This morning we started our transit of the Sound of Mull, passing the Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, the most westerly lighthouse on the UK coastline. I informed the passengers that we were passing Tobermory, where the houses are quaint and painted in bright colours. This is where the childrens' programme, “Ballamory” is filmed. When we travel through, I had to make an all ships call, to let all the vessels in this narrow channel know, that a large cruise ship was proceeding south. Knowing the area as I do, I knew we would soon meet the morning Caledonian Macbrayne Ferry from Oban to the Outer Hebrides, and sure enough we did. Turns out the captain knows my father well, it's always nice to be known around the shipping world.

We cleared the southern extremities to the Sound of Mull, passing Duart Castle, and I decided to take the ship over to Oban Bay, just to give the passengers a look. For me doing things like this really are special, as I used to watch the ferries come and go as a boy sitting on the north pier, and here I am today, in command of a beautiful cruise liner. We passed the excursion vessel, Balmoral which usually sails around the Bristol Channel and spoke to the captain who I knew, so he sailed close by and we exchanged horn blowing!!. Then I set off south towards the Sound of Islay.

Today was all about reminiscing, and the highlight this morning was a fantastic quiz hosted by Cruise Director John, called ‘All Our Yesterdays’. Guests looked back with fond nostalgia and did their best to recall some tricky trivia from the 40's, 50’s and 60’s. There was the odd question on T.V theme tunes, famous movie stars and even important events of a by-gone era, and a fun hour was had by all as the crowd remembered the good old days.
Straight after the quiz those passengers who had served the King or the Queen were invited to a ‘Veterans Get Together’. Commemorating all those past and present who defended these wonderful isles, the pre-luncheon function was attended by members from all branches of the armed services. Later in the afternoon there was a chance to partake in our daily game of ‘Snowball Bingo’, the pot didn’t go off, but there’s always tomorrow.

About 1230, I decided to deviate from our route and go and have a look at the Corrievrechan Whirlpool, between the Island Of scarab and Jura and we sailed past the entrance. It wasn’t on full bore, but you could see the turbulence as it was getting started. I was going to go though but decided with the gale force conditions we were having and the possibility of 6-7 knots swirkling current against the wind, it would be lively, so decided against it - again its always handy to have local knowledge. I remember as a young boy, my parents took me camping on Jura and I remember hearing the roar of the whirlpool in full flow and saw it from the mountain so its not something to be taken klightly. I took the Quest through a few months ago when the conditions were right.

We sailed on to the Sound of Islay, and again a very narrow channel with not a lot of water under the keel. But again, I have been sailing this channel since I was a young boy so knew what to do. We had 5 knots of current against us but once through we set sail for the Giants causeway on Northern Ireland. At 1900, we sailed about 0.5 miles of the Bushmnill distillery and sailed along the coast to show the passengers the Giants Causway and continued on between Rathlin and Ballycastle and set course south overnight to the Isle of Man.

Nostalgia was reflected in the main show in the Britannia Lounge tonight as the cast took guests back to the great music of the 50’s and 60’s in ‘Happy Days’. It was a non-stop action packed hour of Rock and Roll music and dancing. Upstairs there was a completely different mood for those who wanted a more relaxing night; as the aptly named String Delights performed a beautiful soiree of classical music in the Drawing Room.

Well its day two on our trip ‘Around Britain’, and this morning there was a great buzz on board the ship. At 0500 this morning I was on the bridge as we sailed close around Duncansby Head Lighthouse into the pentland Firth. I had brought the times forward by a few hours as I saw that being spring tides, we would have had 12 knots of current against us going through the Firth. As this ship only does 17 knots at a push it would have been a slow arduous run.

So I decided to get a little ahead and go through on slack water. It wasn’t long before we were running towards Cape Wrath, passing by at 1000. Then we sailed across to the Butt of Lewis. Unfortunately mother nature had different ideas and swept up gale force winds and seas. However we sailed on, this being a very good sea ship. The day started for our guests with an opportunity to visit our Bridge, and willing participants received a 30 minute guided tour, as well as an opportunity to have a photograph at the helm.

Following that, the events in the morning kept coming at a frenetic pace. There was a chance to ‘Meet the Cast’ as the Explosive Singers and Dancers entertained all with a thrilling insight into the trials and tribulations of being an on board show team. Guests had just over an hour to ask all those questions that had always gone unanswered.

The afternoon’s highlight was a chance to learn all about some of our maritime history with Richard Woodman, the other Captain on the ship. His lecture focused on the “Lighthouses of the East Coast – Dover to Cape Wrath”. Or for something completely different, our wonderful Cruise Host Fernando held an arts and craft class, teaching the fine skill of Decoupage.

We arrived at St Kilda at 1730 and I had been given special permission from the National trust for Scotland to sail very close to Boreray and the stac Lee and St Kilda itself. The reason they were happy was because every year I command the Saga ship which the National Trust charter from Saga every year. And having done it for 5 years, I have managed to get passengers onto St Kilda, 5 times out of 7 visists which I am proud of. So I know the waters well and was able to cruise around close but at a safe distance. Sadly, the very low cloud and high winds didn’t help with visibility but as I said to the passengers, it really gives you a true flavour on how hard life must have been on the islands. From there we set course for my old haunts, Mull and Oban.

