Back from Ruby

[california and cruising]

Questions to fellow cruisers.

The quality seems to have gone down in the food department, is this the new norm?

 

Also on our last 4 night cruise a few years back, they still had a somewhat formal night when they had lobster tail and steak, also escargot. Also more to choose from in the morning breakfast and lunch buffet.

 

Also, there was a group of I believe bachelor and bachelorettes that were having a get together, but they were having a in cabin party once the activities closed they brought it back to the cabin, with rap, loud base music each night. The last night the same and we finally had to say something as we were exhausted already. The answer we received is that they have rights. Is this the norm? After all it was in the middle of the night each night. The ship was packed so nowhere to move to.

 

I believe I know why it took so long to assign our guarantee as the whole section was with them and my husband and I were sandwiched in-between them all. I believe someone from their group canceled and that cabin became available.

 

Any thoughts?

[Coral]

Wow - I would have escalated the noise issue. I can't believe that was the response. Unacceptable.

[Dreamer333]

Was this the first sailing since Ruby has been updated?

[california and cruising]

Yes it was the first sailing since she was updated.

 

As far as the noise issue, I kept saying that I want it documented what I am saying and your response to me. Who knows what will happen.

 

[Diver2014]

Was the Horizon Court open for dinner?  It says on the Princess website way down in the fine print, on a PDF, that the Horizon Court is open 5:30-midnight (closed for dinner Crown, Ruby, Emerald Princess).  

I find that very hard to believe and very disappointing if that's true.  Thank you in advance.

Edited October 23, 2018 by Diver2014

[Pierlesscruisers]

23 hours ago, california and cruising said:

 The last night the same and we finally had to say something as we were exhausted already. The answer we received is that they have rights. Is this the norm? After all it was in the middle of the night each night. The ship was packed so nowhere to move to.

1

Who told you that, the people in the cabin or the ship's staff? If it was the ship's staff, I would have asked to speak to a supervisor at that point. If it was someone in the cabin, I'd have gone straight to the ship's staff, most probably either security or Passenger Services.

 

Tom

[california and cruising]

The staff at the desk. I just called at 3:00 in the morning.

 

[Pierlesscruisers]

1 hour ago, california and cruising said:

The staff at the desk. I just called at 3:00 in the morning.

 

 

To me, their response was very poor and completely out of line. Yes, they have rights, but so do other people on the ship. I'm so sorry that you received such handling.

 

Tom

[california and cruising]

Thank you Tom. My husband and I found their response out of line and surprising. It would have been nice if they took care of the issue. So apparently Princess condones this type of behavior. We have sailed enough to be Platinum and have never had a issue like this, ever. I am not too sure we will be back onboard with them after this cruise. So many things have changed and not for the best.

[Bemidji Ty]

We board the Ruby on Nov 3.  She is one of our favorite ships.  I certainly hope yours was a one off experience.  I can't imagine putting up with what you described at all. 

 

Cheers

[Thrak]

10 hours ago, california and cruising said:

The staff at the desk. I just called at 3:00 in the morning.

 

 

Screw that. I also have "rights". It's the same thing as "Your right to swing your fist ends at the end of my nose" sort of thing. I would complain long and loud. I would bang on their door. I would definitely complain to "the powers that be" and that would include getting the staff names. I would include those names in my email to customerrelations@princesscruises.com. That is a very responsive email address. I may not have gotten any assistance during my cruise but those who were unhelpful during the cruise would definitely have "felt" the response.

[california and cruising]

I just sent a email in regards to our experience, we shall see how serious they take it. The Ruby had also been a ship a few years ago that we had fond memories of and that is the reason we chose to take this sailing, it was wonderful then. This sailing did not even come close.

[senior lady]

Thats the problem with the short cruises, they are used for Stags and Bachelorettes parties.    Have been on a few of them and never again.  As for Formal night, very unusual to have one on a 4 night cruise, most are 5 days and longer

I would definitely keep the pressure on Corporate office

[california and cruising]

We did this a few years back and it was wonderful same ship. They had the special captains dinner which we did, they didn't have it on this cruise. No formal night. Honestly it was a step above Carnival, not by much.  We will never do it again. 

 

I will post how they respond to me.

[Pierlesscruisers]

12 hours ago, california and cruising said:

Thank you Tom. My husband and I found their response out of line and surprising. It would have been nice if they took care of the issue. So apparently Princess condones this type of behavior. We have sailed enough to be Platinum and have never had a issue like this, ever. I am not too sure we will be back onboard with them after this cruise. So many things have changed and not for the best.

I don't believe that Princess condones that type of behavior at all. Do instances of it occur? Of course they do, as you have personally seen, but is such action condoned? Not by a long shot. But, what you, and I, andy anyone else must do when something like that happens is to take not of the old "who, what, when" of the occurrence and ask to see someone higher up the chain. Of course, if it happens at 3am or when something major is happening, we may have to wait a while to report it, but report it we must or we actually become part of the problem.  Please don't take these comments as criticism as they're not meant that way at all. It's just that we must let someone know what has happened in a controlled, polite manner.

