Live From The Ruby Princess Med-T/A 10-19-11

[Woobstr112G]

From Honey & Jack(Ruby 09 & tablemates)

We're on the Ruby T/A next October.

Say hello to Cindy & Ed for us.

Jack

 

Hello Jack. Very nice to hear from you. Hope all is well with you and Honey. As soon as I see Cyndi & Ed, I will pass along your regards. I still thing back to our dinner table from the 2009 cruise. Best tablemates ever.....:):):)

 

Take care

 

Bob

[sofiefleurie]

Thanks to everyone who responded for great info. Very helpful.

[Woobstr112G]

Greetings from the Ruby Princess docked at a very wet port of Venice. It's been raining on and off for the last several hours. Embarkation was brutal. It was very chaotic and unorganized. One of the contract dock reps told me it was due to the number of platinum, elite, and suite passengers onboard. Seems they ran out of #1 cards so they issued high numbered cards that were designated as priority numbers.This seemed to cause confusion as people with lower numbers were wondering what was going on.

 

They did something new when we got on the ship with the cruise cards. They were using hand held scanners with cameras to scan the cards and to take your pictures.

 

The Ruby is spotless. Beautiful ship. We are in a dolphin mini, the end one with the bigger balcony which will be great for sailaway tomorrow.

 

The ships officers/staff are as follows:

 

Captain: Tony Yeomans

Staff Captain: Gavin Pears

Chief Engineer: Andrew Carney

Hotel General Manager: Guenther Kopf

Cruise Director: Sam Hawker-Thomas

Senior Doctor: Willem Esterhuyse

Food & Bverage Director: Dan Hutchinson

Customer Services Director: Steve Ross

Staff Engineer: Vincenzo Alfi

Staff Electro-Technical Officer

Executive Housekeeper: David Heggie

Executive Chef: Joel Directo

Maitre d'Hotel: Generoso Mazzone

Environmental Officer: Marijo Slade

 

Today's entertainment is as follows. MUTS had a Pink concert at 1400 hrs, a Christina Aguilera concert at 1500 hrs, a Beyonce concert at 1600 hours, a Bon Jovi concert at 1800 hours, and a Lionel Ritchie concert at 21100 hours. Movies are Camerata Strumentale at 2015 & 2215 hrs. In the Piazza there's the acrobatics & comedy of 2 Trux at 2115 hours. Looks like the ship's band is called Temperature.

 

Not much on tap for the rest of the night. Haven't decided if we're going to dine in the MDR or just hang out.

 

Feel free to ask questions. I'll try and answer them all.....:):):)

 

Bob

[jenjens1023]

I should probably ask this in a week, but since it sounds like you've done this cruise before you may already know the answer. Can you see land from the ship on a large portion of the cruise? If so it would impact which side of the ship we want to be on.

[Woobstr112G]

I should probably ask this in a week, but since it sounds like you've done this cruise before you may already know the answer. Can you see land from the ship on a large portion of the cruise? If so it would impact which side of the ship we want to be on.

 

There are a number of sea days which negate choices of port v starboard. For sailaways from port, especially in Venice, I would choose port side everytime.....:):):)

 

Bob

[hmh60]

Is Generoso on for the transatlantic? Usually he doesn't do it. Could you ask him if he will be on the Ruby for the Thanksgiving cruise....Nov. 20? Also, is Godwin on board?

[Toto2Kansas]

Bob, I forgot to mention it to you before you left (sorry, my brain has been in the cruise packing mode this last several weeks).

Try and locate a waiter onboard, I will probably totally butcher his name here but I am going to spell it as it sounds. Yeckeslov-actually pronounced Veck-es-slov (he also goes by the name of MEDIC (as that is his real last name). His wife's name is Valentina, and although not onboard as she is home with their child, that might help you locate him. We had him as our waiter at the bistro most nights on the Royal and he was so much fun. He should be still onboard the Ruby, as the final night onboard the Royal, he had just gotten his new ship assignment for when the Royal left the fleet. He was to go home for a couple of months and then be transferred to the Ruby. If you happen to find him, ask him how his little daughter liked the braclet I gave him for her for her birthday, while we were in Papeete, please. You know my last name so you can remind him that way also. We got to know him very well (that is why I am so embarassed that I can't remember how to spell his first name right now).