One of the jobs of being a cruise ship Captain, is to shake many passengers' hands at the social events, and having done it for the last 12 years, I must have shaken thousands of hands. So in order to safe guard my hand and not to inflict a workplace injury, I took a leaf out of my waving passengers book, and got a false hand!!!!!

In the evening Guests were spoilt for choice. Downstairs in the Britannia Lounge, guests could tickle their funny bones listening to our UK guest act, the hilarious Dave Kristian. Or as an alternative, in the Drawing Room, they could enjoy the sounds of Louise George and Sandie Griffiths in their delightful late night cabaret.

Once again Saga Sapphire made her way past the famous white cliffs to pull alongside the berth at Dover. The weather this morning was fine, if not a bit windy, and disembarkation process was a speedy affair with everyone getting away before 11am.

Today the ship had a special visit from a very talented young gentleman named Findley. Britain’s next big thing was a participant in the ‘Follow Your Dreams’ programme; a Charity that raises awareness and helps young people with learning disabilities to realise their full potential within sport, art, music and drama.

Findley sang the classic Beatles song Yesterday, accompanied by the Explosive Singers and Dancers. It was a marvellous performance, in front of a large contingent of the crew and well wishers, and a great day was had by all involved.

Following the excitement of the morning, the crew went back to their duties to prepare the ship for our embarking passengers. Once again we welcomed a new group of excited passengers with everybody enthusiastic about the coming cruise, the aptly titled ‘Around Britain’.

Saying goodbye to land for a week, with the ship full of hardy sailors, we set off up the eastern seaboard of the British Isles. As we started our circumnavigation, passengers had an opportunity to explore the ship with our fantastic Cruise Hosts, or enjoy a complimentary glass of Bucksfizz at our sail away with the Show Team.

Later on in the evening, guests were entertained by the amazing Martin Orbidans as he tinkled the ivories of the Steinway in the main lounge. This was followed by a dance night to rival anything held at the Blackpool Tower, as passengers tripped the light fantastic accompanied by the sensational sounds of the Sapphire Orchestra. Upstairs for those with simpler tastes, our resident duo Perfect Mood entertained all with some easy listening classics as we sailed past the wonderful southern coastline.

Well today was the first of our days at sea, and the ship was awash with excitement. We had sailed through the night around the East Anglian coastline following old waters I used to sail when on the supply vessels, sailing out of Great Yarmouth. We were required to sail between the many shoals found off this coastline and with strong tides so I was up on the bridge a few times where the searoom was reduced. But again it took me back to the 80s and 90s when I was sailing these waters, and was very pleasant. We were off the Humber estuary by 0700 in the morning and continued north towards Flamborough head. I was interested to see from the bridge a pair of large pink hands waving to the shore!!! Strange I thought then realised one of our passengers was waving to friends from a few miles out and they could see him quite clearly from the shore.He had bought a large pair of pink foam hands!!! To be honest with the colour of these hands you could have seen them from space!!

We continued north towards Whitby, but the wind started to increase unannounced to 40 knots. We passed a yacht sailing south being toosed about so I called them to see if they were okay and they were quite happy. But beyond I could see the Whitby Lifeboat escorting another yacht into harbour, so it was a challeniging time to be under sail that morning. Onboard, the morning started off with a ‘Welcome Aboard’ from your Cruise Director. John introduced to a large audience, some of the most important hospitality and entertainment staff working on the Sapphire.

On this cruise we are very lucky enough to be able to provide two fantastic lecturers for all to enjoy over the coming sea days. The first, Captain Richard Woodman, provided some fascinating insights into those pillars of light that dot our coastline in a “Historical Review of British Lighthouses” - an informative 45 minutes for those who were present.

The other Guest Speaker this cruise is military historian Michael Forrest. He entertained with a lecture on “Queen Victoria’s Finest And Most Excellent Soldiers”. Obviously this was very popular and Michael will continue to provide interesting talks on this topic over the coming days.

The highlight of the afternoon would have undoubtedly been the 'Classical Tea', featuring the talents of String Delights. An excited audience spent three quarters of an hour listening to the trio, whilst enjoying Food and Beverage’s delicious culinary creations.

We passed by the Farne islands at about 1630 and proceeded north towards Rattray Head, just north of Peterhead.

This evening I hosted the Welcome Party and I was able to dine at my table with guests whom I have sailed with on many occasions, and those that were onboard for the first time and were enjoying the ship.

After my meal, as usual I went to the bridge to ensure all was well and write my night orders before retiring to bed. We were just coming up to Rattray Head and again it was dark, and with the light flashing, it took me back again to my North Sea days. If in the winter you were out at the rig, way up north, and the weather was really bad, when heading in, you used to see the loom of Rattray Head's light over the horizon and it gave you this sense of relief as you knew you were near a safe harbour. So it was nice to see it in more pleasant times!!

This morning we arrived at Cobh, the port that gives access to the wonderful county of Cork. The weather was not too kind to us and we were experiencing storm force 10 winds. However I am getting increasingly impressed with the sea keeping qualities of the Sapphire and she handled the weather well. The pilot boat ploughed its way out to us, and the pilot was soon onboard and we were heading into the port with the wind up our “Chuff”.

