Saga Rose Greenland Voyager August 2007

[Conte Di Savoia]

How ‘zat?Ruby

 

Cool!

[RalphRackstraw]

Evidently, my parents and Conte's shared the same good taste in ships!

First, a postcard view of our Italian beauty:

Next, a gathering of genial passengers in a lounge. On the right, Lord and Lady Rackstraw:

Finally, le petit moussaillon himself, Ralph Rackstraw, a few days short of his 7th birthday, together with younger brother Zebulon Rackstraw, age 2, partying like it's 1961!! :D

[Kapricorn]

Great pictures, Ralph!!! It is a delight to see these from the final decade of luxury transatlantic experience.

 

Donald.

[Saga Ruby]

Ralph - thanks so much for the pix of Leonardo da Vinci. What a magnificent ship and how lucky you and Zebullon (!!) were to be onboard.

 

I am struck by the beauty of the Italian ship so perfectly named vis-a-vis the current reality in ocean cruising. What could be uglier than Oasis of the Seas and her ilk? And yet a necessity to keep passenger ships on the water.

 

Thanks for sharing these marvy pix. They bring up floods of memories from my childhood and keep me smiling. And I take due note of the passenger fashions in the sixties.

 

As Conte says, does anyone remember style? In Funchal, Madeira, as I sat at a restaurant on the main pedestrian intersection downtown, the contrast of local women marching vigorously down the cobblestone street in high heels and business suits past the tourist slobs was quite the dichotomy.

 

My gift to society is that I do not own jeans nor t-shirts. But when I travel overseas, I buy fabric in Cairns or Hong Kong or Paris and have dresses made up when I get home. Nobody knows that the green-and-black silk dress originated as a bolt of material displayed in a mezzanine window at Mother Peninsula in Hong Kong but I do. It makes me stand up straight and enjoy my personal souvenir. One must have standards, yes?

 

Ruby

[Conte Di Savoia]

Ralph

Great picture of you and your brother. I hope you're both still partying!

The group picture was taken in the Cabin Class Ballroom, called The Paintings Room for the reason which is obvious from this color picture of that lounge, one of the prettiest aboard. Although it wasn't First Class, there was no skimping on the art which was found throughout the ship.

 

I wonder if you mother has one of these, an original 45 RPM produced by the ship's band which played nightly in The Arras Room, the First Class Ballroom? It includes the ship's official song which I've managed to digitize in all of its now scratchy glory. I don't think that I'm able to post this kind of media file on CC, however.

[Conte Di Savoia]

Oh, what the heck! Why not just one more picture of the ship, one of my favorites from a 1962 brochure for the Leonardo's 1962 winter Mediterranean and Black Sea Cruise? Darn having to be in High School! We'll never see ship design like this again.

[RalphRackstraw]

Ralph

Great picture of you and your brother. I hope you're both still partying!

Zeeb and I get together every few years. One of my greatest travel experiences was in November 2006, when he and Beth came to visit me in Europe. We packed up my little car and went vagabonding across France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, and Andorra. We stayed sometimes in campgrounds, sometimes doing what the French call "camping sauvage": pitching the tent in a remote meadow, clearing out in the early morning. Besides being a gifted artist, Beth is a marvelous cook, whipping up glorious meals from produce bought in village markets. Here, she works her magic in the Italian Alps:

In Carouge, near Geneva, Switzerland, we visited Bob Tovey, the British artist who taught Lady Rackstraw to paint. Bob is holding a gift Zeeb and Beth made for him.

Zeeb spent many hours as a baby in Bob's studio; he has gone on to make his own career as an artist, perhaps due to that early influence. I know we are not allowed to link to commercial sites on Cruise Critic, but if one was to Google "feywood" and "net" with a dot between, one might well find examples of their art. I am very proud of my brother.:)

[Kapricorn]

Wow, Ralph! Your brother and his wife possesses very creative artistry!

 

Donald.

