After almost ten years operating for Saga Cruises the 24,492gt/1973 built Saga Ruby retired from U.K service on 10th January, three days later than scheduled due to bad weather encountered on her homeward voyage from Portugal. The ship had previously operated as the Caronia and Vistafjord having been the last passenger liner built in England – at Swan Hunter, Tyne and Wear.

The ship operated for Norwegian America Line 1973-1983 and then for Cunard until 2004. Renaming to the Caronia took place in 1999. The ship’s Farewell Voyage sailed from Southampton on 7th December and was to have been a month long round trip to the Caribbean before returning home on 7th January. However, after diverting from the Azores to Santa Cruz de Tenerife due to a storm, one of her generators failed, which would have left the air-conditioning plant underpowered and the ship uncomfortably humid when sailing the Caribbean.

As repairs could not be completed without a new part being manufactured, Captain Krzysztof Majdzinski decided to cancel the entire Caribbean itinerary. The ship, and her 557 passengers, instead spent Christmas in the Mediterranean. Saga Shipping’s managing director flew to Tenerife to discuss the issue with the passengers and those who chose to fly home received a full refund. The Mediterranean climate was far kinder to the ship’s environment with faulty air conditioning and Christmas Eve was spent at Monte Carlo. A bonus was the ship’s subsequent participation in the spectacular New Year’s Eve celebrations at Funchal. Other ports of call included Almeria, Valletta, Messina, Naples, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Barcelona and Gibraltar.

The Saga Ruby has reportedly been sold to Chinese Investors and she will become a floating hotel in Singapore, assuming that this project fares better than that of the QE2 or the Veronica (formerly the Kungsholm/Sea Princess/Victoria/Mona Lisa). So, mid-afternoon on 10th January saw the proud ship sail from the U.K for the final time bound for Gibraltar where she will be handed over to her new owners. How long the “Rubes” survives now remains to be seen.