Once inside this natural harbour, the shelter eased the wind and we made two tugs fast and manoeuvred into position. We were escorted in to the port this morning by the Kinsale Inshore Lifeboat, a rigid inflatable and the pilot told me it was out of courtesy to one of my passengers who was the Patron of the boat and had donated it to the station, so they were here to say hello.

The outlook in the morning was bleak, but as time went on it transformed into gloriously sunny day, and once again everybody on board made full use of the wonderful conditions.

The first tour to depart in the morning was a trip to Cork, with a stop off along the way at Blarney Castle. Here the thing to do was to head on up to the top of the castle, lie on one’s back, and kiss the famous stone, obviously this was a very popular tour. For a more relaxed day, there was the shore excursion, “Leisurely West Cork and Clonkakilty”, a tour to see some of the counties more rural delights.

Being the last port of call for the ill-fated Titanic, it was not surprising that there were a lot important historical monuments connected to devastating tragedy. Guests could be guided to the most interesting of these on the “Titanic Trail”. A local guide explained the role the town played in the disaster, showed passengers the White Star Lines local offices and told some moving stories of the town’s 79 victims.

The afternoon saw the ship sail out under bright sunny skies and lovely calm weather, a complete contrast to the morning. At 6.45pm we had a wonderful early evening soiree from our classical trio, aptly titled ‘British and Celtic Classics’. String Delights featured some of the greatest pieces of music to have ever been produced in the British Isles.

The main show in the Britannia Lounge tonight was an entertainment extravaganza. Reminiscent of the great shows from yesteryear, ‘Monday Night at the Palladium’ featured guest appearances from your Cruise Hosts Resty and Fernando, the Explosive Singers and Dancers, Martin Orbidans and your Assistant Cruise Director Ed. The variety spectacular, complete with our own revolving stage, was hosted by your affable Cruise Director John Parton. A great night was had by all as we made our way to the St Peter Port, Guernsey.

Well we caught the luck of the Irish today, as we arrived in Dublin to a glorious morning.Our run west had been blighted by some high winds caused by a low pressure system sweeping across southern England. However, this ship rides the waves well and our passengers notice this. I have to say, the ship I find is a better sea ship to the Rose and Ruby and I didn’t think I would ever say that!! The sun was shining and the city was buzzing with the excitement of the 'Tall Ships Parade'. We sailed up the River Liffy , past all the large superferries running back and forth to the UK, then altered course to starboard into the basin where our berth was. We were all fast just after 0700 this morning.The Tall Ships were due to sail around 1100 so it left plenty of time for our guests to see them before they cast off.

For those that wanted to get up close and personal with the historic vessels, our Cruise Director John and Social Hostess Carol led an exploration party to the dock where the majority were moored. The short walk took next to no time, and those who were brave enough, had a wonderful morning watching them drop the rope bridges as they made a beeline for their next port of call.

If you weren’t interested in going out to meet them, our Tall Ships lecturer Amanda gave a running commentary of the fleet as they ambled past the Sapphire. From the comfort of the Vernadah Deck, those who were interested were captivated by the informative narration. Afterwards we got the grill all fired up for a lunchtime barbecue. Full of flavour and infused with the smell of charcoal, the delicious food was enjoyed as we bade farewell to the last of the flotilla.

In the evening it was a chance to catch up with some old friends and make some new ones at the 'Britannia and Newcomers Cocktail Party', the second of the cruise. This led into another wonderful evening meal in the various restaurants on board. Tonight’s theme was a French inspired affair and passengers could devour some typical favourites such as escargot, Chateau Briand, and of course finish it off with a delicious Crème Brulee.

Well after the excitement of the day, it was a night of some quality British entertainment, as the on board show team performed a tribute to the Fab Four featuring all of the greatest melodies written by Liverpool’s most famous sons.

Upstairs in the Drawing Room there was a wonderful classical soiree and our Cruise Host Fernando, finished the night with his tribute to the great Johnny Mathis.

Our last port of call for this cruise was to the beautiful port of Stavanger. Famous for its typical Norwegian style of architecture, the clapboard buildings and cobbled streets created an enchanting old world feeling set amongst the hustle and bustle of a modern city.

It was a short walk into the centre of town, for those who felt the urge to go off and explore by themselves. The waterfront was dotted with cafes and bars, and plenty of souvenir shops to while away the hours ashore. Plenty of shopping was done by all, and I’m sure a number of wallets returned a tad lighter then when they set out.

Back on board the ship the morning was spent playing the nautical favourite shuffleboard. This was followed up by fun round or two of deck quoits hosted by our fabulous fitness host Emma. Later on in the afternoon there was a chance to test the grey matter with our daily quiz, and of course there was the opportunity to enjoy our fantastic afternoon tea, an event for which Saga is famous for, with our Social Hostess, Carol.

The evening saw the last of our formal nights for the cruise. Everybody was dressed up to the nines for a special 'Farewell Dinner' in the Pole to Pole, or for those after a more relaxed affair, there was the wonderful Verandah Restaurant, or East to West on deck 9.

In the main lounge tonight there was a perennial favourite of Saga passengers performing live on stage: the phenomenal Clare Langan. The talented Flutist dazzled the audience for just under an hour with an interested mix of classical favourites interspersed with popular masterpieces. Or for alternative, the male vocalists from our production team, Duncan McManus and Michael George wowed all with a cabaret in the Drawing Room that turned into a disco as the hours drifted away.