[RalphRackstraw]

The Rackstraws prepare for another fine repast in the Cabin Class Dining Room:

Clockwise, from left: Lord Rackstraw, Zebulon Rackstraw (2), Lady Rackstraw, Ralph Rackstraw (6), Robin Hood Rackstraw (11), Richard Lionheart Rackstraw (12). Yes, those two fairly innocent-looking rogues are the miscreants who convinced me that the Leonardo was about to be rammed and sunk, like the Andrea Doria! :mad:

[Saga Ruby]

No Christmas markets for me this year - Israel and Egypt in November/December on Oceana. Can't wait.

 

I'm sure your Israel/Egypt cruise will be outstanding. A contrast in styles, beliefs, cultures. A reminder - on the Giza Plateau, you can get up on and ride a camel for $10. But it costs $150 to get down. I told that story on Shadow and several people were nodding in agreement. The strangest thing for me in December at the Pyramids was that the weather was quite cool and the Plateau was almost empty of tourists. Antithetical to what I had expected.

 

The Rackstraws prepare for another fine repast in the Cabin Class Dining Room: . . . innocent-looking rogues are the miscreants who convinced me that the Leonardo was about to be rammed and sunk, like the Andrea Doria! :mad:

 

Actually, those two "innocent-looking rogues" have the air of creative scamps. My, my, four sons for Lord and Lady Rackstraw - a high-energy household, for sure.

 

I am enjoying a one-week visit with my daughter who is making a rare appearance at my house. A joy, indeed.

 

Ruby

[Host Sharon]

I'm sure your Israel/Egypt cruise will be outstanding. A contrast in styles, beliefs, cultures. A reminder - on the Giza Plateau, you can get up on and ride a camel for $10. But it costs $150 to get down. I told that story on Shadow and several people were nodding in agreement. The strangest thing for me in December at the Pyramids was that the weather was quite cool and the Plateau was almost empty of tourists. Antithetical to what I had expected.

 

 

I am enjoying a one-week visit with my daughter who is making a rare appearance at my house. A joy, indeed.

 

Ruby

 

Yes - I have been forewarned about the camel rides, although I wasn't planning on going to Giza again, but rather the Egyptian Museum which I haven't been to before. My last cruise there was in Novemeber and it was comfortable t-shirt weather so that's what I am hoping for.

[Host Sharon]

Whoo -Hoo - the book is completed and with the publisher! And only a week late (not our fault I hasten to add!) Now we just have to wait for the proofing bit. Phew !!

 

Permalink: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1445605961

Edited October 8, 2011 by Host Sharon

[MMDown Under]

Whoo -Hoo - the book is completed and with the publisher! And only a week late (not our fault I hasten to add!) Now we jsut have to wait for the proofing bit. Phew !!

 

Permalink: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1445605961

 

Well Done!

 

Am currently in New York on the final leg of my travels. Looking forward to a few days in Manhattan.

 

Sounds like you had a wonderful cruise, Ruby. Enjoy your daughter's visit. I just said au revoir to mine in Toronto, after our lengthy visit.

 

Will catch up on my return home.

[RalphRackstraw]

Here's a scene sure to raise sentimental memories for mid-twentieth-century transatlantic travelers: S.S. Constitution pulls away from the dock in New York, 23 August 1965, as passengers toss paper streamers to shore! From right to left: unknown girl, Ralph (11), Zebulon (6), Lord Rackstraw.

Those paper streamers were wonderfully symbolic, especially if you had a friend on the dock who caught the far end. You are setting off on a festive journey across the ocean, excited and joyful at the outset of this adventure, yet a part of your heart remains ashore, with the people and places you love. For a few moments, these beautiful, colorful streamers form a last fragile link to shore, then the momentum of the ship and the power of your Wanderlust break the ties, and you are truly at sea!:)

I fully understand the wisdom of reducing waste and pollution, but we sure gained a lot of pleasure from those streamers at very little expense!

[Saga Ruby]

Petropavlosk is a tender port located in the far eastern part of Russia on the Kamchatsky Peninsula. On our day in port for refueling, the weather was good, an unusual event on this cruise. This isolated town serves as a Russian military naval base; rumour has it that a submarine base is hidden out of sight of the main port.

