Interested about cruising on the Ruby

[brisalta]

2 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

 

If Princess could just use the medallion for contact tracing, I think we’d know for certain. 

 

Today I was searching through some older Princess FAQs regarding the Medallion and amongst other things they were touting it as a safety device that could be used for some sort of tracing...

[HaveDogWillTravel]

On 4/12/2022 at 4:41 PM, princess76021 said:

Hi all, 

 

We haven't cruises with Princess since 2015, we are thinking of booking the Ruby Princess in March of 2023 out of Galveston

 

What can you tell me about Princess, specifically the Ruby.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Hugs from Texas

I’m sorry your thread has been hijacked. Let me help get it back on track. You can report off topic posts by clicking those 3 little dots in the upper right hand corner. 

 

Since the restart I’ve sailed on the Ruby for a total of 35 days during November, December, January and February.  I absolutely love the crew I’ve been sailing with and have booked 17 more days this month and next just to visit with them again before their contracts end. 

 

As you’ve sailed her before you know she has a lovely full promenade and great upper decks for 360 degree vistas.  She has Vines, International cafe and Good Spirits at Sea (which is new since you’ve sailed her).  Good Spirits makes very nice craft cocktails and if you drink all of them over the course of your cruise you earn a tshirt.  My husband and I both earned ours in January and it’s actually a very nice shirt!  My favorite cocktail was the Cartenega Cooler. 

 

My one negative comment is she does not have Alfredo’s and I find the Slice Pizza on lido not to my liking.   I will say that I am not a fan of dine my way and the main dining room at all. If you can afford a club class mini or a full suite I believe you will find the dining experience elevated.  In my 17 days coming up I have club class for only 7 days. The other 10 days I will use specialty dining, book the sanctuary for the great menu and relaxing environment, get salads at the buffet and use room service. 

 

I wouldn’t be concerned with comments about rust on her. I’m currently sailing the brand spanking new Discovery Princess sitting on my balcony and looking at rust all along the edge of the overhang. It’s a ship and rust happens. 

 

I hope your thread stays on track. I know how frustrating it is when people hijack it. If you click on my profile and look at my activity you should find my Live From Ruby sailing that I did this year and that should give you more insights if interested. 

Edited April 16, 2022 by HaveDogWillTravel

[princess76021]

1 hour ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

I’m sorry your thread has been hijacked. Let me help get it back on track. You can report off topic posts by clicking those 3 little dots in the upper right hand corner. 

 

Since the restart I’ve sailed on the Ruby for a total of 35 days during November, December, January and February.  I absolutely love the crew I’ve been sailing with and have booked 17 more days this month and next just to visit with them again before their contracts end. 

 

As you’ve sailed her before you know she has a lovely full promenade and great upper decks for 360 degree vistas.  She has Vines, International cafe and Good Spirits at Sea (which is new since you’ve sailed her).  Good Spirits makes very nice craft cocktails and if you drink all of them over the course of your cruise you earn a tshirt.  My husband and I both earned ours in January and it’s actually a very nice shirt!  My favorite cocktail was the Cartenega Cooler. 

 

My one negative comment is she does not have Alfredo’s and I find the Slice Pizza on lido not to my liking.   I will say that I am not a fan of dine my way and the main dining room at all. If you can afford a club class mini or a full suite I believe you will find the dining experience elevated.  In my 17 days coming up I have club class for only 7 days. The other 10 days I will use specialty dining, book the sanctuary for the great menu and relaxing environment, get salads at the buffet and use room service. 

 

I wouldn’t be concerned with comments about rust on her. I’m currently sailing the brand spanking new Discovery Princess sitting on my balcony and looking at rust all along the edge of the overhang. It’s a ship and rust happens. 

 

I hope your thread stays on track. I know how frustrating it is when people hijack it. If you click on my profile and look at my activity you should find my Live From Ruby sailing that I did this year and that should give you more insights if interested. 

thank you sooooo much havedogwilltravel!!!

 

you have restored my faith!!!

 

much love from texas!!

nicki

[HaveDogWillTravel]

@princess76021you are welcome. I am sure you will love the crew and the ship. Welcome back to Princess. 

[txjim09]

Hi, @princess76021, was on Ruby for the east-bound canal cruise (and a prior Seattle round trip Alaska voyage) and will, without a doubt, be driving to Galveston for at least one of the Texas voyages.  The itineraries mostly stop at the "usual suspects" ports but so what?

