Saga Rose Greenland Voyager August 2007

[seabourndt]

interesting you were on the COUNTESS wonder what area it is called now. looking forward to sunday.

dave

[Kapricorn]

Dave, after your return I look forward to hearing about your experience on Ocean Countess.

 

Bon Voyage!

Donald.

[Host Sharon]

Thanks for the link to that interesting website Ruby. Wow - 93 is amazing. I can only manage a mere 36. I do find their definition of countries a little odd though. I always thought Alaska was part of the US, and some of the Greek Islands seem to listed separately, and isn't Sicily part of Italy?

[Saga Ruby]

I do find their definition of countries a little odd though. I always thought Alaska was part of the US, and some of the Greek Islands seem to listed separately, and isn't Sicily part of Italy?

 

A little odd? I agree! The list is full of oddities altho' those more unusual sites helped me get to my number. As I said previously, I am amused when we tick off Hong Kong or Vietnam then make one tick for "United States" or "Canada." Having said that, I do like the list and choose to go along with the more peculiar places on the list.

 

My parents lugged us girls all over Europe in 1957, from Amsterdam to Morocco, in a Grand Tour of Europe, thus beginning my list of countries. It grew from there along with my personal habit of wanting to see the next exotic locale. I want to see what's around the next corner; I don't care what's behind me.

 

As an adult, I kept the old house, the old car, put the kids thru school, and traveled. Altho' the hassle factor of modern travel repels me - I'm packing a lunch to fly 8 hrs. nonstop from DFW to OGG (Maui) because I don't want to spend $10 on a prefab sammie onboard. And I don't want to take off my shoes, I don't like showing my ID to everyone at the airport excepting the janitor, I don't like being jammed into a crowded plane - no joy in travel for me.

 

I am intrigued at y'all using the acronym "TUI." I know from cartoons the definition of "PTUI." What is TUI?

 

Ruby

[Druke I]

TUI is a large German conglomorate, with passenger ships, etc.

[Kapricorn]

TUI has the ex-Celebrity Galaxy. I heard that so far she has been sailing with only 69% of her passenger capacity. Apparently Germans are not all that into cruises (yet).

 

Donald.

[Host Sharon]

TUI has the ex-Celebrity Galaxy. I heard that so far she has been sailing with only 69% of her passenger capacity. Apparently Germans are not all that into cruises (yet).

 

Donald.

 

 

I think they are catching up though. They own the consistently highest scoring "best ship" in the world - Europa?? Also my beloved Artemis has been sold to a German company and will be sailing as Artania.

[Host Sharon]

It now looks like I and a friend will have the go-ahead to write a new book on Royal Princess , now Artemis. I know some of you have sailed on her and we would be grateful for any memories / photos in either of her incarnations.

 

If you have any info etc you are willing to share, for an acknowledgement of course, you may email on this address wsmhistory@btinternet.com

 

Thanks

Sharon

[Druke I]

Good luck on your book about Royal Princess, also one of my favorite ships.

 

We've sailed 4 times upon her, and loved every trip.

 

One trip, a Panama Canal cruise from Acapulco to New York, Mar 92 had a very sad event mid-cruise. The Master of the ship, Capt. Townsend (don't recall his first name) had a heart attack, and was evacuated from the ship in either Aruba or Curacao. He was taken off the ship on a stretcher, weeping, knowing he had lost his command. He subsequently died, never returning to sea.

 

He had been the Staff Captain aboard Sea Princess (nee Kungsholm) when we sailed that fine ship from Kobe Japan to Vancouver BC via Honolulu in May 89, and was extremely well thought of by both crew and passengers.

 

On both Sea Princess and Royal Princess, we were invited up to the Captain's Quarters for cocktails.

 

When your book is published, please give us ordering details.

[Host Sharon]

Thanks Michael. Would you have any photos?

[Druke I]

No photos - sorry. I am not a photographer! I store all the images in my brain!

 

There was one odd thing about the Royal Princess. As designed, there was no library. For years, they used one of the lobbies on the elevator banks, and later moved it to the main lounge deck.

 

I never was able to find out why Princess (P&O) did not exercise its option for a second ship of the class. She certainly was a trendsetter with her all outside cabin design, and a very good looking ship to boot!

Edited April 13, 2010 by Druke I

[Host Sharon]

No photos - sorry. I am not a photographer! I store all the images in my brain!

 

There was one odd thing about the Royal Princess. As designed, there was no library. For years, they used one of the lobbies on the elevator banks, and later moved it to the main lounge deck.

 

I never was able to find out why Princess (P&O) did not exercise its option for a second ship of the class. She certainly was a trendsetter with her all outside cabin design, and a very good looking ship to boot!

 

Thanks Michael. I suppose cruising hit a lull round about then. Weren't they talking about QE2 being redundant around that time too?

[MMDown Under]

Franu - Bon Voyage for your May Mediterranean cruise on VTA's Aegean Odyssey to Greece and Turkey.

[MMDown Under]

No, I did not know that. Thank you very much for that information.

 

Donald.

 

Did you notice that Royal Caribbean has now released their 2011 schedule, Donald? Radiance of the Seas will be cruising from Honolulu to Sydney from 27/9 - 15/10/2011, and will be spending our summer season in Aus/NZ.

