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Saga Cruises
 
 
This page is devoted to postcards of Saga Cruises. An alphabetical list of ships shown on this page is shown below. The Table beneath gives links to complete postcard history pages on selected individual ships. Below the table are official postcards of the fleet in chronological order.
 
 
Ships on This Page:-
Saga Rose - ex-Sagafjord (1996- )
Saga Pearl - ex-Minerva (2003- )
Saga Ruby - ex-Vistafjord/Caronia (2005- )
Spirit of Adventure
 
Associated Pages:-
Cunard Line
Norwegian America
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Ferry Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
 
 
 
Table of Ship Histories

Name

Other names

 Built
 Saga Rose  Sagafjord,Gripsholm

 1965
 Saga Ruby  Vistafjord, Caronia

 1973
 Spirit of Adventure  Berlin, Princess Mahsuri, Orange Melody

 1980
 
 
 
 
 
 
Saga Fleet List
 
 
Saga Rose
(Saga Cruises: 1996- )
 
Saga Rose was built as the Sagafjord completed for Norwegian America Line in May 1965 by Soc. des Forges de la Méditerranée (La Seyne sur Mer). The builders lost so much money on her construction that they went into liquidation the following year. Sagafjord was 24002grt and carried 85 First and 704 Tourist passengers on Atlantic crossings, 462 in one class when cruising. She was powered by two 9cyl Sulzer diesels totalling 27000shp. In 1980, Sagafjord and Vistafjord passed to Norwegian American Cruises (NAC), 90% owned by NAL. In 1983, Trafalgar House acquired NAC, and the ships joined the Cunard fleet, Sagafjord retaining her name. In 1996 Sagafjord was chartered to Transocean Tours as the Gripsholm, followed in the same year by sale to Saga Cruises as the Saga Rose.
 
A complete postcard history of this ship is available on this link.
 
 
Official Saga postcard of Saga Rose (ex-Sagafjord) (Saga SHR015).
 
 
Official Saga postcard of Saga Rose (ex-Sagafjord) (Saga SHR015).
 
 
Official Saga postcard of Saga Rose (ex-Sagafjord).
Painting: Stephen Card.
Scan: Nigel Thornton.
 
 
Official Saga postcard of Saga Rose (ex-Sagafjord).
Painting: Stephen Card.
Scan: Nigel Thornton.
 
 
Official Saga postcard of Saga Rose (ex-Sagafjord).
Painting: Stephen Card.
 
 
Official Saga postcard of Sagafjord.
Painting: Stephen Card.
Scan: Nigel Thornton.
 
 
Official Saga postcard of Sagafjord.
Painting: Colin Verity
 
 
Chantry Classics release CC/S290 of Saga Rose.
Photo by Clive Harvey.
 
 
Various cruise ships in the Nord-Ostsee Kanal (Kiel Canal) including the Saga Rose.
The card was published by Bernd Broux for the centenary of the canal.
 
 
An enlarged view of the Saga Rose from the postcard above.
 
 
Saga Rose leaving Brest, past the Pointe du Petit Minou.
Photo: © Daniel Jégou, May 2006
Click to open larger image in a new window
 
 
 
 
 
Saga Pearl
(2003-2005)
 
Saga Pearl was built in 1996 as the Minerva of Swan Hellenic (part of P&O), using the partially completed hull of a Soviet-ordered research ship. She is owned by V-Ships, and was chartered to Swan Hellenic. She was replaced in 2003 by Minerva II in the Swan Hellenic fleet, and passed to Saga Cruises as the Saga Pearl. She will be shared with Abercrombie & Kent, operating as Exporer II in the winter, and Saga Pearl in the summer. Her Saga charter ended in 2005, and she was replaced with the Spirit of Adventure.
 
 
A Swan Hellenic official postcard of the Minerva.
 
 
Saga postcard of the Saga Pearl.
Scan: Nigel Thornton.
 
 
Official Saga postcard of Saga Pearl.
Painting: Stephen Card.
Scan: Nigel Thornton.
 
 
Official Saga postcard of Saga Pearl.
Scan: Nigel Thornton.
 
 
Photograph of Saga Pearl.
Photo: © Adolfo Litmanovich (Minerva II - Chief Engineer).
 
 
 
 
 
Saga Ruby (2005- )
 
In May 2003, Caronia (ex-Vistafjord) was reported sold to Saga Cruises, to rejoin her former fleet-mate Saga Rose, from 2005. Vistafjord was completed in April 1973 by Swan Hunter (Wallsend, River Tyne). Vistafjord was 24292grt and carried 830 passengers on Atlantic crossings, 550 when cruising. She was powered by two 9cyl Sulzer diesels totalling 24000shp. In 1980, Vistafjord and Sagafjord passed to Norwegian American Cruises (NAC), 90% owned by NAL. In 1983, Trafalgar House acquired NAC, and the ships joined the Cunard fleet, Vistafjord retaining her name. In 1999, Cunard renamed the Vistafjord as Caronia. By this time she carried 736 passengers and tonnage had increased to 24492 following additional cabins on the upper deck. She will be named Saga Ruby when she transfers (after suggestions that it would be Saga Star).
 
Complete postcard history of Vistafjord - Caronia - Saga Ruby
Photographs of Vistafjord & Caronia in Cunard service
Photographs as Saga Ruby
 
 
A Cunard Line official postcard of Caronia (ex-Vistafjord).
 
 
A painting by Stephen Card of Saga Ruby, as she will appear in Saga colours.
 
 
An enlarged image of the ship from the painting above by Stephen Card.
 
 
A very limited edition postcard (10 copies only) created by Phil Potter for the inaugural cruise of Saga Ruby.
The card has been signed by her captain, Philip Rentall.
 
 
A very limited edition postcard (10 copies only) created by Phil Potter for the inaugural cruise of Saga Ruby.
 
 
 
Saga Ruby at Dover, 7th May 2005.
Photo: © Ian Boyle.
 
 
Saga Ruby leaving Dover, 7th May 2005.
Photo: © Ian Boyle.
 
 
Saga Ruby leaving Dover, 7th May 2005.
Photo: © Ian Boyle.
 
Saga Ruby at Brest.
Photo: © Eric Jégou, 12th June 2006
Click to open larger image in a new window
 
 
 
 
 
Spirit of Adventure
 
Spirit of Adventure was originally the Berlin of Peter Deilmann. In 1979, Peter Deilmann ordered his first new cruise ship, the Berlin. She was owned by a consortium of German investors, and Deilmann only had a minority share. Whilst awaiting delivery, he also bought the Regina Maris. Berlin was chartered for far-eastern service as the Princess Mahsuri between 1982-1985. Berlin was lengthened by 20m in 1986. Her charter to Deilmann was terminated in 2004, and Berlin was laid up. Following a short charter to a Russian operator, she was sold to Saga Cruises to replace Saga Pearl. It was thought that she would be named Saga Opal, but she entered service as Spirit of Adventure.
 
Complete history of Spirit of Adventure
 
 
Official postcard of Spirit of Adventure.
Scan: Ivo Batricevic
Click to open larger image in a new window
 
 
 
 
 
 
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