LIVE from the Ruby Princess - BARCELONA to VENICE, May 5th - May 17th

[sasysutler]

Thanks for all the updates. We will be on ruby in December.

smooth sailing

[mrspaper]

Pia

Should have followed the wedding party to the reception!

 

Can't believe no prizes. You're right, what would they save, $5. Sometimes they are foolish

 

Linda

[cruisingallover]

If not Capri consider Sorrento. Everything should be open as it is touristy.

[mississauga]

It seems that effective now, prizes will only be awarded on sea days and not on port days. We were told this is a corporate decision. Can you believe this chintziness? There are only two sea days on this itinerary. So what will they save; 5 bucks? YIKES!

 

Yikes is right! It may be that they are trying to discourage passengers from showing up and then they won't have to assign staff on the port days. Have seen this for other activities.

[caribill]

we found a flea market. Lots of street vendors. This is definitely not for tourists since they were selling linens and housewares as well as jewelry, purses and other stuff. My wonderful purchase was sunglasses which were priced at 10 euros and which I paid 6 US dollars.

Our favorite purchases there were a ball cap saying Italy for 4 Euro and a kadies ring of hearts for 6 euros.

 

It seems that effective now, prizes will only be awarded on sea days and not on port days. We were told this is a corporate decision.

 

Wonder if that also means no evening prizes on port days.

[DonahCBrown]

Yikes is right! It may be that they are trying to discourage passengers from showing up and then they won't have to assign staff on the port days. Have seen this for other activities.

 

That's silly - if they don't want to do the activity, they shouldn't schedule it! They don't do bingo on port days, after all. If they don't want to give stuff away on port days, then just don't schedule the activity at all - don't do dumb stuff like this - just makes them look cheap.

 

There has to be some cubicle somewhere far away from reality where they have some poor captive staff member locked away thinking this stuff up!

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

Maybe they could start charging entry fees then they can afford to pay for the piddly prizes they give out! They make huge amounts of money from bingo. This might be a new money making venture for them!!!!! :D;)

[cherylakers]

Pia thanks for always posting great "Live From"s

 

I do have a question since you are such an experienced cruiser.

 

We will be on the Star ending in Venice like you.

 

I have read so many ideas on how to get from ship to hotel post cruise.

 

1. Take a piece of luggage off the day you arrive (we overnight on ship) and then the rest off the following day and get cab to Piazza Roma and then vaparetto

 

2. There are 8 of us so suggestion is 2 water taxis

 

3. Store luggage in Piazza Roma and take only what you need to hotel via vaparetto. We plan on buying 3 day vaparetto pass.

 

Pia, which would do or have you done??

 

Does Princess have water taxis to take you to St. Marks on day of arrival??

 

Thanks Pia for any direction you can give me.

 

I look forward to reading your blog the rest of the cruise. Enjoy your trip.

 

Cheryl

[DonahCBrown]

Maybe they could start charging entry fees then they can afford to pay for the piddly prizes they give out! They make huge amounts of money from bingo. This might be a new money making venture for them!!!!! :D;)

 

Please don't give them ideas! That's like telling the children not to put beans in their ears!!:eek:

[caribill]

Does Princess have water taxis to take you to St. Marks on day of arrival??

 

 

If you arrive one day and disembark the next, Princess usually has available a vaporetto (a water bus, not a water taxi) from the dock to St. Mark's Square. Passes ($15?? per person) for its unlimited use in both directions for the two days will be available on board.

[caribill]

Nine; the movie everyone says is a bomb. I gave it 20 minutes before walking out. DH stayed 5 extra minutes.

 

Description of Nine from our cable operator: A vibrant musical that follows the life of world famous film director Guido Contini as he reaches a creative and personal crisis, while balancing numerous women.

So I guess you did not find the movie "vibrant."

[rdsqrl]

Thank you for the first-hand report on Nine. Having investigated it further, I see that it stars Nicole Kidman as "the Muse": the idea of Nicole Kidman being anybody's muse is so ridiculous to me that I simply wouldn't be able to take the movie seriously anyway.

Meanwhile, I'm gob-smacked by the lack of trivia prizes -- tacky, tacky, Princess. One random uncharitable thought: what will that tipping-with-prizes couple do, should this policy roll out fleet-wide??

[painfree]

Pia thanks for always posting great "Live From"s

 

I do have a question since you are such an experienced cruiser.

 

We will be on the Star ending in Venice like you.

 

I have read so many ideas on how to get from ship to hotel post cruise.

 

1. Take a piece of luggage off the day you arrive (we overnight on ship) and then the rest off the following day and get cab to Piazza Roma and then vaparetto

 

2. There are 8 of us so suggestion is 2 water taxis

 

3. Store luggage in Piazza Roma and take only what you need to hotel via vaparetto. We plan on buying 3 day vaparetto pass.

 

Pia, which would do or have you done??

 

Does Princess have water taxis to take you to St. Marks on day of arrival??

 

Thanks Pia for any direction you can give me.

 

I look forward to reading your blog the rest of the cruise. Enjoy your trip.

 

Cheryl

 

Cheryl...If you plan to stay in Venice post cruise...Princess will deliver your luggage for a nominal fee..They will collect disembarkation information a few days before the ship's arrival in Venice..After going through immigration, you will pick up your luggage and drop it off at a designated location..within the same building...Princess provides a transfer to St Mark's...We found the process went smoothly and our luggage was waiting for us when we checked into our hotel later that afternoon..Luggage delivery charge was $10..

Hope this is helpful and enjoy your cruise and the Ruby..She is a wonderful ship..

