Just back from Ruby, some pro & con observations

[beltane]

Hi all... Hubs and I just got off the Ruby yesterday. Since it was our first Princess cruise I thought I would share some of my/our pros & cons. These are just my observations, preferences and feelings. I'm not out to "diss" any die-hard Princess fans, but I would like to say some of the things I liked, and some of the things I did not like.

 

First off... my husband LOVED our Ruby cruise! He said it was the most relaxing cruise he's ever been on and would absolutely do it again. I certainly enjoyed our cruise and felt we received excellent value for our dollar, but I think depending on what kind of "energy level" we are looking for next time will determine if we choose Princess over another line such as Royal Caribbean or Carnival (which we've done and know.)

 

We had cabin C615, extended balcony on deck 10.

 

PRO: Embarkation was very quick, pleasant and easy. We arrived at 11:50 a.m. and were in our cabin by 12:15 p.m. They even had our door decorated with balloons and a happy birthday poster for Hubs! Very cheerful greeting indeed.

 

CON: As I've read from others, our gangway onto the Ruby led us into one of the general areas, and not the spectacular main atrium. Part of the initial grandeur of arriving for my vacation is the breath-taking entry into the beautiful main atrium. My moment of "Wow!" Not this time. We sort of made our was through hallways, up an elevator and found our room. Kind of a 'meh' experience when I was so stoked to enter the grand Ruby Princess I had been dreaming of! :(

 

ANOTHER CON: What is it with Princess putting your full name outside your door, pretty well announcing to any passer by who is in that cabin? That gave me a VERY creepy feeling. I don't need everyone who walks past our cabin to know our full first and last names, AND the level we are at. I immediately removed our 'door name tag'. When our cabin steward asked where it was I told him we prefer our privacy. It wasn't an issue, so problem solved.

 

PRO: Room was what we expected size-wise. At first I didn't think I would like the closet area, but later found it worked quite well and liked it. It keeps the ensuing clothing clutter out of sight when we were in the bedroom/balcony area. I am usually a shelf and drawer kind of person, but quickly got used to hanging most of my clothing on hangers. Usually I only hang dresses and slacks, but not much shelf room in this cabin. Bathroom was sparkling clean and pretty typical of what we have had on Royal Caribbean and Carnival. Extended balcony (free upgrade, nice!) Towels refreshed as needed, we are bad with towels and go through 2 loads a day, no problem. Bed was WONDERFUL. We had a comfortable night's sleep each night. It was certainly 'firm', but Hubs and I both like firm. Sheets and pillows were comfortable. Followed advice offered here and had them make it with a top sheet.

 

CON: The carpeting in our room was badly stained. It was an eyesore for the entire week. (photo later) We learned on the final night during a very humid storm why -- once the air in our cabin was intensely humid it "woke up" the stain and our cabin reeked of vomit. We had a terrible last night's sleep breathing in that smell, but thank goodness it was the final night. Again, not worth making an issue of in the middle of the night on the final night. The chairs on the balcony were old and worn. The seats sagged, I almost felt like my bottom was going to sink right to the floor! One chair was ripped and made me uneasy. (photo to follow) We didn't use it all week, no problem, there were 3 other chairs so we didn't make an issue of it.

 

PRO: I didn't find the dress codes overly enforced. On all nights I saw all varieties of dress... from gowns and tuxes, to business casual, to very casual. I actually did not find it as "elegant" as I had prepared myself from reading up on what is expected on a Princess formal night.

 

CON: None. I felt comfortable in whatever I wore, from an evening gown to sweaty beach wear. (On a funny note, first night in the theater I overheard the gentleman behind me grumble and complain about seeing someone in flip flops! Seriously, this guy was so put out that somebody had the NERVE to wear flip flops! LOL! It pretty well ruined his night. I just can't imagine allowing somebody else's flip flops to ruin my night the way it did this man! LOL!)

 

PRO: Meals in the MDR were always excellent, hot and delicious. Very attentive servers. We did the anytime dining and always requested a table for two and either went in immediately, or had a minimal wait of never more than 5 minutes. We also had a lovely dinner in Sabbatini's on the first night. We also made good use of the Vines venue... unlimited tapas and sushi with the purchase of a glass of wine. EXCELLENT deal! We actually did it for dinner one night when we ate lunch too late and didn't want a huge meal. It was wonderful.

