Ruby Princess Alaska RT Seattle (7/29) from an (almost) new cruiser

[ams cruiser]

Great review and photos. :)

 

Thank you! I've traveled vicariously through review on these boards for years!

[ams cruiser]

Getting my bearings:

 

It took me a week to feel comfortable finding my way around the ship. I even went the wrong way on the very last morning. We were supposed to go to the Princess theater for disembarkation, but my auto-pilot took me aft towards the Botticelli dining room. (Guess I just wanted one last meal!)

 

One hint for the directionally challenged like me, and it pains me to say this because it is so obvious. :rolleyes: It is helpful, whenever possible, to lookoutside at the water to see what direction the ship is moving. I did this time and time again to figure outmy "forward" from my "aft".

 

Almost every time I left my cabin, I turned in the wrong direction, and invariably our wonderful steward Angelo, would catch me backtracking. “Yes, ma’am, it is very confusing, ma’am,” he would say, ever so gently.

[ams cruiser]

Motion sickness and meds:

 

I am very susceptible to motion sickness. In the car, I cannot sit in the backseat. On boats, I usually have to stand outside,no matter how cold it is. On cruise ships, I will always reserve a balcony cabin. My sensitivity is such that I once got sick standing on a dock, while I was waiting for a tour boat to take me to Alcatraz. (I'm not kidding, unfortunately.)

 

I came prepared with every over-the-counter pharmaceutical imaginable. (You would have thought that I was packing for a safari, not a cruise!) Tylenol, Advil, hydrocortisone, Neosporin, cough drops, Zi-cam, first-aid kit. You name it, I had it. I was so worried about motion sickness that I bought everything I could put my hands on: Bonine, Dramamine, (both less-drowsy, and more-drowsy formula), and a bottle of meclizine from Costco. Yes, I know it’s the same as Bonine, but it was cheap and came in a big bottle, and made me feel more prepared.

 

I’m happy to report that, thanks to my Relief Band, I only took one pill on the entire cruise- (one Bonine pill part way through my floatplane trip, which didn’t actually take effect until after I got off of the plane. I had a great nap before dinner, though.)

 

It’s true that the seas were relatively calm. If you ask people with sea legs like my husband, he will tell you that you could barely feel the ship moving. Don’t believe him. People who don’t get seasick always say things like that. I talked to a number of people who told me that they got very sick on the first couple of days as we made our in the open seas to Juneau. One woman I talked to said, “I think half the ship must have gotten sick those first couple of days!” (I doubt that was true, either, but misery does love company!)

 

In the past I have tried a Scopolamine patch, which didn’t work for me as I got a metallic taste in my mouth (the last thing you want when dining on a cruise) and blurred vision. To be fair that was 12 years ago, so they have probably improved it by now, and many passengers I spoke with said it worked great for them.

 

The sea bands with the pressure balls also have had little effect on me, although again, many people swear by them. Bonine and Dramamine have worked in the past in curbing my nausea, but even the non-drowsy versions make me sleepy. I tried eating ginger candy on my last cruise, but the taste didn't agree with me.

 

What worked for me this cruise was my Relief Band, which I found online. Battery operated (one battery lasted me the entire cruse) and worn on your wrist, it sends an adjustable electronic pulse into the place on your wrist that somehow tells your brain not to toss your cookies. The important part is to make sure you keep re-applying the gel that comes with it (like the stuff they put on you when they do an ultrasound). And to carry an extra battery. (True to form I brought 24 batteries. I never had to change the battery, once, but I felt better carrying extra batteries around with me. Fortunately, they’re small.) It was pricey at around $100, I think, but for me, has been so worth it. I wore it 24-7, and cranked up the voltage when needed. The current feels a little like the TENS units they use for pain relief in physical therapy offices.

 

Relief Bands are used in some surgery centers for nausea, and with pregnant women for morning sickness. And no, I don’t have stock in the company. For a couple of years they weren’t available, so I bought an extra as soon as they came back on the market, and carry it with me when I travel.

 

The other thing that helped me was food. For some reason, I'm less inclined to get motion sick on a full stomach, so for this reason, and this reason alone, I made sure that I ate frequently. :D When going on excursions, I always tried to keep some crackers in my purse.

 

Also, in general, I try not to drink soda, but I have found that a Pepsi or Coke helps keep nausea away. (Some people like ginger ale, but the combination of sugar and caffeine in a carbonated drink works better for me.) The Ultimate Soda sticker (or whatever it's called), ensured I would have a steady supply of cola, and when I wasn't worried about being queasy, I'd "live it up" with a non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri.