 

Carol

[caribill]

Cheryl...If you plan to stay in Venice post cruise...Princess will deliver your luggage for a nominal fee..

 

Is that for all hotels or just hotels that Princess books passengers at?

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

Please don't give them ideas! That's like telling the children not to put beans in their ears!!:eek:

 

LOL! In our family's case it was sultanas that GREW into grapes! YUK :eek:

[Kiwi Kruzer]

 

Good morning Pia,

Looks like the sun has come out for you.

Have a great day in Naples.

[Pia1913]

Sunday morning in Naples and the sun is shining. It also feels like I can wear shorts. Hallelujah! Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies - here and at home.

Our ship arrived in port about 6:30 and passengers started disembarking before 7. Tried to sleep in; made it until 7:10. While on the treadmill we saw Disney Magic arriving. Last time we saw it was in Barcelona 4 days ago. I would think they would also have been in our other ports, but we didn't see them.

Tonight's entertainment schedule is as follows: MUTS has "The Blind Side," Explorer's is featuring the regular Crooner's piano player Bruce Tilden, Fusion is doing "So you want to be a Rock Star" (you get to sing live with the band instead of karaoke) and the theater has, and I quote, "The mind blowing mental magic of Alan Charno." No comment except that my mind doesn't need magic. We did peek in at the piano player last night; stood at the rear of deck 7. She's an excellent pianist, but like last week's violinist, talks too much. And she has an annoyingly squeaky voice. I found my niche in the casino; $1.00 blackjack on the "choose your own game" slot machine. I like it and it treated me well.

Announcement this AM for limerick submission. Wish me luck.

C: Spent a week in Sorrento a few years ago, so it would be nothing new.

Bill, etc. Thanks for amswering Venice queries for which I wouldn't know the answers. As you know, we are continuing back to Barcelona so as not to deal with the Venice transport; in or out.

Time to get off and check out the port area.

[regnig]

Well good morning Pia. Still sailing with you and enjoying every minute. Good grief, this bit with no prizes for Trivia is just plain silly. :eek: Nobody every expected to walk away with anthing of much value but even a $2 bag tag made the event more fun. Maybe it's time for emails & letters to corporate.

 

Wishing you continued sunshine! Barb

[Anubi]

 

Meanwhile, I'm gob-smacked by the lack of trivia prizes -- tacky, tacky, Princess. One random uncharitable thought: what will that tipping-with-prizes couple do, should this policy roll out fleet-wide??

 

Will chaos ensue?? LOL :D

[Valentino]

I'm hoping that no-one boarding this ship and disembarking in the next few days is affected by the new ash cloud.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1275447/Now-ash-cloud-hits-scores-flights-Spain--Italy-next.html

[chamima]

Thank you for the first-hand report on Nine. Having investigated it further, I see that it stars Nicole Kidman as "the Muse": the idea of Nicole Kidman being anybody's muse is so ridiculous to me that I simply wouldn't be able to take the movie seriously anyway.

Meanwhile, I'm gob-smacked by the lack of trivia prizes -- tacky, tacky, Princess. One random uncharitable thought: what will that tipping-with-prizes couple do, should this policy roll out fleet-wide??

 

 

Just a thought - I have been told many times that something was "fleet wide" or a "corporate decision" only to find on the next cruise that it was no such thing! My guess is that this is a decision made by this CD for this ship.

I guess we'll all see. I have a friend going on a cruise this week on the west coast of the US. I'll ask her and report back.

[Colo Cruiser]

Just a thought - I have been told many times that something was "fleet wide" or a "corporate decision" only to find on the next cruise that it was no such thing! My guess is that this is a decision made by this CD for this ship.

I guess we'll all see. I have a friend going on a cruise this week on the west coast of the US. I'll ask her and report back.

 

Yes, we always know the disconnect between corporate and fleet. :(

[Colo Cruiser]

Pia, this is flying by so fast.

Have a great day in Naples.

[cherylakers]

Cheryl...If you plan to stay in Venice post cruise...Princess will deliver your luggage for a nominal fee..They will collect disembarkation information a few days before the ship's arrival in Venice..After going through immigration, you will pick up your luggage and drop it off at a designated location..within the same building...Princess provides a transfer to St Mark's...We found the process went smoothly and our luggage was waiting for us when we checked into our hotel later that afternoon..Luggage delivery charge was $10..

Hope this is helpful and enjoy your cruise and the Ruby..She is a wonderful ship..

 

Carol

 

Carol, this is wonderful news. Pia could you confirm they are doing this on your cruise? Is it $10 per piece? If so, even that wouldn't be bad. Then we could use the $15 transfer to St. Marks and be on our way.

 

Thanks Carol for responding.

 

Cheryl

[painfree]

Is that for all hotels or just hotels that Princess books passengers at?

 

I don't have that answer but feel a list of hotels is developed from the questionaire you fill out concerning your disembarkation plans...My experience in 2007..After filling out the questionaire indicating I would be staying in Venice post cruise and opted for the luggage transfer..cost $10..they provided transportation to St Mark's after our disembarkation..

 

For those cruisers who will be returning home immediately, Princess will have gathered that information from the disembarkation questionaire..flight times/airlines/do you need transportation etc..

 

I found the process ran smoothly for me and my friends..obviously, when your moving 3000+ passengers and who knows how many pieces of luggage, there can be some delays/interruptions..As a BIG PRINCESS FAN, I feel they have this process down to a science and we were able to disembark in a timely fashion and found our luggage waiting for us when we checked into our hotel..Good Luck..

 

Carol

 

PS...This service is available to all passengers...