 

CON: I wish the breakfast in the MDR was extended a little later. I like to have a teensy sleep-in on vacation and found I seldom was up and showered in time for the MDR. I know, that's my problem. However, found the Cafe Caribe and Horizon Cafe to be VERY good (more on that later.)

 

PRO: Booked dinner at Sabbatini's for the first night easily. Enjoyed a lovely dinner. As well booked the Chef's Table and enjoyed it on the Wednesday. (A few 'cons' for the Chef's Table later.)

 

CON: Attempted to book dinner at the Crown Grill for either the second last night or the last night. The Matre D' was EXTREMELY rude and snobby. "We are full both nights." No apology. No attempt to mitigate the situation by suggesting "Can I see if there are openings at Sabbatinis? Would you care to book dinner on your balcony?" No, simply an abrupt "We are full and do not have a cancellation list." Interestingly enough we walked past the Crown Grill several times at different times (mostly out of curiousity because the Matre D' had been SO rude) on both nights and found it to be less than half full ever. Don't they want their restaurants to be full?

 

PRO: Chef's Table was delicious and of course waaaaay too much food! :D We booked it easily as soon as we got in our cabin on the first day. We received confirmation in our mail slot the next morning. $95 pp, includes endless wine. Well worth it. At the end they gave us a lovely autographed Princess cookbook and the ladies got a long stemmed red rose.

 

CON: I'm not sure if Princess thought it was clever, but all the diners at our table were Canadian. Not that I have anything against my fellow Canadians, I'm proud of my country, but part of my enjoyment of a Chef's Table is meeting people from other places. Did Princess think all us Canadians need to be together so we can "talk Canadian" to each other? "Hi, I'm from Oakville." "Me too. Rush hour traffic sucked last week, eh?" "Ya." Did Princess not want to integrate the not-so-elegant Canadians with the other cruisers? Did Princess think we would be more comfortable with only other Canadians? There were several Chef's Tables that week, I know because I ran into other cruisers who enjoyed it on a different night. Why would Princess purposefully create a "Canadian" table? Something about it just didn't sit right with me... I love my fellow Canadians, but I missed the pleasure of variety in conversation for my Chef's Table dining experience.

 

Another CON was that the Chef's Table was held in the MDR in clear view and gawking distance of the other diners. First off, made for a very noisy dining experience. When we did the Chef's Table on the Miracle it was in a private diningroom and felt VERY luxurious. Conversations were easily heard and shared. No bystanders glaring and staring. The chef spoke to us, allowed questions, gave cooking advice, etc. Made for a lovely leisurely meal. In the MDR I absolultely felt everyone's gaze on me, felt a little fish-bowl-ish.

 

PRO: Normally I have never enjoyed the cafeteria-style food on cruise ships. However, on the Ruby we found the Cafe Caribe and the Horizon Cafe to be VERY good and very pleasant. I liked the set up, having the food service area removed from the seating area so people can't just walk past, butt in, and grab food, really makes the buffet more pleasant and hygienic. I think it also helps control any transfer of germs. The food was replaced frequently. It was hot and fresh. Hubs and I loved the different pastas every day. Rolls were always crispy and I usually bypass the breads, but these were really good. Butter chunks were massive... seriously, not sure how Princess isn't losing money just on how big the butter-pat portions were! LOL!

 

CON: Hubs and I love eating on our balcony and found it a bit more of a challenge on the Ruby. No trays. No cutlery readily available, we had to 'rob' a table each time. No food covers available for transporting through the elevator. We are industrious and still found a way. :D

 

PRO: Very little 'pestering' to purchase drinks when you are around the pools. Seriously, I thought alcohol consumption was a big part of the money-making in the cruise industry and I honestly couldn't see how Princess was making any money off their alcohol sales.

 

CON: I really like a couple of fun drinks when I'm relaxing around the pools and found I had to get up, go to the bar, and get my own drink. Took away from the "pampered" vacation feeling. OTOH... didn't hurt me to get my bum out of that lounger for a minute! ;)

 

PRO: Never had a problem getting a lounger around the pool. Princess has a "15 minute empty chair limit" announcement in the Patter now. Photo to follow. Seems to work nicely from what I experienced.

 

CON: No con to that :D

 

PRO: Very quiet.

