How is the ruby princess looking

[Bjbilly]

I don't usually cruise on older ships I have a bunch of friends going on this Cruise for 14 nights I don't think I'm going to like the ship but I guess I'll have a good time cuz I'm with a bunch of friends just wondering if the Ruby is showing her age

[voljeep]

what's not to like?  a few rust spots, some frayed/stained carpet, some tile grout missing?  If the a/c is cold and the toilets are flushing ... all I need are some tasty wave(lets) and a cool morning beer buzz and I'm fine

[memoak]

58 minutes ago, Bjbilly said:

I don't usually cruise on older ships I have a bunch of friends going on this Cruise for 14 nights I don't think I'm going to like the ship but I guess I'll have a good time cuz I'm with a bunch of friends just wondering if the Ruby is showing her age

Since cruising is back at full capacity we are much preferring the older ships. Jus off the Discovery packed with families and first timers. Royal class ships just have more passengers than they can handle. Hour long waits for sushi bar and pizzeria are not acceptable 

[startedwithamouse]

3 minutes ago, memoak said:

Since cruising is back at full capacity we are much preferring the older ships. Jus off the Discovery packed with families and first timers. Royal class ships just have more passengers than they can handle. Hour long waits for sushi bar and pizzeria are not acceptable 

Are they handling the sushi bar differently, kicking out people who are parked there and not eating?

[skynight]

Newer does not equate to better. In my opinion the layout and lower passenger load are a big plus. And, don't forget the full promenade on the Ruby. Something I missed on the Royal Class ships. I'm also scheduled for a 24 day b2b on the Ruby in 2024 which includes a 14 day Circle the Caribbean itinerary. 

She is scheduled for month long dry/wet dock starting the end of September. As of this posting I have not seen a summary of the scheduled maintenance and changes, if any. A month is long for just regular scheduled operational maintenance. I thinking that there are some additional deck plan adjustments in the works, but it is just speculation.  

Edited July 4, 2023 by skynight

[memoak]

19 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Are they handling the sushi bar differently, kicking out people who are parked there and not eating?

No one just sitting there everyone ordering lunch on a sea day. You had to wait for someone to leave to get a seat at a table or the bar. The wait another half hour at least to get food   Also line out the door for the MDR and at least an hour to have your beeper tell you that a table was available at the pizzeria 

Edited July 4, 2023 by memoak

[snoozecrooze]

Believe me, just park yourself on a bench on the promenade listening to the ocean or in a seat wherever on the aft facing the wake.....you won't regret it at all. To me, the ship serves that simple purpose very well.

[HBDave]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

Newer does not equate to better. In my opinion the layout and lower passenger load are a big plus. And, don't forget the full promenade on the Ruby. Something I missed on the Royal Class ships. I'm also scheduled for a 24 day b2b on the Ruby in 2024 which includes a 14 day Circle the Caribbean itinerary. 

She is scheduled for month long dry/wet dock starting the end of September. As of this posting I have not seen a summary of the scheduled maintenance and changes, if any. A month is long for just regular scheduled operational maintenance. I thinking that there are some additional deck plan adjustments in the works, but it is just speculation.  

I heard they're going to be replacing the outdoor Promenade Deck with addition cabins and are increasing the passenger capacity north of 3,500. Just a rumor at this time. 🙂

[Thrak]

Sailed Ruby in December and had zero complaints. Ship was fine and crew was, as usual, excellent.

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

Was on a couple months ago, and several times over the past couple years....

Ruby seems the same to us, hasn't changed much.

My biggest complaint is the very smokey casino. And all the people who

go in there to stand around, or sit around to smoke, NOT play.... and crew says nothing. Ever.

 

[Nee Nee and Biddy]

Love love love the Ruby!!! No complaints and the staff is out of this world.  We just got off on the 26th and it was a wonderful 10 days.  

[skynight]

2 hours ago, HBDave said:

I heard they're going to be replacing the outdoor Promenade Deck with addition cabins and are increasing the passenger capacity north of 3,500. Just a rumor at this time. 🙂

That would be very sad indeed. That would be 200 additional cabins. Usually when there are cabin changes the Princess deck plans indicate a before and after sailing date. No dates shown for the Ruby. I would think they would show by now so they can fill the cabins. But, I wouldn't put it past Princess to hide this as long as they can.

