Saga Rose Greenland Voyager August 2007

[seabourndt]

i wondered if iut was yiou at the ship show sharon? good job i enjoyed it shame the doors at back were open it was hard to hear it. of course i enjoyed the hamburg the best as i did one of the last trips on macxim gorky. yes a long way for a cruise but promised my friends i would come to melbourne having a great time rhe weather is great under a weekj for a party cruise

dave

[Saga Ruby]

I keep going back to the SS France brochures and many thanks for posting those pages. Reading the advertised highlights of the ship including "most cabins have private toilets" and the exciting new facilities for kids and teens is a walk down Memory Lane.

 

Can you imagine taking today's pax out of their FLL or Miami departures and putting them on France? There would be a riot of "oh poor us" or "where's the wave rider and restaurants and and and . . . ." These brochures remind me of the days when dressing up in formal wear every single night of the crossing or voyage was de rigueur. We took pride in looking good. Today, fashion slobbery reigns supreme.

 

Ralph - Your stories about being a young lad with 3 other brothers and the, um, exciting escapades both inside and outside your cabin made me smile. I am one of two sisters and we were raised to be southern ladies. None of this "getting in some good hits" concept. Altho' one day as an early teen, I was drinking some water and my sister screamed, "Don't spit that on me!" The thought never crossed my mind until she yelled. So what's a kid gonna do?

 

An aside about Veteran's Day in the US - I would like to expand my comments and my thanks to all veterans, both here and abroad. We couldn't have done it without you.

 

Ruby

[Host Sharon]

Two minutes silences held all over Uk as well on both 11/11/11 and today - Remembrance Sunday - when I always remember my Great Uncle John who died on the first day of the Battle of the Somme in his 20s (I only found out about him a few years ago) as well of course as our fighting men and women today.

 

Conte - the PCB's (Post Cruise Blues) are such a well known condition they even have a mention in our P&O 175 book! There is only one cure - have another cruise already booked.

Edited November 13, 2011 by Host Sharon

[Kapricorn]

Peter Knego, who writes a blog for MaritimeMatters was aboard (a complete surprise to me) and I was very glad to finally meet him after communicating about ships over the internet. Peter has been blogging about the cruise (Crossing on The Silver Spirit) saving me the bother of writing about the ship and the ports we visited.

 

Conte, I enjoyed reading Peter Knego's blog, and am glad to hear that you similarly found the transatlantic crossing to your satisfaction. I know all about the post-cruise blues, isn't that always a nuisance? No cure for it really except to plan another cruise. :D

 

This was my first time in Knego's website, where I was glad to also read about the Great Lakes steamer Keewatin being turned into a museum. My parents and I sailed on her in 1961. Here is a photograph of me, at all of 14 years of age, seated beside the ship's life ring. I wasn't saluting, but shielding my eyes from the sun.

 

 

Donald.

[RalphRackstraw]

I keep going back to the SS France brochures and many thanks for posting those pages. Reading the advertised highlights of the ship including "most cabins have private toilets" and the exciting new facilities for kids and teens is a walk down Memory Lane.

Then you should love these excerpts from the Passenger List!

 

 

Ralph - Your stories about being a young lad with 3 other brothers and the, um, exciting escapades both inside and outside your cabin made me smile. I am one of two sisters and we were raised to be southern ladies. None of this "getting in some good hits" concept. Altho' one day as an early teen, I was drinking some water and my sister screamed, "Don't spit that on me!" The thought never crossed my mind until she yelled. So what's a kid gonna do?

 

Ruby

Why, lands sakes, honeychile, isn't it true that every Southern Belle is a steel magnolia, with a cute li'l ol' set of brass knuckles concealed in her elegant corsage? ;)

 

Here is the cover of the Liste de Passagers:

 

Here are the opening pages, with the schedule of transatlantic crossings and cruises for the 1965-66 season, and the principal ship's officers.

