Ruby Princess November 11, 2012 Trip Report with Pictures

[cruzisme]

Wow,Nathaniel,that was an awesome and extremely informative review!

Loved it all, beginning from your per cruise info right up to your disembarkation info.

Your photos were very good--what kind of camera are you looking for now?

One ?: under your signature can you explain the sports banner (I get the Leafs part)

Doesn't look like a hockey season this year unless the 2 sides get serious right?

[caribill]

I have SO enjoyed your trip review--especially since we'll be on the same cruise in 45 days :)

 

Also, do you have to wait until you get on board to book the Crown Grill or can you do it before the cruise somehow?

 

Cannot do it in advance.

[iloverags2]

Excellent review! Thanks for sharing! I'm hoping to get on my first Princess cruise in 2013, and possibly on the Ruby so this review was fantastic to read!

 

Quick question...does Crown Grill offer any vegetarian options?

Edited December 30, 2012 by iloverags2
typo

[caribill]

Quick question...does Crown Grill offer any vegetarian options?

 

 

Menu is posted at http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/food_dining/specialty_restaurants/crown_grill/index.html

 

Working with the headwaiter there a day in advance, some items (such as the onion soup) which are not normally vegetarian can be prepared to be vegetarian for you.

Edited December 30, 2012 by caribill

[Texas Realtor]

Enjoyed the review. thank you for taking the time to post.

[ozgeordielass]

Cupcrazy.....

 

Thank you for the great review and pictures, you put a lot of time into making it an enjoyable and informative so it was a pleasure to read. Although we will not be on Ruby next month, we will be on the Dawn Princess.....Melbourne to New Zealand for our first cruise. I/we are looking forward to it more after reading your review.

 

Thank you

[Cupcrazy]

Thanks again for your review. I Just re-read it for the second time and enjoyed it just as much. I do have a couple of new questions for you:

 

1. You posted a couple of pictures of a ping pong table that seems tucked away somewhere: Do you recall where it might be?? The pingpong tables were located on Sun Deck (deck 16) aft port side.

2. Do you recall if there is an extra charge for the ice cream/ gellato and desserts behind the counter in the international cafe and if so how much? Is there also soft server ice cream somewhere that is free of charge? Soft serve ice cream is free and is located on Lido Deck (deck 15) midship port side. It's beside the pizza. They have chocolate, vanilla & swirl. If you buy the ultimate beverage card you can get milkshakes there. All desserts at the International Cafe are free. Gellato is $1.50 for 3 scoops. I didn't have any, but I hear its well worth it.

3. On Princess Cay do you recall if there are loungers in areas that can be moved under shade trees rather then purchasing a clam shell for shade? Yes. As we walked to the clam shells we passed a lot of trees where you could bring a lounger to. We only got a clam shell because my SIL didn't want her daughter exposed to the hot Caribbean sun for long periods of time.

4. The moves that play on MUTS, are they also available to watch in the staterooms? I don't remember fully, but I believe some of the movies on MUTS were available in the cabins later in the cruise

5. How late are the hot tubs open at night? I don't know what time they close. However; I have seen people in them later in the evening after dinner

 

Thanks for any info again... you are a wealth of knowledge!!!

 

Wow, I have totally missed all the comments on my review in the last week or so. I am sorry for this. Thanks to caribill for being on top of things for me. I have answered your questions above in RED to the the best of my abilities.

[Cupcrazy]

I have SO enjoyed your trip review--especially since we'll be on the same cruise in 45 days :)

 

Quick question for you (and you may have answered it in your report but I fear it would take me quite some time to go back and re-read it again to try to find my answer LOL)

 

We have never done a specialty restaurant and want to do Crown Grill this time. We've heard one of the best nights to do it is when they have Caribbean night in the main dining room since the food is just so-so that night. Do you happen to remember which night of the cruise that was? I went back and looked at your Patters thinking they may have mentioned it but I didn't see it.

 

Also, do you have to wait until you get on board to book the Crown Grill or can you do it before the cruise somehow? Thanks for all your help!!!

 

I am unaware of what Caribbean night in the dining room is. As I recall the only themed night on this cruise besides the formal nights was Italian night. I am sorry but I don't remember what night that was. I can narrow it down though. It wasn't Sunday night. Tuesday was Formal, Wednesday we went to Crown Grill (possibly Caribbean night??), Thursday was formal. It wasn't Saturday night. That leaves Monday, Wednesday or Friday to possibly be Caribbean night. Overall the food in the MDR wasn't the greatest I've had on a ship. Any of the nights besides the formal I would have skipped for the Crown Grill as it was amazing!

 

We booked the CG on embarkation day. I've read somewhere that you can't book ahead of time but I could be wrong. Your best bet if you can't book ahead of time is call when you get to your room on day 1.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Cruisin' Chick]

I have SO enjoyed your trip review--especially since we'll be on the same cruise in 45 days :)

 

Quick question for you (and you may have answered it in your report but I fear it would take me quite some time to go back and re-read it again to try to find my answer LOL)

 

We have never done a specialty restaurant and want to do Crown Grill this time. We've heard one of the best nights to do it is when they have Caribbean night in the main dining room since the food is just so-so that night. Do you happen to remember which night of the cruise that was? I went back and looked at your Patters thinking they may have mentioned it but I didn't see it.

