We got off the Ruby this past Monday, 1/29. Here are some observations about the ship and the cruise.
Our first Princess cruise was in 2006 about the Ruby’s sister ship, the Caribbean Princess so we were familiar with the general layout. Our most recent cruises have been on the Regal, Royal and Enchanted Princess. I liked the smaller size of the Ruby in many ways. I thought it was easier to move about the Ruby than the larger vessels. I loved the Promenade deck that went all the way around the vessel. This was great for walking!
It seemed like there were lots of smaller spaces for people to lounge. There were plenty of lounge chairs and I never saw any chair hogging activity, unlike on the bigger boats. I really enjoyed the “secret deck” above the bridge. This was a great spot to watch our canal transit from!
A special and unexpected highlight of the cruise was juggler Victor Rubilar. He was very funny and engaging. He always had a packed house in the Piazza. Do not miss his act if you get the chance. The house band, Pinnacle, was also excellent. They did reggae, R&B, country and jazz. Very talented players!
There were a few downsides to an older, smaller ship. She was a little shopworn, with some minor dings here and there, but overall she was in great shape. The buffet was a little small especially compared to the Royal class ships. As such, I felt like the choices were limited. Food was still good, just not as many options. The outdoor smoking section wasn’t nearly as nice as on the bigger ship either.
My biggest complaint was the lack of AC power outlets in the staterooms. With all the devices that people carry now and the charging needs these devices have there really needs to be more power outlets! I saw a lot of geezers like me who carried a CPAP on board and I had a heck of a time getting electricity for it. Our steward came up with a heavy extension cord but it was somewhat inconvenient having to run it across the floor. This is something Princess really needs to address.
My wife complained that the hair dryer was too weak.
The food was generally good. My only complaints were the size of the Yankee Pot Roast serving. It was ridiculously small. The worst thing was the liquid concoction that they were passing off as iced tea. It was the color of weak chocolate milk and tasted vile. Every other drink was fine but this was gawd-awful!
All, told it was a very nice cruise and I would recommend the Ruby and the Panama Canal itinerary!