Befitting those days of intense national pride in flagship liners, notice that all the officers have good French names (Bruschi, the Assistant Purser for Tourist Class, is probably a Corsican). Notice also the little symbols to the right of some of the names. The first symbol following the name of Captain Ropars is the Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur, awarded to a select few Frenchmen with over 20 years of outstanding and distinguished professional achievement, rising above the ordinary and contributing to the welfare of others, while meeting the highest standards of ethical and honorable conduct. Such are the Captain, the First Officer, the Chief Engineer, and the Chief Physician. The smaller medal to the right is the Ordre du Mérite Maritime, awarded to merchant mariners for distinguished and/or heroic service. In addition, Chief Engineer Georges Bouey holds the Croix de Guerre 39/45 for heroic service in WW II. The "O" after the names of Chief Engineer Bouey and Chief Radioman Yvon Anne indicate that they hold the rank of Officier in their repective Orders, a step above the basic Chevalier. Quite a crew! :)

Edited November 15, 2011 by RalphRackstraw

[Saga Ruby]

Conte - the PCB's (Post Cruise Blues) are such a well known condition they even have a mention in our P&O 175 book! There is only one cure - have another cruise already booked.

 

Speaking of cruises - are you getting ready for your cruise which is coming up soon? Are you a last-minute packer or have your bags been at the door for three weeks? I remember when you came home to a terrible ice storm and had difficulty getting to the market to resupply your house. Is your larder full of canned goods?

 

Ruby

[Host Sharon]

Hi Ruby - I am usually a well-prepared packer and indeed the cases have been out for a month but I haven't managed to get my head round what to take as the book has had a few last-minute issues - however - IT WENT TO PRESS TODAY! Yipee!!

 

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

 

So, now I have finished work as well, I can spend the weekend sorting things properly. Yes - I only just made it home last year, let alone do the Christmas shopping. I am pretty much prepared for when I get back - just fruit. veg and fresh things like milk and eggs to get. The ship are kindly making me a Christmas cake :) So hopefully I will feel like I'm going on a cruise soon - Monday in fact! Then three and a half blissful (I hope) weeks doing very little indeed.

Edited November 18, 2011 by Host Sharon

[Conte Di Savoia]

Sharon, I LOVE the picture on the cover! More information please.

[Kapricorn]

I agree with Conte that it is a GREAT cover! It must have come from the P&O archives? I noticed that there is another book about the 175 years of P&O ... it must be an unofficial one, written by someone else?

 

Donald.

[Host Sharon]

I agree with Conte that it is a GREAT cover! It must have come from the P&O archives? I noticed that there is another book about the 175 years of P&O ... it must be an unofficial one, written by someone else?

 

Donald.

 

 

Uhmmmmmm - that one has been done by the competition! That is the people we beat at the final pitch! I don't think they were too happy.

 

As for the cover, I'm glad you all like it as it wasn't actually our first choice. Our publishers came up with it. It is an advertising poster of Strathaird - one of the famous White Sisters, launched in 1931 and in service until 1961. These were the first ships to carry the current P&O livery of white hulls and buff funnels. Since the early services were from the UK to Egypt, it seemed apt as well.

Edited November 19, 2011 by Host Sharon

[MMDown Under]

So hopefully I will feel like I'm going on a cruise soon - Monday in fact! Then three and a half blissful (I hope) weeks doing very little indeed.

 

Bon Voyage Sharon. I hope you have a wonderful relaxing cruise.

 

PS I loved the book cover also.

[Saga Ruby]

. . . as the book has had a few last-minute issues - however - IT WENT TO PRESS TODAY! Yipee!! The ship are kindly making me a Christmas cake :) So hopefully I will feel like I'm going on a cruise soon - Monday in fact! Then three and a half blissful (I hope) weeks doing very little indeed.

 

May I join the chorus in lauding the book cover? There is a mystical quality to the Bedouins in the foreground. Are they amazed at what they see? Do they want to join the ship? This, of course, is before they struck oil in their native land and bought their own ship.

