Live from the Ruby....

[1 HappyCruiser]

The crew is finishing decorating the Christmas trees tonight. I suspect the atrium will be fully decorated in the morning befor the new pax arrive.

[Colo Cruiser]

You can not get the extra minutes included package for the Captain's Club benefit.

 

True, but if the cafe manager is lazy as stated above I guess he can bend the rules.

[1 HappyCruiser]

True, but if the cafe manager is lazy as stated above I guess he can bend the rules.

 

It was the first time we've ever received the extra minutes (30 minutes- not 50) & I asked the manager why other ships didn't do likewise & he said it was his decision to do it that way.

[cruiserforlife]

What are you planning for St Lucia?

 

We didn't have anything planned in St Lucia since we were doing an excursion every other day....them intensive port days come up on you fast & furious so we didn't want it to seem like work.Instead,we just walked into town and shopped.

 

I must say,the ship is beautiful and this trip was amazing.The days in port were all full ones so no rushing having to get back onboard.Weather was great,not too hot but it was humid no doubt...especially for a couple of coastal nor cal types.

 

As 1 HappyCruise mentioned,cafe caribe was very good and we only dressed up for 1 formal night and next time probably none.

We had a tremendous CC group and the best and largest M&G I've ever attended,thanks to all the hard work by Janette & Doug,our hosts.

 

The Chef's Table dinner was very nice and the staff really went out of their way to make you feel special.I have a copy of the menu and will post it tomorrow.Even if you starved yourself all day,you still wouldn't be able to eat it all.

 

We were in R710 and as I mentioned before,we were literally 40 steps away for the horizon court & caribe cafe.In the late afternoons when we wanted a snack,I would walk up there and have a custom sandwich made at the station and be back in less than 5 minutes.If I just wanted to grab something and go,I could be back in less than 3 minutes...scary close I tell ya,lol.:eek:

 

I personally felt the dining room food has slipped but my expectations weren't high so I wasn't dissapointed,you will always find something somewhere you like.We rarely ate breakfast in the horizon court instead opting for the international cafe which had these great egg muffin sandwiches (same as in the hc) as well as really great pastries.Because they are behind glass in a case,most people think it's an extra cost but all they charge for there is the gelato which I'm sorry I missed because anything italian on a Princess ship is generally good.

An item not to be missed in the international cafe is the shrimp salad which consists of big,plump very well cleaned & perfectly cooked shrimp that was just so yummy good I had it everyday which watching the sights in the piazza.

 

The fish courses for me were very dissapointing since I really don't eat much beef on cruiseships.Most were flavorless and overcooked.Any pasta dish was well worth trying and the fettuccine alfredo which is available every night is to die for,my wife always eats it everynight and everyone I spoke with said it was the best they had had.

 

The sushi in Vines was fantastic and often times there was no one there because no one really knew.We ate that 3 times.

 

The entertainment was good to very good but because they eliminated the aft theater and replacing those venues with club fusion and the explorers lounge,either there were days that there was really nothing interesting to see or it was impossible to get a seat.We both scratched our heads over that one.

 

We did the 1/2 day champagne cat sailing in St Thomas,the turtle & shipwreck tour in Barbados and the swim w/the stingrays in Antigua and they were all OUTSTANDING...well recommended.

 

I will comment further tomorrow and post a few teaser shots for now so ask away and I will answer if I can...I am jealous you guys are cruising this beautiful ship.

 

 

 

[Colo Cruiser]

Nice shots.

[cruiserforlife]

Nice shots.

 

Thanks,will post more up tomorrow...;)

[mycruz]

Could you find out if they are planning on doing a Chef's Table on the 3 nighters that are coming up?

 

We are also booked on the Riviera Deck right below the Horizon Court, looking forward to getting breakfast and taking it back to the balcony after my pre breakfast chocolate croissants from the bakery!