 

Also, do you have to wait until you get on board to book the Crown Grill or can you do it before the cruise somehow? Thanks for all your help!!!

 

The Patters doesn't give info about what themes for dinner, just whether it's smart casual or formal dress. You can view each night's dinner menu outside any of the MDRs in the afternoon (after the lunch menu is taking out of the display case). But it's possible that the Grill may not be fully booked up if you're not picky about dining times. We just literally gotten off of the Golden yesterday, and one night the head waiter came to our table and told us we were being gifted with a complimentary dinner in Sabatinis and he said there were tables available the next night. We even had our choice of times. When we went, there were just three tables being used. Don't know if this is always the situation, though.

 

Hopefully my report on my amazing cruise can be just as entertaining as Cupcakes.

[Cupcrazy]

Wow,Nathaniel,that was an awesome and extremely informative review!

Loved it all, beginning from your per cruise info right up to your disembarkation info.

Your photos were very good--what kind of camera are you looking for now?

One ?: under your signature can you explain the sports banner (I get the Leafs part)

Doesn't look like a hockey season this year unless the 2 sides get serious right?

 

On this cruise I was using a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55. It has been very good to me for about 6 or 7 years. It takes great pictures during the day but not as good at night. On boxing day I bought a Canon PowerShot ELPH 320 HS. It's full HD and has a big touch screen. I just received it in the mail on Monday and am trying to figure out all the features too it. Maybe by my next cruise in October I'll figure it out, haha.

 

The sports banner is Stanley Cup championships by the Toronto Maple Leafs and their predecessors Toronto Arenas & Toronto St. Pats. The white ones are the times Canada has won the Gold medal in mens hockey at the winter Olympics. The light blue ones are the pennants & World Series titles won by the Toronto Blue Jays. I hope to add another one to that after the upcoming season. I just put $100 down in Vegas for the Jays to win.

[caribill]

one night the head waiter came to our table and told us we were being gifted with a complimentary dinner in Sabatinis.

 

Any idea why?

[cruzisme]

Thanks Nathaniel for the explanation! It was the Olympics ones that stumped me.

[shredie]

I must say, that baby girl is adorable!

[PathfinderEss]

Very nice review and great pictures, thanks for posting.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Any idea why?

 

It's complicated, but I'll tell the story in my review, which I hope to start posting tomorrow or so.

[gambee]

Thank you very much for the review. The design of that ship is really appealing to me, love the aft pool and the dolphin nose.

 

Do you mind if I ask you what software are using to add the arrows and text to your pictures?

 

Love your pictures from the lido deck.

 

We are considering Royal Princess for our first princess cruise.

[Cupcrazy]

Thank you very much for the review. The design of that ship is really appealing to me, love the aft pool and the dolphin nose.

 

Do you mind if I ask you what software are using to add the arrows and text to your pictures?

 

Love your pictures from the lido deck.

 

We are considering Royal Princess for our first princess cruise.

 

Gambee, I've read your reviews in the past and have really enjoyed them too.

Depending on what I need to do I'll use either Adobe Photoshop or Paintbrush for Mac.

[gambee]

Awesome thank you very much, I use photoshop for some things, but at times I want something lighter and simpler like paintbrush. It was just what I was looking for :), you learn something new every way ;).

 

 

I hope you have a blast on your oasis trip.

[perfect match]

Awesome review cupcrazy! We will be cruising on the Ruby in April. Not our first cruise, but our first on Princess. I learned so much from your review. I am making notes so I can remember all the things I want to do when it is our turn on the Ruby.

Thanks again for the great report and all the time you put into writing it.

[Cupcrazy]

Awesome review cupcrazy! We will be cruising on the Ruby in April. Not our first cruise, but our first on Princess. I learned so much from your review. I am making notes so I can remember all the things I want to do when it is our turn on the Ruby.

Thanks again for the great report and all the time you put into writing it.

 

Thank you! This is the reason I wrote the review. To let fellow cruisers know of all those little things. I'm sure you'll have a great trip.

 

Enjoy!

[takdak8]

Hey Voltdoc! my DH and I will be on the Ruby Feb 10th as well! We also were hoping for pics of the menu :(

Oh well, guess it will have to be a surprise!

See you on the 10th!

Debbie

[jbhermes]

We'll be sailing on the 10th too on the Ruby! What a great review! Caleigh is absolutely adorable. Did they let her go in the pools with swim diapers? We are travelling with our 2 year old granddaughter and I hope Princess doesn't have rules against non-potty trained little ones in the pools.

[Cupcrazy]

We'll be sailing on the 10th too on the Ruby! What a great review! Caleigh is absolutely adorable. Did they let her go in the pools with swim diapers? We are travelling with our 2 year old granddaughter and I hope Princess doesn't have rules against non-potty trained little ones in the pools.

 

She had swim diapers on and did go in the pool a couple times. She was ok and didn't have any accidents nor did anyone say anything. Princess' website says...

 

"Infants and young children in diapers and/or swim diapers, and children who are not toilet trained are NOT permitted in any of the pools or spas due to public health concerns. Our policy is strictly observed onboard and is intended for the public health safety of all passengers."

 

Apparently this isn't strictly enforced.

[Princeton79]

Loved your posts, thanks for taking the time.:D

[gelo7]

Excellent review.