Saga Ruby Captain's blog

With a morning at sea to enjoy prior to our lunchtime arrival into Helsinki, our passengers could either join in our Sunday Service led by myself in the Ballroom, featuring the ever popular Filipino Choir, or listen to a lecture from our destinations speaker Steve Flowers on ‘Tallinn and Saaremaa – Medieval Europe.’

Following the church service I dashed up to the Bridge in order to welcome our two harbour pilots onboard as we guided Saga Ruby into the western harbour of Helsinki. Shortly after midday we were all fast and our gangway was down ready for our passengers to explore the cultural, commercial and political capital of Finland. This delightful Scandinavian capital has no high rise buildings and an intimate ‘small town’ feel, with spacious streets interspersed with gardens and parks. As the most northerly of European capitals founded by King Gustavus Vasa of Sweden, the city’s grand architecture reveals a mixture of Swedish, Russian and international influences and it is often called the ‘white city of the north’ as many of its buildings are made from a local light coloured granite.

A popular tour today was the ‘Sibelius Experience’ our guests enjoyed an introductory tour of the city where the excursion highlights included the lively Market Square, the Old Church, the Swedish Theatre, the impressive Parliament Building, the National Musuem designed by Eliel Saarinen and Finlandia Hall designed by Alvar Aalto.

Driving through Hesperia Park and Toololahti Bay they were able to see the Finnish National Opera House and  a glimpse of the Olympic Stadium. The tour then continued to Ainola, the home of Jean Sibelius, Finland’s master composer. His home near Lake Tuusula has been preserved as it was during the family’s lifetime and still contains the original furnishings. After a tour of the house, they rejoined the coach for a short drive to see the landscapes that inspired the great composer. In the old building belonging to Finland’s Musical Institution, where Sibelius’ wife Aino gave piano lessons, our guests enjoyed a 30 minute performance of some of his greatest works. After the concert they were driven back to Helsinki, passing the Sibelius monument before returning back onboard

After setting sail shortly before 6pm, tonight’s entertainment began with the familiar sounds of Dave Peterson at the piano in the South Cape Bar and prior to dinner some of our guests decided to join in teams of 4 for this evening’s general knowledge quiz hosted by fitness instructor Emma.

Following a sumptuous dinner our passengers had the opportunity to join the cruise department in the Britannia Lounge for a Sing-along! Lots of our guests were in fine voice and even some danced to songs such as ‘Roll out the barrel’ and ‘I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts’ all with musical accompaniment from cocktail pianist Dave Peterson.

The entertainment continued through to the Ballroom this evening with The Explosive Production Cast proudly presenting “West End Showstoppers” an early night then beckoned for many as tomorrow we reach the port that is always something of a highlight on a Baltic Cruise, St Petersburg in Russia.

Our transit of the Kiel Canal went remarkably smooth all things considered. We had received word from our agent prior to arrival at the locks at the western end of the canal advising one of the chambers was out of order and delays were to be expected. Indeed as our ‘lock pilot’ boarded he advised that 24 hours previously the delays had been in the region of 6-7 hours! It was therefore with some degree of satisfaction, and to be honest - surprise, that we were given a free passage straight in and no delay whatsoever. German efficiency was most definitely on our side!

With the canal transit complete we made our way into the Baltic Sea and towards our first port of call on this ‘New Baltic States’ cruise, Stockholm in Sweden.

Gracefully set on 14 islands and connected by 40 bridges, Stockholm is the Baltic’s largest seaport. Surrounded by clear waters and unspoilt countryside, it is one of the most beautiful capitals in the world. The city’s rich and fascinating history is reflected in the ornate architecture of its churches, castles, bridges and elegant open squares. The Old Town (Gamla Stan) is located on the island of Stadsholmen, and is characterised by narrow medieval streets. Here our guests could see the majestic exterior of the 18^th Century Royal Palace and Stockholm Cathedral.

The excursions on offer today included ‘City Hall and Vasa Museum’, ‘Stockholm Panoramic Tour’ and ‘Waterways of Stockholm’. The most popular proved to be the ‘Waterways of Stockholm’. Set on a string of islands and surrounded by the protective embrace of 24,000 outlying islands, water understandably plays an important part in city life, and one of the best ways to appreciate the splendour of Stockholm is by boat. With water accounting for one third of Stockholm’s total surface area and parks and woodland adding another third, this is a unique and attractive capital city.

