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Saga Rose Greenland Voyager August 2007

Saga Ruby

By Saga Ruby,
in Other Cruise Lines

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dougnewmanatsea

dougnewmanatsea

Posted
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Well, SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE was originally supposed to be SAGA OPAL, before it was decided not to make her a Saga-branded ship.

 

And for a while, the current EXPLORER II (the once and future MINERVA) was chartered as SAGA PEARL.

 

As someone once pointed out to me, they are all women's names most common among 'mature' ladies.

 

So if they don't go with SAGA OPAL... How about SAGA VIOLET, SAGA IRIS or SAGA JEWEL?

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Conte Di Savoia

Conte Di Savoia

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It seems that years ago it was common for the shipping companies to send out Christmas cards to their good and loyal passengers. Over the years I held on to a couple of those which I thought were memorable. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

 

The first, and my personal favorite, is one which I received as a teenager in 1962 from the NYC office of the Italian Line. It features a unique and unsigned painting of Leonardo da Vinci departing New York at Christmas. Notice the Christmas tree lashed to the top of the mast, a custom which is seen less often these days. There is also some artistic license in that the sun appears to be setting in the northern sky, but to beautiful effect.

 

The second card is from Silver Seas Cruises. This one features a rendering of a generic Silver Sea vessel in a haunting background of the mysterious east at night, an allusion to the exotic ports the line visits as well as the star in the east. Perfect! The waves are actually silver but unfortunately that feature doesn’t scan well.

 

I wish SEASONS GREETINGS to all my cyberbuddies!

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CGTNORMANDIE

CGTNORMANDIE

Posted
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HI DONALD!!!! Welcome back!!! Sounds like you had a good b2b. The GALAXY sounds about right for you too. I miss the CENTURY...the way she was before the refit.

 

HI CONTE, Nice cards!!! I always loved the LEONARDO DAVINCI...great memories.

 

HOW ABOUT...SAGA FJORD??? Seems to me they should stick with a winner!!! SAGA OPAL...INDEED!!! LOL!!!

 

Ross

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dougnewmanatsea

dougnewmanatsea

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Does anyone else remember that the SAGAFJORD features in an episode of The Sopranos?

 

It's mentioned in passing that Tony Soprano gets a couple of tickets on the SAGAFJORD as payment for something or other. (He can't go, and tries to give them to restaurateur friend Artie, whose wife refuses to let him take them. The ship is identified as the "SS Saga Ford". The "SS" bit is a misnomer, of course, since she's a motor ship... And she's identified somewhere along the line as a "Norwegian steamship" (or perhaps "steamboat"), as well. I believe she was already SAGA ROSE by the time The Sopranos came around, anyway.

 

The DAWN PRINCESS is also mentioned - someone's wife books a cruise on her without his permission - as well as some of the old Italian liners of the past, when Uncle Junior reminisces about the bon voyage parties. Several '60s ships - I think MICHELANGELO and perhaps either RAFFAELLO or LEONARDO DA VINCI - are mentioned, but misidentified as coming from the '50s.

 

Nevertheless, I have always wondered if perhaps some Sopranos writer is a ship buff.

 

I don't know what made me think of that... Maybe the fact that Ross mentioned SAGAFJORD, and I just watched a Sopranos repeat (with no ship mentions).

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Conte Di Savoia

Conte Di Savoia

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There is sad news this morning that Frank O. Braynard, one of the world's most renowned ship experts, has passed away here on Long Island at the age of 91. He has written some of the most authoritative books on ocean liners including his three volume series Fifty Famous Liners which he coauthored with Bill Miller and of course, the six volume series on his favorite ship, Leviathan. He was also responsible for organizing the OP SAIL projects in New York Harbor. His New York Times obituary can be read here.

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Kapricorn

Kapricorn

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Frank O. Braynard contributed greatly with his books and organizations. I well remember Op Sail '76, which generated a lot of coverage in Canadian newspapers, especially the positive reactions of the Russian cadets on the Kruzenshtern to their experiences in New York.

 

Donald D'maniac.

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CGTNORMANDIE

CGTNORMANDIE

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SAD NEWS INDEED...Frank O. Braynard was a fixture in my life of ocean liner history. His authoritative history of the LEVIATHAN was without equal. He was always one of those "old salts" who was quoted in ocean liner documentaries etc. We did not hear much from Frank these last few years as his health had deteriorated but Frank Braynard will be greatly missed in the world of ocean liner history. He was one of a handful of truly great ocean liner historians. His legacy will live on with the Seaport Museum in New York City. Frank Baynard...we salute you.

 

Ross

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dougnewmanatsea

dougnewmanatsea

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I would like to add my condolences to all those who knew the great Frank O. Braynard.

 

Mr. Braynard was one of those legends that, unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to meet. By the time I began regularly attending 'ship events', his health was deteriorating and so we never did cross paths. This will always be one of my great regrets, as from reading his work and from talking to those who knew him, he was truly a giant. I think the term 'legend in his own time' must have been made for him, and he was always spoken about with tremendous reverence. He was a connection to another era that has now been lost - 'the last of his kind', many said - and I am sure he will be terribly missed by all who knew him. My heartfelt sympathies go out to all of you.

