LIVE: Ruby Princess Dec 18-29 Western Caribbean/Mexico

[Tyskie]

@ceilidh1 

Thank you for your well rounded review and observations!  I enjoyed your live posts - always fun to read. 😀

[ceilidh1]

8 minutes ago, TNTLAMB said:

That hull is painted on a rotating/continual basis. It was perfect at least twice during the cruise......

 

I posted in my recap that the brown marks were not rust. They were some kind of run off from the windows I believe. The following day they were gone.

[PaperSniper4]

17 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

...Hands down, the best deal for this was the Princess transfer, which was around $27USD per person - we took this to get back to the airport, but it wasn't an option to get from the airport as we flew in early. ...."

We're doing the same, flying in the day before we sail, and staying that night near in a hotel not too far from the IAH airport. Your $27; that was from where to the ship? I think I read you stayed the night in Galveston, correct? I am still trying to get confirmation on our transport from our IAH hotel to the pier....it sure as heck won't be $27 per person!😩

 

 Doug

[ceilidh1]

1 hour ago, PaperSniper4 said:

We're doing the same, flying in the day before we sail, and staying that night near in a hotel not too far from the IAH airport. Your $27; that was from where to the ship? I think I read you stayed the night in Galveston, correct? I am still trying to get confirmation on our transport from our IAH hotel to the pier....it sure as heck won't be $27 per person!😩

 

 Doug

The Princess transfers were $27 per person from either IAH to ship or ship to IAH. We booked private transport from IAH to Galveston and it was $180 for the four of us. Cheapest shuttle I found was around $35 per person but it didn't run after 4pm the day we arrived.

[PaperSniper4]

53 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

The Princess transfers were $27 per person from either IAH to ship or ship to IAH. We booked private transport from IAH to Galveston and it was $180 for the four of us. Cheapest shuttle I found was around $35 per person but it didn't run after 4pm the day we arrived.

Thanks. Our problem is we land in IAH so late the night before. Even if we wanted, it'd be too late to do the 90 minute or so shuttle to Galveston. Too bad Princess doesn't have a Houston "hotel to ship" shuttle the morning of the cruise, but we passengers are spread out over dozens of hotel probably and it'd not be worth it. We are looking at a non-cruise line shuttle which is priced under $150, but I have not gotten confirmation yet.

After the cruise we have more problems with transportation; our flight from IAH for home departs about 2000/8PM, so the Princess shuttle would arrive at the airport too early. I don't want to have to kill around 8 hours in an airport! So we're looking at doing the Princess "Houston" excursion, which concludes at the IAH airport. Not cheap at $100 per person, but it's a way to kill time.....hopefully more comfortably than at the airport. At least we have some Princess non-refundable OBC for that.

 

Doug

[KKB]

On 12/16/2022 at 8:17 PM, ceilidh1 said:

 

We were just saying today that sailing from Galveston is definitely a chore! For what it cost to fly in, take transfers to and from IAH, stay at a hotel (no way could you manage same day at this port), pay Uber to get around (walking really isn’t an option) we could easily have taken another one week cruise! It’s interesting to see Texas and Galveston but I don’t think i would cruise from here again any time soon.

Orlando is the same...and NYC is too!

[MeghanIB]

On 12/29/2022 at 10:52 AM, PescadoAmarillo said:

Thanks for your updates this morning!  I was a little concerned when you said disembarkation for those with checked luggage hadn’t started yet, but G was in an early group and his shuttle was right on time. 
 

For information for those who DO want a shuttle to Hobby, Princess doesn’t run a shuttle there, only to IAH. Based on the advice of someone here on CC, I booked Galveston Express for DH (409.762.4397, $30 for seniors). I booked it online, but had to phone them when DH extended for one more cruise. With just two days notice, they willingly moved his reservation to another day, free of charge. Then this morning they were exactly where they said they’d be, right on time. Highly recommend. 
 

Now he just has to deal with Southwest and the copious amount of snow we got here at home overnight. 🤞🏼🤞🏼

Hi, Princess does actually offer transfers to Hobby. I disembarked on the 18th. It was a bit of a zoo, but definitely transfers to both airports. 

[ceilidh1]

30 minutes ago, MeghanIB said:

Hi, Princess does actually offer transfers to Hobby. I disembarked on the 18th. It was a bit of a zoo, but definitely transfers to both airports. 

