Sulialto

Sadly at the moment he only way is to go directly (fast as possible) as soon as you’re on the ship.

Good to know - thanks!

Are you saying the Future Cruise people on board are their employees now? Might explain why, when we booked our next cruise on board, the guy we who “helped” us was clueless! We came armed with the blue printed sheets they have available & expected him to be like a travel agent, at least knowledgeable about what was available, cabin locations, etc. All he did was type into the computer to try & get answers. That company really needs to get their act together & train their people. We HAD to use them a few cruises ago, bc we had $1000. vouchers from Verizon- sadly they were also clueless & we couldn’t wait to get back to our regular agent. Oh well - I guess the routine is to just be prepared!

So totally up to you - will You use the hotel credits, etc that you’re paying for? And do you trust the fact that the 3rd party will be in business by the time you use all your investment? Not at all being contrary- just be sure you know what you’re buying😉

We were very happy to have travelled the aqua clara locks & read & watched a lot about the history. The partial transit was enough for us❤️

Hopefully someone who did the excursion will chime in - I will say it is very hot & very humid in Panama, another reason we stayed on board. We did hear some people really loved their tours, so it’s a hard choice.

Neglected to add - the total trip to the lake from the bridge was about 2 1/2 hours, so I guess each lock was around 20 minutes.

This was a partial transit from Ft Lauderdale via the Agua Clara (new) locks. We didn’t find it boring, but had also done some studying on the canal before we went. We chose to spend the day in the Sanctuary (reserve immediately 1st day), and could wander around to get a 360 view, rest on our loungers out of the sun & enjoy food & drinks. Many people got off and took excursions when we got to Lake Gatun - the only thing to be wary about is you’re at the liberty of the Canal Authority as to when you can get back to the ship. Many people end up waiting a couple hours before they can re-embark.

The Non-smoking section wasn’t bad at all - I did play the slots & have a sensitivity to smoke (mild asthma). As far as gaming tables go, the ones on the non smoking side are good.

I do recall they said, “Saphire is #1, but it’s hard to compete with a ship sailing in Antarctica!”🤣

Sadly, the closer you are to the Equator, the warmer it gets!😬 That said, choose your tours wisely ~ The Cartagena tour we did started nice & early going to the fort (a blessing) it does require a trek up a steep hill, (should you choose to go up). When we were in the Old Town we tended to be in & out of various buildings, so it really wasn’t all that bad. We also opted to omit going to an Emerald Museum (there are a few) and wandered down a street to a small pastry/coffee shop & enjoyed some local food. We then wandered to a nearby square where we enjoyed a cool drink and returned to meet up with the group. Yes it was hot, but not unbearable. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it all & if you’re on Ruby, it’ll be the best!

We were told by the Hotel General Manager in our “Meet & Mingle” that Ruby has gone from #13 in the Fleet to #2. I’m afraid I don’t know where one can find these ratings, but you might try to reach out to Princess.

It was a Princess Tour called “best of Cartagena” - everywhere else we just did on our own. We found the local people weren’t overly pushy if you just told them, “No thank you” and moved on. That said I wouldn’t go wandering off all by yourself. Many people really enjoyed the Rainforest in Costa Rica, a little pricy, but a really nice tour. Also, it’s VERY warm in Costa Rica, Columbia and Panama. Know that if you do a Panama tour out of Lake Gatun, you are at the mercy of the port in terms of when you’re able to get back on the ship - they say the excursions are good, but you can wait a few hours without anything to do before re-embarking.

Ir was $140.pp + grat’s ~ a lot, but, a lot of outstanding food and a lot of excellent wine. It was a special occasion for us, so we rationalised!

I’m sure -

Sorry the the site loaded some pics upside down🙃

$40.00 per day, $20.00 for half and no price break ~ a $20.00 additional for entire day of the Panama Canal crossing. Canal day was well worth it, panoramic views and no one standing in front of you - plus the amenities of The Sanctuary…… sign up AS SOON as you get on board.