[Woobstr112G]

Good afternoon from the Ruby Princess. We sail in about an hour. This sail away from Venice is going to be somewhat different then my last two as it is raining. It has been raining all day. I ran into the Captain last night and he told me it was going to probably rain all day today. Nice time to have an uncovered balcony. Oh well, guess I'll get some useage out of the ponchos I packed:D Sailaway pictures sure will be different.

 

Sue, I'll do my best to locate the waiter.....:):):)

 

Take Care All.....

 

Bob

[gargoyle999]

Embarkation was brutal. It was very chaotic and unorganized.

 

We just walked on at 5pm. Longest part was stopping to fill out the health form. :p

[gargoyle999]

This sail away from Venice is going to be somewhat different then my last two as it is raining.

 

They may be different because it will be after sunset if this wind doesn't die down!! :eek:

[boone2]

That was a freezing cold sailaway but warmed a little with an adult beverage. Bob - we are just above you and could see you with Wanda and Phil at sailaway, kept waving but you were too busy having a good time, will meet tomorrow. We too have never sailed in such cold weather in Venice, can't see the attraction of Alaska:D

Terry

[Woobstr112G]

Good Evening from the Ruby Princess. The rain finally stopped but we were delayed about two hours departing due to high winds. When we finally departed it was quite cold due to the winds. Put a very different perspective on the sail away and the pictures I took. All in all it was a great time. Had several roll call members in the cabin for a sail away pArty that was a great success. DW and I are going to head down to the shops to look around a bit before dinner. Right now the seas are quite rough making a bit of a bumpy ride.

 

Tonight n the Piazza there are music melodies from the ships musicians as well as aerobatics by trux 2. The movie is on MUTS is Super 8. In the princess theater is the welcome aboard show. Tomorrow is our meet and greet. It was moved from skywalkers to club fusion because of the number of roll call members that signed up.

 

Take Care All

 

Bob

[CruisinLow]

Good Evening from the Ruby Princess. The rain finally stopped but we were delayed about two hours departing due to high winds. When we finally departed it was quite cold due to the winds. Put a very different perspective on the sail away and the pictures I took. All in all it was a great time. Had several roll call members in the cabin for a sail away pArty that was a great success. DW and I are going to head down to the shops to look around a bit before dinner. Right now the seas are quite rough making a bit of a bumpy ride.

 

Tonight n the Piazza there are music melodies from the ships musicians as well as aerobatics by trux 2. The movie is on MUTS is Super 8. In the princess theater is the welcome aboard show. Tomorrow is our meet and greet. It was moved from skywalkers to club fusion because of the number of roll call members that signed up.

 

Take Care All

 

Bob

 

Too bad about the high winds and rain but any Sail-Away is better than being home. Enjoy your cruise and we all look forward to your observations and narrative about the cruise.

Thanks Bob

[san diego sue]

Bob

Several cruisers that were on transatlantic on Ruby in April 2010 with me are with you.

Please say hi to Lynda90 and D. Sawyer (Dorothy). from san diego sue (Gloria) at your M&G. Is Dorothy doing the M&G.? She did a terrific job on our cruise with a huge group.

Have fun. Love the Ruby. They have the best staff working there.

Gloria:D

[Woobstr112G]

Bob

Several cruisers that were on transatlantic on Ruby in April 2010 with me are with you.

Please say hi to Lynda90 and D. Sawyer (Dorothy). from san diego sue (Gloria) at your M&G. Is Dorothy doing the M&G.? She did a terrific job on our cruise with a huge group.

Have fun. Love the Ruby. They have the best staff working there.

Gloria:D

 

Gloria;

I'll definetely say hi to Lynda. Unfortunetely Dorthy & Jo had to cancel several months ago and they are not sailing with us.....:(

 

Bob

[hmh60]

Is Generoso on for the transatlantic? Usually he doesn't do it. Could you ask him if he will be on the Ruby for the Thanksgiving cruise....Nov. 20? Also, is Godwin on board?