Were they only available for purchase on the ship? Definitely not available beforehand - I'm an agent so checked their Polar booking system and only airport available was IAH? Maybe it's a "call in" thing?

[ceilidh1]

12 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

Thanks. Our problem is we land in IAH so late the night before. Even if we wanted, it'd be too late to do the 90 minute or so shuttle to Galveston. Too bad Princess doesn't have a Houston "hotel to ship" shuttle the morning of the cruise, but we passengers are spread out over dozens of hotel probably and it'd not be worth it. We are looking at a non-cruise line shuttle which is priced under $150, but I have not gotten confirmation yet.

After the cruise we have more problems with transportation; our flight from IAH for home departs about 2000/8PM, so the Princess shuttle would arrive at the airport too early. I don't want to have to kill around 8 hours in an airport! So we're looking at doing the Princess "Houston" excursion, which concludes at the IAH airport. Not cheap at $100 per person, but it's a way to kill time.....hopefully more comfortably than at the airport. At least we have some Princess non-refundable OBC for that.

 

Doug

Is there a hotel near the airport that has a shuttle? Stay the night and then go back to airport next day to take Princess transfer, maybe?

 

My friend did the Princess debark tour to the space centre and ending at airport. She enjoyed it. They got to the airport around 1:30pm.

[ceilidh1]

12 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

Thanks. Our problem is we land in IAH so late the night before. Even if we wanted, it'd be too late to do the 90 minute or so shuttle to Galveston. Too bad Princess doesn't have a Houston "hotel to ship" shuttle the morning of the cruise, but we passengers are spread out over dozens of hotel probably and it'd not be worth it. We are looking at a non-cruise line shuttle which is priced under $150, but I have not gotten confirmation yet.

After the cruise we have more problems with transportation; our flight from IAH for home departs about 2000/8PM, so the Princess shuttle would arrive at the airport too early. I don't want to have to kill around 8 hours in an airport! So we're looking at doing the Princess "Houston" excursion, which concludes at the IAH airport. Not cheap at $100 per person, but it's a way to kill time.....hopefully more comfortably than at the airport. At least we have some Princess non-refundable OBC for that.

 

Doug

For the morning of the cruise, we "pre-booked" an uber for $30 - if we had waited until day of we could have got one for half the price but wanted to be sure we could get there. Uber is plentiful and reliable in Galveston but they do have surge pricing, so if the price is too high initially, wait half an hour and check again!

[ceilidh1]

3 hours ago, KKB said:

Orlando is the same...and NYC is too!

Good to know! I have never cruised from either of those, but know NYC like the back of my hand and am comfortable on subway/buses, etc. I don't know the first thing about Orlando!

[Id rather be diving]

20 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

We're doing the same, flying in the day before we sail, and staying that night near in a hotel not too far from the IAH airport. Your $27; that was from where to the ship? I think I read you stayed the night in Galveston, correct? I am still trying to get confirmation on our transport from our IAH hotel to the pier....it sure as heck won't be $27 per person!😩

 

 Doug

We are flying in the day before and staying at the HIlton at the IAH airport.  We will then go back to baggage claim the next day to meet the Princess rep to get on the Princess transfer. Actually we will likely be on a separate transfer as we need handicap transfers, so likely a handicap van taxi will take us to the ship.  

[PaperSniper4]

9 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

Is there a hotel near the airport that has a shuttle? Stay the night and then go back to airport next day to take Princess transfer, maybe?

 

My friend did the Princess debark tour to the space centre and ending at airport. She enjoyed it. They got to the airport around 1:30pm.

Yes, we're booked at a hotel near IAH that has a free airport shuttle. The cost for a Princess shuttle is way less than any other shuttle service from IAH to the ship. We land at IAH late the night before. We are staying that night at a hotel about 8 miles from IAH that has an airport shuttle. I'm wondering if it's possible to get a Princess IAH to ship shuttle when we're NOT coming in on a flight that morning, nor could we even get back inside the arrivals section of the airport that next morning. I don't think we could anyway?

 

On the return, we'll just use that Princess Houston tour I suppose and get to the airport around 2 PM. That will give us around 6 hours to kill.....but better than 8! We don't really want to spend another night on our trip that last night.