 

We knew when the Russian officials had come aboard because suddenly there were as many as 20 grim-faced young military officers onboard Shadow. This bloom of Russian military youth were “examining” the ship, theoretically looking for bombs or drugs. None of these handsome men and women ever looked us in the face, smiled, or nodded. One trim, muscular young solder did a pull-up under the coaming of the funnel, supposedly to look for contraband. The wooden grills covering scuppers on the outer decks were pulled up and inspected. With the proper background music, it would have made a great Keystone Kops routine.

 

After several hours of purposeful delay, the first tour groups went out to the tenders. On Deck 3, a Russian Customs and Immigration desk had been set up. It was manned by four Russian soldiers who compared passports to faces, stamped the passports, and indicated we could board the tenders. I have rarely seen so many rigid faces on such handsome military officers. Not one smile, only suspicion and hard looks. Oh how the Russians hate it when a pretty white cruise ship full of perceived “wealthy” passengers anchors in the harbour. But I digress.

 

Russian dachas are summer homes granted to party loyalists in the days of the Soviet Union. Those favoured party members were given small plots of land to use as vacation homes, a tradition that began in the days of Peter the Great. It is difficult to understand if the homeowner owns the land or leases it from the national government. Our dacha had every inch of ground under cultivation for the production brief season to grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers of various kinds. We are treated to a thorough tour of the place then we enjoy a generous afternoon tea in a small cabin on the property.

 

Our guide is a charming young woman, Svestia, who teaches English in a local school and is married with a husband and 10 month-old son. She is an excellent guide, quite hospitable, answers all questions from the eleven of us on the tour. As we return to the port, I am fumbling in my purse trying to locate a $10 to give her as a tip. I make such a muddle of being subtle that I finally just hand her the bill which she accepts with thanks. By coincidence, I happen to have Aussie and Kiwi currency in my purse which I hand to her for inspection. When asked if she prefers the US dollar or one of the other bills, she asks if she may have the Australian $10 because it is “pretty.” I hand it over.

 

Back onboard, the same grim-faced military officers are checking us back in. Just to see what happens, I hold my passport up to my face, turn on a full-wattage smile, and point to the two faces, indicating that they are the same person. For 3 seconds, the Russian officer breaks into a beautiful smile, his aide does the same, then they both snap back into the usual grim countenances. I am secretly delighted to see that a smile is an option with the Russian bear.

 

I could tell a tale about overt maneuvers in the dark of night to delay and harass Silver Shadow; it took us over an hour to play zigzag with a Russian military boat, stopping and starting, finally receiving permission to leave the port. But you get the idea.

 

One wonders how many generations will have to pass before the naturally dour Russians can relax and enjoy life.

 

Ruby

[Host Sharon]

Wow - you did well to raise a smile Ruby. Our Russian Immigration ladies in St Pete's in May were the very picture of what you might expect a KGB person to be - dour, slow and officious. It was only as the queue began to build up behind us - we were all on tours - that someone higher up ordered more than one desk to open and we began to move through.

[RalphRackstraw]

 

We knew when the Russian officials had come aboard because suddenly there were as many as 20 grim-faced young military officers onboard Shadow. This bloom of Russian military youth were “examining” the ship, theoretically looking for bombs or drugs. None of these handsome men and women ever looked us in the face, smiled, or nodded. One trim, muscular young solder did a pull-up under the coaming of the funnel, supposedly to look for contraband. The wooden grills covering scuppers on the outer decks were pulled up and inspected. With the proper background music, it would have made a great Keystone Kops routine.

 

After several hours of purposeful delay, the first tour groups went out to the tenders. On Deck 3, a Russian Customs and Immigration desk had been set up. It was manned by four Russian soldiers who compared passports to faces, stamped the passports, and indicated we could board the tenders. I have rarely seen so many rigid faces on such handsome military officers. Not one smile, only suspicion and hard looks. Oh how the Russians hate it when a pretty white cruise ship full of perceived “wealthy” passengers anchors in the harbour. But I digress.

 

Back onboard, the same grim-faced military officers are checking us back in. Just to see what happens, I hold my passport up to my face, turn on a full-wattage smile, and point to the two faces, indicating that they are the same person. For 3 seconds, the Russian officer breaks into a beautiful smile, his aide does the same, then they both snap back into the usual grim countenances. I am secretly delighted to see that a smile is an option with the Russian bear.