All in all it was another night of fun and frivolity on board the floating palace that is Saga Sapphire.

As morning rose, we had had a nice comfortable night alongside. Despite having wonderful food onboard,and the Chef would probably fillet me for ever saying this, but we have a bit of a ritual, if we have an evening in port, we get some junk food from ashore!! I remember this happening when I was on Saga Ruby on our America cruises, our cadets job was to go ashore in each port and come back with an array of “stodgy food”.

So we had Norwegian pizza bnice which was very pleasant I have to say. Alesund is not your typical Norwegian city as there are no wooden clapboard buildings around the water front. This is because of the great fire of 1904 which destroyed most of the central district. It was rebuilt using the most popular architectural fashion at the time, the art nouveau style. This is now the city’s biggest claim to fame and its major draw card.

Obviously the tour exploring the city’s architectural heritage was the most popular of today’s shore excursions. The ‘Art Nouveau City Walk’, which surveyed some of the surrounding areas greatest sights, was incredibly popular and very well received. For those not interested in the town’s architecture, there was a wonderful trip to islands of Giske and Godoy.

We were set to sail at 1400. As we were squeezed into the inside berth of this pier, with two great cruise liners on the outside, I had to squeeze the ship between a mooring buoy and the end of the quay, while trying to turn the ship out of the berth. So the pressure was on as I could see all eyes from the bridge on the other cruise line watch me and presumably willing me to make a mistake. Thankfully I don’t mind being watched and between the deck officers, the Bridge team and the pilot, we moved the ship away from the berth in very fresh conditions and it was a text book manoeuvre. Even passengers came to me later to say they could tell by the body language of the other ships' officers that they were amazed I got the ship out without touching anything.

I also heard from one of my Bridge Officers whose friends was on the other ship, that they were amazed we managed to get in this tight spot. So I felt quite proud of myself when my deck officer praised me. I always feel uncomfortable with praise,as this is my job and what I am paid for but it was actually quite pleasing to hear my officers say that about me.

Anyway we turned and headed out of Alesund, disembarked the pilot and we headed south to Stavanger. The weather en route was very pleasant indeed, much of a contrast to the weather I had last cruise.

Back on board the ship, passengers could enjoy our two fantastic afternoon lectures. The first was by destinations lecturer with a difference Jeff Roberts. I say with a difference because Jeff not only informs you on the history and the features of the places we are going to. He also informs you on some topical subjects about the ports which audiences find extremely interesting.

Afterwards there was a fascinating insight into domestic politics, with Lord Morris of Aberavon. A member of parliament for over 50 years, and a Secretary of State for Wales, just to name a few of his credits, the retired politician gave us an insight into the greatest parliamentary scandals of the ages.

Of course there was the customary evening show in the Britannia Lounge and an alternative cabaret in the Drawing Room. For those with a different interest, guests could spend the evening watching a film in our cinema. Tonight we screened the modern classic Warhorse, one of the most popular films of the last twelve months.

Wow, that is just one of the many words that sum up todays port. Saga Sapphire was fortunate enough to secure a superb anchorage in the UNESCO World Heritage listed fjord of Geiranger. It is arguably the loveliest fjord in the world, let alone in Norway, and was a favourite amongst most, if not all of the passengers.

This is a very narrow fjord and anchorage and very popular with 3 ships in the anchorage. As there is not enough room for all ships to anchor and swing freely on their anchor, for fear of touching each other, the port has addressed this. The ships anchor, then they run lines from the after end of the ship and tie up to a shore bollard so all ships stay in the same direction.Our anchor spot was indicated by a small boat with lazer guided position fixing.

As there are many underwater cables, it is not prudent to drop your anchor on these so we have to position the ship exactly over the anchorage position and drop it, then move astern, paying out the anchor. We then run our moorning lines ashore and then when fast both ends, equalise the distance. It takes some tiome to do but once finished our tours started to disembark.

Being that we were in such a wondrous spot, there was some exciting shore excursions on offer to all of our guests. For those with a head for heights there was a trip to the summit of Mount Dalsnibba. Or on a completely different note, you could visit Herdal Summerfarm and enjoy some locally produced goats Cceese.

In the afternoon, there was the evening tour ‘Overland to Alesund via the Troll Road’. It was a popular tour taking in many of the best aspects of the region. Guests had the chance to glimpse another aspect of the stunning Geiranger Fjord, the ‘Trolls Wall’ the highest vertical cliff in Europe, and a chance to enjoy a meal at local restaurant. After dinner passengers enjoyed a leisurely drive back along Romsdalsfjord, Norway’s ninth largest fjord.

Back on board the ship, for those not fortunate enough to be on the overland tour, there was the hard task of savouring the phenomenal sail away through the Geirangerfjord. All of the most important sights could be glimpsed from the ships many vantage points whilst enjoying a cup of tea, or coffee, and a delicious cake from the ample afternoon tea spread.

After all of the excitement of the day, there was still plenty going on about the ship. There was the aptly named ‘String Delights’, who provided all with a recital of some of America’s greatest composers. In the Drawing Room, there was a double bill of the vocalists. Firstly there was the sensual sound of Sandie Griffiths and her smoky jazz vocals, and following that the lovely Louise and her dulcet tones finished off what was a great night entertainment.