 

The ship did show a little wear: the sports decks had cracks in the deck coatings and the promenade had sections closed off most days preventing full laps but these were very minor issues.  The Canal cruise was 15 days and our group enjoyed every minute of it.  Ate at Chops twice and Sabatini's once (would have been a second time but was outvoted!) and found the food and service to be great.  Ate at Salty Dog Gastropub once and thought the value was very poor.  Sabatini's used to be Share and the décor was not updated from this venue but the high location at the stern made for some very nice views.

 

We thought the MDR food was good to very good with service a bit slower than prior Princess trips but still enjoyable.  

 

I followed the Covid reports with interest and agree with all comments that Princess could have handled issues better.  Heck, if you read the live reports from our Eastbound canal cruise, you'd see how the medical staff were less than competent.  Even with these criticisms, I plan on being on the ship in Galveston and hope to see you there!

[eclue]

We will be on the Ruby again in June ( were on her in December out of SF over Christmas)....Love the Ruby......And planning to do a few trips while she is in Galveston so hope to see you then also.

 

[CalTexCruiser]

@princess76021

 

You might also want to check out the comments on 

 

[CalTexCruiser]

Whether or not you'll like Princess depends on what you expect and enjoy.

 

For example, we mostly cruise Celebrity and quite enjoy its modern Edge series ships with their wide open spaces and decor.

 

We were a bit disappointed by the older, more drab Ruby, with rust everywhere and small cramped bathrooms.

 

Not a fan of the small, crowded buffet serving areas, and that on 2 of the 5 nights our dinner reservations at the MDR got messed up because of kinks in their Medallion app reservation system.

 

But then again Celebrity is a bit more expensive so it's an apples to oranges comparison.

[tuckerboxbill]

On 4/12/2022 at 5:50 PM, Alwaysmorecruising said:

Personally Ruby is our favorite ship.  We're doing Hawaii in Oct and Panama Canal next April.  Lots of fun activities, good music/dancing, great service and food. 

 

I have seen the posts about the covid issues on the Ruby, but that is the risk we all take in this day and age.  We each have to assess the risk for ourselves and make a decision we're comfortable with.  I'm comfortable with the safety precautions I take for myself, so I will continue to cruise. Please don't bash me or try to change my mind.  You do you and I'll do me.

I agree in-principle with this philosophy, but do you think a 30% COVID rate is acceptable? I'm just LOVING being isolated at home for 2 weeks (best case)

Edited April 16, 2022 by tuckerboxbill

[princess76021]

21 minutes ago, CalTexCruiser said:

@princess76021

 

You might also want to check out the comments on 

 

too negative

[tuckerboxbill]

On the Ruby in-general:

• Food was excellent and I appreciated the new menu options in the MDR and buffet (like the grab'n'go items)
• Bar staff were excellent in the Vines (our favorite drinking hole)
• Wait staff were very understaffed but did the best they could, excellent.
• Hated the smoke smell from the casino that was all over the Cust Service area and piazza
• Internet was very slow between the mainland and the islands, better near shore. This is probably due to their satellite provider but about 1/10 the speed on the last few Majestic cruises
• The rust on the balconies and hull were frankly embarrassing.
• Not happy at all with the move to self-serve in the Buffet and no enforcement of handwashing before entering. They don't do this even in a NoroVirus outbreak but it's fine for a COVID outbreak?  30% of the people in the roll call (and me) got COVID so do the math.

 

Edited April 16, 2022 by tuckerboxbill

[eclue]

12 minutes ago, princess76021 said:

too negative

I agree - I read those comments on FB and there is too much negativity......every little thing was blown out of proportion and that mess on embarkation in SF is not the usual. Things happen - go with the flow. When we boarded in SF in Dec, we walked right on.....

[VibeGuy]

I will say that the service staff and crew on Ruby were absolutely top-notch.  Our first 20 days were so good we spontaneously stayed for 20 more and came back a month later for another 30.  That was 100% on them.   
 

I particularly like Ruby/Crown/Emerald for the Sabatini’s/Adagio/outdoor seating on Deck 16 - it’s a very pleasant shady place to enjoy a cocktail and the service in Adagio is always warm and abundant.  You get a nice view of the wake, aft pool area and open air. 

[princess76021]

2 hours ago, tuckerboxbill said:

On the Ruby in-general:

• Food was excellent and I appreciated the new menu options in the MDR and buffet (like the grab'n'go items)
• Bar staff were excellent in the Vines (our favorite drinking hole)
• Wait staff were very understaffed but did the best they could, excellent.
• Hated the smoke smell from the casino that was all over the Cust Service area and piazza
• Internet was very slow between the mainland and the islands, better near shore. This is probably due to their satellite provider but about 1/10 the speed on the last few Majestic cruises
• The rust on the balconies and hull were frankly embarrassing.
• Not happy at all with the move to self-serve in the Buffet and no enforcement of handwashing before entering. They don't do this even in a NoroVirus outbreak but it's fine for a COVID outbreak?  30% of the people in the roll call (and me) got COVID so do the math.

