Live From the Ruby: 11/29/2014 B2B2B

[ccrain]

We're back, and actually on board. Have been for about an hour. One of the smoothest embarkations ever. Nice Princess personnel in the Elite Lounge, very uncrowded, smooth in-transit handling - onboard and in room by noon. Not bad.

 

So basically, this is short break to enjoy cruising and the ship. No laundry, no cleaning, cooking, washing dishes or anything for 3 nice weeks. We've been to all the ports, done all the excursions we want to do. The priorities are relax, dance, drink, eat, sleep and repeat, with a little shopping thrown in. Mexican vanilla and a hat for Ally (our granddaughter)are on the list as must buys. The other kids are getting t-shirts, hats and other souvenirs.

 

So I plan to give everyone a look at just relaxing on the ship, the shows, the food, the staff, the service.

 

So Off We Go!

[paul929207]

Thanks for doing the live.

 

Have a wonderful cruise

[bhopal21]

Be sure and catch Joy and Orest at Crooner's bar. They are very good.

 

As well as Godwin and Froderick at the Crown Grill.

 

Mike:)

[ccrain]

Highlights From the First Patter

 

Three production shows: Colors of the World (we love this show last year, but it did not have the LED screens, so we will have to see if that changes the show significantly); Once upon a Dream, another LED heavy show we will have to see again at least once; Broadway Ballroom, which we will see again just because it will be a different cast and we like so see the differences between casts.

 

Some other stuff -

 

Comedian Phil Tag, Hypnotist Fernandez, Novelty (? – whatever that is) is Danny D Oscar, Almost Elton John, Marriage Match Game, Yes/No, Liars Club, Dixie Land Concert, Tommy McPhee in concert, Rock and Roll night, 70’s night, Country Western Night, Princess Pop Star, Karaoke, Jeopardized Trivia.

 

The MUTS list is not in the patter, but tonight is Non Stop. Atomic is the party band. Pastime Duo is in the wheelhouse. Tommy McPhee is in Crooner’s. Happy Hour at 2300 in Skywalkers – BOGO.

 

JJ Ulrich is the cruise director. We haven’t seen any other staff – keeping our fingers crossed we know one or two…

 

Just made reservations for the crab shack. Really enjoyed it on the Grand in March. Can’t wait to get back. I have to go to Vines and find the wine that Judy enjoys so well. Its vatted in stainless steel, so it does not have the barrel flavor. I kinda like it.

 

If you have any questions, let me know and I'll try and find the answer...

[Bimmer09]

Thanks for taking the time to "bring us onboard" with you. I'll be on the Ruby in late January.

 

A "Relax to the Max" cruise sounds like just the ticket.

 

Have a great time on that great ship!

 

Norris

[pompeii]

We loved the show Once upon a Dream when we saw it earlier this month. We thought it was very inventive and a nice change from the usual production shows.

[ccrain]

...more information

 

Ahh, that feels better. Pizza, burger, Long Island Ice Tea and a most traveled party luncheon invite. YAY!!!!

 

Elite lounge is in Skywalkers with the drink of the day at $5. Tonight is chips, guac and salsa with the El Mejor margarita. Then we have, in sequence:

Chairman of the Board and smoked salmon

Rob Roy and Steak Tartare

Cosmo and shimp fountain

Closed at St Thomas for CC party

Japanese Slipper and Assorted sushi

Brezza Marina with Herb Marinated Goat Cheese

 

 

First Leg Itinerary - This is an Eastern Med 7 Day Itin with Princess Cays (tender port 0900 to 1515), At Sea, St. Maarten (1000 to 17:30), St. Thomas (0700 to 1530), Grand Turk (1300 to 1830), At Sea, and FLL.

 

Formal nights are the first At Sea night and St Thomas.

 

Interesting stuff from the Patter:

 

Apparently you can post to facebook’s check in feature while on board. I’ll have to try that out to see the details. You can access your account on you laptop, ipad or any mobile device free of charge. The all inclusive beverage package is $49 per day + 15%, the thermal suite is $129 per person. The sanctuary is $40 per day, $20 for half day, no price for the entire week.

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

Enjoy your time on the Ruby, thanks for posting,

 

if you see the hotel general manager say hello from Shogun

 

yours Shogun

[bhopal21]

Much better that your PSE lounge is in Skywalkers. Last month it was held in Club Fusion due to the number of P&E's onboard.

 

Mike:)

[Bettyboop66]

I'm looking forward to reading your posts. My DH and I are doing a B2B starting on 12/6. Have a great cruise!!

[Whimsy]

Oh my! This is going to make my week! I join you next Saturday!

 

Can you tell me if the Crab Shack is in the daytime or night time and what days or nights next week? Will they let you know since you are on board?

[Whimsy]

Also, can you tell me who is in charge at passenger services?

[lovevacadays]

Thank you for posting your live from thread. I always enjoy reading yours.

[Shogun]

Hi Whimsy

 

Hotel General Manager Three Stripe

 

Then Customer Services Director Two Stripe

 

No passenger services anymore

 

Yours Shogun

 

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Forums mobile app

[halpinsg]

On my way home from the Ruby right now (driving back to Ohio) I hope you enjoy the Ruby as much as we did. We really liked JJ's staff.

 

This was our first Princess Cruise so I'm looking forward to comparing notes.

[san diego sue]

Charles, What was the cutoff days for Most traveled. We board next Saturday for our 14 day cruise on Ruby.

:D

[ccrain]

Oh my! This is going to make my week! I join you next Saturday!

 

Can you tell me if the Crab Shack is in the daytime or night time and what days or nights next week? Will they let you know since you are on board?