We arrived at Alesund alongside at 2100, on the new berth. And once all fast, all engines were shut down for the night and passengers enjoined a quiet evening of entertainment.

Like a few weeks ago, today we were blessed with good weather as we sailed into the rain capital of Europe; Bergen. I say we were blessed because the chances of it raining here are 3 out of 4, so to have two consecutive precipitation free visits is very rare indeed.

Heading off today on your own was a very easy affair as it was a short stroll from the ship to the centre of town, at most a 15 minute meander. From there the independent traveller could enjoy the vast number of bars and cafés, as well as the obligatory tourist shop.

For those wanting to go on tour there was plenty of options, from the panoramic to the cultural. There was the ‘Images of Grieg’ tour which took classical music fans to the home of the great Norwegian composer. There guests could wander around the extensive museum, enjoy a phenomenal piano recital, or just to saviour the views of the nearby lake.

There was of course something for the environmental enthusiasts, a hike up and down the beautiful Mount Floyen. Starting off at the ship, participants passed some of Bergen’s most famous sights arriving at the funicular to take a trip to the top. Once at the top the hike continued to the summit of Mount Floyen for some spectacular views.

Finally for a more relaxing day, passengers could have enjoyed the panoramic ‘City Tour’, this involved surveying all the highlights from the comfort of a well-appointed coach. There were plenty of chances for participants to stretch their legs with a number of photo stops, to capture some wonderful memories. The tour also involved a fantastic ride on the famous funicular to the top of one of Bergen’s seven peaks.

Back on the ship as we sailed for Geiranger, the night was spent attending another great cocktail party,a party to welcome and celebrate our loyalty club, the Brittannia Club and also a newcomers party where we had 498 passengers, new to Saga cruising.

After the party, everyone once again enjoying the sumptuous food on board, and watching some fantastic shows.

Waking up once again in Reykjavik, everybody on board had the opportunity to take advantage of a complimentary panoramic shore excursion. It was an extensive tour that took passengers the length and breadth of the Icelandic capital.

The first stop along the way was to the home of the President of Iceland. Situated on a wonderful grassy promontory, the traditional wooden house was alive with activity as local birds darted about in the breeze. The next notable stop was a visit to the Pearl, a vantage point and restaurant built on top of a series of thermal tanks. Here passengers could enjoy a 360 degree view of the city and peruse the gift shop for local handicrafts and delicacies.

The tour then made a brief visit to Reykjavik’s main cathedral. Built entirely of concrete it took 40 years to construct and was a favourite among all those on board the buses. The final stop along the way was to the house where Ronald Reagan met Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1986 Reykjavik summit, an important step in foreign relations between Russia and the United States.

All were back onboard by 1230 and we sailed shortly after into some rather blustery weather. But Saga Sapphire rides the waves well. Unfortunately fog patches persisted throughout which is quite common in this part of the world.

Back on the ship the afternoon was spent enjoying the variety of entertainment on board. The fog lifted enough for me to take an afternoon Sunday service, and joined by members of the cruise department and the fabulous sounds of the Filipino choir.

Since it was such an important night in recent British history, the Closing Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games was shown on the big screen in the Britannia Lounge. For those with a different taste, the Flanagan Trio played a delightful program upstairs in the Drawing Room.

Following that the male members of the entertainment department performed their group cabaret Boys Night Out. Duncan and Michael our show team singers were joined by Cruise Hosts Resty and Fernando in a fun filled forty five minutes.

This morning was quite different to the last two, as passengers woke to a day in port. As we were in the capital of Iceland, near to a lot of the countries ecological wonders, today was all about the tours and the amazing sights that our guests could go and see.

The first tour to head off today was “A Geothermal Experience”, that as the name suggests, took our intrepid explorers to see some of Iceland’s volcanic phenomena. Following that, guests had the opportunity to head to the open seas again and observe the magnificence of the planets largest species with a spot of whale watching.

A trip this far north couldn’t be complete without the opportunity for a “Glacier Adventure”, and this was our third tour to head off on a day packed with treats for environment enthusiast. The “Golden Circle” tour was the next to head on out, this tour was probably the most popular on the ship, as it took in the most famous natural wonders like the ‘Gulfoss Falls’ and Geyser of two.

The final tour to leave in the afternoon was the dispatch to the Blue Lagoon. Another of Reykjavik’s most popular sights, it was enjoyed by all including the crew, who were lucky enough to participant in a 'Crew Tour ' organised by the Officers and the Shore Excursions department of the ship.

I had been watching the weather forecast as the winds really have been quite exceptional this cruise. Tomorrow's call at Heimay was no different. The ground agents had told me that the weather was looking very poor for a landing tomorrow and looking at the local weather, they were right. Large swells rolling into the anchorage would have made tendering extremely dangerous so I took the decision to stay overnight in the comfort of Reykjavik.

With such a day of excitement, you would have thought it would have been a quiet night on board, but passengers were treated to local folkloric group “Sporid” on the main stage in the Britannia Lounge. Translated as ‘take a step’, the local performers dazzled all with Icelandic dance, dress and local customs.

Upstairs Explosive Productions vocalist Duncan McManus sung his heart in the Drawing Room, treating the audience to some West End showstoppers. Performing such favourites as ‘The Music of the Night’ and ‘This is the Moment’ a great night was had by all, as passengers headed to bed in preparation for of another day in Iceland’s biggest city Reykjavik.

