Panama Canal on the Ruby Princess 2023 Christmas cruise-photo/ video journal by Bimmer09

[Bimmer09]

Carol went to see the fruit and vegetable carving exhibition this morning. Maybe she'll show some pics.

She watched from Crooners which is now her new favorite bird's eye viewpoint after she tried it during Santa's visit. She was in one of my pics.

Today she has a lecture on George Town and a nap planned. I will roam with the camera.

This was obviously an early morning shot...

 

Horizon Court buffet Deck 15 aft

 

 

Some decent coffee has been introduced. Lavazza.

 

Adagio is aft Deck 16 right beside Sabatini's and is a quiet bar where I would take my computer to work on my photos.

 

 

Adagio at left, Sabatini's at right

 

 

Adagio

 

As with all the Princess Rooms it looks inviting and a cosy place to sit with a drink

 

 

 There's a small stage with a piano and drums at this end of the room and a door out onto the deck outside Sabatini's

[Bimmer09]

 

new carpet

 

vast acreage!

 

 

 

 

 

 

more

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

 

 

 

One side of the casino allows smoking (cigarettes). The room you see to the left of Gatsby's used to be a cigar smoking room with a humidor and cigar sales via a waiter. Civilized.

The casino looks good for another ten years by which time the Ruby will be 25, the same age as the still-working Grand is now. 

[Bimmer09]

This was once the smokers room in the casino

 

The comfy chairs, wood paneling and humidors are gone as are the air cleaners

Instead...

 

 

 

 

They could make the casino non smoking if this had been left as it was. A player could pop in for 5 minutes for a cigarette, longer to savor a cigar. They could order a drink from a waiter assigned and no one would have to avoid the casino because of the smoke. I hear Churchills (not on Ruby but on several Grand Class ships, with it's leather sofas and bartenders) will go away. A favorite of mine when I smoked and the ship's officers who like to smoke while they drink.

 

[Bimmer09]

Sunset this evening on our way to George Town was lame and only worthy of an iPhone snap. We did see more stars later as there was so little cloud.

 

It was Italian Night in Da Vinci but there was no dressing up in red and white hooped tee shirts for the waiters as in days of old. I don't think I heard Italian Music either. Carol might correct me or you might. I like all the little touches that made cruising stand out upon a time. Some have gone. Even baked Alaska parades and rows of cooks walking the MDR to well-deserved applause. It's all beyond our daily norm.

 

I ham it up with Kevin our waiter, speaking in Italian with an over the top rolling the Rs accent. I didn't realize that the  man sitting a few feet to my left on the banquette was the Italian captain. He and his wife and daughter were hosting the two Ferrari men.

 

Carol was facing him so identified him to me during the meal. The vino and Prosecco came quickly allowing us to hit the bread and butter which we have to pay for when in Italy.

 

I know that once upon a time butter was being rationed. Not so now.

 

We both had the Prosciutto and melon. Perfect starter!

 

We both ordered the veal scallopini. Carol's notes remind me that the veal hadn't been beaten thin enough but that the Marsala sauce was perfection. Good dish considering.

Kevin also brought a small portion of lasagne for her to try and it was worthy and enjoyed.

It's always hard to pass on Tiramisu so I didn't. I also had a Sambuca and espresso.

 

Carol enjoyed an ice cream sundae

 

 

Captain nearby

 

 

 

 

 

[Bimmer09]

There's No Business like Show Business

Another song and dance show. High Energy. No live band as the music calls for so many different instruments and genres. Fast paced. Visually vibrant and colorful.

Colors of the World 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the shows we went to except the Legends of Rock were SRO if you din't get there say 15 minutes before show time. That was with 3200 passengers.

[Bimmer09]

 

Time to Say Goodbye (Con te partiro)

 

 

 

Oh Canada!

[Bimmer09]

After the show we moved to Explorer's Lounge which was packed for a very funny comedy magician

 

Don't miss this guy!

[Bimmer09]

December 28th is George Town, Grand Cayman day

 

I'm up early hoping for a sunrise

 

 

 

Norwegian Epic is the only other ship joining us today

 

 

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had to take the water shuttle. formerly known as tender. It was loading on deck 4 forward, having been loading from deck 4 midships also, earlier in the day. We were going ashore at noon to have lunch as we've been here before and petted the stingrays and visited Hell. I had also been here 44 times in the 1980s to enjoy 7 Mile Beach. The sign tells is we have to be back onboard by 4 p.m.