 

Thank you!

Hugs

[princess76021]

1 hour ago, eclue said:

I agree - I read those comments on FB and there is too much negativity......every little thing was blown out of proportion and that mess on embarkation in SF is not the usual. Things happen - go with the flow. When we boarded in SF in Dec, we walked right on.....

Thank you, appreciated!

Hugs

[princess76021]

1 hour ago, VibeGuy said:

I will say that the service staff and crew on Ruby were absolutely top-notch.  Our first 20 days were so good we spontaneously stayed for 20 more and came back a month later for another 30.  That was 100% on them.   
 

I particularly like Ruby/Crown/Emerald for the Sabatini’s/Adagio/outdoor seating on Deck 16 - it’s a very pleasant shady place to enjoy a cocktail and the service in Adagio is always warm and abundant.  You get a nice view of the wake, aft pool area and open air. 

Wow!!  Thank you, thank you!!!

Hugs

[Napagirl]

DH and I just got home from a five day cruise on the Ruby - our first on that particular ship. We had a wonderful time! The staff is five stars for sure. The Adagio bar was our favorite - such a lovely room. Sabatini's offered outstanding service and delicious food for a more fine dining experience. The Salty Dog pub was a fun more casual specialty spot - and their poolside burgers and tacos for no extra charge got a thumbs up from us.

 

As for the rust - we didn't even notice. We had seen the discussion on this board and made a game of "find the rust" LOL Hey, we think there might be some on the hull over there! As for the embarkation - it wasn't great to stand in line so long but we don't think that had to do with Princess. I don't think that pier was supposed to be for more than simple port stops - but with so many ships now using SF it looks like someone had to be there. Maybe they will build another big pier.

 

Please let me know if you have any specific questions. This was a shorter cruise and we were more interested in spending some quiet time together on this one so we didn't do all the things - but we saw and did plenty.

[Princessfan20]

24 minutes ago, Napagirl said:

As for the rust - we didn't even notice. We had seen the discussion on this board and made a game of "find the rust" LOL Hey, we think there might be some on the hull over there! As for the embarkation - it wasn't great to stand in line so long but we don't think that had to do with Princess. I don't think that pier was supposed to be for more than simple port stops - but with so many ships now using SF it looks like someone had to be there. Maybe they will build another big pier.

 

 

When we were on the Discovery the Ruby pulled into Ensenada at the same time we were there.   I must say I was really taken back by how rusty the ship's hull looked and it was more then a "little here and a little there."  

 

We are doing a family cruise later in the year on the Ruby, with family members who usually do not sail Princess,  and I am quite concerned about the comments we are going to hear about the appearance of the Ruby and what a rust bucket she appears to be when you first see her.

 

Also, the way it has been reported that people had to suffer in long lines waiting to board Ruby is nothing but a corporate fiasco in our opinion.    Princess knows better than to subject its' passengers to such a miserable experience from the looks and sound of it on simply boarding a ship.  

 

It is really hard to take many things said as being factual when several people automatically discount any negative criticism of Princess by other passengers.

 

We love Princess but not all things have been exactly always been well done in the era of Covid.

 

 

Edited April 16, 2022 by Princessfan20

[princess76021]

21 minutes ago, Napagirl said:

DH and I just got home from a five day cruise on the Ruby - our first on that particular ship. We had a wonderful time! The staff is five stars for sure. The Adagio bar was our favorite - such a lovely room. Sabatini's offered outstanding service and delicious food for a more fine dining experience. The Salty Dog pub was a fun more casual specialty spot - and their poolside burgers and tacos for no extra charge got a thumbs up from us.

 

As for the rust - we didn't even notice. We had seen the discussion on this board and made a game of "find the rust" LOL Hey, we think there might be some on the hull over there! As for the embarkation - it wasn't great to stand in line so long but we don't think that had to do with Princess. I don't think that pier was supposed to be for more than simple port stops - but with so many ships now using SF it looks like someone had to be there. Maybe they will build another big pier.

 

Please let me know if you have any specific questions. This was a shorter cruise and we were more interested in spending some quiet time together on this one so we didn't do all the things - but we saw and did plenty.

Thank you for your opinions! I love them!! I never look at the rust, hell, some of my outdoor furniture is rusting! But it's still comfy and inviting! 

