Pete Cain's final cruise on Saga Ruby (August / September 2013)

[June Ingram]

Hi Isabelle --

Thank you very much for your reply and comments about the pictures and your experiences on board.  It is great to see a picture and be able think of someone's experiences and impressions about that picture aboard the ship.  I find it all the more interesting as she was Caronia.  I shall eagerly await more to come.

June

[June Ingram]

Hi Isabelle - Did you sail on Ruby frequently when she was Caronia ?

Hi Pete - When the sailing was delayed, did you ever find out what the parameter read-outs and performance data were ? 

[pete cain]

Hi June, glad you like  the pictures, getting close to 1/2 way, will be doing  some inside shots tomorrow , tonight will be finishing 2nd day at sea & entering Keil canal. Am trying not to swamp por Isabelle with too many images  (took about 400 in all), she's doing me a great service uploading it all for me, so am trying to cherrypick the best with a few comments thrown in.
     Never did find anything about anything on Ruby, only ever came into contact with hotel side of things, shame really, there was the Captains cocktail doo, my wife & self don't do them, too many people name dropping & etc for our likes,so we have a nice quiet cocktail & nibbles in the Britannia lounge & a chat to the staff.

[andy liney]

I have been following this thread with interest, but it has only just struck me (from reading the title!) that Pete's trip is already over. I'm wondering if Pete was therefore on board when I took the picture (posted in another 'Ruby' thread) of her waiting to enter the Kiel Canal from the Elbe on 13 September?

[pete cain]

Hi Andy, we were back in Dover 5 Sept. She left Dover on Sept 12 for her last visit to the Baltic, you caught her waiting for the last transit eastbound of the canal,sad day, but you got a nice shot from Discovery.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Pete continues :

Another balmy day to enjoy walking the decks & looking, so here goes --  nice shot of the starboard viewing blister (looking aft), note all those varnished handrails :


Starboard viewing blister (looking aft) by petercainqe2, on Flickr


Standing inside blister, looking forward by petercainqe2, on Flickr


All those curves and teak flooring to boot by petercainqe2, on Flickr

All those teak & highly varnished handrails don't come cheap, even now they're being meticulously looked after :


Meticulously looked after by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Maintenance work continues, constantly (more so than I noticed at the same stage on QE2, when she was on her way out). Whilst alongside, staff were touching up her blue hull (never got a shot of that) with those long rollers. This shows the more mundane, but thorough work going on to look after her, not forgetting she might be gone in 4 months & they could be out of a job, still they do it!!!!!


Maintenance work continues by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Nice stainless steel finials keeping those vulnerable end pieces safe.


Nice stainless steel finials keeping those vulnerable end pieces safe by petercainqe2, on Flickr

40 year old joint, on the most exposed point of Ruby (the bit beneath the bridge) -- what to say...


40 year old joint on the bit beneath the bridge by petercainqe2, on Flickr

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Pete continues :

Whilst looking out for anything of age on Ruby, found these 2 electrical socket outlets, very close to each other & of similar vintage, 1 with years of paint  dosed over it, the other its brass turned a lovely shade of green.


Years of paint across the switch by petercainqe2, on Flickr


Brass turned a lovely shade of green by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Gutter on prom deck, must be 1/4 inch thick with layer upon layer of paint, just reminded me of a coral island surrounded by deep blue sea.


Gutter on Prom Deck with years of paint by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Went to look for my wife & have a cup of tea in Lido, these cups are the equivalent to QE2s blue plastic types.


The equivalent of the "blue plastic mugs" on QE2 by petercainqe2, on Flickr

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Pete continues :

We arrived at the Kiel Canal knowing in advance that we would face a 2-hour delay, Captain Erik informed us that at the moment this is common, major work is being carried out on one set of lock gates, so ships queue on a first come first served basis. This gave me time to take some more images :

The best I could get of Ruby's bell


The best I could get of Ruby's bell  by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Captain Erik waits for the getaway


Captain Erik waits for the getaway by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Ruby prepares to enter the locks at Brunsbüttel


Ruby prepares to enter the locks at Brunsbüttel by petercainqe2, on Flickr

In the lock for the penultimate time

In the lock for the penultimate time  by petercainqe2, on Flickr

After another wonderful dinner, we made our way up to the magnificent Britannia Lounge, for a classical performance. During the performance, it went from dusk to dark, but the feast wasn't only to the ears, because at regular intervals there would be heavy metal passing by, surreal it was, sometimes we would come to a stop in a lay by & let one pass. Afterwards one last time for a look/see.

Looking forward


Looking forward  by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Looking aft


Looking aft  by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Maybe a bit artyfarty here, but I noticed this whilst stood on the shuffleboard, looking through the glass roof into 'The View'.