 

CON: Sometimes too quiet. Seriously, we would go up to the bars and nightclubs and find maybe 6 people in there. We went on Valentine's night up to the Skywalkers, supposedly romantic music for the night, they were pushing it as 'the place to be!' It was empty (photo to follow) Each night, everywhere we went to find some fun fellowship we would find empty tables.

 

PRO: The shows were excellent quality and we liked that they were about 30 minutes long, with 3 shows. It made seating easier, less fighting for your place in the theater and made fitting the shows around your dinner time easier too. Singers and dancers were talented. Also loved all the musicians around the ship in the lounges. Very very nice.

 

CON: None. Loved all the entertainment, facilities and schedules. Well, maybe a tiny con... would have loved some live entertainment in the casino.

 

PRO: Princess Patter daily newletter was excellent.

 

CON: None.

 

PRO: Ship itself was lovely, clean, sparkling. Loved that there were a LOT of maps and directories everywhere (you'll see why below.)

 

CON: I didn't find the Ruby the easiest to navigate. Usually by mid-week I am great at manoevering around a ship, but I was still lost by the last day on the Ruby and still very dependant on the maps and directories. Not a big deal.

 

PRO: Debarkation was the best I've ever experienced! Our "purple 4" call was for 8:00 a.m. and on time. From our call, through retrieving our luggage, through customs, into a cab and off to the airport was exactly 30 minutes beginning to end! Blew my mind! So smooth and effortless. Bravo to Princess for that.

 

In general, as I said, I found the Ruby a little too quiet for my liking. I'm 53, so I can't imagine what a younger person might have thought, but I just found it WAY too sleepy. I love the excitement and energy of happy tropical music, of happy families and friends enjoying a party/vacation atmosphere. I don't mind children on a cruise. Hubs and I have 7 kids and 8 grandchildren (so far) and love variety in age groups. Kids provide an effervescence for life and I enjoy watching their joy and play. I'm not sure if it was the age demographics of the average Ruby cruiser, or the quieter atmosphere purposefully created by Princess... but it was a little too sleepy for me.

 

Hubs, OTOH, loved it. He just wanted to lay back and not be bothered by anyone, and that is exactly what he got.

 

I had to laugh on our first breakfast in the MDR. We sat at the table and introduced ourselves to the other 6 people. The server took our orders, our beverages arrived and suddenly ALL the other people promptly plopped out their pill dispensers onto their plates and started comparing pills, pill organizers, how much they take and for what ailments!!! LOL!

 

We had a lovely, relaxing cruise ...which is what is most important. I do feel we got good value for our dollar. Perhaps in 10 years HUBS and I will be on the same page as to whether we would turn into "Pincess-exclusive" cruisers. I think he would happily do that now. I'm not yet ready. I have to admit I love the happy tropical energy of other cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival. I don't mind the pitter patter of children on a ship. I love the energy of youth bringing some vivaciousness to the atmosphere.

 

On a confused note: I must admit I have a bad taste in my mouth about the almost 'caste system' that Princess has created, and seems to encourage, amongst the passengers. "Oh, you have a BLUE card?" *eyeball roll* The pecking order that is visible and audible amongst many cruisers, comparing who is platinum or who is elite or who is select, or who is, god-forbid, a blue-carder was extremely concerning for me. The attempt to visibly label each cruiser, whether it is the colour of your card, to the colour visible on your room card displayed right outside your cabin door, to the services available to whatever level you are in... didn't sit right with me. I honestly had to wonder if the two gangway entrances on embarkation day was for the different "levels" of cruisers? Not sure, just wondering. Why some enter into the grand atrium and others are scooted through a dark empty nightclub? Do elite members enter through the back door? Just wondering. This was yet another reason I was glad I took down my door label: I don't care to be judged by the colour on my card.

 

I ran into it time and again. I overheard it in conversations in elevators and theaters. People almost pleased with themselves that they were above another group. Reminded me of the episode of the Flintstones when Fred was trying to move up in society. "Everybody into the p-yoo-ell!"

 

Just my experience and opinion. I know I'm taking a chance even saying it on a Princess thread amongst Princess fans. I don't intend to offend, just to say what my experience was, what my feelings are. Hubs didn't mind. He tends to let things roll off his back. Like I said, he loved it, had a great week. I certainly too had a very nice week, but would have liked a bit more energy, brighter nightlife, more fun music around the pools, busier clubs and casino.