 

Huzzah for the book going to press and a big Whew! for that. Now you can sit back and let the ship's staff feed you bonbons and carry you around in a sedan chair. That's correct, right?

 

I would ask what a "Christmas cake" is, but I have a theory that you are a bit busy getting packed for your holiday voyage. Don't forget to pack your fascinator!

 

All best wishes for a wonderful cruise and that you come home to finest-kind weather.

 

Ruby

[RalphRackstraw]

So hopefully I will feel like I'm going on a cruise soon - Monday in fact! Then three and a half blissful (I hope) weeks doing very little indeed.

All best wishes to our distinguished authoress! One hopes you will not be too blissfully relaxed to post an occasonal update of your adventures --- it is always a joy to travel by proxy through your words and photos.

 

I have been collecting brochures to enrich my wish-list of possible cruises. A new one arrived today from Voyages of Discovery, with mention of an activity that I had not previously seen offered: "On a number of our cruises we offer a 'choir at sea' for people of all abilities..." How about that! :D

 

Having seen a great many photographs of the other contributors to this jolly forum, and displayed images of Ralph up to the brink of age 11, I suppose I should share a photo of my current self:

This is me on 2 September 2011, in the estuary of the Coquille River near Bandon, Oregon, having taken my yacht into salt water for the first time. The next day, launching at Sunset Cove on Cape Arago, I took her out past the breakers onto the Pacific Ocean swells.

[Host Sharon]

Nice ship Ralph - may I ask what the single supplement is ??

 

I will endeavour to post updates, but they are likely to be on the free forum provided by the company I am sailing with ;) as that access is free and internet access is very expensive, but we will see. For the first time I am taking a netbook with me so I can do my daily journal straight onto disk.

 

Ruby - I had no idea Christmas cakes were a UK thing. A traditional cake is a very rich fruit cake with sultanas, currants, mixed peel, glace cherries etc and sometimes nuts (walnuts usually). If cooking it yourself you usually bake it around early November and then "feed" it with brandy weekly until a couple of weeks before Christmas. Then it is covered all over with thin marzipan and then finished off with royal icing and Christmassy decorations. I usually buy one, but last year on Artemis they had them on sale. When I asked if they would be on sale on Oceana they said no, but would bake me one. How kind is that ??

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cake

Edited November 20, 2011 by Host Sharon

[Kapricorn]

We also have Christmas Cakes in Canada. My partner's aunt in Michigan bakes these and she used to one to us every year until recently. They are delicious but somewhat "heavy", and for some reason David doesn't like them, so I end up eating most of these.

 

Donald.

[MMDown Under]

 

I would ask what a "Christmas cake" is, but I have a theory that you are a bit busy getting packed for your holiday voyage. Don't forget to pack your fascinator!

 

 

Ruby - I had no idea Christmas cakes were a UK thing. A traditional cake is a very rich fruit cake with sultanas, currants, mixed peel, glace cherries etc and sometimes nuts (walnuts usually). If cooking it yourself you usually bake it around early November and then "feed" it with brandy weekly until a couple of weeks before Christmas. Then it is covered all over with thin marzipan and then finished off with royal icing and Christmassy decorations. I usually buy one, but last year on Artemis they had them on sale. When I asked if they would be on sale on Oceana they said no, but would bake me one. How kind is that ??

 

 

I buy a home made one, beautifully iced, each year - delicious.

 

My MIL used to make them, but now she just makes the Christmas Plum Pudding, which she cooks in a "rag" and hangs it up under the house to dry.

 

Come Christmas Day, it gets heated up in a big pot of boiling water, then we devour it with home made custard, with or without the brandy. What is left is eaten cold the next day, if it lasts that long. Has similiar ingredients as Christmas cake.

 

We used to put "silver" 3ds in them for the children to find, but had to do away with the custom when decimal currency came.

 

Afterwards the "rag" gets washed and dried ready for the next Christmas.