 

One of the benefits of not getting seasick was being able to enjoy the food on the Ruby Princess, which I'll try to post about tomorrow.

Edited August 15, 2017 by ams cruiser

[satxdiver]

Can you tell me about the ultimate ship tour? I've been trying to find info on this for months. We're cruising in a few weeks and really wanted to do a ship tour. How do you sign up for it? Does it take you "behind the scene's" like the engine rooms and stuff? That's what my boyfriend really wants to see.

Can't wait to read the rest of your review!!

 

I did not do the UST on this cruise but did do it on the CB earlier this year. You sign up for it at the Guest Services Desk. Just ask them about it. It is limited to about 12 or so and can fill up fast. Places we visited was the medical office (yes they have a morgue) with their 3 ER rooms (one was occupied so the door was closed), behind the theater stage including a tour of the dressing room (amazing how they can change costumes so quickly in that small space), galley (with horderves and drink), food storage areas, print shop, ship laundry (fantastic folding machine for the table clothes), flower shop, anchor room where they have their anchor chains and lines to tie the ship to the pier, engine control room and finally the bridge where we were greeted by the captain and were able to watch them steering the ship. We finally ended up in Skywalker's where they had more finger food and mimosas waiting for us. We had a photographer along who took our picture at each stop including on the bridge with the captain. At each stop a crew member from that area (supervisor) was present to explain what they did and answer questions. You go up and down many stairs on the tour and most of the time in the areas only the crew can go. In our movement around the ship we did see where some of the crew stay but not into the rooms. At the end they will send to your cabin a Princess robe, pictures taken at the different areas, frame and a few other items. All this for $150 each. Since the ship photographer followed us around no cameras or cell phones were allowed.

 

I particularly enjoyed the galley tour where the head chef talked to us showing us where the different food is prepared. We watched the bakery making the bake goods for the day. All the bakery items are made that day. When we walked down the main hallway below the decks, we saw the barber shop, bank, sundries shop and other crew facilities. I really enjoyed the tour.

[tracid]

Great review!

 

 

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[phabric]

Following along. I just returned from the Emerald from Seattle.

[ams cruiser]

The arsenal.

 

 

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[ams cruiser]

Dining: Dinner with Denmark

 

We were assigned early seating (5:30) in the Botticelli diningroom. After much deliberating and seeking advice about table size on these boards, we requested a table for two. This turned out to be the best of both worlds. We were seated between two other duets with lovely couples that we chatted with throughout the week, but we had the advantage of not waiting for others to arrive to be served, as might have happened at a larger table. As it turned out, there were many empty seats at the larger tables throughout the week, and it wasn’t uncommon to see a couple dining alone at larger tables. It wasn't always the same couple missing. The next night a different couple would be sitting alone at the same table. Our most excellent servers, Denmark (from the Philippines, of course!), and Alejandro ("but you can call me Alex"- we didn’t! )told us this was quite common on this port-intensive itinerary.

 

 

Dining room attire – to tux or not to tux?

 

People generally looked quite nice throughout the week’s meals. I observed a few tuxes on the two formal nights during our early seating (Sunday and Thursday), but many of the men had sport coats and/or dress shirts and ties. Women wore both long and short gowns. Truthfully, I was so busy concentrating on my food and getting to know the couples around us, I didn’t pay much attention towhat people were wearing.

 

It was less formal than I remember my Princess cruise to Mexico over a decade ago. I don't know if it was a sign of the times or the fact that it was Alaska. The number of empty seats throughout the week in traditional dining bothered me much more than the occasional person who seemed a little under-dressed. The waiters seems to expect this as a number of people are doing excursions later in the day, in this port-intensive itinerary.

[ams cruiser]

Food

 

We chose not to eat in any specialty restaurants, and frankly were already a little food-weary from our 3 food-filled days in Seattle, however, we did not let this hold us back for long!

 

Given the number of people the galleys feed at any given time, we found the food offerings to be fine, some days/dishes better than others. We could always find something we liked on the menu, and usually tried to have one of the fish or shellfish entrees. It seemed like the "always available" selections were a little more limited than I remember. (I think my son ate beef medallions almost every night on our Mexico cruise, and I didn't see those listed.) The desserts were a particular favorite of mine, especially the two nights with Norman Love (what a great name!) Journey desserts, and the Princess Love Boat Dream.