 

I don't blame Princess for that, I knew going into it that Princess is purposefully 'quieter'. Hubs liked it, not so much me. At least not for now. Ask me again when I'm 65 and a little more exhausted ;)

 

Would I do a Princess again? Absolutely. There were no deal breakers this week. We had a nice week. But at least for now, the stage I am at in life, I would probably choose Royal Caribbean or, yes, Carnival for a while longer.

[cvpends]

Wow, as someone who has experienced Holland America, Celebrity and Carnival and is looking forward to her first Princess experience at the end of March, I found your point of view to be very interesting! Thanks so much for sharing, and I look forward to seeing your photos.

[cibaygirls]

I very much enjoyed your review. I myself am 38 and have cruised with my husband, same age, exclusively on Princess (I have done 2 carnival criuses with my girlfriends). We, as your husband, tend to prefer the more reserved, laid back atmosphere of Princess. I think your review was VERY fair and can see where you are coming from with many of your observations. I don't ever recall entering into a cruise in another area besides the atrium and can see how that can be a bit of a downer. Although, our first Princess cruise was an Alaskan cruise and we arrived at embarkatin VERY late after long travels so I don't recall where we entered the ship on that one.

 

Whatever your next cruise, I hope you enjoy it; it seems like you go into your vacations with a very good attitude:observe what you do, but don't let it get to you too much, like the flip flop guy. :)

 

Dana

[Bimmer09]

Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed and comprehensive review.

I am looking forward to your photographs!

 

On my recent Ruby Cruise I met many Canadians and befriended some who had Blue Cards. I know from my own perspective (now a Platinum Card holder and therefore to be addressed as "your Lordship") that I want to help anyone with a Blue Card by telling them what is available on the ship as things like the Coffee Card, UKP, UBD and UST don't leap out of the Patter at you. We all had Blue Cards at one time or an other. I keep all my cards (4 so far) and the Blue is just as special as the Platinum as it marks the cruise that introduced me to Princess (the Coral). I think I chose well, amongst all the competition, and am happy for now. I hope to sail on other lines in the future.

 

If there are people who seem to be looking down their nose at you and your Blueness then they are just idiots who should know better, or you are misconstruing things.

 

We are all in the same boat when it come to cruising. We get to share an amazing experience for maybe just one week and meet some wonderful people.

 

Your hubs had a great experience so I think you will return to Princess in the future. He's maybe like me- just rolls along enjoying the moment, fully aware that perfection is an ideal, seldom encountered.

 

Now let's see those photos!

 

Norris

Lord Grantham

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for the review.

 

We have never worried about name tags on the door.

Who's going to look at them?

When walking past cabins the last thing on my mind is a name on a door let alone whether the tag is blue/silver/black.

You will never see most passengers again.

 

We also enjoy the setting of the Chefs table and would never want to be put in a room and shoved off to the side.

Did not pay attention to the noise level.

[beltane]

Here is the lounge announcement from the Patter. We certainly had no problems find loungers for the week. We prefer shade and always found 2 together easily within a few rows of the pool.

[beltane]

Carpet stain. Again, not really a problem until the last night when storm humidity "woke" it up and our cabin reeked of vomit. I guess a previous cruiser had sea sickness :(

[beltane]

Delicious Chef's Table dinner. Absolutely delish!

 

I don't find a private diningroom "shoved to the side", especially with 10+ people at the table. I find, for me, it ensures that I can enjoy a conversation with everyone I am dining with. I also find that it allows better intimacy to speak with the Chef and Sommelier and pick their brains a bit. Having experienced both now, I much prefer the intimacy of a private diningroom for a dinner that divine.

[beltane]

Nightclub nightlife in the Skywalkers Lounge at 11:15 p.m. on Valentine's Day. Including myself, Hubs and the 5 people in the picture = 7 people. :eek: Perhaps the rest of the cruisers were getting some romance heated up their cabins? LOL! :rolleyes:

[Happy ks]

Thanks for taking the time and writing your review. We're on Ruby Princess this coming April for the first time, so I am anxious to read other peoples thoughts on the ship. We've been on Sapphire 3 times and Golden once, it looks like Ruby is quite similar, but newer.

 

I thought it was amusing, some of your cons would be my pros, I'm probably more like your husband. I like peace and quiet. Kids don't necessarily annoy me, but if they're not there, great. I work at an elementary school, so I get my fill of kids all the time!