Edited July 4, 2023 by skynight

[ldubs]

5 hours ago, voljeep said:

what's not to like?  a few rust spots, some frayed/stained carpet, some tile grout missing?  If the a/c is cold and the toilets are flushing ... all I need are some tasty wave(lets) and a cool morning beer buzz and I'm fine

 

We were on Ruby last month. I think you give a pretty good review of condition.  Yeah, it is a little worn, and we had a great time.  

[memoak]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

That would be very sad indeed. That would be 200 additional cabins. Usually when there are cabin changes the Princess deck plans indicate a before and after sailing date. No dates shown for the Ruby. I would think they would show by now so they can fill the cabins. But, I wouldn't put it past Princess to hide this as long as they can.

I would take that rumor with a large dose of  “this doesn’t make any sense”

[Thrak]

I realized I need to slightly revise my statement about having no issues on Ruby. There was a completely incompetent bartender in Skywalker's. First he put ice in my cognac. Then he simply took it out and expected me to drink the stuff. I explained to him (I have to tell this stuff to a bartender?) that the snifter is designed so that the hand warms the liquor. He then looked me in the face and told me that "all of our liquor is stored cold, sir". I pointed to the bottle on the shelf behind him and said bull spit (or something similar). That's the first and only time I've said something rude to a crew member but I really dislike being lied to. I told him to drink the thing himself and left. We went downstairs to Club Fusion and I ordered cognac again. The bartender there stopped his assistant from using the wrong glass and told him to use the snifter. I then told him about the guy upstairs and he was absolutely appalled and apologized to me but I told him it obviously wasn't his fault. He still felt that the bartender should have been better trained and seemed horrified that he had told me such a blatant untruth.

 

Not an issue with Ruby Princess but I hope someone "spoke with" the offending bartender. I'm hoping that the bartender from Club Fusion handled it as I doubt he wanted to get someone else in hot water although he might have just wanted nothing to do with it and left it alone. I really don't like the thought of getting a crew member in trouble but he definitely should know better than to not only make the mistake in the first place but definitely to not compound the issue with a bald faced lie.

[that]

Just off Ruby June 6

FYI

 

Lotus Spa

pool and both jacuzzis inoperable

 

Calypso 

pool

and one jacuzzi inoperable

 

 

[travellingnana]

We were on board in January. Group was on measuring many of the public spaces (thresholds, etc) to make them ADA compliant. That might be a big part of the dry dock 

Edited July 5, 2023 by travellingnana
Change

[MissP22]

11 hours ago, CalLuvsCrusingToo said:

Was on a couple months ago, and several times over the past couple years....

Ruby seems the same to us, hasn't changed much.

My biggest complaint is the very smokey casino. And all the people who

go in there to stand around, or sit around to smoke, NOT play.... and crew says nothing. Ever.

 

Not much different than Royal class ships.

[Honolulu Blue]

The Ruby was in generally good condition when I sailed on her in April

[BabsinTX]

I've sailed on Ruby six times this year and she was in fine shape.  I prefer Grand Class ships, too.

[memoak]

7 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Not much different than Royal class ships.

My issue with Royal class ships is that the have stacked so many venues around the piazza. Sushi bar, pizza restaurant. crooners etc and with loud music in the piazza it is deafening in all those spaces 

[talkorpi]

Sailed on Ruby in April, I had a pretty extensive live with photos. Just find the link in my signature. I was very impressed with the condition of the ship.

[MissP22]

17 hours ago, memoak said:

My issue with Royal class ships is that the have stacked so many venues around the piazza. Sushi bar, pizza restaurant. crooners etc and with loud music in the piazza it is deafening in all those spaces 

That's a design flaw in the Royal class layout, for sure, and why we stay clear of that area during the day when the music activities take place.

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, MissP22 said:

That's a design flaw in the Royal class layout, for sure, and why we stay clear of that area during the day when the music activities take place.

I wouldn't call it a design flaw when the area was never intended to be used the way it is being used in recent years.

[lighting]

Just getting off the ship this morning.  It is still in good shape, however in comparison to the new royal class, it has fallen behind.  One of my traveling group complained, about clogged toilets, and in certain areas a sewage smell.  The facilities are lacking, we were on the Sky princess last April 2023. The buffet was more spacious with a variety of choices. The Sky would have multiple offering of caving at each dining, i.e.  one pork, beef and poultry. They would have made to order pasta,  Ruby much less. 

The production show are outdated and stale, Perry Como and Doris Day?  The new ship the forum is up dated to allow better shows, Rock opera and 5 skies were outstanding.  They incorporated video and special effects to allow a more entertaining show

  The Ruby is still a great ship, but pales when you stack it up to the newer ships.