Surely we are not the first to wonder about this.........😎

 

 Doug

Edited January 2, 2023 by PaperSniper4

[PaperSniper4]

3 hours ago, Id rather be diving said:

We are flying in the day before and staying at the HIlton at the IAH airport.  We will then go back to baggage claim the next day to meet the Princess rep to get on the Princess transfer. Actually we will likely be on a separate transfer as we need handicap transfers, so likely a handicap van taxi will take us to the ship.  

We're doing the same, but at a different near IAH hotel (Marriott Courtyard). How have you arranged a place to meet the Princess shuttle? This would be a very good solution to my problem!!😎

 

 Doug

[Id rather be diving]

I paid for the transfer with final payment (you can probably still do it by calling your TA or Princess) and was told to go to baggage claim to meet the Princess rep the next day.  We have done this before at other ports too, so I know it works.  We did it in LA a couple of times and in Galveston once before.

[PescadoAmarillo]

13 hours ago, MeghanIB said:

Hi, Princess does actually offer transfers to Hobby. I disembarked on the 18th. It was a bit of a zoo, but definitely transfers to both airports. 

Thank you for that information. Do you recall how much the transfer to Hobby was?  Or were you going to IAH and were on a bus that stopped at Hobby first?  DH asked at the ShoreEx desk, but on the cruise prior to this one, and they said they didn’t offer a transfer to Hobby. He is itching to return to the Ruby (too much snow on the ground here), and would use the Princess transfer is burn some OBC is it is offered. Thanks!

[usahawk1]

On 12/24/2022 at 4:53 PM, BabsinTX said:

Crooners is by far our favorite bar on any cruise ship (though the Royal-class ships tend to have a straight bar rather than curved like the Grand-class ships).  Thanks for the seal of approval; we'll be onboard in late January-February.  Can't wait!

 

[usahawk1]

We are on ruby 1/29 - 2/5 sounds like you are as well. Maybe see ya there soon. Cheers 

[princess76021]

27 minutes ago, usahawk1 said:

We are on ruby 1/29 - 2/5 sounds like you are as well. Maybe see ya there soon. Cheers 

Will you post the dinner meal menus please!?? Would really love to book specialty venues on the nights we aren't too crazy about the foods posted!

thanks in advance!

Hugs from Texas

[1emerald1]

Would you happen to know when the Ruby is scheduled for drydock?  Thank you.

[Beav1279]

26 minutes ago, 1emerald1 said:

Would you happen to know when the Ruby is scheduled for drydock?  Thank you.

Ruby was just in dry dock October 2021.

[travellingnana]

9 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

Yes, we're booked at a hotel near IAH that has a free airport shuttle. The cost for a Princess shuttle is way less than any other shuttle service from IAH to the ship. We land at IAH late the night before. We are staying that night at a hotel about 8 miles from IAH that has an airport shuttle. I'm wondering if it's possible to get a Princess IAH to ship shuttle when we're NOT coming in on a flight that morning, nor could we even get back inside the arrivals section of the airport that next morning. I don't think we could anyway?

No problem picking up the shuttle from IAH if you arrive early. You meet the reps in baggage claim. We are doing it later this week. Instructions are to be at baggage claim at 10am.

[Beav1279]

1 hour ago, 1emerald1 said:

Would you happen to know when the Ruby is scheduled for drydock?  Thank you.

According to cruisedeckplans.com it is scheduled for another dry dock in Oct. 2023.

[BabsinTX]

1 hour ago, usahawk1 said:

We are on ruby 1/29 - 2/5 sounds like you are as well. Maybe see ya there soon. Cheers 

Yes we are. Actually we're doing a B2B, 1/22 and 1/29.  Can't wait.  We'll be at Crooners most afternoons, hopefully sitting at the Crooner's bar.

[PaperSniper4]

7 hours ago, Id rather be diving said:

I paid for the transfer with final payment (you can probably still do it by calling your TA or Princess) and was told to go to baggage claim to meet the Princess rep the next day.  We have done this before at other ports too, so I know it works.  We did it in LA a couple of times and in Galveston once before.

Well dang and Happy New Year, you saved me some money! I will check into that with my  TA or Princess!

 

 Doug