 

Again, thank you for the good read :)

[georgiavol]

I didn't think Canadians were allowed to have blue cards. I mean, one would think that blue is a color ya'll could live without, right? I'M JUST KIDDING!!!

 

Seriously, though. Great review and very insightful. Good news about the pool chairs.

[TracieABD]

Interesting review. Thanks. :)

[Elkhorn20fan]

Thanks for the great review, looking forward to photo's.

 

I love princess, but I do agree with you as to how dead the bars and clubs are at night, most nights I was one of a few people at skywalkers. For relaxing, love princess!!!!!!!!!!!

[beltane]

I didn't think Canadians were allowed to have blue cards. I mean, one would think that blue is a color ya'll could live without, right?

 

Well I would have loved a red and white card! :D

 

Here's a funny little story from our cruise~~ in St. Maarten we had the Celebrity Reflection across from us in port. It's nearing the time when everyone is back on board and hanging over their balconies waiting to cheer for the stragglers when THIS guy wanders out onto his balcony. He proceeds to set up a laundry line. Goes back in and comes out and hangs up all his WET UNDERPANTS and socks. Hangs 'em all out for all to see. :eek: On our side of the pier we we're all busting a gut laughing... then it got better. He proceeds to start doing exercise LUNGES! It was priceless! That's when I got my camera. Suddenly his wife comes out and her hands are flying, you can tell he's getting a strip torn off. He goes inside, she pulls down the laundry line and goes in after him. Those of us on the Ruby were absolutely in pain with laughter. Man I would have LOVED to have been able to hear that conversation! :p

[Mom33]

 

 

CON: As I've read from others, our gangway onto the Ruby led us into one of the general areas, and not the spectacular main atrium. Part of the initial grandeur of arriving for my vacation is the breath-taking entry into the beautiful main atrium. My moment of "Wow!" Not this time. We sort of made our was through hallways, up an elevator and found our room. Kind of a 'meh' experience when I was so stoked to enter the grand Ruby Princess I had been dreaming of! :(

 

 

 

I honestly had to wonder if the two gangway entrances on embarkation day was for the different "levels" of cruisers? Not sure, just wondering. Why some enter into the grand atrium and others are scooted through a dark empty nightclub? Do elite members enter through the back door? Just wondering. This was yet another reason I was glad I took down my door label: I don't care to be judged by the colour on my card.

 

I ran into it time and again. I overheard it in conversations in elevators and theaters. People almost pleased with themselves that they were above another group. Reminded me of the episode of the Flintstones when Fred was trying to move up in society. "Everybody into the p-yoo-ell!"

 

Just my experience and opinion. I know I'm taking a chance even saying it on a Princess thread amongst Princess fans. I don't intend to offend, just to say what my experience was, what my feelings are. Hubs didn't mind. He tends to let things roll off his back. Like I said, he loved it, had a great week. I certainly too had a very nice week, but would have liked a bit more energy, brighter nightlife, more fun music around the pools, busier clubs and casino.

 

 

The two different gangways were most likely to speed up boarding. We have been directed towards the entrance that would put us closer to our cabin. If they only had one entry on embarkation, the lines waiting to board would be pretty bad.

 

I assume that the other lines you have cruised have loyalty programs just as Princess does. It has no bearing on what you do for a living or who you are.

It is based on the number of cruises or sea days that you have at sea with that cruise line. Any perceived caste system is left to the cruiser, not Princess.

 

I'm glad you enjoyed the cruise.:)

[pcsunlover]

Thank you for taking the time to write your review, and I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise. I'll be on the Ruby for the 2nd time in 4 weeks, and for the most part agree with your accessment. All of our Princess cruises have been peaceful and relaxing, which is specifically what we look for on vacation. I too love having younger people and children (well behaved) on board (we are 50 & 51). I think that you will find a better mix of young and old cruising during March and April when more families are free for school breaks. That's usually when we go, and so far the night life has always been very good. :)

[Jasperdo]

Very nice review. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[Pam in CA]

Thank you for your review. I realize it's your perspective based on cruises on previous lines, which I respect.

