Author Topic: Final Year for Saga Ruby  (Read 44977 times)

0 Members and 5 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline June Ingram

  • Global Moderator
  • Queens Grill Diner
  • *****
  • Posts: 9326
  • Total likes: 6290
  • Beautiful, elegant QE2 - forever Queen of the Seas
Re: Final Year for Saga Ruby
« Reply #75 on: Dec 16, 2013, 02:51 PM »
Hi Pete - Thanks very much for the link.  It does work and I see where she is.  June
QE2 - the ship for all of time, a ship of timeless beauty !

Offline tdickson

Re: Final Year for Saga Ruby
« Reply #76 on: Dec 17, 2013, 05:33 AM »
The Latest update via SAGA Ruby Captain:


Almeria, Spain
December 15, 2013 - 11:00 pm
At 5 o’clock on Saturday evening Saga Ruby departed from Southampton on her last cruise. With all of our passengers on board, we left the City Cruise Terminal accompanied by tunes from the local brass band.
Once we dropped the pilot, we set sail in a westerly direction along the English Channel on our Grand Voyage towards the Azores. However, on the following day, after carefully studying the weather forecast and consulting the weather routing service, we decided to follow a more southerly route across the Atlantic. This would take us South toward the Canaries before making a jump across the pond.
After a bumpy voyage to Tenerife, we docked in Santa Cruz on Wednesday evening with the intention of carrying on the following day. Just before arrival, our Chief Engineer reported a problem with one of our generators that he hoped to fix while we were alongside. However, the next day, we received the rather gloomy information that he required a part that could not be manufactured on board nor obtained in a short space of time from the shore side. While the vessel was still safe to run in the mild climate, we soon realise that it would not be comfortable operated in the Caribbean. Our Air Conditioning system draws large amount of power that, with one less generator, could not be provided.
Overnight, Saga came out with a new itinerary that would put us in the Western Med for the Christmas and New Year period. We asked passengers whether they would like to continue the cruise with us and receive compensation or travel back home and receive a full refund. I am pleased to say nearly all passengers decided to stay. I was warmed by the positive response we received.  I can honestly say that our passengers are the most loyal group that I have ever come across.
So here we are, on a completely new cruise to some lovely destinations. First on our list – Almeria in Spain.
Captain Krzysztof Majdzinski, Saga Ruby


Offline Mauretania1907

Re: Final Year for Saga Ruby
« Reply #77 on: Dec 17, 2013, 07:51 AM »
I thought Captain Philip Rentell was Ruby's master, or has he now retired. btw, thanks to whoever recommended his book, I have recently purchased it.

Offline pete cain

Re: Final Year for Saga Ruby
« Reply #78 on: Dec 20, 2013, 03:58 PM »
Revised itinerary for Ruby in the med, at bottom of link
           
http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/captain-greybeard/http://

Offline Twynkle

Re: Final Year for Saga Ruby
« Reply #79 on: Dec 26, 2013, 10:37 AM »
Captain David Bray (part of the Maritime Memories group on board) had painted Saga Ruby as a special donation to an Auction in aid of the rescue efforts post typhoon, in the Philippines.
It sold for £800.
There are also prints of the same picture available for £40.
Although, at the moment there doesn't seem to be a copy in his online gallery, Captain Bray can be contacted at his website:   http://www.nauticalnostalgia.com/Art/gallery.html

He also has a vast fascinating collection of photos of old ships taken worldwide.

Offline June Ingram

  • Global Moderator
  • Queens Grill Diner
  • *****
  • Posts: 9326
  • Total likes: 6290
  • Beautiful, elegant QE2 - forever Queen of the Seas
Re: Final Year for Saga Ruby
« Reply #80 on: Dec 26, 2013, 03:58 PM »
Thank you very much, Rosie and Pete, for your news !!
QE2 - the ship for all of time, a ship of timeless beauty !

Offline Tyne Turbine

Re: Final year for Saga Ruby
« Reply #81 on: Jan 01, 2014, 03:32 PM »
How many people on this forum wish they were in Funchal for the New Year - not just for the wonderful fireworks but for the collection of beautiful "traditional" ships all in one place. A look on Ais early last night when already nine cruise ships had gathered revealed the presence of Saga Ruby, Funchal, Marco Polo and although from a slightly younger generation of vessel I am not displeased by the look of Aurora. Hope a member of the Forum was there and has some pictures to publish.