 

Thanks again, much appreciated

Hugs

[princess76021]

1 minute ago, Princessfan20 said:

 

When we were on the Discovery the Ruby pulled into Ensenada at the same time we were there.   I must say I was really taken back by how rusty the ship's hull looked and it was more then a little here and a little there.  

 

We are doing a family cruise later in the year on the Ruby, with family members who usually do not sail Princess,  and I am quite concerned about the comments we are going to hear about the appearance of the Ruby and what a rust bucket she is.

 

 

 

 

Keep them busy! Then they won't have time to look at the hull. Once you're in your rooms you won't see the hull!  After all it's on the outxide !!

[Princessfan20]

7 minutes ago, princess76021 said:

Keep them busy! Then they won't have time to look at the hull. Once you're in your rooms you won't see the hull!  After all it's on the outxide !!

Sounds like they will have hours and hours if Princess does not improve boarding procedure in San Francisco. 🙂

Edited April 16, 2022 by Princessfan20

[Napagirl]

26 minutes ago, Princessfan20 said:

 

When we were on the Discovery the Ruby pulled into Ensenada at the same time we were there.   I must say I was really taken back by how rusty the ship's hull looked and it was more then a "little here and a little there."  

 

We are doing a family cruise later in the year on the Ruby, with family members who usually do not sail Princess,  and I am quite concerned about the comments we are going to hear about the appearance of the Ruby and what a rust bucket she appears to be when you first see her.

 

 

Wow, I guess it's subjective. We really didn't notice and looked for it when in port because we read people getting riled up about it on the boards. We all cruise for different reasons and if some rust on the hull ruins it for you, you'll not get an argument from me. It's all valid IMO. 

[Napagirl]

19 minutes ago, Princessfan20 said:

Sounds like they will have hours and hours if Princess does not improve boarding procedure in San Francisco. 🙂

Ok now THAT was funny! 

 

Seriously though, I think it has to do with Pier 35. Not sure it happens at Pier 27 which is a much bigger and more appropriate pier for boarding. Though I have heard that other issues played into it. We shall see! 

[Napagirl]

I don't have photos of all angles of the ship but here's one. So yeah, there's some rust. Wasn't a big deal to me. Maybe someone has more angles and everyone can decide if it's acceptable for them or not. You can tell I'm having a terrible time. lol

[TBfrPH]

We have been on Ruby 3 times in the past 5 months, including most recently on the 4/11 sailing.  Overall we had a wonderful time on every sailing and found ways to enjoy the amenities that led us to choose Princess and learn to ignore the shortcomings. Just adding our opinions to some of the topics mentioned above by others...

 

-Embarkation-  You're sailing out of Texas, so it may not matter what happened in SFO.  Normally we go through the process in about 30 mins and definitely under 1 hour.  Snafus do happen from time to time, but they are not the norm.

 

-Rust-  I suppose if a company doesn't care to maintain the visually obvious, one might wonder what else is being neglected.  You will see rust on the hull of the Ruby.  If rust really bothers you, then rethink sailing on her.

 

-Food-  MDR is above average but won't blow you away.  We've learned menu items to avoid, so now we don't have a bad experience eating there.  Food in the specialty restaurants would be what I'd expect in a really good MDR on lines that tout their food.  Buffet is generally very ordinary.  On a 7-day cruise, we would maybe come across a handful of items that are truly well done.

 

-Service-  The cabin stewards that we've had are excellent, as are the MDR waiters.  We've had mixed experience with the wait staff in the lounges and buffets.  Some provide genuinely enthusiastic service.  Others can't be bothered to give a forced smile.

 

- Shows-  The production shows are generally very entertaining.  The guest performers are a mixed bag-  A show-stopping vocalist one night, followed by a very unfunny comedian the next.

 

- Live music-  On each sailing there is at least one fantastic band, sometimes three.  This is one of the two reasons why we choose to sail with Princess.  Ruby still maintains venues where one can dance to these fantastic bands.  

 

-Other activities-  We love the Yes/No game show.  We go to every ballroom dance lesson.  The gym is adequately equipped, and we enjoy swimming in the pools.  We don't drink nor gamble, so can't offer opinions in those areas.

 

-Covid-  It's possible to have a fun cruise and stay healthy.  These rules have worked for us so far:  Get all your vax.  Wear your masks all the time.  Maintain your distance from people, especially when their masks are off.  Wash hands and don't touch your face.  Only ride the elevators with masked people in your own pod.  

 

Every ship will have pros and cons.  It all depends on what is important to you, and whether you think that you will be able to enjoy the pluses in spite of the minuses.