Unfortunately mother nature seems to be against us again, as today we had to abort our call at Grundarfjordur. Everybody did their best to make the tender operations successful, but it was just too dangerous to guarantee the safety of the passengers and the crew, and safety is paramount. The wind and rain were driving at 50 knots again and with the ship swinging on the anchor and the tenders finding it difficult to manoeuvre even in the harbour, we had to call a halt. Even recovering the tenders was a struggle and my tender coxswains did a fantastic job in getting the boats back to the davits in the heavy swell.

So once again the hotel department and cruise department pulled out all the stops to make sure that everyone had a fantastic day.

Today it was all about the Olympics, as Saga Sapphire held its version of the London 2012 games, a competition involving three events. The first discipline Connect Four, was an event not typically associated with Olympics, but nevertheless it was just as fiercely contested as anything back home. It was a tense affair that lasted over hour and the eventual winner was well and truly exhausted from the mental exertion.

Our next event was the perennial favourite Carpet Bowls. It took the 12 competitors the distance, but no clear winner was apparent as we heading into the final event. To finish our tournament the finesse of soft hands was needed as our Olympians contested three rounds of Golf Putting. Our overall winner of the three events will be announced in a grand ceremony in a few nights at our version of the Closing Ceremony.

For those interested in more scholastic pursuits, the on board lecturers presented another fascinating program. Les Evans relayed the reasons behind the retirement of Concorde, in ‘The End of the Dream’. Military Historian, Jeff Chandler fascinated all with his talk on the ‘Dambusters’, and the lovely Eunice informed us on the forthcoming ports of Ringaskiddy and Falmouth.

For those fans of Johnny Mathis, our resident superstar Fernando dazzled all with his tribute to the man with the ‘Velvet Voice’, whilst downstairs Explosive Productions took us on a journey across the pond with showstoppers from Broadway.

Hopefully the weather will be with us as we make our way to the Icelandic capital and all of the ecological wonders for which Reykjavik is famous.

We berthed alongside at 2130 to have a nice comfortable night alongside.

This morning was quite hectic. We attempted to anchor in Isafjordur but from the very beginning the weather was against us. We arrived to find 40 knot gale force winds that peaked at 50 knots. After attempting two times to successfully drop the anchor, it was decided to abort our call and revert to a leisurely day sailing through the beautiful Icelandic fjords.

The morning was spent viewing the fantastic scenery. It was at times lush and green, with wonderful rolling hills and then at times austere and cold, with massive rocky outcrops. There was plethora of birds playing in the strong breezes for the bird watchers, and for the rest there was weak, but bright sun the perfect accompaniment to a relaxing mid-morning snooze.

Throughout the day there was a cavalcade of entertainment to sample, led mainly by our three on board lecturers. The first was Eunice De Vere Thorne, the lady in the know with the places we go. She gave us an insight into the remaining destinations on the Icelandic leg of the journey. Following that the other captain on the ship, Captain Les Evans, gave us the inside story on the ‘Tragedy in Paris’, the story on the Concorde disaster. Finally Jeff Chandler spoke about the most important battle of World War Two, ‘The Battle of the Atlantic’.

For those of the more active persuasion, there were a number of outdoor activities to participant in. Besides the customary games of Shuffleboard and Deck Quoits, there was a tournament or two of Table Top Football, and of course a round of two around St Andrews, our not so old course, for a game of Putt-Putt on the top deck.

To finish off the day there was two magnificent shows straight after dinner. Passengers could enjoy the sublime sounds of ‘The Flanagan Trio’, who performed an inspiring programme of Russian classics in the Drawing Room. As well as that in the Britannia Lounge there was the delightful Sally Jones, who performed a programme of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s greatest musical moments.

All in all it was a wonderful day considering the disappointment of the morning, and the ship’s crew made sure that everybody was looked after and entertained as we made our way to Grundarfjordur.

We had an interesting run from the port of Seydisfjordur to Akureryi. I was sitting down to my meal with my guests on the formal evening when I was informed by the ship's doctor that one of my crew had taken gravely ill and I was needed on the bridge. I went up and it was clear a helicopter was required as at the time it was a life and death situation. As we were on the NE corner of Iceland, basically in the middle of nowhere, the ship's team sprung into action. We called Reykjavic MRCC which is the coastguard station who dispatched a helicopter from Reykjavic to us, with an ETA of 2 ½ hours. So preparations were made to the aft end of deck 11 where we winch from.

Meanwhile I went down to the hospital to see our patient, a young chap who had basically been revived by the wonderful work of our Medical Team, Dr Dianne, Nurse Lyn and Myleen. I suggested Myleen the nurse went with the patient as a fellow countrywoman and she did not hesitate. So by 2330, the helicopter had whisked our patient and Myleen away, landed at Akureryi, and transferred them to a waiting ambulance plane to take them to Rekjavik. Annie our Chief Purser made all arrangements for hotels and hospitals with our agent, so it was a great team effort by all departments. We don’t normally write about medical evacuations but I was so impressed and in awe at the way the medical team brought this young chap back from death's door and now he is doing fine and due to fly home, warranted writing about our angels of the sea. I know they would say they are only doing their job but I am in awe at their professional abilities, so much so I would want to be treated by this group as they are superb!!