 

I haven't seen a reply to this. Could you find out for me?

 

Thanks

[sgjanice]

I haven't seen a reply to this. Could you find out for me?

 

Thanks

This is an email I got for my Nov cruise.

 

With your cruise just around the corner, we wanted to help you become more familiar with Ruby Princess.

 

Please read below for a taste of the food and dining experiences you can look forward to – including restaurant options and menus.

 

Also, be sure to take a look at the videos about the special features you'll find on Ruby Princess, as well as new interactive deck plans.

 

We look forward to welcoming you onboard!

Hotel General Manager

Generoso Mazzone

Maitre'd

Click here to read more about Guenther Kopf

Click here to read more about Generoso Mazzone

[hmh60]

Thank you so much for your response. Generoso is the BEST.

[Woobstr112G]

Is Generoso on for the transatlantic? Usually he doesn't do it. Could you ask him if he will be on the Ruby for the Thanksgiving cruise....Nov. 20? Also, is Godwin on board?

 

Generoso is on board. Not sure about Godwin.

 

Bob

[CruiseKing]

Godwin is on board. Should be at the door on plaza deck 5 Michaelangelo.

[lovevacadays]

Bob, sounds like an "exciting" sail away. Enjoy your day tomorrow.

[Woobstr112G]

Good afternoon from the Ruby Princess. Woe are enjoying a leisurely day at sea before our first port stop in Naples tomorrow. We had our cruise critic meet & greet today in club fusion. It was a little chaotic at first as the time was changed at the last minute to an hour earlier. I was lucky as I was still in bed when another roll call member called me a mere 45 minutes before the new start time. The roll was very well attended and it was great to finally put faces to fellow roll call members I had been talking to online for the past 18 months. Thanks to roll call member Alice S for organizing the meet & greet. Much credit for the overall success of the roll call and for creating such a great environment to keep us all informed goes to to Ann (Sunviking). Without her expert keeping of the spreadsheet and website, we wouldn't have had the success we did.

 

Tonight is our first formal night. I just finished trying on my tux to make sure it fits. I really enjoy getting dressed up.

 

Today's entertainment is as follows. At 1200 there was a Beyonce concert on MUTS. At 1300 there was the movie Cars 2 also on MUTS. Trux 2 was doing aerobatics in the Piazza at 1300, 1445, and1630. Tonight's movies is The Conspirator at 1915 and 2215 on MUTS. Comedian Ritchie Minqervini is in the explorers lounge at 1815,2030, and 2230 hours. the production show On e Upon A Dream will be in the Princess Theater at 2030 and 2230 hours.

 

Take Care All

 

Bob

[CruiseKing]

Hi Bob,

Great to hear you had a good turn out at your M&G. Did you get a good showing from the staff? Enjoy the Ruby. Pass along our best to the RHRs and Greg, your Crooners Bar Tender :)

[LollyMoz]

So enjoying following along with you. It's making me very excited about my upcoming Ruby cruise in January. If you find any good "secret" spots or tips, be sure to share... :)

[Woobstr112G]

Good evening from the Ruby Princess. We sailed from Naples a short time ago. DW and I had a wonderful day on a private excursion I had arranged for 24 Roll call members. We went to Sorento, the Amalfi Coast, and Positano. The scenery was absolutely stunning. Our group had lunch at La Tagliata restaraunt in Positano. This was the highlight of our excursion. everything was great.

 

The Ruby Princess continues to shine. Everything is always clean. Every crew member has always had a smile on their face and always goes the extra mile to please the passengers.

 

We decided to skip the MDR tonight to rest up for tomorrow's excursion. The MDR, imho, has been very good. Food has been very good to excellent. Service has been good however it is a tad slow. The Horizon Court on the Ruby is good. A marked improvement over what I experienced on the Golden back in February.

 

This cruise is shaping up to be a great one. This itinerary is the best.

 

Take Care All.....:):):)

 

Bob