 

Formal nights (Sunday and Thursday), the menus were a little more upscale, with lobster and Beef Wellington served on Thursday. After a glorious week of shellfish and fish, I tried the New York steak on the last “American” night, but, although cooked properly, it was a little on the chewy side. No worries, just left more room for dessert!

[ams cruiser]

Great review!

 

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Thank you!

[ams cruiser]

 

Two Norman Love desserts, Baked Alaska, and lobster on formal night

 

 

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[PEZdudesWife]

Dining: Dinner with Denmark

 

We were assigned early seating (5:30) in the Botticelli diningroom. After much deliberating and seeking advice about table size on these boards, we requested a table for two. This turned out to be the best of both worlds. We were seated between two other duets with lovely couples that we chatted with throughout the week, but we had the advantage of not waiting for others to arrive to be served, as might have happened at a larger table. As it turned out, there were many empty seats at the larger tables throughout the week, and it wasn’t uncommon to see a couple dining alone at larger tables. It wasn't always the same couple missing. The next night a different couple would be sitting alone at the same table. Our most excellent servers, Denmark (from the Philippines, of course!), and Alejandro ("but you can call me Alex"- we didn’t! )told us this was quite common on this port-intensive itinerary.

 

 

Dining room attire – to tux or not to tux?

 

People generally looked quite nice throughout the week’s meals. I observed a few tuxes on the two formal nights during our early seating (Sunday and Thursday), but many of the men had sport coats and/or dress shirts and ties. Women wore both long and short gowns. Truthfully, I was so busy concentrating on my food and getting to know the couples around us, I didn’t pay much attention towhat people were wearing.

 

It was less formal than I remember my Princess cruise to Mexico over a decade ago. I don't know if it was a sign of the times or the fact that it was Alaska. The number of empty seats throughout the week in traditional dining bothered me much more than the occasional person who seemed a little under-dressed. The waiters seems to expect this as a number of people are doing excursions later in the day, in this port-intensive itinerary.

 

We were on this cruise as well. We also were at the early seating in the Botticelli dining room and Denmark and Alejandro were our waiters too. I noticed that the dress code was more relaxed on this cruise compared to others we have been on. The only thing that bugged me was men wearing ball caps in the dining room. Not a big deal but kind of a surprise. Loved the cruise and the crew was great! I am really enjoying your review and look forward to the next installment.

[ams cruiser]

Breakfast/lunch:

 

Da Vinci dining room:

 

We ate some of our lunches in the dining room. We wanted to get away from the crowds in the buffet, and always requested a shared table. Truly, the best part (besides being waited on) were the interesting people we met from all over the country. There were times we closed down the dining room at lunch, so engrossed were we in conversations with the people we had met.

 

Horizon Court:

 

We only ate one meal there, but it was a good one. The seafood buffet on Glacier Bay day was a shellfish-lover’s dream!

[ams cruiser]

 

Horizon Court seafood buffet on Glacier Bay day.

 

 

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[ams cruiser]

International Café:

 

One of our favorite places on the ship. My husband used his coffee card primarily for brewed coffee, and for my specialty (Mighty Leaf) tea. They will allow you to get both at the same time with one coffee card, without punching the card. We bought one Princess coffee mug at the beginning of the cruise, and got a lot of use out of it.

 

One suggestion I made in my Princess post-cruise review was to offer the mugs for sale at the café, especially during Glacier Bay cruising day, when no disposable items are allowed. Despite the big sign on the counter, the poor barista had to explain the policy every few minutes. It would have helped her immensely to be ableto sell the coffee mugs so people could easily transport their hot beverages up to the deck.

 

Another suggestion I made to Princess is that they consider having a separate line at peak times for people with coffee cards who just want brewed coffee. Since they don't have to punch a card, or enter anything into their computer system, it would make the line go so much faster.

 

This 24-hr café has a wonderful assortment of sandwiches,salads, and pastries. It is also where gelato is sold. We often ordered a mixed fruit salad, and egg/cheese breakfast sandwich after seeing someone else do so, as they were not on display. The pastries looked incredible, and there seemed to be different selections each day. This was the one eating place I showed some restraint, however, so I stuck to my fruit salads in the morning!

Edited August 15, 2017 by ams cruiser

[ams cruiser]

Our favorite barista Jery Mae from the Philippines. Jery was incredibly patient and kind, and she seemed to be working morning and night.

 

The International Cafe had a wonderful selection of food, and was open 24 hours.

