of the QE2 after 89. Yes the pax tended to be older, but the crew were fairly young and I casnnot say enough about them! Most were Scandanavian at that time, but it seemed to me that service was instilled in them. When they found out that I was an Officer on the QE2....could not believe it !!!!! Service improved! It had been perfect before. It was the...what I call the 5 second little things....the bed turndown, the chocolate, ice bucket was never empty, I remarked to the stewardess that I was going for a beer, she said would you like it in the cabin...I said...that would be nice...she came back with beer and it was always in my cabin. A handwritten note under the door from the night steward saying...I notice you get up early.. if you would like an early breakfast just ask. I tested him...I asked for KIPPERS, lynonaise potatos, bagels and cream cheese and salted butterand English Tea!. It was ALL there! Including the wrapper from the butter to prove it was salted! The whole ship exuded service. That was the SAGA. When I tipped the stewards/esses in person, I thanked them and said I hoped I would be back..."We look forward to it" You are in "the book"! They have a book that they note the likes dislike etc of every pax....and if they are good tippers!

[Stowaway2k]

Beautiful pictures, Kyle. She's got real sparkle!

That looks like an overnight in port... did you get to meet any of the passengers or crew?

Thanks.
She was in port 9am-9pm.  I had to wait till after work, about 7pm, before I could get there to photograph her.  I imagine passengers were sitting down to dinner around that time.  So, no, I didn't encounter anyone from off the ship.  Plus, this was an embarkation port for a cruise to Southampton.   Those who weren't dining were probably asleep.      I wish I had the time to capture her arrival or departure. 

[Stowaway2k]

Very nice story, Rod.