Final Year for Saga Ruby

[June Ingram]

Thank you very much, Rosie and Pete, for your news !!

[Tyne Turbine]

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.

[pete cain]

 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
     

[tdickson]

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.

[tdickson]

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

[pete cain]

Thanks for that, 2 extra days on the last 'classic' how lucky are they?

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

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.

[pete cain]

Isabelle, I'm absolutely certain that, it's not the condition of Ruby that concerns Saga but the age profile of her passengers(customers).

[Twynkle]

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.

[pete cain]

For Rosie, & posterity,

http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-9.374785/centery:38.62213/zoom:8/mmsi:248563000

[Twynkle]

Hi Pete and Isabelle
V many thanks
Having been on the Bay and Atlantic since last Friday. I am certain that Pete's right.
Saga Ruby would have weathered this mega storm just as easily as QV, if not more so
QV crashes into waves as she pitches, then stops and judders, whereas although SR does pitch a fair amount, she would also have the ability to cut through them
Rosie

[tdickson]

Latest news regarding the Final arrival of Saga Ruby into Southampton (As a Saga Ship) is that she will arrive at Berth 101, City Terminal at around 21.21 hrs Thursday 9th, stay in Port until the following day, when she will dis embark her passengers in the morning. The morning of the 10th will also see the arrival of Saga Pearl 11, at the same berth for the transfer of stores etc, as previously mentioned.
A busy day for Southampton Cruise Terminals as QM2/QE & Arcadia are also all in setting sail on each of their World Cruises.

[June Ingram]

Thank you all for the news on Ruby.  Feeling sad...

[pete cain]

Rubys progress today, & her final turn to come alongside

[tdickson]

She arrived safely just after 23-00 hrs, passengers are due to disembark later this morning, an then Ruby is due to set sail at 14-00 hrs for Gibraltar.

[June Ingram]

 

[pete cain]

it's an ill wind as they say, had she been in warmer waters , then maybe nobody would record her passing.

ooops who doesn't know what year it is?

[tdickson]

Sorry to correct you, but that Video was actually shot at approx 7-00pm on the 29th December 2012 as Saga Ruby left Piraeus Athens for a day at Sea then onto spend New Years Eve in Valletta Malta. This last trip she only got as far as Italian waters in the Mediterranean.

[pete cain]

No probs, if you notice I corrected myself after the post!

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Nice article, with some fine photos of her final Southampton departure, in Maritime Matters :

http://maritimematters.com/2014/01/the-end-of-a-golden-era-of-cruising/

It is well worth reading the comments too!