Update - Former Vistafjord/Caronia

[NHBob]

As I've said in the past, Vistafjord/Caronia was my favorite Cunarder and it was a sad day when they sold her and did not replace her with a similar size ship. Most regulars to the Cunard boards probably know that she is now the Saga Ruby operated by the British Saga group.

 

It was a pleasant surprise when Saga Ruby docked directly behind Crystal Symphony (en route from New York to Montreal) in Quebec City on September 25th. This ship still looks beautiful, with her classic liner profile; hull and superstructure in excellent condition. Saga has retained Caronia's dark hull and white superstructure, and the only obvious exterior change is the re-painting of the funnel in Saga colors.

 

I was able to chat with several of the passengers, almost all British, all of whom said how great the ship was, while walking around Old Quebec in the morning. So, when I got back to the pier I walked over to take a closer look and as luck would have it, ran into one of the ship's officers who was waiting on the pier for somebody from the Port Authority to show up to take care of something. I thought he looked vaguely familiar, which turned out to be because he had been on Caronia with Cunard and had been on at least two cruises with me during Caronia's final Cunard year.

 

We talked at some length about what Saga has done with the ship and, not really expecting a positive response, I asked him if there was any chance of getting on board. To my pleasant surprise he replied that he would be happy to take me for a tour of the public areas.

 

The interior of the ship is beautiful, with everything from carpets to furnishings looking like new. Saga's work on the ship appears to have been mainly in redecorating - some finishes were starting to look a bit shabby during her final Cunard year, when she was already owned by Saga but leased back to Cunard. With one exception, deck plans are little changed, although some of the public rooms have been re-named and the decor updated.

 

The one exception is a much needed upgrading of the Lido. As Caronia regulars will recall, the Lido seating area was much too small, resulting in having to use the aft end of the ballroom/showroom for breakfast and lunch seating, especially when the weather didn't permit dining on deck.

 

Seating area has been enlarged by removing the original swimming pool, extending the deck above it further aft, and closing in the space thus provided. A new, deck-mounted, pool has been installed farther aft. It is really just a dip pool, which is probably OK as Saga caters to seniors only. I didn't ask, but I assume that the below-deck pool, adjacent to the gym, is still available for more athletic types who want to swim some laps.

 

I hope that one of these days I'll be able to schedule a cruise on Saga Ruby so I'll have sailed on her during all of her incarnations.

 

Another pleasant surprise when we docked in New York (I was on Symphony's Dover-NY transatlantic before the cruise up to Montreal) there was the QE2 docked next to us at the Hudson River Terminal. She sailed shortly before we did so I was able to get some good photos of her tug-assisted departure from the pier.

 

Then, when we got to Newport, there she was, and again the next day she was in Boston when we arrived there. We overnighted in Boston, but QE2 left the evening before we did to continue her itinerary back to the UK. Sale of QE2 was announced shortly after my last crossing and I really didn't expect to see her again, so it was great to see the old girl one more time. By the way, I was told that the (in)famous Bea Muller was not on board and was trying the Victoria.

[Dorchester]

As I've said in the past, Vistafjord/Caronia was my favorite Cunarder and it was a sad day when they sold her and did not replace her with a similar size ship.

 

 

Hello Bob,

 

I totally agree with your thoughts on this one Bob. Caronia was an absolute gem - the perfect pocket-sized Ocean Liner. In fact she was the last trans-Atlantic liner to be built in the UK.

 

Her size gave her a real advantage in accessing waters where the larger vessels could only dream of going. My wife and I had several fantastic voyages on her, the most memorable being the transit of the Kiel Canal (from the North Sea to the Baltic Sea). I recall that it was mind-blowing to look out from our cabin and see the tops of the trees gliding past our balcony.

 

It is good to hear that Saga have not undertaken too many alterations to her, thus spoiling the wonderful ambiance that the ship possessed. We always felt that the Garden Lounge was somewhat under-utilised, for this was a fantastic place with superb views, and usually contained very few passengers.