 

 

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[ams cruiser]

We were on this cruise as well. We also were at the early seating in the Botticelli dining room and Denmark and Alejandro were our waiters too. I noticed that the dress code was more relaxed on this cruise compared to others we have been on. The only thing that bugged me was men wearing ball caps in the dining room. Not a big deal but kind of a surprise. Loved the cruise and the crew was great! I am really enjoying your review and look forward to the next installment.

 

Thank you! Wasn't it a wonderful cruise?

[Beachiekeen]

Enjoying your review and we also thought Seattle reminded us alot of San Francisco! You guys made great use of your time while there and gave me some ideas for next time! We also did the Yukon Rail and Bus with Chillkoot so I'm anxious to hear how you liked it. And your excursion in Victoria sounds very interesting!

[akeasley]

Wonderful pictures....thank you for sharing and writing the review! Makes me want to go back to Alaska!!

[ams cruiser]

Enjoying your review and we also thought Seattle reminded us alot of San Francisco! You guys made great use of your time while there and gave me some ideas for next time! We also did the Yukon Rail and Bus with Chillkoot so I'm anxious to hear how you liked it. And your excursion in Victoria sounds very interesting!

 

There were a lot of similarities! I'm not sure what Seattle weather is normally like in July, but San Francisco is usually freezing in the summers with the fog! We loved the Chilkoot tour, and Victoria was beautiful, although our stay there much too brief. It was wonderful talking to other passengers about their excursions as it gave us ideas about what we would like to do when we return.

[ams cruiser]

Following along. I just returned from the Emerald from Seattle.

 

Hope you weren't there during the 100+ degree temperatures in Seattle!

[ams cruiser]

Wonderful pictures....thank you for sharing and writing the review! Makes me want to go back to Alaska!!

 

It's fun re-living our vacation!

[ams cruiser]

Entertainment/guest speakers:

 

We saw most of one production show "Colors of the World" (arrived a little late after dinner), and thought some of the singers were pretty talented. The production itself seemed a little disjointed, however. We thought about seeing "Once Upon a Dream" on Thursday night, but the first show was canceled due to a problem with the main brain (computer), and we heard that even the second show didn't go at full force. We're kind of old-school as far as shows go, however, and love the old musicals that centered around a storyline with good singing and dancing, not special effects.

 

Although we went to very few shows, we did enjoy Steve Moris, a fabulous guitar player who used to open for the Beach Boys and other also does comedy, and Danny Shamess a young, very talented singer/guitar player who appeared in some of the smaller venues.

 

I tried to go see one MUTS “Beauty and the Beast” on a coldnight, in liu of the champagne waterfall. About 10 kids and I sat huddled under Princess blankets (we had to sign out for them) on our lounge chairs. Sadly, I misread the time and arrived an hour late, so I stayed for the second showing, which, for some reason, never took place (maybe because I was the only person still sitting there?) Even the blanket guy got up and left before I figured out the show would not go on!

 

 

We had the good fortune to hear Libby Riddles in the Princess theater in Juneau, right after our sled dog ride! She told us a little of her life story, beginning with leaving home at age 16 to live in the Alaskan wilderness. She was the first woman to win the 1000 mile Iditarod which included overcoming a first day on which her team dragged her on her face for 4 miles before running away from her completely, battling a blizzard and losing the trail in minus-100 degree temperatures (wind chill factor). It is no wonder that she now makes her living as an inspirational speaker. She brought one of her dogs on board, and was readily available to chat with and take pictures before and after her talk. I bought her book Race Across Alaska (which she autographed), and couldn't put it down. Definitely one of the highlights of the week!

[ams cruiser]

 

Libby was as down-to-earth and as gracious as they come. (And, yes, I did bring home the little guy, since I couldn't take home the real thing!)

 

 

 

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Edited August 16, 2017 by ams cruiser

[ams cruiser]

We were on this cruise as well. We also were at the early seating in the Botticelli dining room and Denmark and Alejandro were our waiters too. I noticed that the dress code was more relaxed on this cruise compared to others we have been on. The only thing that bugged me was men wearing ball caps in the dining room. Not a big deal but kind of a surprise. Loved the cruise and the crew was great! I am really enjoying your review and look forward to the next installment.

 

 

 

I found a picture of the wonderful Denmark and Alejandro. I'm not sure who the other waiter is, but he offered to take our picture, and then made himself the star! We all got a big kick out of his selfie!

 

 

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