 

I could tell a tale about overt maneuvers in the dark of night to delay and harass Silver Shadow; it took us over an hour to play zigzag with a Russian military boat, stopping and starting, finally receiving permission to leave the port. But you get the idea.

 

One wonders how many generations will have to pass before the naturally dour Russians can relax and enjoy life.

 

Ruby

Russian border guards are indeed a grim, no-nonsense lot. While touring Poland in 2000 to visit the battlegrounds of Napoleon's 1806-07 campaign, I made an error in map-reading: I had assumed that the battlefield of Eylau was on the Polish side of the border, when in fact it is about 1 km inside the Kaliningrad enclave belonging to Russia (in 1807, it had been part of Prussia). I decided to try my luck at the border crossing. It turned out to be a surreal and fairly frightening experience. All the other cars were occupied by seriously hard-bitten types with lots of tattoos, bulging muscles, mustaches, and shaved heads among them. Their traffic manners were not polite; if there was a gap of a couple of feet between me and the car in front, somebody would barge into the line. My Dodge Caravan definitely stood out among the East Bloc rustbuckets. Smuggling was going on; in the no-man's land between the Polish and Russian guard posts, the couple in front of me detached their hollow bumper and unloaded a pile of little beaded purses (why would anybody bother to smuggle such pathetic merchandise??). When I finally reached the Russian post and handed over my American passport, the young trooper on duty looked perplexed. We had no language in common. He went and fetched his officer, who to my astonishment was a dead ringer for the actor Sam Neill (I had enjoyed his performance in the title role of the PBS series Reilly: Ace of Spies). The officer and I each had a faltering command of German. He said, "Kein Visa?" to which I replied, "Kann ich Visa kaufen?" The answer was a loud and emphatic "Zuruck!!" By this time I was glad to be getting away with a whole skin, without spending a week in some hellish jail and having my possessions confiscated. It was a distinct relief to get back into relatively easy-going Poland; I never did make it to the Eylau battlefield. :(

[Conte Di Savoia]

Back in January of 2007, Ruby started this thread asking if anyone was cruising with her on Saga Rose to Greenland. I responded to her query because we were going to be aboard on a British Isle's cruise shortly after her adventure above the Arctic Circle. I was interested in traveling on Saga Rose having made a cruise on her in 1976 when she was Norwegian America's much fabled Sagafjord. At that time I mentioned that I wanted to make one more cruise before she was turned into razor blades and paper clips. She (the ship, not Ruby) was finally withdrawn from service in 2009 and although she was cruising aimlessly along the Spanish coast for months, she finally set sail through Suez and wound up in Shanghai to meet her fate. Since then, there have been no pictures of her, although it was reported that she was to be dismembered at the Changjiang Scrap Yard. Periodically I would search the internet looking for her and finally, this evening I found a picture of her being dismantled. It's a sad sight but brings some emotional closure to a ship which had a long and distinguished career. So here is the image to contemplate. RIP Saga Rose, aka Sagafjord.

 

 

This picture was probably taken sometime in 2010. By now she's paper clips.

[Kapricorn]

Those paper streamers were wonderfully symbolic, especially if you had a friend on the dock who caught the far end. You are setting off on a festive journey across the ocean, excited and joyful at the outset of this adventure, yet a part of your heart remains ashore, with the people and places you love. For a few moments, these beautiful, colorful streamers form a last fragile link to shore, then the momentum of the ship and the power of your Wanderlust break the ties, and you are truly at sea!:)

I fully understand the wisdom of reducing waste and pollution, but we sure gained a lot of pleasure from those streamers at very little expense!

 

Gosh, Ralph, you have a way with words! I had never thought of streamers as anything more than merely a way to add festive air to departures. Many thanks for making me see it in another way.

 

Donald.

[Saga Ruby]

She (the ship, not Ruby) was finally withdrawn from service in 2009 and although she was cruising aimlessly along the Spanish coast for months, she finally set sail through Suez and wound up in Shanghai to meet her fate. Since then, there have been no pictures of her, although it was reported that she was to be dismembered at the Changjiang Scrap Yard. Periodically I would search the internet looking for her and finally, this evening I found a picture of her being dismantled. It's a sad sight but brings some emotional closure to a ship which had a long and distinguished career. So here is the image to contemplate. RIP Saga Rose, aka Sagafjord.