 

The upgrade to increase the capacity of the Lido was overdue, and it sounds like Saga have approached this in a sensible manner, even if it means that the wonderful open aft deck outside the Lido is now somewhat smaller.

 

Thanks for the report Bob, and I am pleased that you managed to get aboard to view the vessel one more time. Maybe - one day - we will too.

 

Regards,

David

[cunard_cruiser]

Bob,

 

My parents have cruised on 'it' both as Caronia and then as Saga Ruby and speak fondly of the things you describe, especially the improvements to the Lido. Not sure if it is just a Cunard thing but they just can't 'get' Lidos and the alike right, the QE2 one doesn't really work that well, and, as for the Kings Court in QM2 - now there is a dogs dinner if ever I saw one....

 

Caronia/Saga Ruby really is a throwback to a byegone era, almost like a smaller scale model of the QE2 that is so loved on the forum.

 

Sad to say with the new solas regulations and the rising fuel costs her days afloat are probably numbered. Infact I'm sure that her sister ships Saga Rose is due to retire in the next 12 months.

 

Sadly for me as a Saga ship you can't travel on her if you are under 50, unless you are classed as a carer!!!

 

John

[Seachase20]

As I've said in the past, Vistafjord/Caronia was my favorite Cunarder and it was a sad day when they sold her and did not replace her with a similar size ship. Most regulars to the Cunard boards probably know that she is now the Saga Ruby operated by the British Saga group.

 

It was a pleasant surprise when Saga Ruby docked directly behind Crystal Symphony (en route from New York to Montreal) in Quebec City on September 25th. This ship still looks beautiful, with her classic liner profile; hull and superstructure in excellent condition. Saga has retained Caronia's dark hull and white superstructure, and the only obvious exterior change is the re-painting of the funnel in Saga colors.

 

I was able to chat with several of the passengers, almost all British, all of whom said how great the ship was, while walking around Old Quebec in the morning. So, when I got back to the pier I walked over to take a closer look and as luck would have it, ran into one of the ship's officers who was waiting on the pier for somebody from the Port Authority to show up to take care of something. I thought he looked vaguely familiar, which turned out to be because he had been on Caronia with Cunard and had been on at least two cruises with me during Caronia's final Cunard year.

 

We talked at some length about what Saga has done with the ship and, not really expecting a positive response, I asked him if there was any chance of getting on board. To my pleasant surprise he replied that he would be happy to take me for a tour of the public areas.

 

The interior of the ship is beautiful, with everything from carpets to furnishings looking like new. Saga's work on the ship appears to have been mainly in redecorating - some finishes were starting to look a bit shabby during her final Cunard year, when she was already owned by Saga but leased back to Cunard. With one exception, deck plans are little changed, although some of the public rooms have been re-named and the decor updated.

 

The one exception is a much needed upgrading of the Lido. As Caronia regulars will recall, the Lido seating area was much too small, resulting in having to use the aft end of the ballroom/showroom for breakfast and lunch seating, especially when the weather didn't permit dining on deck.

 

Seating area has been enlarged by removing the original swimming pool, extending the deck above it further aft, and closing in the space thus provided. A new, deck-mounted, pool has been installed farther aft. It is really just a dip pool, which is probably OK as Saga caters to seniors only. I didn't ask, but I assume that the below-deck pool, adjacent to the gym, is still available for more athletic types who want to swim some laps.

 

I hope that one of these days I'll be able to schedule a cruise on Saga Ruby so I'll have sailed on her during all of her incarnations.

 

Another pleasant surprise when we docked in New York (I was on Symphony's Dover-NY transatlantic before the cruise up to Montreal) there was the QE2 docked next to us at the Hudson River Terminal. She sailed shortly before we did so I was able to get some good photos of her tug-assisted departure from the pier.

