Ruby Princess E. Caribbean photo and video review

[Bimmer09]

We love ships. All kinds. So any opportunity we get to photograph them is taken. My dad was a Captain of a cargo ship and I once worked for Texaco in their Oil Tanker division and got to visit ships. What fun!

 

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The view above me

 



 



 

Terminal 2 on the left where we had been docked.

 

[Bimmer09]

Broward County Sheriff's boat stands watch

 

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Now we've entered the channel that leads out to sea

 



 

The Captain blows the horn

 

 

Residents from this condo building answer back with air horns and cries of "Huzzah!" The Port Everglades webcam is in the bottom left hand corner of the building and is recording our waving as requested.

 

 



 

[MGnut]

Bimmer - happy to see you posting again. Love your pictures and com-ic-tary.

 

Subscribed. :D

 

Howard

[ar1950]

Bimmer!! So glad to see this review. The Ruby is our second most favorite Princess ship. Good memories of our cruise on her last March now that we are seeing your great pictures, videos and reading the wonderful commentary.

 

BTW, my wife says she doesn't want to be on your "sail-away wave team". When she heard you giving Carol instructions she looked at me and said "Norris sounds just like my husband" (she doesn't want to be on my wave team either:eek:).

 

Lastly, I think if I had names like any of those I might be drunk as well.........:cool:

 

................ full of drunk people with names like Celebrity Reflection, Carnival Glory, MSC Divina, Regal Princess, Norwegian Getaway, Celebrity Constellation, Caribbean Princess, Westerdam .........

[Bimmer09]

How did I not see this review until just now?!? I still haven't recovered from your Mediterranean cruise on the Ocean Princess. I don't know if I can stand another one so soon. Just kidding. This is just what I need to pass a wet, dreary winter here in the Pacific Northwest. I'm especially interested in your tour of the Ruby, since she's on her way to the West Coast as we speak. I'm looking at a 10 day Mexico cruise on her next year.

 

Well Jasperdo-better late than never!

 

I am writing this in Michigan today where there is 16 inches of snow in the garden. I have a nice tan which will fade soon, so yes, it is nice to be reminded that warmer weather is ahead, even if a couple of months away.

 

Stay tuned. Great to see you again.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Bimmer - happy to see you posting again. Love your pictures and com-ic-tary.

 

Subscribed. :D

Howard

 

Howard, so glad to see you again. Lots of good stuff ahead and I am surprised I can contain myself and stick to a time line.

 

Read on.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Bimmer!! So glad to see this review. The Ruby is our second most favorite Princess ship. Good memories of our cruise on her last March now that we are seeing your great pictures, videos and reading the wonderful commentary.

 

BTW, my wife says she doesn't want to be on your "sail-away wave team". When she heard you giving Carol instructions she looked at me and said "Norris sounds just like my husband" (she doesn't want to be on my wave team either:eek:).

 

Ar- I take waving seriously. There's a lot of technique involved.

 

Norris, glad you have joined us here

[Jasperdo]

Residents from this condo building answer back with air horns and cries of "Huzzah!" The Port Everglades webcam is in the bottom left hand corner of the building and is recording our waving as requested.

 

 

We purchased the photo of us waving on the Coral Princess from Port Everglades Webcam. They're a great bunch of people. I highly recommend anyone cruising out of Fort Lauderdale to look into this.

[Bimmer09]

Here are the rocks I was sitting on just 12 hours prior to sail away.

 

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We leave Port Everglades and join the Atlantic Ocean

 



 

An hour out to sea, bound for Princess Cays

 

 

 

And the sun goes down

Full speed ahead bosun, full speed ahead. Aye aye Captain! (The Beatles)

 

I had gone to the stern expecting to see members of our roll call hanging out by the Outrigger bar wearing mardi-gras beads but they must have gone already, perhaps to early seating dinner. There was a Meet and Greet organized for Monday (sea day) at 10 a.m. I would catch them there.

 

Soon darkness settled down upon the ship

 

 

Norris

[JimmyVWine]

So glad I found this, but I am late to the party! We are on a similar itinerary in April on Caribbean Princess. Only we skip Grand Turkey and go to NASA. I am still hoping for a last minute itinerary change or a wrong turn by the captain. Now that the Space Shuttle program has ended, there is nothing to see at NASA and I'd rather go to a Turkish bazaar. [emoji6]

[Bimmer09]

So glad I found this, but I am late to the party! We are on a similar itinerary in April on Caribbean Princess. Only we skip Grand Turkey and go to NASA. I am still hoping for a last minute itinerary change or a wrong turn by the captain. Now that the Space Shuttle program has ended, there is nothing to see at NASA and I'd rather go to a Turkish bazaar. [emoji6]

 

LOL Jimmy!

 

Someone needs to draw up a map of the Caribbean so we can know where the hell we are down there.

 

As for being "late"....a walk of a thousand miles begins with the first step and you, Grasshopper, have just taken that step.

 

Welcome aboard, your server will be with you momentarily.

 

Norris

[rdsqrl]

*dashing in; skidding to a stop; saluting the colours* Request permission to come aboard late, captain?

