One man's review of a cruise on the Ruby Princess

[lovelearnteach]

Really appreciate your review, Ken.

Your table at Sabatini's is the one my wife and I hope to get next March for our 25th Anniversary dinner aboard Ruby. We'll be on the same itinerary as you. Did you get a good view of the sunset during your dinner? I've checked and the sun will be setting about 6:45 ship time next March.

You know when you make your reservation I'm sure if you tell them they will give it to you. The staff that I encountered went out of their way to make the experience special.

[lovelearnteach]

It's Tues. Nov. 15th, 2011 and I wake up about 7:30a.m., and it's a sea day. We also have our Cruise Critic Meet and Mingle at 2:00p.m. in Skywalker's Lounge. We get up get ready and head to the dinning room for breakfast. We hit the table lottery again and get a table for 2 next to a window. I have both of the breakfast specials today the Sunrise fruit platter and the eggs floratine, the eggs are good the fruit was so-so.

[Northender]

Thanks for the Sabs review. Don't worry about the pics, your prose was enough to sell me for my next cruise:)

Tell us how the M&G went......:cool:

[lovelearnteach]

After breakfast we head for the promenade deck and just sit and enjoy watching the ocean for a while. We then head to another trivia game in the Explorer's Lounge. A young couple from upstate New York asks if we want to join forces and we say, yes we would love to. A little bit later a single gentleman from Miami sits by us and we ask him if would like to join our team and he says yes. We got 17 out of 25 questions right, but still not good enough to win :(:D. After trivia we go to the fruit and vegetable carving in the Main Piazza. We then head to the shopping highlight show to get our coupons for free junk, they make great free souvenirs to give to friends and family, and to try to win one of the prizes, like the diamond necklace for instance :D. We didn't win a thing and now we have missed lunch because we need to go to Skywalker's Nightclub for our M&M. We need to run by the cabin first and get our gifts, our group is doing a gift exchange, and get my papers and things since I'm the one who has arranged everything.

Edited December 9, 2011 by lovelearnteach

[lovelearnteach]

So we were up to about 30 people who said they were attending the M&M, 12 showed up :eek::D. That's the way it goes sometimes I guess, this is only my 2nd M&M and 1st one I organized. My 1st one had close to 100 people and we took the whole nightclub. 6 out of 14 crew invited showed up; Hotel General manager: Guenther Kopf (very nice man, he stayed for a long time and talked to us and answered all questions we had), Customer Services Director: Steve Ross, Matre d' Hotel: Generoso Mazzone, Cruise Director: Samantha Hawker-Thomas, Senior Dr.: Dr. Willem Esterhuyse (a very young good-looking young man, for some reason I was expecting a more mature gentleman :D) not sure who the 6th guy was he was not one I had sent an invitation to but he was welcomed just the same. After the crew leave we do our gift exchange and I get the gift from the couple from the Notre Dame area. I got a box of chocolates, a bag of chocolate coffee and a bag of carmel popcorn nut clusters. My friend Linda from our last cruise got my gift which was a pack-back with clydesdales and St. Louis on it & a turkey pin.

 

As a side note I forgot to mention earlier I got the week-long scavenger hunt on Sun. from the Library. As getting signatures was part of the hunt a few of them being from the entertainment crew I got to know them quite well. They truly seem to enjoy working with each other which makes the activities so much more fun. I highly rate the entertainment crew on the Ruby, they rocked :):D!

[lovelearnteach]

By the end of our mingling about 3:00p.m. we are both starving, so we run by the cabin and drop our stuff off and head up to the Sun Deck for some yummy pizza. I got a piece of pepperoni and the special 4-cheese pizza. The pep is yummy, but the 4-cheese has an off taste to me. I haven't met many cheeses I didn't love, but I didn't care for it, on the other hand Terry loved it. So after taking one bite and wanting to throw-up I give it to Terry and head on over to the Trident Grill and get a cheeseburger and french fries. The Trident Grill has the best fries, they are so yummy, the burger is okay. We just sit on the Sun Deck for a while and people watch, I watch a pool volleyball game and have an ice cream cone. About 5:30p.m. we head on down to the cabin to get ready for dinner. Tonight is the 1st formal night and the Captain's champagne reception.