 

down we go

[Bimmer09]

Sometime before we left home, out of the blue Carol asked me if I knew the name Guy Harvey. "Yes he's an artist and NCL have used some of his paintings on the bow of Norwegian Escape. I was just looking at one of his restaurants in Grand Cayman" quoth I.

She had just been talking to her cousin from Jamaica whose married name is Harvey. Also an artist. Turns out she is married to a cousin of Guy. It's a Small World After All (I'm singing that Disneyworld song and can't stop it!)

We were reminded of Guy once we sat down on the Cayman water shuttle (holds 225 people in sardine formation)

 

 

 

 

 

Even with only 2 ships at anchor the GT dock was a seething mass of humanity.

[Walt fan]

What a small world indeed with your story and choice of restaurant in Grand Cayman; can't wait to see your review and pics; enjoying along and the many laughs, including the Harry Styles hair reference; I laughed hard, that was really, really funny; your food pics make me so hungry, my dinner pales in comparison. 

[Bimmer09]

 

 

We hadn't missed breakfast this morning. Oh no we were in Sabatini's as usual.

 

Here's Carol's  ham and onion omelette

 

and my waffles swimming in maple syrup with ham and bacon

 

Carol loves her artsy coffee cup but they are not available on line

 

 

We're not ashore because there is no food on the ship. I just love to eat ashore and thought I'd do a bunch of it this trip, until I saw the ramshackle neighborhoods I'd be eating in to be close to the ship.

Grand Cayman is not a poverty stricken buddy can you spare a dime or let me braid your hair kind of stop so I knew we wouldn't be molested. 

 

Edited January 17 by Bimmer09
remove pic

[Bimmer09]

 We ate up in that open air section of the Boathouse Grill. It had a huge indoor area too.

There was a little dog under someone's table who went postal when we walked in to take our table. I think his name was "Little Yappy" and he was all bark and no trousers as they'd say in Yorkshire, where the puddings come from.

 

The view from our table

 

There's only one thing that can make this view pop even more.....

 

some good crusty bread and a baked head of garlic while we wait

 

Food was ok-think Applebee's level. Location and view great. I would return. 

 

My needs are always simple.  Fish and chips

 

and Carol's mahi mahi (sorry for repeating myself) fish tacos

[Bimmer09]

Google images led us to Guy's shop and gallery. That's it over there about 20 feet away

 

 

a typical Guy art piece. He's very committed to Marine Conservation

 

 

We stepped into his shop

 

Very nice staff in there except for a cleaner who was feather dusting the wooden stairs up to the art space above. The dusting could not be delayed one moment longer!

 

 

 

We bought a fridge magnet

 

We had a Limon one too I didn't show you

[Bimmer09]

Back to the ship

 

 

a quaint little town that smells of success

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bimmer09]

 

 Sammy Hagar?( I love Sammy)

 

 

 

 

 

Norwegian Epic passengers had a long line

 

 Ruby much shorter

 

 

We were squeezed onto the first boat and Carol's timing says that we waited for 14 minutes on line and including the ride back and disembarkation from a  packed boat just 30 minutes had passed since we got in line.

[perfect match]

As I’m reading this report, I’m remembering how much we enjoyed our cruise on Ruby Princess. I’m thinking that was back in 2014 in an aft balcony. With Princess now sending a ship to us here in Port Canaveral, I’ve been thinking it’s about time for another Princess cruise. I had been hoping they would send us a ship we hadn’t already cruised on. It shouldn’t be hard, I thought, since we’ve only cruised on two, Ruby and Caribbean. Nothing at all against either ship, I just wanted one we hadn’t been on yet. We’re getting Caribbean Princess. This review and all of your beautiful ship pictures now have me seriously considering booking CB while she’s here. 
 

We have been to Grand Cayman several times, both on cruises and land vacations. We have enjoyed visits to both Guy Harvey’s shop and The Boathouse Grill, dinner in our case at the Boathouse. It was nice to revisit those places through your review and pictures.

[Bimmer09]

The last water shuttle heads back to shore

 

 

The weather turns soon after hoisting the anchor

 

 

It gets very windy up on deck 16

 

 

Sunset is obscured 

 

 

Too windy so I get off the open deck

 

Flags blow one way, smoke the opposite

[Bimmer09]

We are returning to Sabatini's for dinner tonight but before I do I want to address my issues with the Tour Desk on the Ruby. I'll keep as it brief as possible. I had written my reasons for complaining about our tour guide in Notes on my phone and rather than repeat it to the Polish lady who was free to help me and have her paraphrase it I handed her the phone so she could copy it into her report. My dissatisfaction was with the rude, crass guide but after talking to the Polish lady it transferred to her. She wasn't apparently trained in the basics of Customer Service which of course has many acronyms . The simplest of these is as follows;

Listen to the complaint.( I hear ya!)