 

Shock horror, I burnt the "rag" once, whilst reheating the plum pudding (it caught on the bottom of the pot). I thought I'd never be forgiven!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cake

 

Me neither, Ruby. I thought Christmas Cake was universal, although I know there are different mixtures.

[Saga Ruby]

Why, lands sakes, honeychile, isn't it true that every Southern Belle is a steel magnolia, with a cute li'l ol' set of brass knuckles concealed in her elegant corsage? ;)

 

Why, landagoshen, I see that this fine gentleman has, indeed, met southern ladies. As far as the "brass knuckles" comment - you got that right, Buster!

 

Thanks so much for the brochure with icon translations. I want to take more time to digest those impressive stats. And a bright cheerio! for the personal pix with you in the SS Rackstraw. Nice to put a face to a name. But I repeat Conte's comment from September - is there a Captain's Welcome Aboard party and where is the martini bar? Wa-hahahahaha!

 

My head is aching. Can somebody tell where the Spellcheck icon is for the messages on this forum?

 

Ruby

[MMDown Under]

Thanksgiving

By Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food,

For love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

[MMDown Under]

I don't think I've ever seen Ruby's thread so far down the page.

 

Maybe the Americans are still recovering from their Thanksgiving celebrations.

 

Now we're into December getting ready for Christmas.

[Kapricorn]

I don't think I've ever seen Ruby's thread so far down the page.

 

Maybe the Americans are still recovering from their Thanksgiving celebrations.

 

Now we're into December getting ready for Christmas.

 

I'm still around, but am having an extremely difficult time adjusting to the change of season. I am thankful that the four-times-weekly walks with the dog has forced me to go outdoors for fresh air and exercise. Even so, I yawn and rest my eyes whenever the pooch does prolonged sniffing of some interesting scents here and there.

 

An unusual thing with Frankie the dog is that she has become obsessed with the False Creek ferry system for the past month. Whenever we pass a certain terminal she insists on dragging me down the ramp. The ferry operators have started to recognize and wave at us, and pet the dog. Once a week, on sunny days, I take Frankie on the 2-minute "cruise" over to Granville Island. She enjoys the stroll on the seawall wooden planks past the houseboats, yachts and restaurants (as do I for a change of scenery).

 

Frankie's owner has noticed that her dog has become much more relaxed and contented in the evenings.

 

I noticed from the weather page in the newspaper that on two or three days earlier this week the overnight low in Dallas was a few degrees lower than Vancouver's. Imagine that! Ruby, did you have to turn on your home heating system, or is there such a function in Texan homes?

 

How are everyone else? :)

 

Donald.

Edited December 3, 2011 by Kapricorn
d'grammatical error

[Saga Ruby]

Maybe the Americans are still recovering from their Thanksgiving celebrations.

 

Yeah, that Stouffer's Roast Turkey Breast & Dressing was so filling! But thanks for kicking the thread back up; I find that a Kindle, winter, and classical music all day long make for a marvelous ennui. Every day, I check in to our thread and, quite frankly, am fascinated at how the number of Views keeps climbing while the honourable few keep the thread alive. Amazing.

 

An unusual thing with Frankie the dog is that she has become obsessed with the False Creek ferry system for the past month. Whenever we pass a certain terminal she insists on dragging me down the ramp. The ferry operators have started to recognize and wave at us, and pet the dog. Once a week, on sunny days, I take Frankie on the 2-minute "cruise" over to Granville Island. She enjoys the stroll on the seawall wooden planks past the houseboats, yachts and restaurants (as do I for a change of scenery).

 

I noticed from the weather page in the newspaper that on two or three days earlier this week the overnight low in Dallas was a few degrees lower than Vancouver's. Imagine that! Ruby, did you have to turn on your home heating system, or is there such a function in Texan homes? How are everyone else? :)Donald.

 

I wish I had a dog to drag me onto an island ferry. I wish I had an island ferry! As I have often said, so many of our good and faithful correspondents live in interesting geographic areas. Me - not so much.