A fantastic effort also by the other officers and crew who provided fire team cover, and rescue boat cover while the operation of winching took place, and stretcher parties and all others, a great team effort which I am so proud to be part of.

So it had been a busy night but we sailed to the pilot station the next morning on time. The wind had increased to gale force conditions so berthing proved to be a bit of a struggle especially as there were no tugs available to assist, only the small pilot boat. So I had to use all my skills to get the ship alongside using mother nature as well. At times she helped us as the wind pushed us towards the quayside and then at the last minute blew us strongly away. So looking later at the route on the chart, we did a few pirouettes before berthing. But patience I was always taught is a virtue and we eventually got alongside, again another team effort.

We were all fast by 0830 and there was a chill in the air, a windy start but the rain was holding back much to our passengers delight! Our excursions were setting off early today and our guests waited patiently in the Britannia Lounge whilst our Assistant Cruise Director Ed organised them for the coaches. Many of our passengers were carrying back packs with them today as one of the excursions we offered was to the ‘Myvatn Nature Baths’. Myvatn is just south of the Arctic Circle where the land is a mixture of craters and cave formations, sulphur-streaked mountains and surreal lava. Our guests were able to relax in the mineral rich waters for more than an hour before returning back to the ship via the ‘Godafoss Waterfall’ a tremendous breath taking sight that really lived up to its expectations.

For those who had opted for ‘something different’ it was a jeep safari ride off the beaten track of Akureyri where they also visited some of the fabulous waterfalls and glaciers and seen some amazing sights exclusive only to those who braved the bumpy ride with our Social Hostess, Donna and Cruise Administrator, Carrie.

For those who did not book an excursion today, as always plenty was going on around Saga Sapphire. Resty had a fun packed day with games including deck quoits where the passengers enjoyed the beautiful views over the fjords from deck 12. Meanwhile our dancer Hayley tested our passenger’s brainpower with a general knowledge quiz in the drawing room and Michael our singer led a good nautical game of shuffleboard.

As our passengers began returning back to the ship looking somewhat refreshed from all the fresh air and mineral water, our waiters had prepared for them an impressive chocolate afternoon tea, a lovely end to a great day! Our chocolate fountain was Saga Sapphire’s interpretation of our very own waterfall accompanied by some delicious strawberries and other treats to dip in and enjoy with our afternoon tea, accompanied by our resident duo ‘Perfect Mood’ in the Britannia Lounge.

Shortly afterwards our guests made their way up to the Verandah deck at the aft end of the ship with our cruise staff to enjoy a ‘Bacardi Breezer’ as we took in the scenery and sailed from Akureyri en route to our next destination Isasjordur, around 169 nautical miles. We all kept our eyes peeled and binoculars at the ready for some sightings of the local marine life and some were lucky to spot some dolphins, whales and puffins on the way out!

A great day was had by all in Akureyri, the rain held off, we enjoyed some fantastic excursions and our passengers expressed their delight about the iconic waterfalls saying they were ‘amongst the best in the world’.

Today we called at Seydisfjordur, our first call of many in Iceland, and what a port indeed. Strandabakki was nestled between the towering mountains and the deep blue waters of the fjord, and all around the hills were covered with a carpet of green grass.

The port is situated on the east coast of Iceland and although a small harbour, is the principle ferry port, for the ferry running to the Faroes, Denmak and Iceland, a vital link, with the ferry, the “Norronna”.

As we approach, right in the middle of the fjord blocking our direct approach to the berth, is the wreck of a Tanker, SS “El Grillo” which translates in Spanish to “The Cricket!. This ship was operated by the Bowering Steamship Company of Liverpool and during one night in February 1944, the ship was at Anchor in Seydisfjord. She was an armed merchant man so really fair game to attack and the German ME”00 based in Norway, did just that and badly damaged the ship. It was decided to scuttle her to avoid any further attacks so she now lies in about 30 metres of water right in the middle of the fjord. So we negotiated around and slid into the fery terminal berth on a still beautiful morning.

Nature enthusiasts were spoilt for choice with the tours going off today. There was the spectacular Hengifoss Waterfall, or traipsing the stunning countryside in the Footsteps of the Elves. There was of course the option for the more adventurous of the Skalanes Reserve; a chance to see some spectacular Flora and fauna.

For those not going on tour, the small town was only a stone’s throw away, and although there weren’t many shops, there was plenty of walking trails to burn of all the wonderful food available on board.

On departure the wind had picked up and was pressing us onto the berth. As there were no tugs available and the wind was a little stronger than our propulsion could cope with, I had to resort to good old fashion seamanship, back to basics if you will. So the intention was to “spring” the ship off the berth. This meant letting go all the ropes except the bow spring which leads aft from the bow. I then put the outboard engine ahead, and turn the rudder hard to port, and the bow sets into thequayside and the stern piviots out. Many passengers would have seen me do this on various ships.

However today, there was a problem. The ferry terminal gantry gangway was in the way and I could not put my bow to overhang the quayside, so I had to slide the ship aft until clear and then do this. So this is what we did, and then when the appropriate angle was achieved, it was let go the ropes, half astern 2 engines and drive the ship aft and steer her around to face out. This was done with great help from my Chief Officer David Shaw, Staff Captain Matt Henderson, Safety officer Igor and 2nd Officer George fore and aft. I was given all information about speed at which we were turning, distances off the wreck of the Tanker, depth of water and distances from the shore line. This is what you call bridge team management and it was great to witness, a great team effort. Then we headed out.