 

Conte - thanks so much for this photo. I was in Cabin 483, a large, comfortable inside cabin. It is interesting to contemplate the separation of emotions from a wood-and-steel ship to the fond memories one attaches to a fine cruise liner upon the deep blue ocean. Whether Sagafjord or Saga Rose, she was a loverly ship.

 

Digression - I never did understand Saga Rose circling around the Rock of Gibralta for so long. Was she waiting for her final resting place to be available? Was there a transfer of ownership that took longer than expected? Steaming around at random seems a bit wasteful of bunker C oil.

 

Gosh, Ralph, you have a way with words! I had never thought of streamers as anything more than merely a way to add festive air to departures. Many thanks for making me see it in another way.

Donald.

 

I agree with Donald. Nicely put about the streamers. I'm still contemplating the Kurchatten story you told. A little romance at German spas - and perhaps ships?

 

A fond Bon Voyage to Conte who leaves for Lisboa next week. He will be sampling the joys of a Silversea ship new to him - Silver Spirit, their newest and largest ship. Have a wonderful time on your crossing then tell us all about it.

 

Ruby

Edited October 14, 2011 by Saga Ruby

[Host Sharon]

Bon Voyage Conte

 

It's ticket fondling time for me too - they just arrived yesterday, along with the excursion booklet. While I am happy wandering ashore in many places, it's not something I am going to do in Egypt and Israel, so have decided to visit the catacombs in Alexandria and the pyramids at Sakkara and in Israel - Bethlehem, Gallilee, River Jordan, Jerusalem and Gethsemane. I was going to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, but decided against milling around indoors wth hundreds of other tourists and thought Memphis & Sakkara might be different. Now I just need good weather :)

[MMDown Under]

Bon Voyage, Conte and Sharon.

 

Wishing you both smooth seas and good weather.

 

Looking forward to reading of your cruises.

 

I'm home again and will write a short review on my ferry cruise to Magdalen Islands, in due course. Surfice to state that it exceeded our expectations. I wish I'd taken notes, as it seems so long ago now.

[Saga Ruby]

. . . in Israel - Bethlehem, Gallilee, River Jordan, Jerusalem and Gethsemane. I was going to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, but decided against milling around indoors wth hundreds of other tourists and thought Memphis & Sakkara might be different. Now I just need good weather :)

 

I hope while you are in Israel you can confirm something for me. My family visited "the Holy Land" in 1962 and we thoroughly toured the entire area with a Jordanian driver and guide.

 

In 1998 I was in Auckland NZ at a really nice B&B and an Israeli couple were two of the guests. We were chatting when I mentioned my family's long-ago visit to Bethelem and the "birthplace" of Christ which is literally marked by a large, extravagant enamel star. The Israelis said that Bethelem is no longer within his country's borders. I was quite startled. Evidently one of the Arab sects has possession of Bethelem and I wonder how that happened?

 

So you have your homework assignment and I will be interested to hear any factoids you can pass along after your return.

 

Have a wonderful cruise, Sharon!

 

Ruby

[Host Sharon]

.

 

In 1998 I was in Auckland NZ at a really nice B&B and an Israeli couple were two of the guests. We were chatting when I mentioned my family's long-ago visit to Bethelem and the "birthplace" of Christ which is literally marked by a large, extravagant enamel star. The Israelis said that Bethelem is no longer within his country's borders. I was quite startled. Evidently one of the Arab sects has possession of Bethelem and I wonder how that happened?

 

So you have your homework assignment and I will be interested to hear any factoids you can pass along after your return.

 

Have a wonderful cruise, Sharon!

 

Ruby

 

I can answer part of your question now Ruby. That is quite true. My cruise guide says that Bethlehem is in the Palestinian Authority so a local guide will join the coach at the check point as Israelis are not permitted to enter Bethlehem. As to when and how, I will have to find out.

Edited October 15, 2011 by Host Sharon

[Conte Di Savoia]

Thanks for all the Bon Voyage good wishes. The bags are all packed and we're off to the airport for the worst part of the trip....the air portion.