Not exactly live from the Ruby Princess

[cruisensmooze]

50 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Letter for in transit passengers
 

 

[cruisensmooze]

Thank you for doing such a great job of documenting your cruise!  My wife and I will be boarding Ruby for Hawaii on on the 27th and your blog has provided invaluable information for us.  Last month on our 10 day cruise to Mexico the Ruby was 1/3 capacity and service was not really a problem. Thanks to your insider reporting I can see that our trip to Hawaii will be closer to full capacity and it will be interesting to see the difference.  Thank you, again!

[cruisensmooze]

1 hour ago, cruisensmooze said:

Ah ... the saga continues

 

[Belle]

That letter is new for transits, never got one my last b2b's on Ruby.

All we got was the tests, in and out.

See if happens the next cruises starting tomorrow.

[scluvsrain]

I’m not trying to be mysterious. It just wasn’t relevant except to note I have previous sailing experience. The other line is Holland America. 

[PescadoAmarillo]

[pris993]

On 2/23/2022 at 12:10 PM, scluvsrain said:

This is my first Princess cruise, but I’m a seasoned sailor on another cruise line with over 800 days at sea.
 

I’ve found the food in the buffet to be less than mediocre. The dining room food is very good. The Crown Grill is outstanding. Sabatini’s was awful. As was Salty Dog Grill (not at pool, it is good especially the hot dogs). 
 

Everything else has been fairly comparable to my other cruise line with one more exception- the bar wait staff. They are not very responsive at all and it’s pretty consistent across the various lounges. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat and waited for a server to stop at my table and ask if I’d like anything, only to see them look my way and just walk by, turning their head. There are a few small exceptions. But in general it’s lousy. On my other cruise line, they never leave you unattended. Just sayin. 

 

 

Just off the Ruby, 10 day to Mexico.  Did find the buffet on this trip not up to Princess standards overall.  By comparison, I did a 15 day on the Coral Princess a year ago, eat at buffet for late lunch/dinner all 15 days very satisfied.  Figured with less passengers on board variety in particular was missing.  Also agree Crown Grill and pool side Salty Dog excellent.  I did both hamburgers and hot dogs pool side.  We don't do the main dining room any more only buffet and Crown Grill.  Like you have cruised many lines but Princess the most.  We use Room Service for breakfast, that was fine.  

[brisalta]

4 hours ago, scluvsrain said:

I’m not trying to be mysterious. It just wasn’t relevant except to note I have previous sailing experience. The other line is Holland America. 

 

Another member cruise line of the Holland America Group of which Princess Cruise Lines is part of.

[Astro Flyer]

It appears that Princess cuisine might now become more like HAL: 

 

“Chef Rudi Sodamin will become its first head of culinary arts, effective immediately. Sodamin is currently the master chef for Holland America Line, a position he will retain as he takes on his new role as head of culinary arts for Princess”.

 

https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/princess-cruises-names-chef-rudi-sodamin-head-culinary-arts

 

Edited February 25, 2022 by Astro Flyer

[caribill]

3 hours ago, pris993 said:

By comparison, I did a 15 day on the Coral Princess a year ago, eat at buffet for late lunch/dinner all 15 days very satisfied. 

 

Maybe two years ago before the shutdown?

[2 cruises a year]

1 hour ago, Astro Flyer said:

It appears that Princess cuisine might now become more like HAL: 

 

“Chef Rudi Sodamin will become its first head of culinary arts, effective immediately. Sodamin is currently the master chef for Holland America Line, a position he will retain as he takes on his new role as head of culinary arts for Princess”.

 

https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/princess-cruises-names-chef-rudi-sodamin-head-culinary-arts

 

This is from Carnival Corp.'s vision statement.

 

"Carnival’s unprecedented rise to the world’s largest cruise operator can be attributed to its ability to manage brand autonomy, with each major cruise line maintaining separate sales, marketing and reservation offices, as well as through the industry’s most aggressive shipbuilding program."

 

https://www.carnivalcorp.com/corporate-information/mission-and-history

 

I guess that their vision must be changing, it began by combining Princess and Holland America into the Holland America Group.  Sadly in my opinion, Holland America seems to be winning out.  Which is ironic, because the general consensus is that Princess and Holland America's target age group is aging out, and a younger market has to be catered to.  Hint: Medallion.  And Holland Americas' demographic is older than Princesses" is.

But, what do I know, if I was so smart, I would be making the big bucks making these decisions.

[PescadoAmarillo]

A beautiful arrival in San Francisco this morning!

 

Edited February 25, 2022 by PescadoAmarillo

[PescadoAmarillo]

Disembarkation information 

[PescadoAmarillo]

K.T.B. has started a Live From for the next Ruby Princess cruise through the Panama Canal, so I will relinquish my keyboard at this point. Thanks for following along, and for your kind comments!  Stay safe and happy travels!

 

Ruby Princess February 25 to March 12, 2022 through the Panama Canal

[tcdcruiser]

Courtesy of Mersea Restaurant's web cam on Treasure Island

[cruisensmooze]

2 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

A beautiful arrival in San Francisco this morning!

 

Very Nice!

[scluvsrain]

Before sunrise as we were arriving. 

[pris993]

19 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Maybe two years ago before the shutdown?

Yes, did see the difference on most recent 10-day Ruby cruise.   When I go again, December Holiday cruise will see if things get back on track when ship is full of passengers.  My DH is 90 he eats his main meal around 12 or so each day, buffet works best for him.   On days we want something more, we go to the Crown Grill, my DH only eats French fries and ice cream if we go to the Grill.   I hope the variety on the buffet get back on track.  It was very good in 2019.  

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

12 minutes ago, pris993 said:

Yes, did see the difference on most recent 10-day Ruby cruise.   When I go again, December Holiday cruise will see if things get back on track when ship is full of passengers.  My DH is 90 he eats his main meal around 12 or so each day, buffet works best for him.   On days we want something more, we go to the Crown Grill, my DH only eats French fries and ice cream if we go to the Grill.   I hope the variety on the buffet get back on track.  It was very good in 2019.  

I think he meant that your coral cruise wasn't a year ago, since ships weren't sailing?

[pris993]

45 minutes ago, AnyMajorCruiseDude said:

I think he meant that your coral cruise wasn't a year ago, since ships weren't sailing?

Thanks, yes it was back in 2019.  

[caribill]

21 hours ago, 2 cruises a year said:

Which is ironic, because the general consensus is that Princess and Holland America's target age group is aging out, and a younger market has to be catered to.  Hint: Medallion.

 

The intent is for the Medallion technology to be implemented on all the CCL Corp brands.

 

Princess was just the "lucky" one to be anointed to be the first to have it.