 

Then, when we got to Newport, there she was, and again the next day she was in Boston when we arrived there. We overnighted in Boston, but QE2 left the evening before we did to continue her itinerary back to the UK. Sale of QE2 was announced shortly after my last crossing and I really didn't expect to see her again, so it was great to see the old girl one more time. By the way, I was told that the (in)famous Bea Muller was not on board and was trying the Victoria.

 

When I saw the subject title of your post, I was sure I was about to read of yet another good ship's demise, so it was with great pleasure that instead I read that Caronia/Ruby is still going strong. I've only been onboard once, for lunch, but she was then, and I'm glad to hear still is, a beautiful ship. Saga have looked after her well. Shame they didn't buy QE2! Thanks for letting us know.

[bobby1119]

I was aboard for a wonderful 14 night Med cruise in 2000.

 

Caronia was/is a gem, and the voyage was magnificent.

 

I was sorry to see her "go."

 

Bobby

[merecat]

I was on board the QE and we watched you follow us up the coast. Mrs Muller was 5 cabins away from us ,her son was with her because she had fallen and broke her hand ,she left the ship in New York to see her Doctor and rejoined later up the coast out of her plaster and wheelchair.

She told me Cunard had allocated her a cabin on the QM2 and she was going to see if she liked it.:)

[Host Sharon]

I was lucky enough to sail on both Vistafjord and then on the ship again in her Caronia guise. She was indeed the perfect "pocket liner", and, as my first ever ship, remains very dear to my heart. Perhaps one day I will sail on her again under Saga. It will be interesting to compare the three eras.

[Saga Ruby]

So, when I got back to the pier I walked over to take a closer look and as luck would have it, ran into one of the ship's officers who was waiting on the pier for somebody from the Port Authority to show up to take care of something. I thought he looked vaguely familiar, which turned out to be because he had been on Caronia with Cunard and had been on at least two cruises with me during Caronia's final Cunard year.

 

I sailed on Saga Ruby in June 2005 to Far North which included Svalbard and the edge of the polar ice pack. We saw polar bears. I learned later that Sea Princess was at Magdalena Bay on the same day at the same time, as Saga Ruby. I also learned that that ship is too large to enter the Bay so those pax never saw the bears. The attached photo shows Saga Ruby at the glacier mouth where the first bear climbed out of the water.

 

This first Saga cruise was outstanding for me not only for the beauty of the ship but the exquisite service of the Filipino staff. If it weren't for the Pound Sterling exchange and traveling to the UK, I would be sailing the Saga Sisters more often.

 

I also sailed Saga Rose to Greenland, Iceland, and the Orkneys last year. She is also a lovely ship but, due to SOLAS rules, will probably be out of service by 2010. There is an extensive list of people wait-listed for her last cruise.

 

Ruby

[pkpon]

I have very fond memories of both the Sagaford and Vistaford. Because I went first on the Sagafjord, she was always a bit more special to me. I was actually booked on her last cruise with Cunard, the highlight being a rare night time transit of the Panama canal. But because of her complete breakdown on the world cruise she was sold off earlier and the cruise never happened.

 

The service on both ships was impeccable. When returning to the ships the barmen in the North Cape bar would remember both your name and your drink preference. The food was superb and I fondly remember the abundance of Norwegian smoked salmon. You could have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their only rival in those days were the Royal Viking Line ships.

 

One of my greatest cruising memories will always be on a very wet January day in Fort Lauderdale during the nineties when the Sagafjord, Vistafjord and QE2 were all in port together. I was on the QE2 and despite the heavy rain I can remember thinking what a beautiful sight it was to see the three ships together.

[RobertGraves]

Vistafjord/Caronia was just a beauty, one to miss in the era of more or less homogenized Vistas and Spirits (although I must say I like QV in her own right). Hearing that she is alive and well is really good news!

 

Interestingly, it was nice to have both a QE2 and a Caronia in Cunard fleet. I wish that after the new QE, Cunard reverts to its traditional '-ia' suffix for future newbuilds.