 

I do hope that you don't let this one bad experience erase all of the good memories you have of previous Princess cruises. My wife and I will be on the Ruby next March on an LA to LA cruise and then on the Star on Sep 29 on a Seattle  cruise to Monterey and back. Maybe we'll see you then!

 

Tom

[DrivesLikeMario]

On 10/22/2018 at 1:34 PM, california and cruising said:

Questions to fellow cruisers.

The quality seems to have gone down in the food department, is this the new norm?

 

Also on our last 4 night cruise a few years back, they still had a somewhat formal night when they had lobster tail and steak, also escargot. Also more to choose from in the morning breakfast and lunch buffet.

 

Also, there was a group of I believe bachelor and bachelorettes that were having a get together, but they were having a in cabin party once the activities closed they brought it back to the cabin, with rap, loud base music each night. The last night the same and we finally had to say something as we were exhausted already. The answer we received is that they have rights. Is this the norm? After all it was in the middle of the night each night. The ship was packed so nowhere to move to.

 

I believe I know why it took so long to assign our guarantee as the whole section was with them and my husband and I were sandwiched in-between them all. I believe someone from their group canceled and that cabin became available.

 

Any thoughts?

That would've been terrible to live through!  I would've been complaining the first night.  If they couldn't accommodate me with ANY other cabin, I would've gone down to sleep in front of the Purser's Desk in the chairs until they got the point. 

[jennybenny]

11 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

Screw that. I also have "rights". It's the same thing as "Your right to swing your fist ends at the end of my nose" sort of thing. I would complain long and loud. I would bang on their door. I would definitely complain to "the powers that be" and that would include getting the staff names. I would include those names in my email to customerrelations@princesscruises.com. That is a very responsive email address. I may not have gotten any assistance during my cruise but those who were unhelpful during the cruise would definitely have "felt" the response.

You and me both!! I would have suffered through one night, because sometimes people go out and have "extra fun", but after one night I would have complained.  There is no way that response would have been acceptable.  I would have gone down to the front desk and demanded a supervisor to come up with me to my cabin to experience the noise.  If no one did anything, those names would be going to a formal complaint, but I hope to never experience anything like that.  

[Luv2escape]

Escalate this to corporate in a polite but firm letter. (Jan Swartz)

[skynight]

Princess policy should be quiet in the cabins areas after maybe 10pm or 11pm. If people want to party there is plenty of public area available.

[fishywood]

On 10/23/2018 at 3:32 PM, Diver2014 said:

Was the Horizon Court open for dinner?  It says on the Princess website way down in the fine print, on a PDF, that the Horizon Court is open 5:30-midnight (closed for dinner Crown, Ruby, Emerald Princess).  

I find that very hard to believe and very disappointing if that's true.  Thank you in advance.

Take another look at that document:

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/food-and-dining/dining-options.pdf

 

Directly above the entry for Horizon Court is Cafe Caribe for Ruby, Emerald, and Crown Princess. Open for dinner form 5:30 "onwards".  On those three ships Cafe Caribe is the name of the aftward section of the buffet seating area. You can be assured that a section of the buffet will be open for dinner.

 

(and please use a standard font and color, it is hard enough to sort through the threads will all the changes acting a different sort of wonky every time one comes on the boards--I bet that is why it has taken more than a day for anyone to respond directly to your question...) 

[Mike45LC]

10 minutes ago, skynight said:

Princess policy should be quiet in the cabins areas after maybe 10pm or 11pm. If people want to party there is plenty of public area available.

 

Absolutely!  Club Fusion, Skywalkers, the casino, etc. -- that is part of what the public areas are for.  And Skywalkers is far removed from any cabins with people trying to sleep.

 

[fishywood]

On 10/22/2018 at 4:34 PM, california and cruising said:

 

Also, there was a group of I believe bachelor and bachelorettes that were having a get together, but they were having a in cabin party once the activities closed they brought it back to the cabin, with rap, loud base music each night. The last night the same and we finally had to say something as we were exhausted already. The answer we received is that they have rights. Is this the norm? After all it was in the middle of the night each night. The ship was packed so nowhere to move to.

 

Still unclear to me as to who the OP said something to. The way I read it is that they simply knocked on the door of the miscreant's cabin and were summarily dismissed. More information is necessary before we blame Princess for a service failure here: did you call the purser's desk, or go down in person? Did you stop after just one request? (And why the heck did you wait until the final night in the first place?)

[Mike45LC]

1 minute ago, fishywood said:

Cafe Caribe for Ruby, Emerald, and Crown Princess. Open for dinner form 5:30 "onwards".  On those three ships Cafe Caribe is the name of the aftward section of the buffet seating area. You can be assured that a section of the buffet will be open for dinner.

 

There are three buffet sections on these ships: port, starboard and aft.  Café Caribe has a separate buffet line, even if they close the port and starboard buffet lines.  

[Mike45LC]

2 minutes ago, fishywood said:

Still unclear to me as to who the OP said something to. 

 

Post No. 8 above, she called the Guest Services/Purser at 3:00 a.m. to complain.

 

[fishywood]

deleted--I mistakenly though the person I originally quoted was the one responding above

Edited October 24, 2018 by fishywood