 

The temps in Texas have definitely improved into much cooler nights and days. I'm not using my home heating system (central gas) much at all. But it is dark and rainy right now - for us North Texans, quite the treat and reminiscent of my recent cruise. Plus much cheaper electric bills.

 

I'm down at the mouth with the forecasts for Texas next year - more severe drought and high temps. Evidently La Nina has chosen to stay in place over our heads for the foreseeable future.

 

However, in the near future, we have a possibility of ice pellets or snow in the next two days, meaning that if one snow flake appears, the entire metroplex will shut down. Mind you, we don't even have snowplows in this area to fight those few flakes that terrify us more than tornadoes or earthquakes. [heavy sigh] Maybe I'll even be able to use my central furnace? That would be a nice change from the roaring of my a/c until a couple of weeks ago.

 

Ruby

[RalphRackstraw]

My friends, let me distract you from the winter doldrums with a further account of the 1884 travels of the peripatetic centenarian, Minor "Lee" Meriwether, aboard the SS Independente:

 

A few minutes before pulling out of Genoa there was a great bustle in the cabin. The waiters rushed backward and forward getting easy-chairs, arranging cushions, and spreading awnings. This commotion was on account of Baron Rothschild, of Vienna, who, with his wife, secretary, and a retinue of servants, was on his way to Sicily, and thence to Corfu and the Grecian Isles. The famous financier is a cadaverous-looking man, sallow and sickly. The baroness, his first cousin, also his wife, atones for the baron's lack of charms. She has a commanding presence, fine features and form, and a gracious, winning manner.

 

As an offset to this increase to the cabin passenger list, a company of soldiers and a lot of convicts on their way to some island dungeon were taken into steerage at Leghorn. They were heavily chained in couples, and again by one long chain fastened to their feet. Except at meal-times, when the right hand was freed, they remained in this miserable condition, unable to sleep themselves, and preventing others from sleeping by the horrible clanking of their fetters.

 

The last week of the voyage in the Mediterranean passes like a dream. The vessel sails along the Spanish coast witin full view of old Moorish castles and modern lighthouses, passes near the Chateau d'If, Monte Cristo's prison, on by Corsica and Elba, places of Napoleon's birth and exile, and at last, on the morning of the twenty-second day, glides into the beautiful bay of Naples.

[MMDown Under]

Greetings from beautiful NZ.

 

Have enjoyed our car trip of Northland, North Island, NZ - a really beautiful unspoilt part of the world.

 

Looking forward to cruising on Century tomorrow. Have heard good reports from people Down Under who have cruisers recently on her.

 

Will think of all your cruises on Century, David. Heard mention she is to be sold to join the other two in Germany, so glad I got to cruise on her around NZ.

 

Cloudy today so hoping for some sunshine on the cruise.

[Kapricorn]

Marion & Barry, have a great cruise on Century! I am very pleased that you heard good things about her from others who have sailed on her.

 

Donald.

[Saga Ruby]

Greetings from beautiful NZ.

 

Have enjoyed our car trip of Northland, North Island, NZ - a really beautiful unspoilt part of the world. Looking forward to cruising on Century tomorrow. Have heard good reports from people Down Under who have cruisers recently on her. Will think of all your cruises on Century, David. Heard mention she is to be sold to join the other two in Germany, so glad I got to cruise on her around NZ. Cloudy today so hoping for some sunshine on the cruise.

 

A belated Bon Voyage to you. When you return, can you remind us of your itinerary? I assume that eventually the ship docks in Sydney.

 

New Zealand is ranked Number 1 in lowest municipal corruption in the world - so admirable. And this country should also be ranked at the top of beautiful geographic wonders.

 

Century is going out of service - which "other two" will she be joining? Do all cruise lines dump their ships when they are a few years old nowadays? It seems quite harsh in a corporate sense but the numbers evidently support this trend.

 

Ruby