 

1830 to 2130 in Café Caribe for two nights on this cruise.

[ccrain]

Also, can you tell me who is in charge at passenger services?

 

The Customer Services Director is Paolo Rellini. They used to list the PSD on the embarkation patter. wonder if they changed the title....

[ccrain]

Thank you for posting your live from thread. I always enjoy reading yours.

 

Its become a ritual and a hobby to sit in the IC, drink coffee and post away. Can't wait for next year when I'll have something really interesting to post on!

[ccrain]

Charles, What was the cutoff days for Most traveled. We board next Saturday for our 14 day cruise on Ruby.

:D

 

Forgot to ask.

[ccrain]

On my way home from the Ruby right now (driving back to Ohio) I hope you enjoy the Ruby as much as we did. We really liked JJ's staff.

 

This was our first Princess Cruise so I'm looking forward to comparing notes.

 

...is very important to us. We like to interact with them all and these look like a lot of fun...

[ccrain]

Hi There,

 

Enjoy your time on the Ruby, thanks for posting,

 

if you see the hotel general manager say hello from Shogun

 

yours Shogun

 

We have sailed with Guenther before as well...

[ccrain]

Last night was a great start to the cruise. It turns out Atomic is the same band we had on the Ruby last year in the Med. Haley and Pete, the owners, are here, but Rob, their lead male singer, had personal issues, so they are breaking in a new lead singer. They just boarded yesterday with us, and it was good to see a familiar face.

 

Speaking of familiar faces, Zaritza our morning “sunshine”, or Zoe to everyone else, also from the Ruby last year, came running up to us while we were dancing during the deck party. And to top it all off, at the elite lounge we ran into Teri and Sue from our Caribbean Princess 2013 transatlantic and British Isles cruise.

 

As I’ve said before when they say you won’t see these people again, they lie!

 

The deck party was good. There is a line dance and ballroom dance club on board, so the dance floors are full, but full of people who know how to social dance. No fancy flairs in the face for sure! JJ does need to open up Fusion for dancing. It’s got the largest dance floor.

 

The welcome aboard show was definitely different with the full set of LED screens behind the dancers, and it looks like they have a full troupe. More dancers than any of the ships we’ve been on recently. Phil Tag was the headline comedian. We’ve seen him before, but he has fresh new material. Contemporary material as well. So that was good. A nice laugh. We will have to make his full show for sure….

 

We don’t know any of the cruise staff but JJ and we spoke to him during muster. Same old JJ. He’s very straightforward, just the facts, here’s the information kind of cruise director. In a past life I think he was a radio or TV news anchor. His morning show is simply a transfer of information, but his deputy (Melissa or Marissa – can’t find her name right now) is a real nut! Her wine presentation, which is a good idea BTW, was a real hoot. They talked about the dinner menu for the evening and a good wine pairing, but she’s a lot like me – is the wine good with a bit of sprite in it! (7up and Gallo Red Mountain Burgundy – the drink I grew up on – besides Boone’s Farm.) That’s the question!

 

It’s a good thing we weren’t on last cruise. 700 kids. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to kids in general, but 700 on the same ship! That would have been one crowded ship. On this one, only 53. That’s a much more reasonable number.

 

So basically, last night was some dancing, the welcome aboard show, meeting some old friends and listening to music. Danny Rodriquez was in the wheelhouse doing a guitar solo with vocals. We are not really big fans of guitar solos in the wheelhouse. Hard to dance to. But this guy was really, really good. Nice music selection, easy listening and you could dance to it. We did not get a chance to see the Pastime Duo in the wheelhouse, the resident musical group, but will try tonight.

 

So today we are at Princess Cays. The weather is cloudy, with minimal breeze and 77F/25C. Chance of rain. Sea state is minor chop. The tenders aren’t bouncing at all. Haven’t decided if we’re going ashore for the BBQ this time or not. Tonight is Italian night, so we might just wait and have dinner in the dining room. Not sure, don’t really care, not a big deal. That’s why it’s called a vacation!

 

Service in the IC is Ruby quality. Judy had my latte ready and waiting for me. Coffee was good and hot, service is prompt and friendly. Just a completely different vibe from the Grand last March. I keep looking for Michael, from the Ruby cruise last October, to be around the corner. It’s really like coming home.

 

We’re back in a standard Caribe balcony cabin. Different layout from the Grand, but familiar. Large closet, smaller bathroom, but we’re on the starboard side of the ship this time. The last several cruises we’ve been on the port side. Got to quit turning left getting out of the elevator.

 

In the patter today. Rum tasting at 1600 in fusion. Paper plane challenge in the Piazza. Morning trivia, no afternoon trivia, BOGO happy hour is 1500 to 1600 in the wheelhouse. MUTS is football all afternoon and night with 3 games B2B2B.

 

Tonight is Italian night in the dining room. Danny Rodriquez is in the wheelhouse, Atomic in Explorer’s, Pastime Duo in the wheelhouse. Headliners tonight are Fernandez, the hypnotist, and Craig Meyer’s Almost Elton John.

 

That’s it for the morning.

 

Now to go out and do absolutely nothing…

[geoherb]

Hope you have a great time. Three weeks on the Ruby sounds wonderful. We saw Colors of the Wind last year without the special effects then this year with. It's a lot better with.

[Whimsy]

1830 to 2130 in Café Caribe for two nights on this cruise.

 

I take it that's 6:30 to 9:30 then? Which nights? I assume not formal nights?

 

Another question, is the laundry still taking coins in the machines or have they gone to the system where you swipe your card?

 

Thank you again for doing this live thread! I have check in 3 times already! LOL!