Just finished the Jan 19 Panama Canal Sailing ~ Embarkation - Pretty flawless - We arrived early since we had to drive 1 1/2 hours across Alligator Alley and you never know what might hold you up! We were among the first to arrive and about 10:00am they opened the terminal doors and we were sorted into Green Lane or Blue Lane, both moved fast. By 10:35am we were on the ship! At 12:30noon we heard the announcement that our cabins were ready - we were having lunch, so as soon as we were done, went to the cabin & our luggage was there! Room & Steward - We had a Reserve Collection Mini Suite, everything appeared to be new, sofa, through pillows, bedding and carpet. We imagine this was pretty standard throughout the ship as she had been in dry dock a couple months ago. The bed was, as usual, one of the most comfy beds you’ll ever have. After a short bit our Room Steward knocked on our door to meet us. He asked if there was anything we needed - we requested some ice, a switch out of the red wine for white and a couple extra pillows, which he provided shortly thereafter. Bars & Lounges - Hard to say what our favorite was, but, Crooners & Wheelhouse had great service & entertainment, which we enjoyed nightly. We also really loved the treat of the Platinum & Elite lounge in Skywalkers - great snacks & service, plus the view is fabulous! A note about The Explorers Lounge - LOTS of fun Game Shows and Trivia, but arrive about 15 minutes early for a good seat, service was also very good and attentive. Dining - Horizon Court Buffet - Great selection for carnivores or vegetarians, also loved the tasty ethnic offerings. Always lots of fresh fruit, breads and snacks. The omelette station is great and they will deliver it to your table. International Cafe - our go-to place to get a delicious coffee and a quick breakfast. Great selection of pastries, yogurts & fruit, breakfast sandwiches, egg bites and a whole lot more. Slice Pizza - I really didn’t miss Alfredo’s on this ship since “Slice” Pizza really made a good pie. Salty Dog (on Deck) - often busy, we didn’t try it, but seems like good poolside food. Salty Dog Gastro Pub - also didn’t try, Burgers etc. are really not our thing, we had plenty of other options. MDR - The dinner menus changed daily and we always found something of interest. Food was well prepared and very generous portions…. An of course you can always ask for more (if you have the ability!) We dined in the Reserve Collection, which offers the same menu plus a special. We find having this perk is well worth it. We were recognized immediately as we entered the dining room and seated with our favorite waiters, David & Kevin. We were always able to dine at our own pace. Specialty Dining - Crown Grill, Surprised it wasn’t as busy as on our last sailing (Regal). Again there was a nice variety of classic steak house items, Chops, Steaks, Seafood and plentiful sides. My Rib Eye came our amazingly tender and my husbands Porter House was huge and fabulous. Our server, Glen, gracefully juggled several tables at once without anyone lacking in service. Sabatini’s - Well, I’d like to hope our experience was a one off. First the food was VERY good, perfectly prepared and plentiful. As for the service, we feel there was a staffing issue - service amounted to: Our waiter taking our order and quickly delivering each course without ANY follow up. We were in need of a few items and also would have ordered additional wine. After our main course we were finally offered a dessert menu by another server, who placed our order and delivered it. There were also many tables around us that were un-bused with stacks of dishes. Upon leaving we shared our concerns with both the Restaurant Manager and Asst. Maitre D. SUPER Specialty Dining - for lack of any other category! Upon boarding the ship I went to make a call to the dining line to book the Chef’s Table. After speaking with them, I was encouraged to not do the Chef’s Table due to my seafood allergies. She suggested I might enjoy “THE CAYMUS WINE PAIRING DINNER”, this was FANTASTIC! The absolute best meal we’ve ever had cruising! The dishes were outstanding and the level of service was beyond any we’ve ever had at sea. The price is not for the faint of heart, but worth every penny. The food plentiful and the wine pairings, delicious and yes, they refilled the wine as often as you liked. Save your pennies and be sure to book this! Spa, Pools & Sanctuary - Lotus Spa - This cruise we didn’t feel the need for a thermal spa (it was HOT) and we’ve done it many times before. I did use hair services and had a fabulous wash and below dry in the salon by Rhenan - I was very pleased. Pools- when the sea gods weren’t angry, pools were very popular, that said, we could always find an available lounger. The Sanctuary - Seems that this little gem still remains unknown to many! Not that it’s easy to get a spot, my husband ran there immediately upon boarding. We were fortunate and scored front row loungers for the entire cruise, including Canal Day. The service, as usual was terrific, led by Glen (same waiter we had in Crown Grill!) and the lighter menu offered was a relief! The Rest - Ship condition, Entertainment, Casino and Shore Excursions - The ship appearance on Ruby is pretty amazing for a ship of her age. Yes, some of the venues look a tad dated, but mostly classic. I believe many of the seating might have been replaced or reupholstered during dry dock because everything looked to be in excellent condition. Carpeting everywhere (cabins included) looked fresh. Entertainment was good - we mostly did the Game Shows and Trivia. We weren’t really interested in the Production Shows offered. While on Regal we were lucky enough to see “Born to Dance” and that may be hard to match. The Casino looks completely new from machines, gaming tables, carpet and seating. The new color scheme is bright and appealing. Shore Excursions, we went on a very good Princess tour of Cartagena that allowed a good amount of free time for us to explore. Our meeting place was easily found, the guide very knowledgeable & entertaining. We heard feedback from some passengers that their Canal Tours were greatly delayed in returning to the ship. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this and one of the reasons we didn’t do a tour from Lake Gatun. The Wrap up ~ Ruby is a beautiful ship with a wonderful crew and we had one of the best cruises ever! FIVE STARS!