The centre of Stockholm is strategically placed where freshwater Lake Malaren meets with Saltsjon (the Baltic). Lake Malaren serves as a reservoir for the city’s drinking water, while bathing and fishing here are popular diversions in the heart of the city, and sailing boats make full use of the larger channels. As our passengers glided along the many waterways, they could enjoy the city from a different perspective and sail past the national park of Djurgarden. This boat tour was the simplest and most enjoyable way to acquaint them with the ‘city that floats on water’.

All aboard today was set for 4.30pm and many guests joined the cruise staff out on the open decks, bathed in beautiful afternoon sunshine as we made our way back out through the stunning Stockholm archipelago.

The theme for this 'New Baltic States' cruise is ‘Opera’ and with that in mind at 6pm musicologist, Kim Colvill treated our guests to a classical music quiz in the Britannia Lounge.

At 8.45pm this evening we invited The Southbank Quartet to the Britannia Lounge for their first classical concert of the cruise as they presented “Mozart – Divertimento in D, Haydn – Quartet in C major, Op.50 No 2 and Elgar – Chanson de Matin”.

Tonight in the Ballroom following the classical concert we hosted 'Variety Showtime' with The Explosive Production Cast opening the show and then Assistant Cruise Director and Vocalist Kayleigh McMahon took to the stage with a selection of her favourite tunes. Finally our guests enjoyed a vibrant performance from multi -instrumentalist Anne Rayner.

Just before 8am this morning I guided Saga Ruby into the charming port of Bergen, our final port of call for this ‘Magic of the Fjords’ cruise. The weather as we swept majestically onto our berth was near perfect, clear blue skies, no wind and temperatures rising steadily-a touch unusual for a city that on average experiences 300+ days of rain a year!

Bergen is the gateway to the fjords and lies between the world’s longest fjord and one of the most beautiful – Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord. It is known round the world for its charm and atmosphere and you can ski throughout the year, even in summer! Founded as a fishing village in 1070 by King Olaf III, Bergen, with its perfectly sheltered harbour and access to the Atlantic, soon developed into a trading centre. By the 13^th Century it was the most important town in Norway and the royal capital, where five Kings were crowned before Oslo took precedence around 1350. Bergen has remained the most important part on the west coast of Norway, despite its repeated destruction by fire (most notably in 1702 and 1916); wider streets and buildings of brick and stone have been built in response to these disasters.

The tours on offer this morning included ‘A Taste of Hardanger’, ‘Bergen City Highlights’, ‘Bergen City Panoramic’ and ‘Images of Grieg’ this final excursion leaving in the afternoon was a very interesting tour that revealed the legacy of Bergen’s most famous son, the world renowned composer Edvard Grieg, who was born in the city in 1843.

The tour began by travelling into Bergen’s suburbs passing King Hakon’s Hall, the Rosenkrantz Tower, the colourful Bryggen’s area and the fish market. Our passengers continued on to the village of Paradis to visit Troldhaugen, which was Grieg’s home from 1885 until his death in 1907. Our guests enjoyed a guided tour of the beautifully furnished villa which has been preserved just as it was when the composer died with many of his possessions, including his Steinway piano, still in situ. They then attended an exclusive piano recital of Grieg’s music followed by some free time to explore the exhibition and garden , or to visit the tombs of  Edvard and his wife Nina that overlook pretty Nordas Lake, before heading back to the ship.

All of our passengers were on board by 4.30pm this afternoon to join our cruise staff out on the back deck and enjoy a cocktail or two with musical accompaniment from The Over Easy Duo, as we bid farewell to Bergen and Norway.

Tonight’s main 'Showtime' featured a performance from our Las Vegas tribute acts with their ‘Viva Las Vegas Show’. Our passengers enjoyed the chance to reminisce to the sounds of Dean Martin, Diana Ross and Elvis Presley. After the show couples took to the floor with music for dancing with the Saga Ruby Orchestra and our gentlemen hosts.

Many guests carried onto join Explosive Production cast vocalist Kerry Burnham in the preview for “Her favourite things” with music from Cole Porter to Julie Andrews a stunning vocal performance followed by the Over Easy duo until late as we sailed on home to Dover.

Having berthed safely alongside shortly before 11pm last night, many guests were up and about on the open decks nice and early in order to admire the stunning scenery that surrounds the small fjordland town of Skjolden.