 

Not sure of her route to Hawaii, but her last summer 2011 cruise tour to Alaska will depart 2/9.

 

Seems to be a popular ship.

[Kapricorn]

Did you notice that Royal Caribbean has now released their 2011 schedule, Donald? Radiance of the Seas will be cruising from Honolulu to Sydney from 27/9 - 15/10/2011, and will be spending our summer season in Aus/NZ.

 

Not sure of her route to Hawaii, but her last summer 2011 cruise tour to Alaska will depart 2/9.

 

Seems to be a popular ship.

 

Drat it! First RCL took away Vision of the Seas from the Mexican Riviera route, and I recently transferred to Radiance of the Seas. Seems that the next winter season will be Radiance's last on the Mexican Riviera. I will need to find a new ship for the Mexican Riviera in the winter of 2011/2012.

 

I really liked Radiance and I am sure that she will be an popular asset on Aus/NZ cruises.

 

Donald.

[MMDown Under]

Drat it! First RCL took away Vision of the Seas from the Mexican Riviera route, and I recently transferred to Radiance of the Seas. Seems that the next winter season will be Radiance's last on the Mexican Riviera. I will need to find a new ship for the Mexican Riviera in the winter of 2011/2012.

 

I really liked Radiance and I am sure that she will be an popular asset on Aus/NZ cruises.

 

Donald.

 

Looks like Marina of the Seas for Mexico for winter 2011. Is that a good substitute?

[Kapricorn]

Looks like Marina of the Seas for Mexico for winter 2011. Is that a good substitute?

 

Might you mean Mariner of the Seas? All of 137,276 tons and 3,340 passengers? Yeah, right. If she is the only ship that Royal Caribbean puts on the Mexican Riviera, then it's "Hello, Winter" to me in Vancouver. :(

 

Otherwise, I would book back-to-back cruises on a "smaller" Holland America ship, or even in the Caribbean (my last choice), or I could splurge on a westbound Panama Canal cruise. Decisions, decisions!!! We'll see, we'll see ...

 

Donald.

Edited April 17, 2010 by Kapricorn

[MMDown Under]

Might you mean Mariner of the Seas? All of 137,276 tons and 3,340 passengers? Yeah, right. If she is the only ship that Royal Caribbean puts on the Mexican Riviera, then it's "Hello, Winter" to me in Vancouver. :(

 

Otherwise, I would book back-to-back cruises on a "smaller" Holland America ship, or even in the Caribbean (my last choice), or I could splurge on a westbound Panama Canal cruise. Decisions, decisions!!! We'll see, we'll see ...

 

Donald.

 

Oops. It was Mariner of the Seas. (However, it is from LA, not Vancouver, even though I put in the later.)

 

I agree 3,340 passengers is too big.

 

Nice to have a number of alternate choices.

[Saga Ruby]

Peter Knego reports on Maritime Matters that Saga Rose is headed to Cape Town to be used as an accommodation ship for the World Cup Games. There had been speculation earlier that QE2 was to fulfill this role but that deal apparently fell through. No word yet as to what will happen to Saga Rose after Cape Town.

 

I'm so confused that my head hurts. I thought QE2 was in Dubai being "refurbished" (dismembered) as a floating hotel. As you can see, I am not a Cunarder but hope to have a light shined on this.

 

Would anyone care to speculate that Saga, Inc. no longer owns Saga Rose and that she has changed hands? I don't comprehend the step from ship to pier when a ship leaves commercial (cruise) service.

 

Ruby

Edited April 19, 2010 by Saga Ruby

[Conte Di Savoia]

Indeed, QE2 remains in Dubai where the only restoration action has been to have the barnacles scraped off her hull. Dubai's financial crisis has placed the execution of any further plans to turn her into a static exhibition on hold.

 

Maritime Matters has backtracked on their original report on Saga Rose. It now appears that she is not to be utilized in Cape Town. I have not been able to track her by global positioning since April 9. There have been no recent reports of her current location and Saga has remained silent about her future.

[Host Sharon]

I would have thought both QE2 and Saga Rose were obvious choices to commandeer to rescue all the stranded people in the Med areas and return them to the UK, especially since both are still seaworthy and fitted out.

[Conte Di Savoia]

I don't believe either of them are SOLAS 2010 compliant....that is why they were retired. There is also the difficulty of putting together a crew which would know how to operate the ship and serve the passengers. I would have thought that Oasis of The Seas which carries almost 6000 passengers would have been ideal to evacuate the stranded airline passengers. Some could be in cabins and some could hitch a ride on the carousel ponies!

[Druke I]

Cruise Critc has just announced that Celebrity's brand new ship, Celebrity Eclipse, is going to be used to bring stranded Brits from Spain to Southampton.

 

The line cancelled a travel agent/dignitary showing to free up the ship.

 

Good PR for Celebrity.

[Host Sharon]

And P&Os Oceana is picking up some stranded University students from Gibraltar on her way home. Passengers on a fly cruise to Madeira and the Canaries on Island Escape are sailing home to Falmouth instead of flying back as the next lot of passengers cannot get there. It's chaos out there!!

[Kapricorn]

The logistics of moving around 7,000,000 passengers stranded by the cancellation of 81,000 flights is staggering. It will be quite a while before air travel is back to normal.

 

Donald.