Empathise Put yourself in the customer's shoes. (Man that blows!)

Apologise I'm sorry you were dissatisfied with the service. (That's brutal dude!)

Deliver a solution- here's $500 now go away please.

 

Her take was that all these Caribbean people hustle to make as much money as they can and want tips and extra money for securing customers for shopping. I may have reminded her I've done maybe 60 cruises in the Caribbean and am from America where tipping is a way of life but usually we tip for a job at least competently done. She would have to talk to her manager and would get back to me tomorrow (when in Cayman)

I returned next day, now knowing the guide's name from Carol's notes. I had already shown her the photo of the bus. She had asked me for the name of the driver. I said I didn't know as it was a long unusual name (Rogelio) not a common name like Carlos. So his name was Carlos she said....L is for listen!!

 

When I came back next day a British lady had the attention of Polish Lady and her manager the guy who musters the coach groups in the theater. I stood in line and listened. A third tour person came to the counter but didn't offer to help me as he was straightening up the white tickets you pass to the tour guide as you enter the bus.

 

The British woman was upset-she had booked a ticket to a Rainforest Hike in Costa Rica, where she would see tropical birds galore. When she got to the destination there was no rainforest- just a banana plantation. "We're not going there" said the guide pointing to her ticket. "Plantation then shopping"

 

She was demanding a full refund. "I can only give you a 30% refund" said the manager and they went round and round on that until the lady said-all right I'll take the 30% refund but I want you to call your HQ while I stand here and tell them I am asking for a full refund-I'm going to be back in Yorkshire in 2 days and am not going to spend hours on the phone on hold with Santa Clarita.

"Oh- I am not authorized to give you a 30% refund. Only HQ can do that. I'll send them an email and see what they say"

 

The exasperated lady left to go complain further at Guest Services. I stepped up and Polish Lady offered me 15% refund which came to $42. I accepted. So she got the D in LEAD. Way to go girl!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Info-mercials

 

If you miss the ship

 

Don't even...

 

Shops pay a 17% fee on each transaction. Yikes!!

 

[MacMadame]

1 hour ago, Bimmer09 said:

Shops pay a 17% fee on each transaction. Yikes!!

So Princess gets 10% and we get 7%? That doesn't seem fair. Is the OBC refundable or is it use it or lose it?

[Bimmer09]

2 hours ago, MacMadame said:

So Princess gets 10% and we get 7%? That doesn't seem fair. Is the OBC refundable or is it use it or lose it?

Hello again. I can't answer the OBC question as we never have any. We've only taken 3 Princess cruises in the past 6 years as we have explored other options. None had any OBC.

This was our second Princess Christmas cruise. Next Christmas will be HAL. They gave us enough OBC to pay for one specialty dinner for two.

Norris

 

[nini]

2 hours ago, MacMadame said:

So Princess gets 10% and we get 7%? That doesn't seem fair. Is the OBC refundable or is it use it or lose it?

 

Unfortunately, if a business/ vendor accepts credit and debit cards, then THEY are the ones who agree to the terms. Most people do not realize that it is the business owners who pay for YOUR rebates, airline miles, cash backs, etc. IT IS NOT THE BANK!

[Bimmer09]

Dinner in Sabatini's Take Two

This was my idea to get a better dining experience. The choices weren't radically different from our visit on night one of the cruise. I go with what pops off the menu at me and it's often a repeat. Red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon using Princess Plus) and Prosecco to start.

There are no Italians in the kitchen-let's just get that right shall we. Chef is from Philippines. So the cooking isn't 100% authentic like mamma used to make but it beats the MDR. As there are no Italians in the kitchen there are also no knife fights back there and no vendettas.

Carol rocks the salad with fennel

 

 

Surprise! Vitello di Tonnato again. I only live once and this is super-yummy!

 

Lobster tortelloni for Carol

 

 

Norris loves this dish with his red wine. Pappardelle with beef ragu

 

 

If there's a lull in service once can nibble on some bread and dip

 

 

Carol continues with chicken scallopini

 

 

This looks flavorful and it is. Veal osso bucco

 

Carol's notes say zabaglione. I wish I was in Italy right now.

 

 

Sambuca Romana and wannabe espresso