Looking through the glass roof into 'The View' by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Off to bed Stockholm tomorrow.
And for this picture, specially for Isabelle, I leaned out of the starboard blister whilst going about 19 kn heading up the North Sea.


19 kn into the North Sea  by petercainqe2, on Flickr

[June Ingram]

To Isabelle and Pete - Thank you so much for sharing this wealth of information and amazing documentary of photos.  It is very much appreciated and so fitting as Ruby nears the end of her service.  So sad that it is happening.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Thank you so much, June -- it means a lot .

Pete continues his Saga Ruby story :

I've been incredibly lucky in life, have sailed into New York on the QE2 (unfortunately not into Manhattan), before it was announced that she was going, so was in actual service. That arrival so early in the morning accompanied by thunder & rain was everything that was to be expected. Anchored off Dubrovnik (again courtesy of QE2) & witnessed the splendour of that beautiful city whilst arriving by tender...

However the sail into & out of Stockholm, through the twisting channels, & multiple islands aided by an absolutley brilliant day was one of life's wow moments.

Shot astern going in


Shot astern going in by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Ruby framed by a Stockholm street (just walking by & noticed her)


Ruby framed by a Stockholm street  by petercainqe2, on Flickr

90 degree turn (one of many) leaving Stockholm


90 degree turn (one of many) leaving Stockholm by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Hopefully an indication of the twists & turns


Hopefully an indication of the twists and turns by petercainqe2, on Flickr

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Pete continues with a series of beautiful atmospheric photos of the white night surrounding Saga Ruby :

After dinner, another round around the deck to enjoy the brilliant sunset, it really was like that! Happy to bed, tomorrow Helsinki.


Headed to Helsinki in the white night by petercainqe2, on Flickr


Leaving Stockholm at dusk by petercainqe2, on Flickr


Sunset behind Ruby by petercainqe2, on Flickr

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Pete continues his story :

Another brilliant dawn heralds our arrival into the narrow entrance of Helsinki, once through that a leisurely turn in & dock alongside.


Arrival in Helsinki  by petercainqe2, on Flickr


Ready to turn and dock in Helsinki  by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Ruby's business end caught in the sun (notice the empty fastenings ready for mesh guards as seen on QE2 to this day I believe -- maybe this is a throwback to Cunard days?).


Ruby's business end caught in the sun by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Looking aft along her starboard flank, notice the overhang between the blue (steel) hull & white (aluminium) superstructure. Hope to come back to this later.


Looking aft along her starboard flank  by petercainqe2, on Flickr

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Pete Cain continues from Helsinki :

Whilst Ruby is alongside, looking up to the starboard viewing blister.


Looking up to the starboard viewing blister  by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Starboard bow shots reminiscent of QE2 in her (also) dying days. I cannot believe, looking at the bootline & below, that she was in dry dock for a major paint job only 9 months previously.


Starboard bow shot by petercainqe2, on Flickr   


Was she really in dry dock for a major paint job only 9 months previously? by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Gorgeous curves, showing the transition joint (will come back to this).


Gorgeous curves, showing the transition joint  by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Even the white paint has taken on a blue hue on the departure form Helsinki. I'm afraid the shot seems a bit blurred, I rested the camera on the rail & reckon the depth of field was compromised.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Pete Cain continues his story :

After a night time transit, dawn found us approaching St Petersburg. We followed 2 newbies through the channel, to the new (and already too small) cruise terminal. Ruby had to hold station for about 15 mins whilst these two got themselves ready for the ball.


Arriving in St Petersburg by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Apparently, until only recently, Ruby would berth in the centre -- with the building of the new terminal all cruise ships now use this out of town facility.

Two days in St Petersburg, then on to Tallin. Another brilliant day, we hang around before walking into Tallin with a cup of tea, waiting for the coach parties to get away. Glad we did -- I had the inevitable walk up top, to see Marco Polo arriving alongside.


Marco Polo arriving in Talinn by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Marco Polo's bridge area.


Marco Polo's bridge area by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Even she has evidence of stress fatigue, as shown here.


Marco Polo with some stress fatigue by petercainqe2, on Flickr

[June Ingram]

Hi Isabelle - I want to say thanks again for posting the fabulous pictures and commentary about Pete's cruise.  They are beautiful pictures and such a valuable documentary to have.

Pete - Thank you so much for providing the great photos and commentary for all of us.  It is quite poignant though to realize Ruby will be leaving us.  Did you and your wife cruise on her often ?

I meant to say "thank you" sooner but was quite caught up in Rob's posting about our QE2 and finding her state of affairs very distressing.