Edited December 9, 2011 by lovelearnteach

[smooth_toaster]

Gosh lovelearnteach, thank you for your awesome review and pics. Sounds like the cruise was a success, thus far. We've cruised the E. Caribbean itinerary twice on the Ruby, and the 2nd time was the charm for us, you bring back good memories, sights, sounds, smells.

 

Right now I can't cruise for another two years, financially I just can't do it the way I want. :( Your review is definitely therapy for me. It's like opening up little treasures everyday and vicariously living it all over again!! :D

 

Take your time with this one, I'm enjoying the ride!! :D

[kendon]

Ken, those meet and greets can be hit....or not. Yes, they all say "we'll be there" but in the end only the best show up...right? lol

 

I got a beautiful picture frame from Biker Linda. I have a photo in it already. She and her husband Jake are wonderful people and we saw them frequently throughout the cruise.

 

It was so nice to have some of the officers and staff show up. That is a first for me after all the CC gatherings I've been to. Those who didn't show really missed out. I enjoyed that very much....Thank You Princess!

[lovelearnteach]

Gosh lovelearnteach, thank you for your awesome review and pics. Sounds like the cruise was a success, thus far. We've cruised the E. Caribbean itinerary twice on the Ruby, and the 2nd time was the charm for us, you bring back good memories, sights, sounds, smells.

 

Right now I can't cruise for another two years, financially I just can't do it the way I want. :( Your review is definitely therapy for me. It's like opening up little treasures everyday and vicariously living it all over again!! :D

 

Take your time with this one, I'm enjoying the ride!! :D

Thank-you so much, I'm not very pleased with my pix though. Why did my good camera have to break right before we leave, the quality of the pix would have been so much better. Oh well shoulda, woulda, coulda, it is what it is now. I know what it's like to not have the funds to cruise, that's why there is such a huge gap between my first 2 cruises and my latest 2. But no matter how poor one is the memories still remain :). That's why I like reading reviews like mine it helps bring all those good memories back from your own cruises. I'm so thrilled I could help brighten someone's day, many blessings to you :).

[lovelearnteach]

Ken, those meet and greets can be hit....or not. Yes, they all say "we'll be there" but in the end only the best show up...right? lol

 

I got a beautiful picture frame from Biker Linda. I have a photo in it already. She and her husband Jake are wonderful people and we saw them frequently throughout the cruise.

 

It was so nice to have some of the officers and staff show up. That is a first for me after all the CC gatherings I've been to. Those who didn't show really missed out. I enjoyed that very much....Thank You Princess!

:D yes I agree the best of the best showed up to our M&M ;). I'm just sorry I flaked out and missed the little meeting at Crooner's for a drink on Sun., but I did run into Linda at the buffet Sun. night and she said no one stayed for very long anyway. Linda and Jake are good people so nice, friendly and down to earth and as often as they cruise we're bound to cruise with them again :)!

[lovelearnteach]

I head down to the laundry room to iron my dress shirt for dinner. We finish getting ready and head down to the Piazza to get our free champagne :D. We go to one of the pic stations and get some pix, I didn't purchase any of them. After 2 or 3 or or 5 glasses of champagne we decide to head to dinner. At this point you might ask yourself why hasn't he learned to turn the flash off so the food pix aren't whited out. Well I haven't had time to read the instructions, and I still haven't figured out how to scroll through my pix on the camera yet to see that the flash is whiting everything out. The only pic to survive is Terry's dessert, which he said was really yummy. After dinner we head back to the cabin to change and then head to Club Fusion for the LGBT dance party. We people watch for a while and dance a few times and then head back to the cabin for the evening and retire for the night. That's the end of Tues. Nov. 15th, 2011.

[lovelearnteach]

It's Wed. Nov. 16th, 2011 and I get up about 8:15a.m. Today we are in St. Maarten/St. Martin, and this is a new island for both my uncle and I. Ever since my 1st cruise, while doing research, it's been on my Caribbean bucket list to have lunch at an outdoor French cafe in Marigot. So that was my one only real goal when going here. Well someone in our RC mentioned a place called Sarafina's. Most of the reviews were very encouraging on tripadvisor, so we just planned to head there to have lunch then head back to Philipsburg for some shopping.

Edited December 9, 2011 by lovelearnteach

[Northender]

This review is so much fun. You always leave us hanging.

Did they go to Sarafina? How did they get there? Was the lunch good?