Skjolden is located at the end of the renowned Sognefjord, Norway’s longest fjord, the traditional village of Skjolden enjoys an isolated setting at the foot of the Jotunheimen Mountains surrounded by glorious scenery. In bygone days Skjolden was an important connection for the inland farmers doing business with the merchants in Bergen, a little over 150 nautical miles away.

Best explored by joining an organised excursion, the region is characterised by dramatic rolling hills, verdant valleys, resplendent glacial lakes and crisp mountain air. During our stay in port our guests could choose to explore this wonderful landscape on an unforgettable helicopter flight or perhaps independently visit the town.

Three excursions were on offer today with guests choosing from ‘Scenic Sognefjell’, ‘Urnes Stave Church’ or ‘Sognefjord Flightseeing’. Many guests chose to take part in the ‘Urnes Stave Church’ excursion beginning with a drive along the picturesque Lustrafjord, the innermost section of the magnificent Sognefjord, before arriving at the Urnes Stave Church, the oldest of the 28 stave churches still in existence and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Built around 1130, the church exhibits the fine craftwork of the old Norsemen, with the wooden motif decorations of lions, dragons and serpents being of particular fascination. They were able to see the deer in the adjacent field or browse the farm shop selling locally produced jams and other produce. Refreshments were served here before they continued by ferry across the fjord to the idyllic village of Solvorn. They returned to Skjolden along the opposite side of the fjord.  

We cast off from Skjolden shortly after 7pm and commenced the journey back west through the Sognefjord and then south towards our final port of call this cruise Bergen.

The village of Flam lies in the heart of western Norway at the innermost part of Aurlandsfjord, a tributary of the Sognefjord. At almost 130 miles long, the Sognefjord is the longest and some say, the most beautiful of Norway’s fjords. Flam itself is surrounded by picturesque scenery of meadows, orchards and imposing mountains. Tourists come from all over the world to ride on the famous Flam Railway, which runs up to Mydral to connect with the main Oslo to Bergen line.

The railway is a masterpiece of engineering and offers one of the most scenic train journeys in Europe passing dramatic cascading waterfalls, steep hillsides and snow capped mountains. Over a distance of less than 13 miles, the train track climbs from sea level to approximately 2,850 feet, crossing back and forth across rivers and through 20 tunnels.

Tours departed throughout the morning with many passengers choosing excursions on the Flam Railway. Other tours included ‘Fjord Village and Osterbo Mountain’ and ‘Iconic Norway’. Iconic Norway was a comprehensive full day sightseeing tour beginning with a short walk along the pier to the railway station platform to board the train for a memorable journey on the Flam railway, passing through a narrow valley hemmed in by towering, snow capped mountains.

As our guests ascended, the train paused at Kjosfossen, and some stopped and took pictures of the tumbling waterfall. They then changed trains at Mydral and joined the Oslo to Bergen mainline into the village of Voss which is pleasantly situated beside Lake Vangsvatnet. Although heavily bombed during World War II, its old church which dates from 1277 remained standing. It has some rather unusual features, including an octagonal steeple dating from the 16^th century. After a buffet lunch in the restaurant of a local hotel our guests rejoined the coach and continued through Norway’s dramatic scenery, stopping at another beautiful waterfall, Tvindefossen, before heading down through Stalheim Canyon. After pausing in Stalheim, they headed off on the final part of the excursion, driving along a thrilling road that negotiates 13 hairpin bends in just one mile before returning to Flam.

The original plan had been to remain in Flam until 3am and then hot foot it around the fjord to our next port, Skjolden. However, I decided it made far more sense to heave anchor shortly before 7pm, thus allowing our guests an early evening cruise through the Sognefjord and a quiet night alongside in Skjolden.

Tonight’s 'Showtime' was a classical affair as we invited The Covent Garden Piano Consort to the Ballroom as they proudly presented 'Classical Favourites'. The evening continued with music for dancing from the Over Easy Duo and our gentlemen hosts attended for any ladies who wished to trip the light fantastic.

Some guests chose to end the evening with Dave Peterson in the South Cape Bar as he tinkled the ivories until late until the night or sampled some gourmet bites in the Lido Cafe

Tonight the preview stage lit up with our cheeky gentlemen from Explosive Productions. Dan & Andy performed their show entitled ‘The Boys are back in Town!’ singing a touch of soul and rock ‘n’ roll! Accompanied by The Saga Ruby Orchestra the boys had the ladies swooning at their renditions of classic hits from Elvis to the Blues Brothers with many staying up till late as we sailed the short distance to our next port of call Skjolden, Norway.