 

Can't believe my spidey sense for food porn let you get through three whole meals without me! Tell Carol if her seafood avocado thing tasted only half as good as it looks, it has made me reconsider the fashionably-late, post-rush boarding I was planning for my upcoming cruise.

 

 

[PathfinderEss]

Realy enjoying your review and wonderful photo's.

[CI66774]

Great review and photos. Thanks so much for sharing!

[Bimmer09]

Realy enjoying your review and wonderful photo's.

 

Melodie, glad to see you appear in one of my reviews again!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Great review and photos. Thanks so much for sharing!

 

Welcome stranger! I haven't seen you before. I hope you don't mind LONG reviews. Have you sailed the Ruby or this route before?

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

*dashing in; skidding to a stop; saluting the colours* Request permission to come aboard late, captain?

 

Can't believe my spidey sense for food porn let you get through three whole meals without me! Tell Carol if her seafood avocado thing tasted only half as good as it looks, it has made me reconsider the fashionably-late, post-rush boarding I was planning for my upcoming cruise.

 

 

Annie the ship is already 20 miles out of Port Everglades but I have asked the Captain to slow down and the Pilot Boat will bring you out. When I saw you were not at the Muster drill I had a sinking feeling and that's not a good thing to have on a ship.

 

Anyway now you are on board I invite you to dine with us at every meal.

 

Hopefully Carol can chime in regarding her food experience on the Ruby.

 

We are heading for our first dinner on board in Sabatini's....

 

Norris

[Deck Chair Queen]

*dashing in; skidding to a stop; saluting the colours* Request permission to come aboard late, captain?

 

Can't believe my spidey sense for food porn let you get through three whole meals without me! Tell Carol if her seafood avocado thing tasted only half as good as it looks, it has made me reconsider the fashionably-late, post-rush boarding I was planning for my upcoming cruise.

 

 

 

 

The shrimp and avocado app was scrumptious! Apart from a lack of seasoning and one leaden fish dish the food was well beyond acceptable in the MDR and sublime in the specialty restaurants. Special kudos for the freshly baked rolls, breads, and pastries. And oh those Norman Love dessert creations!

[Deck Chair Queen]

Bimmer!! So glad to see this review. The Ruby is our second most favorite Princess ship. Good memories of our cruise on her last March now that we are seeing your great pictures, videos and reading the wonderful commentary.

 

BTW, my wife says she doesn't want to be on your "sail-away wave team". When she heard you giving Carol instructions she looked at me and said "Norris sounds just like my husband" (she doesn't want to be on my wave team either:eek:).

 

Lastly, I think if I had names like any of those I might be drunk as well.........:cool:

 

 

He is only tyrannical when filming, as befits a great auteur.

[Bimmer09]

 

We usually dine alone on our first night on board but tonight we had company.

Carol's best friend Cindy was onboard with her son Daniel and daughter Alice. They had sailed with us on the Caribbean Princess in January 2014 out of Houston. We would also be joined by Cindy's aunt Andy and her husband Ken who usually sail Regent. They are retired and were sailing on the Oasis in a loft suite once we got back to Port Everglades so they are at sea as I write. They, like Cindy, were staying in an aft suite on Aloha Deck (deck 12). Daniel was in an inside cabin , Aloha aft.

 

 

Sabatini's is on deck 16 (Sun Deck). Aft elevators bring you there.

 

 

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It is beside the Adagio Bar a beautiful quiet lounge I will show you in detail later.

 



 

We hadn't seen Cindy and co. since the CB cruise and I hadn't met Andy and Ken

so there was a lot of catching up to do while perusing the menu of delights.

I asked for my bottle of wine to be brought from Da Vinci dining room where we had lunch.

 

Food to follow....

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

I only photograph what Carol and I are eating as it wouldn't be appropriate to go around all the tables and poke my camera into people's plates for a close-up.

I guess I could give it a try just once?

 

It's only food but you (A) eat with your eyes first (B) get the taste buds jumping with savory smells and © expect a pleasing pass over the palate as it heads to your ever-expanding tummy. Belts have extra holes in them for a reason as my 12lb weight gain can attest.

 

A cone of crispy calamari appeared before me

 

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I fell upon it like a band of starving coyotes

 

Carol chose the Gamberi salad featuring marinated shrimp,shaved fennel and cannelloni beans

 

 

When asked how she wanted her dish prepared she said "out of focus please-just like his calamari" (wow, tough audience!)

 

This appears to be (A) in focus and (B) buffalo mozzarella

 

 

Carol also had penne with short rib ragu (not photographed as I may have been eating) and we both asked for our favorite Branzino (sea bass) in a salt crust. We asked for this on the Ocean Princess only to find they no longer offered it. Well, guess what? They don't offer it on the Ruby either. It was a dish for two sharing and took the waiter about 5 minutes to plate at the table so maybe that is why.

They did have Branzino in a coating of zucchini slices so we both ordered that.

 

 

An espresso creme brûlée was our choice and a great way to round off a fine meal.

