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

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

And here, Pete's Saga Ruby story ends... temporarily!

Last morning & arrival into Dover, very misty, no detail to make out until nearly in port, however within an hour a brilliantly sunny morning.  Good bye Ruby, bon voyage & good luck ...........................................

Before going down to get ready for our last dinner, I took a walk around the Promenade deck, every table & chair, etc etc had been cleared to accommodate these collapsible containers. Had a walk up long after dinner, & the deck staff had begun to load them with passenger cases ready for disembarkation next morning.


Collapsible containers for disembarkation by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Up nice & early so as not to miss the sail in to Dover, quite atmospheric in the mist, just gliding in almost unnoticed.


Sail in to Dover on a misty morning by petercainqe2, on Flickr

After yet another superb breakfast, a last look around whilst waiting to disembark.


Final walk around the promenade deck by petercainqe2, on Flickr

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Pete then added :

I was going to do a little postscript about comparisons & approach to steel/aluminium transition joints  comparing the different approaches made by construction shipyards. QE2, Oriana, Vistafjord (& her nearly identical sister), but maybe this has gone on long enough.

My wife & I are off for our last visit to Ruby on Thursday 5 Dec for a 36 hr cross channel jolly that has been squeezed in before her final departure on Saturday 7 Dec, so I'll take the camera & try & get a ceiling shot of the beautiful forward staircase. I'll take as many as possible...

Thank you, Pete -- and so, there are some more pictures and stories to come!

[Lynda Bradford]

Today I decided to go back to the first post to read again Pete's fantastic blog that accompanies the photos he took onboard Saga Ruby.  First thing that comes to mind is how well maintained the interior of ship looks and then comes the enjoyment of studying the detail of each photo. 

Pete you have done a magnificent piece of work and produced a most enjoyable record of the ship. 

[June Ingram]

Hi Pete and Isabelle - Thank you again so very much for posting pictures and commentary here about Ruby.  It is wonderful to see the pictures and read the commentary, and also so sad to know that Ruby is heading into retirement.  I hope it will be kind to her.  Lynda, I was also taken with how well maintained the interior appears to be.  Thanks again !  June

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Pete writes following his cruise :

So sad to hear from Rosie, about Ruby breaking down en-route to the Carribbean on her last cruise, we had one final chance of a 36 hour mini cruise from Southampton to Honfleurs (just round the corner from Le Havre), to sample this lady. At that time she was working perfectly with no problems (some modern ships have had more spectacular failures).

However it looks as though without massive spending, her sea days are done!

Just wanted to add a few more images of that quikki to add to the rest as a postscript.

Ruby glides stately as a galleon towards her berth (complete with Rosie on the bit at the front, beneath the bridge).


Gliding towards her berth by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Turning to come alongside, in the weak autumn sunshine.


Turning to come alongside by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Almost there.


Almost there by petercainqe2, on Flickr

These were taken through the hotel windows, which were salt stained so they are a bit hazy.

Writing this, have just realised that if Ruby stays in the Med after her final re-arranged Christmas cruise, & Saga fly people home, then this was her last docking. Only time will tell...

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

He continues with pictures taken during the mini cruise :

After dinner (yes, wonderful) took a turn around prom deck, cleaning work as ever. I didn't want to disturb these gents, so took images in night mode so as not to cause a flash, as a consequence they are a bit soft.


Cleaning work at night by petercainqe2, on Flickr


Cleaning work at night by petercainqe2, on Flickr


Cleaning work at night by petercainqe2, on Flickr


Cleaning work at night by petercainqe2, on Flickr

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

And here is the final posting in this series from Pete :

The one day we were in port was cool, clear & blessed with weak autumn sunshine.

Big yellow funnel catches the sun above the French roof line.


Big yellow funnel catches the sun by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Only one month to go before withdrawal & still they keep her looking good (failed to catch this on the Baltic).


Still keeping her looking good by petercainqe2, on Flickr

I think this has to go under 'corrections', on our last visit I was trying to catch old/original ceiling lighting details throughout the ship. This view is of the aft entrance to the dining room (I with my bad memory mistook it for the forward staircase, which doesn't look anything like it. The forward staircase must have had a refit at some stage & has lost the 'look'. Thought I'd correct it whilst I had the chance.


Aft entrance to the dining room by petercainqe2, on Flickr

That's definitely it!

[Clydebuilt1971]

Pete writes following his cruise :

So sad to hear from Rosie, about Ruby breaking down en-route to the Carribbean on her last cruise, we had one final chance of a 36 hour mini cruise from Southampton to Honfleurs (just round the corner from Le Havre), to sample this lady. At that time she was working perfectly with no problems (some modern ships have had more spectacular failures).

However it looks as though without massive spending, her sea days are done!

Just wanted to add a few more images of that quikki to add to the rest as a postscript.

Ruby glides stately as a galleon towards her berth (complete with Rosie on the bit at the front, beneath the bridge).


Gliding towards her berth by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Turning to come alongside, in the weak autumn sunshine.


Turning to come alongside by petercainqe2, on Flickr

Almost there.


Almost there by petercainqe2, on Flickr

These were taken through the hotel windows, which were salt stained so they are a bit hazy.

Writing this, have just realised that if Ruby stays in the Med after her final re-arranged Christmas cruise, & Saga fly people home, then this was her last docking. Only time will tell...

The sheer on that vessel is beautiful - they definitely dont make them like that anymore!!

G

[June Ingram]

Hi Pete - Thank you very much for pictures of Ruby and commentary and thank you to Isabelle for posting them.  They are indeed beautiful pictures !  It is comforting to see Ruby being cleaned and taken care of even though her retirement was looming at the time of the photos.  She is indeed a pretty ship and I hope she fares well.  June

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I was going to do a little postscript about comparisons & approach to steel/aluminium transition joints  comparing the different approaches made by construction shipyards. QE2, Oriana, Vistafjord (& her nearly identical sister), but maybe this has gone on long enough.

Not at all, Pete -- looking forward to your reflections on these issues.

Thank you for the photos and the story, which I greatly enjoyed uploading -- and thank you, June, for your kindness and appreciation.

[June Ingram]

Hi Isabelle - Thank you for your post and kind words, and, yes to Pete, please tell us more.  June

[June Ingram]

Hi Pete and Rosie - It appears from your pictures that Ruby was very well kept up inside and out.  The inside looks very shiny and new.  That is quite refreshing to see.  June

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

The photos I uploaded most recently, are already in Pete's Flickr album. Gradually, I am now replacing the earlier ones too and providing the Flickr links.

An advantage of Flickr is that you can click the picture within the story and arrive directly on the Flickr web site, where you can choose to see the picture in a larger and even original size.

[June Ingram]

Thanks, Isabelle, for your information and for all the work you are doing.  It is truly great to have this documentation by Pete and yourself about Saga Ruby !  June

[pete cain]

Dear June,a bit sad at the moment watching Ruby sail away for the last time, albeit on the marine site as an arrow, (I watched QE2 leave on her webcam) the feeling is strangely , the same,witnessing something never to be repeated. Isabelle has done the forum & me proud, logging on my behalf, a bit of history passing, thankyou Isabelle I couldn't have done it on my own. The Flikr thing is beyond me, I'll rely totally on you, however the story behind it, with the photos,belong here on the forum. I hope Ruby has a future, she deserves it, however I think that if plans for her future don't go to plan,then she hasn't got the high profile that QE2  rightly deserves & might disappear off the screen. Saga really didn't get it, (sound familiar?)