We had another cocktail party to start off the evening. Tonight it was the turn of our Britannia Club members to join the senior officers and staff for some canapés and champagne in the main lounge, before heading downstairs for a French themed dinner. This of course is the specialty cuisine of our Head Chef Thierry Cherronet and his homeland.

In the Britannia Lounge, passengers got a second chance to be entertained by our guest act, Dave Chance and his blend of comedy and vocals. Those who weren’t downstairs were delighted by the beautiful voice of our Explosive Productions singer Sandie Griffiths as she performed some of her favourite blues and jazz standards in the Drawing Room.

After such a jam packed day full of adventure, passengers could head to the Verandah to sample the delights of the late night buffet, or maybe pick up a Horlicks or Ovaltine as they made their way to bed. For the night owls there was of course a fun sing-a-long in Coopers, or a relaxed nightcap whilst listening to the dulcet tones of our on board duo Perfect Mood in the Drawing Room.

After a leisurely evening and night at sea, this morning Saga Sapphire anchored off the capital and main port of the remote, yet beautiful Shetland Islands - Lerwick.

This is an old hant for me as it was in this port, back in 1997, when I was in command of an oil rig supply vessel, that I got a phone call from the then MD of Saga, asking would I like to join. Having just been out at the rig, in treacherous conditions, fighting to keep the ship a few feet off the legs of the platform structure, delivering vital supplies, and then sitting in Leriwck as winter approached, the vision of golden sands, sunshine, good food and me swanning around in my tropical uniform suddenly became very appealing!!. And 15 years later, I have never looked back.

But they say the world of the Merchant Navy is a small one. As the North Link ferry approached the harbour, I called it up just to exchange arrival manoeuvres with it, and a very distinct voice came back and it turned out to be one of the Captains I sailed with many moons ago on supply ships, A Captain Willy Mackay, so it was good to catch up briefly before we arrived.

We anchored very close to the town's main quayside so the tender run was short. Our tender operation ran smoothly with calm seas and by late morning we had seen all of our scheduled excursions off. Passengers had the choice of three fascinating tours to participate in; ‘Spectacular Northmavine’ which introduced the dramatic and rugged side of the island, heading to the northernmost point of mainland Shetland. ‘Scenic Shetland’ began with a short tour of Lerwick heading south passing through ancient settlements to Sumburgh Head, a cliff that is home to a colony of roughly 5000 birds, a perfect location for viewing puffins! The ‘Castles and Crafts’ excursion explored Shetland's 5000-year history, from the ancient town of Scalloway, its castle and museum to Shetland’s largest tree plantation and Shetland Jewellery where traditional jewellery is created to Celtic and Norse designs.

For those not on tours, the small town was pleasant to walk around, although most shops were closed due to our call being on a Sunday.

We sailed from Lerwick at 5.00pm and headed north for our first port of call in Iceland, Seydisfjordur. At 5.30pm Captain Les Evans gave an insightful and well attended early evening lecture ‘The Magic of Concorde’ in the Britannia Lounge.

Our ever popular production team ‘Explosive’ entertained guests in the Britannia Lounge after dinner with ‘Let’s Swing’ - a journey through the greatest hits both old and modern from legendary swing artists such as Frank Sinatra.

Those who weren’t downstairs were delighted by the fabulous voice of Social Hostess Donna Fraser as she performed a selection of her favourite songs in the Drawing Room.

As always passengers could head to The Verandah for a late night snack or a mug of Horlicks, whilst others could make their way to Cooper’s bar for a night cap as cocktail pianist Martin tinkled his ivories until late.

Today we called at the beautiful city of Bergen. The Sapphire was bathed in sunshine throughout the day and this is quite significant because the city of Bergen is known as the rain capital of Europe. It is famous for having on average about 270 days of rain per year, so today’s weather was amazing.

The first tour to depart this morning was the wonderful taste of Hardanger, a fantastic tour exploring the nearby Hardanger Fjord. Following that a number of our passengers made use of Bergen’s famous Funicular Railway on the Bergen City Highlights Tour.

For our independent passengers, the town itself was quite busy, and there was a great sense of Olympic spirit even though we were all of the way across the North Sea. This was very visible in the numerous bars and cafes along the waterfront, all of whom were televising the Olympics on their big screen T.Vs.

Back to the ship the evening started off with the first of many cocktail parties, the Captain’s Welcome Party. Once again it was a wonderful way to meet all of our new friends and catch up with old acquaintances. This of course led into another stunning formal dinner in the Pole to Pole, or a more casual affair upstairs in the Verandah.

Guests had the choice of two shows to view afterwards. In the Britannia lounge they could take in the comedy vocalist Sally Jones, who combines a stunning voice with a superb wit, to provide a highly entertaining 45 minutes. Or they could head upstairs to the Drawing Room to see our cruise host Resty Sacedor in his one man show.

To finish off the evening you could have enjoyed Martin playing to the wee small hours of the morning in the Drawing room, or the lively fun of Perfect Mood in Coopers. All in all it was a wonderful day aboard the Sapphire and we now head off to the Shetlands.