Day 7, 8 & 9 add’l photos seem to be missing some menus- sorry! FYI food pics are Sabatinni’s and the 2 officers are the new Hotel General Manager, Shane, and Group & Event Coordinator, Simone. The Ice Carver/Fruit Carver is Chef Jeff, who maintains the Loyalty (Platinum & Elite, Suite)Lounge.

Day 7, 8, 9 Ruby oh gosh, I could never be a vlogger or blogger! We’ve had a terrific time & too busy to post! Here’s a quick recap! We’ve had some rough seas for the Caribbean! But all calm now - that said, it didn’t impede any of our enjoyment! Ruby looks great, and the crew is outstanding. Food has all been top notch! Posting the remaining menus I have. Pics from the Caymus Wine dinner & menu as well. Happy to answer anything I’m able beyond that.😉 Cheers!

Here you go - they have these at the Future Cruise Office on board -

Hard to say - there ARE indeed Princess Packages, being offered by a third party, but identify themselves as Princess- Not sure why they’re allowed to do that. In the future cruise area on our ship they actually have a brochure (albeit a photo copied sheet), with the packages on it. I’ll try and get one and take a pic. Being you’re in the UK, I just don’t know. The actual company in the US is called Open Network Exchange, they’re basically a travel agency.

2, the 1st & last sea day. Also tonight (Limon) is 80’s themed night.

Day 6 Panama Canal The Cruise Gods were good to us with an extra hour sleep before entering the canal! All proceeded smoothly with perfect (albeit HOT) weather. We chose to be in The Sanctuary, where they provided a continental breakfast & mimosas! Great panoramic views! That said there is abundant good viewing around the ship. For those on the “secret platform” there was a good amount of room and the afternoon return through the locks was pretty spacious. Sorry I forgot to take a pic of the menus! I had fajitas & Paul had Kingklip fish, unfamiliar but good.

Ruby Day 5 Cartegena, CO Beautiful morning & arrival - We took the Princess excursion “Best of Cartegena” a busy half day hitting all the Cartegena sights. Surprised that the locals were really not as pushy as we expected- they approach you, you say, no thank you & they go away! Don’t miss the beautiful green space at the port entrance/exit - local flora, fauna and wild animals in an open setting. Also a large, very nice (but more $ than in town) gift shop. PS dinner on board, delicious (albeit different) beef stroganoff 👍🏻