Vistafjord Caronia Saga Ruby

With the Astoria in St Peter Port today,(originally the Stockholm on the North Atlantic Route), another of the regular visitors to Guernsey in past years is heading for the breakers' yard. When liners were not as frequent as today, the Vistafjord was at St Peter Port in the summer of 1979.

Renamed in 1999 as the Caronia she visited St Peter Port in Cunard colours during the first decade of the 2000's.

In 2005 she became the Saga Ruby, a much loved liner until she was retired in 2014. Her distictive shape could soon be no more, as now named the Oasia she is rumoured to be heading for the breakers yards.

A history lesson in this photo from August 2009, with Saga Ruby in the background, the Minerva leaving the anchorage and the Spirit of Adventure in between.

Saga Ruby, Balmoral

Still a Bank Holiday weekend and it's still sunny, the sun welcoming the Saga Ruby and the Balmoral to St Peter Port. Both were at the anchorages before 8.00 a.m and with markets in town today the guests should enjoy their short visit.

The Saga Ruby is in the twilight of her career as she will finish service in early 2014. After the QE2 sailed into retirement the Saga Ruby became a favorite of those that had enjoyed the Cunard liner, one of the last traditional looking liners she will be missed by many. Her Captains produce blogs of the cruises which give an alternative insight into the world of cruising, Saga Ruby Blog . She had her tenders already swinging out before she came to anchor taking full advantage of a short stop in the Island.

The Balmoral is the second Fred Oslen liner to visit in two days and is coming up on the anchorage marked by the Golden Spur, St Peter Port's Pilot boat. One of the advantages of this line from others is that they depart from a number of UK ports such as Glasgow, Bristol, Harwich etc