Cruise RU462
on the Saga Ruby
to the Black Sea
| Date: |
Port: |
Flag: |
Tour escort: |
Comment: |
4
Oct
2011 |
South-
ampton
UK |
 |
- |
- |
6
Oct
2011 |
Vigo
Spain |
 |
- |
Sunny City |
10
Oct
2011 |
Valletta
Malta |
 |
Maritime &
Military
Vittoriosa |
Auberges &
Maritime
Museum |
12
Oct
2011 |
Piraeus
Greece |
 |
Gods of
Ancient
Greece |
Taxi back to
ship with
gastric 'flu! |
14
Oct
2011 |
Varna
Bulgaria |
 |
(Sights of
Varna &
Balchik) |
In
isolation
cabin! |
15
Oct
2011 |
Constanza
Roumania |
 |
(Bucharest) |
In
isolation
cabin! |
16
Oct
2011 |
Odessa
Ukraine |
 |
- |
In
isolation
cabin! |
| Date: |
Port: |
Flag: |
Tour escort: |
Comment: |
18
Oct
2011 |
Sevastopol
Ukraine |
|
- |
Wet morning
sunny afternoon |
19
Oct
2011 |
Yalta
Ukraine |
|
|
Cold morning
sunny afternoon |
21
Oct
2011 |
Istanbul
Turkey |
 |
Panoramic |
Old &
new city |
23
Oct
2011 |
Heraklion
Crete |
|
Panoramic |
Delightful
Aghios
Nikolaos! |
26
Oct
2011 |
Mahon
Menorca |
|
|
Glorious
afternoon
in town! |
28
Oct
2011 |
Gibraltar |
 |
Europa
Point &
Tapas |
Glorious
morning! |
29
Oct
2011 |
Lisbon
Portugal |
 |
Sintra
Town &
Palace |
Glorious
afternoon! |
1
Nov
2011 |
South-
ampton
England |
 |
- |
Glorious
morning! |
| Date: |
Port: |
Flag: |
Tour escort: |
Comment: |
Martin, Barry, Olive, Michael & Mike
Valletta, Malta
The temple of the winds in Athens, Greece
The old harbour at Ciutadella, Menorca
The Convent, Gibraltar
Bridge over the Tagus, Lisbon, Portugal
Funicular, Lisbon
Here is my cruise report
This was my first cruise as a Senior Dance Host in a team of four.
The first port of call was the lovely city of Vigo
which I explored further than I had on my previous visit.
The next stop was the marvellous city of Valletta on Malta.
I hadn't realised that the original city founded by the Hospitaller Knights of St. John
was actually Vittoriosa across the other side of the Grand Harbour.
My tour included the auberges or hostels of the various western nationalities represented in the order.
Afternoon tea in the Maritime Museum was certainly different.
The third destination was Piraeus, the port for Athens.
My tour involved queuing for two hours to climb the Acropolis
and standing in the hot sun precipitated gastric 'flu.
I was taxied back to the ship and put in an isolation cabin for four days.
When my temperature finally dropped I was allowed out again.
The good news is that I lost over eight pounds in weight!
In consequence I missed the first heat of the Strictly Come Dancing contest on board.
I danced the jive with Joy through to second place and the cha cha with Eve to fifth place in the final.
On Monday the 17th we were unable to berth at Yalta and a new programme had to be produced at short notice
so the Cruise Director asked me to give my lecture "The Story of the Mediterranean".
In the next two ports, Sevastopol and Yalta, the morning's were poor but the afternoon's were fine.
In Istanbul I escorted the panoramic tour in the morning and
went into the marvellous old city on the shuttle bus in the afternoon.
I also went on the panoramic tour from Heraklion on Crete.
This took us to the delightful fishing village of Aghios Nikolaos.
No tour in Mahon on Menorca enabled me to photograph all the city sights for a future port talk.
I escorted a tour to the Europa Point at the extreme southern end of Gibraltar.
We also visited the Spanish border at the extreme northern end of Gib.
The tour ended with two schooners of sherry and unlimited tapas at a marina side restaurant!
In Lisbon I went on the Sintra Town & Palace tour again.
Here he had a pastry with freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee.
On the last sea day I was able to give my "Story of the English Channel" lecture.
Good points were:
- Triple aspect, forward facing observation lounge with circular dance floor.
- Excellent programme of up to four lectures per sea day.
- Side facing outside twin cabin with picture window.
- Hosting 4 tables in the main dining room.
- Good sized rectangular dance floor.
- 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 - 09:40 Line dance class in the Ballroom.
12:30 - 13:00 Lunch in the Lido.
13:00 - 14:00 Siesta
14:15 - 15:15 Ballroom/Latin dance class in the Ballroom.
Usual evening programme:
06:30 - 07:15 Pre-dinner dancing in the Britannia Lounge.
07:15 - 08:45 Dinner in the main dining room.
08:45 - 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 ...
- Ship: Saga Ruby.
- Captain: Philip Rentell from Cornwall.
- Food: Excellent
- Tours: in six ports.
- Weather: Lovely throughout except one heavy rain shower in Sevastopol and cold winds in Yalta.
- Sailaways: Several.
- Tea dance: Two.
- Masonics: No.
- Dinner host: Yes, four different tables in the main dining room over the month.
- Line dancing: Every morning at sea led by the lovely Olive Bailey.
- Sequence dancing: Several evenings led by the lovely Olive Bailey.
- Ballroom dancing: Lots.
- Western night: Only a late night disco.
- Tropical night: No.
- British (Red, White & Blue) night: Yes, Last Night of the Proms.
- Singles party: Yes.
- Singles lunch: Yes, the passengers rotated after each course.
- Formal nights: Four.
- Cocktail parties: Two.
- Cruise Director: Tanya Whitehurst.
- Assistant Cruise Director: Mark Western.
- Host/ess: Carol Curling.
- Cabin mate & dance host: Mike Chaffey from Highcliffe.
- Dance instructress: the lovely Olive Bailey from Norfolk.
- Other dance hosts: Barry Fawcett from Teesside & Michael Brooks from Bournemouth.
- Lecturer(s): John Lucas (Destinations), Sam Hall (ITN), Dr. Ann Birchall (Archaeology), Barry Brown (Films), Jeff Chandler (Military) & Hugh Willing (Military).
- Comedian: David Copperfield.
- Magician: Philip Hitchcock.
- Musician(s): Iwona Boesche (Violinist), Piano a Deux, Divertimento Trio, Saga Ruby Orchestra, Starlight Trio & Paul West (Pianist).
- Singer(s): Emma Norman, Martyn Lucas, Peter Box & Jemma Thomas.
- Cabin: 440 - Outside twin (660 outside twin for 4 days in isolation).
- Dancers: Joy, Eve, Nancy, Anne, Joyce, Christine, Liz, Winnie, Deidre, Yvonne, Maureen, June & John.
- Passengers: Leonora, June (x2), Jean, Dorothy, Audrey, Primula, Christine, Julie, Ian, Nadia, Christina, William & Ted.
- Good, free wi-fi: The quayside in Valletta and Piraeus; McDonalds in Sevastopol; MCT Bank in Yalta, the main square in Istanbul & Aghios Nikolaos, Public Library in Mahon, Marina in Gibraltar, Economical Pension in Sintra.