Offline pete cain

Re: Final Year for Saga Ruby
« Reply #82 on: Jan 05, 2014, 04:52 PM »
 If I'm reading this right,  somebody correct me  if not ,  she seems to've been alongside in Lisbon for rather a long time???
      http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/details/ships/248563000
     
« Last Edit: Mar 25, 2014, 06:43 PM by Rob Lightbody »

Offline tdickson

Re: Final Year for Saga Ruby
« Reply #83 on: Jan 05, 2014, 06:00 PM »
I have been informed, only yesterday that both Saga Ruby & Pearl 11, which were supposed to arrive together in Southampton on Tuesday 7th January @ 7.30am, were both ships will be moored along side each other as to transfer all stores and most of the crew from Ruby onto the Pearl, has been cancelled until Thursday due to adverse weather in the 'Bay' and that Ruby is holding up in Lisbon until more favourable weather.
Hope this answers your question.

Offline tdickson

Re: Final Year for Saga Ruby
« Reply #84 on: Jan 05, 2014, 06:03 PM »
Quote
January 2014
Bad Weather
January 5, 2014 - 4:11 pm
We have encountered bad weather on our current cruise back to the UK and so I have made the decision to remain safely out of the weather in Portugal to avoid the worst of the stormy systems coming across the Atlantic.

Given the TV news reports of the havoc the storms are creating in the UK - there can be do doubt that we have made the right choice to remain in the safe haven of Lisbon until the worst of the storm abates.
Unfortunately this means a later arrival at Southampton and new homeward travel arrangements for passengers.
We hope to arrive on Thursday 9 January - although this is weather dependent as the safety and comfort of passengers is uppermost in my mind.

That Quote was actually from the Captain and not myself (Copy & Pasted from Saga Website)
Saga Ruby Captain's Blog
http://travel.saga.co.uk/holidays/ocean-cruises/saga-ruby/captains-blog.aspx
« Last Edit: Jan 06, 2014, 09:55 AM by Lynda Bradford »

Offline pete cain

Re: Final Year for Saga Ruby
« Reply #85 on: Jan 05, 2014, 06:12 PM »
Thanks for that, 2 extra days on the last 'classic' how lucky are they?

Online Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: Final Year for Saga Ruby
« Reply #86 on: Jan 05, 2014, 06:40 PM »
We hope to arrive on Thursday 9 January - although this is weather dependent as the safety and comfort of passengers is uppermost in my mind.

I fear this demonstrates the weakened state of Saga Ruby. She is such a solid ship, a true Atlantic liner, that in normal times, the weather would not have kept her in port. Indeed, I heard a former passenger tell me that Caronia (or was it Vistafjord?) calmly sailed out of New York on one occasion she was on board, when most or all of the other ships opted to stay put until a storm had passed.

Offline pete cain

Re: Final Year for Saga Ruby
« Reply #87 on: Jan 05, 2014, 07:56 PM »
Isabelle, I'm absolutely certain that, it's not the condition of Ruby that concerns Saga but the age profile of her passengers(customers).

Offline Twynkle

Re: Final year for Saga Ruby
« Reply #88 on: Jan 07, 2014, 11:24 AM »
Pete and All

Today is the day that Saga Ruby ids due to return from her final passenger cruise in service with SAGA
Then she is due to sail to Gibraltar for the final handover, with Captain Kryzs i/c

Please, if a one can track her and post here for the next few days/ weeks perhaps, it would be really good
(Sorry, impossible for me to do this  from a very confused, bit of mid Atlantic!)
Waving, and feeling very sad
God's speed to the ship and her crew.


Offline pete cain


 

QE2 Final Westbound

Started by Vero 45Board Passengers & Enthusiasts Introductions

Replies: 34
Views: 13737
Last post Oct 12, 2015, 05:41 PM
by cunardqueen
QE2 final eastbound Atlantic crossing

Started by Isabelle ProndzynskiBoard Final Departures & Final Season Memories

Replies: 6
Views: 3389
Last post Feb 14, 2012, 09:42 PM
by Twynkle
My final trip

Started by RodBoard Officers, Crew & Worker memories

Replies: 3
Views: 1835
Last post Aug 19, 2011, 07:17 AM
by Isabelle Prondzynski
Final call to Sydney (2008)

Started by ChrisBoard Final Departures & Final Season Memories

Replies: 53
Views: 18477
Last post Feb 27, 2022, 06:29 PM
by June Ingram
QE2's Final day in NYC - October 16th, 2008

Started by Ocean Liner FanaticBoard Final Departures & Final Season Memories

Replies: 25
Views: 7660
Last post Oct 10, 2017, 02:47 PM
by Derek Boyd