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Saga Ruby

Saga Ruby

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I send all best wishes to everyone for a safe and healthy holiday season and the upcoming new year. Conte's beautiful ship's cards are the perfect selections for our loverly thread.

 

It's been a surprising and wonderful year for me here at Cruise Critic. Having the support, advice, and input of everyone - yes, even you lurkers! - has been grand fun and quite informational.

 

On this thread alone, we have presented many possibilities for the name of a new Saga ship. Ah, to be the godmother of the newbuild!

 

Happy Holidays, Y'all!!

 

Ruby

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Saga Ruby

Saga Ruby

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Thanks, aplmac, beautiful ship beautifully shot. You have quite the photographic eye and a great camera.

 

Isn't Saga Rose the most magnificent small luxury ship you ever saw? And with her exquisite, unique itineraries and superb service, she offers the entire package for the discerning passenger. Now, if only Oceania had ships with that handsome exterior . . . .

 

Ruby

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Aplmac

Aplmac

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Thanks, aplmac, beautiful ship beautifully shot.

You have quite the photographic eye and a great camera.

Thanks for your kind words, all of you.

Glad to show you my pictures!

 

 

In case you're interested..

I maintain a small website devoted to Cruise Ships visiting Barbados at

http://www.angelfire.com/wizard2/cncisland/bigships/btown.html

of which the recent Saga Rose is just one webpage.

 

 

 

On the subject of 'great camera'

you'll be surprised to learn that all I use is..

a little Canon Powershot point-and-shoot model A 630 :eek:

but yes it helps to know what you're doing.

 

Also, and this one day only(I don't know why!)

I was using a tripod...for once!

mainly because I wasn't at my usual nearby camera position at the mouth of the harbour

and had to use an alternative position farther away

which necessitated much use of the telephoto setting

- thus the forced use of tripod if I wanted decently-sharp shots.

Apologies for the boring photographic details

 

 

 

Here are two additional shots I didn't use on the webpage.

 

_____________________________________________

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Kapricorn

Kapricorn

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It's tricky to take night-time photographs if there is no tripod. On my recent cruise on the Vision of the Seas, I saw that the Dawn Princess was getting ready to depart from Cabo San Lucas. I placed my camera on the railing and hoped for a good shot.

 

Donald D'maniac.

2108360161_x20071204DawnPrincess.jpg.31829be324b119471df8b4997baf9f84.jpg

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dougnewmanatsea

dougnewmanatsea

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On the 'great camera' issue... I know it is an innocent mistake, but when non-photographers say this, we photographers tend to get a bit insulted.

 

Someone once compared it to telling a writer, "that is a gorgeous painting; you must have some really nice brushes" ;) !

 

In truth it is a lot more difficult to take good photos with a poor camera. It is very easy to take poor photos with a good camera!

 

Donald's photo is very nice. He mentions tripods at night - but unfortunately, tripods are only good for subjects that don't move. Taking photos of ships sailing at night is very difficult as you have to get a fast enough shutter speed to stop the motion of the ship. Not easy. I have not had a lot of success at that even though I have a digital SLR that goes up to ISO 3200 and I can push to 6400 or higher if need be.

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Saga Ruby

Saga Ruby

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On the 'great camera' issue... I know it is an innocent mistake, but when non-photographers say this, we photographers tend to get a bit insulted.

 

Not wanting to offend our young Douglas, a whopping 21 years old, I will amend my original note to aplmac about "great camera" to "great camera(man)."

 

Again, thanks to all for the loverly photos - in these weary winter months, it's great to have a reminder from Barbados that there will be summer months ahead.

 

Ruby

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Aplmac

Aplmac

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Donald's photo is very nice.

He mentions tripods at night - but unfortunately, tripods are only good for subjects that don't move.

Taking photos of ships sailing at night is very difficult as you have to get a fast enough shutter speed to stop the motion of the ship. Not easy. I have not had a lot of success at that even though I have a digital SLR that goes up to ISO 3200 and I can push to 6400 or higher if need be.

About 2 wks. ago, I discovered there's a Night Shooting mode on the dial!

so that made life a little easier doing shots of departing ships in the gloom of dusk

and now just 2 days ago, I discovered a High ISO Auto function :eek:

so I'm still playing with this computer that happens to be also a camera.

 

There's also a Tungsten setting

that gets rid of the warmer colors of incandescent lighting...

oh this new cam is sooo cool! lots of toys to play with

 

Tripod helps, yes

even if the ship moves while the harbour bits stay put and come out pin sharp!

I'm having fun doing comparative wonders with a point-and-shoot

well after my film days with Nikon F's, Nikonos-underwater;)

and even a Hasselblad SWC at one time

so I'm no amateur virgin to photography!

Best way to take pics of ships "at night" (anything at night)

is to not wait until it's pitch black,

but rather try to catch it in the darker-twilight period

when there is still some fading light in the sky

(dark blue as opposed to pitch black)

- it still passes as 'a night shot', but often provides a background

dark enough but light enough for the ship's shape (or the bldg's shape)

to show up enough against the "night" sky and 'make sense' to the average viewer.

 

 

___________________________________________

here's one last shot of Saga Rose

that I don't think you've seen yet

and one of Queen Mary 2, taken just last week

as she left after sunset.

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