Cruise RU456
on the Saga Ruby
to the Faeroes
(Please scroll down to see my photographs and read my report)
| Date: |
Port: |
Flag: |
Escort: |
Comment: |
| 21/07/2011 |
Dover
UK |
 |
- |
- |
| 23/07/2011 |
Dublin
Ireland |
 |
Glendalough |
Mystical
monastery |
| 26/07/2011 |
Torshavn
Faeroes |
 |
Traditional
villages |
Glorious
day! |
| 27/07/2011 |
Klaksvik
Faeroes |
|
- |
Overcast |
| 28/07/2011 |
Kirkwall
Orkney |
 |
- |
Grey |
| 29/07/2011 |
Stornoway
Lewis |
|
Historic
Lewis |
Stark |
| 31/07/2011 |
Belfast
Northern
Ireland |
 |
Mount
Stewart |
Grand |
| 01/08/2011 |
Holyhead
North
Wales |
 |
Snowdon
mountain
railway |
With
Captain
Rentell! |
| 02/08/2011 |
Milford
Haven
Wales |
|
National
Botanic
Garden |
Beautiful |
| 04/08/2011 |
Dover
England |
 |
- |
Off by
8:30 |
Ian, Kathy, Michael & me
Saga Ruby
Here's my report on the cruise:
Just to let you know that I have just got back from a super cruise
to the Faeroes on the lovely Saga Ruby.
I drove over to Dover via Ashford to take advantage of the free car parking on the pier.
The first morning in Dublin I took the Luas tram to Heuston station
and then visited the Royal Hospital and Jail at Kilmainham.
The former was very impressive and now houses the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA).
It is younger than Chelsea Hospital but older than Greenwich.
Another monumental courtyard awaited me at the Michael Collins Barracks
now the National Museum of Decorative Arts and History.
Both these attractions offered free admission.
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle
Trinity College, Dublin
Ashtown Castle, Phoenix Park, Dublin
In the afternoon I was tour escort to the mystical monastery of Glendalough
in the pretty Wicklow mountains.
On the second morning in Dublin I took the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART)
train to Greystones via the Bray Head cormorant colony.
On the way back into the city I stopped off in Dun Laoghaire (Kingstown).
Malahide harbour, Co. Dublin
Cruising past the Inner Hebrides we saw Fingal's cave on the island of Staffa.
In Torshavn I was an escort on the Traditional villages tour in glorious weather and scenery.
The old town, Torshavn, Faeroes
However the next day was overcast in dreary Klaksvik.
The fort, Torshavn, Faeroes
I went into Kirkwall town on the Orkney islands in both the morning and afternoon
to marvel at St. Magnus's majestic cathedral.
Orkney cliffs
In Stornoway I did the town in the morning including seeing the two fat,
lazy seals begging for fish scraps in the harbour!
In the afternoon I was escort on the Historic Lewis tour.
The Callanish stone circle is second only to Stonehenge!
The Black House at Arnol was interesting if somewhat smokey with burning peat.
Cruising past the Inner Hebrides again we saw Tobermory and the Paps of Jura
but I slept through the transit of the Corryvreckan whirlpool!
I went into Belfast city to photograph the new Titanic building in the morning
and was then tour escort to the interesting Mount Stewart stately home and gardens.
Victoria Square, Belfast
The morning trip up Snowdon on the mountain railway was spectacular until
we entered cloud three quarters of the way up.
I shared a compartment with Captain Philip Rentell.
In the afternoon I went into Holyhead to see the Roman fort.
The high point of the cruise was the tour to the National Botanic Gardens of Wales.
The Norman Foster domed greenhouse was spectacular if somewhat hot!
Good points were:
- Triple aspect, forward facing observation lounge with circular dance floor.
- Rear facing outside twin cabin with two picture windows.
- Excellent programme of up to 4 lectures per sea day.
- Hosting 2 tables in the main dining room.
- Good sized rectangular dance floor.
- In bed by midnight every night!
- All round teak promenade deck.
- Free fruit and water in cabin.
- Triple height oval staircase.
- Efficient cabin steward.
- Free launderette.
Usual sea day programme:
09:00 - 09:45 Line dance class in the Ballroom.
12:00 - 12:30 Lunch in the Lido.
12:30 - 14:00 Siesta
14:15 - 15:00 Ballroom / Latin American dance class
in the Ballroom.
Usual evening programme:
06:30 - 07:15 Pre-dinner dancing in the Britannia Lounge.
07:15 - 09:00 Dinner in the main dining room.
09:00 - 09:30 Pre-show dancing in the Ballroom.
09:45 - 10:30 Showtime.
10:30 - 11:15 Post-show dancing in the Ballroom.
For the record ...
- Food: Excellent.
- Tours: In 6 out of 8 ports (see table above).
- Weather: Mixed.
- New ports: Four - Klaksvik, Stornoway, Holyhead and Milford Haven.
- Sail-aways: Few.
- Tea dance: One.
- Masonic meeting(s): No.
- Service clubs: No.
- Dinner host: Yes, two tables in the main dining room.
- Line dancing: Ian Hocking taught some beginner dances. Cowboy Charleston to 'Dixie' music every night!
- Sequence dancing: Some, Ian taught Rumba One.
- Ballroom dancing: Lots.
- Western night: No.
- Tropical night: No.
- British (Red, White & Blue) night: Yes.
- Singles party: Yes.
- Singles lunch: No.
- Formal nights: Three.
- Cocktail parties: Two, since we danced elsewhere on the final formal evening.
- Captain: Philip Rentell who sat in my compartment on the Snowdon mountain railway!
- Cruise Director: Tanya Whitehurst.
- Assistant Cruise Director: Mark Western.
- Host/ess: Kathy.
- Host: Fernando Perez & James Selman.
- Cabin mate: Michael Chaffey from Highcliff.
- Dance couple: The lovely Kathy & Ian Hocking from Rochdale.
- Other dance hosts: None.
- Lecturer(s): Graeme Payne (destinations), Professor David Parkin (birds),
David Saunders (natural history) and Peter Young (antiques).
- Musician(s): Iwona Boesche (violinist) & the Chandler trio (classical).
- Comedian(s): Gerry Graham.
- Magician: Sean Alexander.
- Singer(s): Emma Norman.
- Cabin: 285.
- Passenger(s): May, Wendy, Maria, Beryl, Jean (x2), Elizabeth, Marion, Grace & Ray.
- Dancer(s): Jean (x2), Angela, Jenny, Linda, Stella, Sandra, Valerie & Joyce.
- Photographs taken: 882!
- Good, free Wi-Fi:
- Cafe in the Royal Hospital, Dublin.
- Bars in Greystones & Dun Laoghaire.
- Library in Torshavn.
- Second hand shop in Klaksvik.
- Library in Kirkwall.
- Arts Centre in Stornoway.
- McDonalds in Belfast.
- Library in Holyhead.
- Cafe in the National Botanic Gardens of Wales!