 

Later:):):)

[lovelearnteach]

We get ready and head up to the buffet for breakfast this morning. Believe it or not I made only 1 trip. I knew I had to pace myself, so this is my "light" breakfast :p. There's the Eclipse who are friends are supposed to be on, we should be waving hello in this pic :mad::D.

Edited December 9, 2011 by lovelearnteach

[lovelearnteach]

So we head back to the cabin and pack our bag and get ready to head off the ship. We mosey off the ship in no big hurry and take our time making our way to the taxi's. We get a taxi with 4 other people we just met for $8pp. The taxi driver points us in the direction of Sarafina's and off we go. AAHHHHh(insert heavenly music) for all sweet-tooth addicts out there, like me, I have found our Mecca :D. The chocolate eclair I had was better than sex :eek::D, yes it was that darn good! The raspberry tart was heavenly and the macaroon was the best I've ever had. I want to go spend a week on St. Maarten just so I can eat here everyday, seriously! I'm thinking I want to live here now.

[helpmesailaway]

Ok - I must know - was the third item in the "bakery" picture the macaroon or was it an apple dessert - they ALL look delicious and I wish I could smell the pictures:D - taste would not be out of line either!

 

Really enjoying your review:)

[lovelearnteach]

Ok - I must know - was the third item in the "bakery" picture the macaroon or was it an apple dessert - they ALL look delicious and I wish I could smell the pictures:D - taste would not be out of line either!

 

Really enjoying your review:)

Thank-you yes it is an apple tart, Terry got that one, I was to busy reliving my eclair moment :p:D. OOOOOOo if only.......

[helpmesailaway]

Thank you - I MUST have pastry when we visit St. Maarten:) I think I hear them calling me!

[lovelearnteach]

So on Wed. St. Martin has an open-air market, which was more touristy junk than fruit and vegetable market. We walk through and then head to the taxi's and head to Philipsburg. We walk around each doing our own shopping. I got a really cute pair of shorts. We make our way to the water taxi and head back to the ship. We both take a nap, when we get up we get ready and head down to dinner. Sorry no pix at all of this dinner, after dinner Terry heads to the shops to look around, and I just wander for a couple of hours. I sat back in the aft area for a long time just enjoying the night sea air. I eventually go back to the cabin and Terry is there and we watch tv for awhile and then go to sleep. We would turn the tv to the ships cam every night before falling asleep. It made the perfect nightlight and made you feel connected to the outside. So that ends Wed. Nov. 16th, 2011.

[lovelearnteach]

It's Thur. Nov. 17th, 2011 and we are at St. Thomas today. This is my 4th time to St. Thomas and Terry's 2nd, but last year we went right to St. John and spent very little time on St. Thomas. So Terry wanted to see Charlotte Amalie this time so I book a ships tour to Blackbeard's Castle, The Amber Museum and shopping in C.A., which I've never been to the castle or museum. I get up about 7:00a.m. and we get ready and head to the dinning room for breakfast. For some reason I turn the flash on and ruin all my breakfast pix.

Edited December 10, 2011 by lovelearnteach

[lovelearnteach]

After breakfast we head back to the room and grab our stuff and decide to go sit outside enjoy the fine weather and people watch until are tour meeting time of 9:20a.m. I say hi to Frank, Judy, Billy and the rest of the iguana gang :D. We get in line for our tour and could you believe it the same couple we met in line getting on the ship is now in line with us again. We get on an open-air bus and our driver is a real pip.

[lovelearnteach]

We stop at a look-out point for a photo op. We then head to Blackbeard's Castle, which is really just a look-out tower. That's the only structure from Blackbeard's time open to the public. There's a mock rum factory set up with a free rum tasting, banana rum was my favorite. We climb up the tower, which is well worth the climb as the views from up there are stunning. There are 3 pools on the property which is open to the public for swimming. The description of the tour said nothing about swimming so we did not bring our suits. I sure wish we had as at that point I was ready for a little dip. That pool looked so inviting, as well as the 2 others, so be advised if you go to Blackbeard's Castle bring a suit.

[lovelearnteach]

The rest the tour was self guided, next was some 18th century homes.

[lovelearnteach]

Here's the rest of the house pix for all the antique lovers out there, I would love to have those sconces! Your going downhill the whole time the last stop on the tour is the Amber Museum, with the world's largest amber waterfall.

[lovelearnteach]

Sorry about the technical malfunction.