 

 

With so many at the table and all the excited talking it was not our usual quiet dinner and we were there for two hours but we still had time to get to the Welcome aboard show (or part of it in my case as I had been up since 4 a.m and crashed early). I did step into the Princess Theater and saw some Al Katz comedy which the audience was enjoying. Who doesn't love cruise ship jokes?

 

Princess Theater- there were more people in the seats during the show-trust me.

 

 

 

Norris, and so to bed...

[Susie51]

Today I'm still laughing because I have a picture in my mind of you going around poking your camera in front of someone, pushing them out of the way, and then snapping a picture of their meal.

 

On sad note, I'm disappointed because my computer is not cooperating this am and I can't see your photos.

[Bimmer09]

I had set my ship's phone alarm for 5 a.m but woke in time to stop it ringing and went back to sleep as we didn't get to Princess Cays until 9 a.m and I was tired from the day before. Good decision!

 

While I am in the shower here's a video from last night's Sabatini dinner....

 

 

 

 

First order of business in the morning for me, after showering, is to find coffee.

I had a leftover Coffee Card from the Ocean Princess (@ $ 33 approx) and Carol had bought a UKP- Ultimate Kid's Package (@ $56 approx) which is a sticker attached to her ship card (which is used to pay for things and to identify you getting on and off the ship-also scanned at Muster to make sure you have attended). The UKP includes milkshakes, sodas and smoothies and some very tasty "mocktails". She bought it when we had lunch in Da Vinci on boarding. It comes with a festive plastic "glass" with a curly straw. Carol has no use for such things but on the way out of the Da Vinci I saw the mother of the little girl from the embarkation lounge and offered it to her for her daughter. She was delighted to accept it and I saw the little girl sipping from it on the aft deck as we left the port in our wake.

 

I got my first cup today from the International Cafe on deck 5. This is deck 5 and the guy in the tall chef's hat is serving in the I.C. as it's known to veterans of Princess Cruises.

 

 

Coffee and snacks are served 24 hours a day. They may ask to see your coffee card.

Buffet coffee is good enough for me but I still had a Coffee Card unused from the Ocean Princess. It normally only qualifies you for fresh-brewed coffee on the ship it was issued on but that wasn't challenged here. It allows you specialty coffees (espressos, lattes and cappuccinos) on any ship but they will (maybe) punch your card which expires after 15 or so punches if I remember correctly. I usually use it for double espressos and if the server likes you they may not punch it at all.

 

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There are yummy pastries and salads available, also gelato but that is at an extra charge of $3 for 3 scoops. Alice came here each morning for her "cronut" fix...a deep-fried square croissant with a hole in the middle. I have yet to try one.

 

[Bimmer09]

The ship dropped anchor (well somebody did but don't look at me) off the coast of Princess Cays on the island of Eluthera, in the Bahamas, son of Odin, father of Agnor the Sunbather from the tribe of Beachlounger. (sorry, I've read too much Norse mythology recently)

 

Lifeboat 22, just below our balcony, was lowered into the water as today he would be a ship's tender.

 

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We had no plans to rush ashore immediately, even though we had priority boarding. The crew go ahead first to set up the bars and barbecue (sic) and then a fleet of tenders (at least 3 on the move at all times) would ferry a few thousand sun-worshippers ashore.

 

Cindy had booked a Sanctuary Bunglaow which is on the quiet end of the beach and is a small cabin with a table for 4 and an air conditioner inside. Food is brought to you there as a bonus. Cost $249 for the day. There are other bungalows before then which don't guarantee such privacy.

 

We would go ashore at some point as we like the tender ride and I like to take photos there as it is colorful and there is usually some live island music being played through nicely distorted speakers ("our amps go up to 11").

 

For people coming from snowdrifts and freezing temperatures P.Cays is a must-do.

 

The clocks had been set forward an hour while we slept. We arranged to meet a the Da Vinci MDR for breakfast at 9 a.m. I waited for Carol there as I am always early for anything. One guy came and told the hostess he was meeting a friend here for breakfast at 8 a.m and found out the hard way about the time change even though the Captain had announced it the night before.

 

At 9 .am they began to close the doors and I found out that that was when they close for breakfast (take note!). Luckily Carol arrived only 5 minutes late and we were allowed in. The Head Waiter Francesco met us and noticing he was Italian, Carol greeted him in his own language and from that moment on he was "our guy"

 

We found table 511 and liked it so much we got it for most days after that. A quiet two top with a great serving team led by Frances from Peru.

 

Pancakes and ham, coffee and orange juice followed the croissants and Danish pastries.

 



 

For Carol, poached eggs on what looks like a bed of spinach with a toasted English muffin. Good food!

 



 

Carol went to the cabin to change into a swimsuit while I went on deck to smoke.

By the time I went to the Sanctuary she was in the Lotus Spa Pool

 



 



 

[Bimmer09]

The Sanctuary was mobbed! Joel, the Serenity Steward rushed over to greet me and bring me a cucumber flavored water. Soon I was napping on a comfy padded lounger. He brought an orange flavored one for Carol who was in the hot tub.

 

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There are Sanctuary loungers in the sun if you prefer

 



 

After my nap I was joined by Carol and we decided to take a tender ride over to the island so we did just that.