Ruby Princess Suite

[Freesia32]

For those who have experience with the Ruby Princess... We are planning a cruise on this ship and are trying to decide between the Montego Bay Vista Suite and the Antigua Penthouse Suite. (We're splurging on a suite and want to make the right choice.) Which would you recommend? While not our first cruise, it will be our first with Princess. Thanks much for your thoughts! =)

[Woobstr112G]

For those who have experience with the Ruby Princess... We are planning a cruise on this ship and are trying to decide between the Montego Bay Vista Suite and the Antigua Penthouse Suite. (We're splurging on a suite and want to make the right choice.) Which would you recommend? While not our first cruise, it will be our first with Princess. Thanks much for your thoughts! =)

 

Are they the PH suites on Riviera deck or the renamed "Premium Aft Suites" that were recategorized to Penthouse suites? We stayed in R408 on the Ruby and loved everything except the somewhat narrow balcony. If they are aft facing suites, Not sure as I've never stayed in an aft cabin on her....:):):)

 

Bob

Edited October 30, 2013 by Woobstr112G

[IECalCruiser]

For those who have experience with the Ruby Princess... We are planning a cruise on this ship and are trying to decide between the Montego Bay Vista Suite and the Antigua Penthouse Suite. (We're splurging on a suite and want to make the right choice.) Which would you recommend? While not our first cruise, it will be our first with Princess. Thanks much for your thoughts! =)

We stayed in the Trinidad penthouse suite on Ruby's sister the Emerald. We only had to pay $300 each for an upsell offer from a mini-suite. The inside of the suite is very nice and the perks are great, especially if you are not Elite. Breakfast at Sabatini's is the best perk! I believe that there are drawbacks with the Riviera deck Penthouse suites on the Caribbean, Crown, Emerald and Ruby.

 

1. The balconies are only 5 feet deep Two lounge chairs barely fit side by side and there is no room for a table to set drinks, snacks, a book or whatever.
   
2. There is an additional 4 foot overhang from the Lido deck above so the balcony is in the shade most of the time. This might be an advantage if you want to stay out of the sun.
   
3. You are right under the Lido deck and there can be noise from carts being moved, chairs being set out, etc. We didn't experience that noise in our cabin but we had a loud noise that woke us up two nights in a row at about 1:30 - 2:30 that appeared to be some sort of maintenance.
   

We did have so great views from our balcony when we sailed through the Oslo Fjords, the Stockholm Archipelago and as we departed St. Petersburg.

 

This is a photo of our Penthouse suite balcony on the Emerald.

 

 

Our friends have stayed in the equivalent of the Montego Bay vista suite on the Golden. I believe that the layout should be similar to the penthouse suite. There could be a couple of issues with being so low. You will have some wake noise that they said was quite loud on the balcony and may be objectionable to others. I have not been in the suite so I can't comment. Also you will have some thruster noise as enter and leave port. This might wake you during an early port arrival if you are not up yet. We were in an aft Aloha deck balcony on the Sapphire and we could feel and hear the thrusters from four decks higher. Not a significant issue for us but something to be aware of. There is a "beam" on the Vista Suite balcony that will partially block the view from one of your two doors but this shouldn't be a major issue. You have views aft and partially to the side. The photo below is from the Caribbean, but the Ruby is very similar, especially the Vista suites.

 

 

If I were paying full price, I would go with the Vista suite, but probably on dolphin deck.

[rdsqrl]

I would not want to book a room midship on Riviera -- there is a lot of open deck above those cabins, so you can expect to hear furniture being dragged about as the deck is cleaned or during the day as people move about, carts rolling around if you're near the ice cream bar, even running footfalls . . . I remember that one CC member was upgraded to one of those suites (under the ping pong table, which apparently attracted play night and day) and found the noise level hellish. Not worth the risk, especially considering the amount of money you put into getting a suite.

[Bentley5700]

Helpful picture of Emerald's aft. What are the "vents" that run down the upper few levels?

[Bentley5700]

Helpful picture of Emerald's aft. What are the "vents" that run down the upper few levels?

 

Dang. I meant Ruby.

[bhopal21]

Helpful picture of Emerald's aft. What are the "vents" that run down the upper few levels?

 

Galley, among other things.

 

I always smelled bacon when on our aft suite balcony.:(

 

Mike:)

[Gunner22aa]

All we sail in and you can't beat the size of the balcony. Currently have three more booked and will book another on the Diamond after our cruise in three weeks. I'd book it now but I'm flat out of FCCs

[ORbeachlover]

While I have not stayed in the Montego Bay suite, I have stayed in both a vista suite and a penthouse suite on the Ruby on the Caribe deck. Both are great cabins. I liked the interior layout of the Vista suite better than the Penthouse suite but liked the balcony of the Penthouse Suite better. The Vista suite has the beam so it makes the balcony a little tighter than the balcony on the Penthouse suite although both are large balconies. Although some have complained about odors from the vent, we never really experienced it and I would think there would be even less of a chance of odors with the Montego Bay suite as you are on the corner, not right next to the vent. We considered a suite on the Riviera deck when booking the cruise but opted not to based on some reports of noise from the Lido deck above and the narrower balcony. Also, we love the aft view when you are sailing. Hope that helps.

[Freesia32]

Thanks very much for all your info! We went with the aft Vista suite and are so looking forward to the cruise. :D

[EAGLESLOVER]

Thanks very much for all your info! We went with the aft Vista suite and are so looking forward to the cruise. :D

 

 

 

You will love the Vista suite; be sure to mark your cabin no upgrade or you may end up on Riviera mid ship!!

[Gunner22aa]

Once you go aft you'll never go back to anything else.

[Lovetravel101]

Once you go aft you'll never go back to anything else.

I think you are right...Just booked our third cruise...and I chose it because of the "aft" balcony!