 

One thing that did confuse me was the con that there wasn't enough shelving in the cabin. Having been on three other lines in addition to Princess, I was surprised since those other lines had less than half the number of shelves as the standard Princess cabin with a floor-to-ceiling cabinet of shelves plus a 7' shelf over the closet bar. I'd be interesting in knowing which line has more shelving than that. :)

[Gracie115]

Thanks for your review, we will be on our 1st Princess cruise on the Ruby later this year so I read with great interest. A bit concerned about what you describe as the silence on the ship later in the evenings. Was there not a piano bar player anywhere? Had read on other posts that there were.

 

Also the stain on the carpet would not have bothered me...the smell...even on the last night....ugh...that stuff shouldn't happen.

 

Glad you had a good cruise, we look forward to our 1st Princess experience!!:)

[zoncom]

Beltane, Did 16N TA several yrs. ago when our X choice sold out all the cheap seats. You and I are the only mentions of this undiscovered gem I have seen. We had open seating, would go up every evening to look at CCs nitely theme. almost always ended up dining there. They really went to a lot of effort to crreate the nightly theme buffets, I also disliked the nameplates.

[Happy ks]

Thank you for your review. I realize it's your perspective based on cruises on previous lines, which I respect.

 

One thing that did confuse me was the con that there wasn't enough shelving in the cabin. Having been on three other lines in addition to Princess, I was surprised since those other lines had less than half the number of shelves as the standard Princess cabin with a floor-to-ceiling cabinet of shelves plus a 7' shelf over the closet bar. I'd be interesting in knowing which line has more shelving than that. :)

 

I scratched my head a bit on that subject as well. I feel Princess does better than any other line we've cruised on with closet and shelf storage.

 

Still an interesting review to read...I don't agree on everything, but I don't feel we have to. There are some cruise lines that I have cruised with and would not recommend to anyone, yet people on CC rave about some of the things I absolutely cannot stand.

 

I'd not care where I boarded the ship, just get me onboard :p I'd rather spend $95 on a good bottle of wine and a more private dinner in the specialty restaurant than at a chef's table. I have never paid attention to what color anyone's cruise card happens to be, I wouldn't know what status the color is anyway. I've never bothered to read the names of the people on the door to any stateroom other than our own. it's just not a big deal to me, all I want to do is find the stairwell to get where we want to go.

 

But, I appreciate these things can mean something to another person.

[beltane]

Thanks for your review, we will be on our 1st Princess cruise on the Ruby later this year so I read with great interest. A bit concerned about what you describe as the silence on the ship later in the evenings. Was there not a piano bar player anywhere? Had read on other posts that there were.

 

Oh yes, I think I mentioned there was a LOT of extra music elsewhere -- pianists, a really great pop group, an amazing steel drummer, etc. It was the clubs that pretty well were deserted on most nights, and certainly empty by midnight. Maybe it was just our 'week' and we had a bunch of sleepyheads on board.

 

Also the stain on the carpet would not have bothered me...the smell...even on the last night....ugh...that stuff shouldn't happen.

 

Ya, I understand stains happen especially on a busy ship, but didn't expect the smell on the final night. Thank goodness it was only the one night.

[beltane]

plus a 7' shelf over the closet bar.

 

Maybe that's it... Hubs and I are quite short statured. The shelf over the closet bar was mostly useless to us. We would have to get a chair each time we needed to get something off it. As it was we kept our pool towels up there and still had to stand on tip-toe to grab one. I'm not sure what it is, but I have definitely found more cupboard space in our Carnival cabins. There was plenty in the RCC cabins because we had junior suites. Anyhow, like I said, once I made better use of hangers the closet area worked very well.

[pris993]

Thank you for your review. I realize it's your perspective based on cruises on previous lines, which I respect.

 

One thing that did confuse me was the con that there wasn't enough shelving in the cabin. Having been on three other lines in addition to Princess, I was surprised since those other lines had less than half the number of shelves as the standard Princess cabin with a floor-to-ceiling cabinet of shelves plus a 7' shelf over the closet bar. I'd be interesting in knowing which line has more shelving than that. :)

 

Good point Pam. Is this shelving in every cabin? We typically book mini suites, so I am not sure. Maybe someone new to Princess would miss the shelving, I believe there is a mirror panel in front.

[Shoaffy]

My husband and our grown girls were on a Christmas Cruise on the Ruby...our 1st Princess Cruise in 2009 and I thought the name tag and Christmas decoration fir was a very personal touch. Now leaving on the Emerald Feb 25 and hoping we still have a name tag ...made it seem like they were happy to have us on board!