Live from the Ruby Princess - 10 day Alaska Inside Passage 5/20-5/30

[7seascruising]

Mrs. 7seas and I boarded the Ruby Princess at the Port of San Francisco today. The Ruby arrived in port a little later than scheduled due to rough seas, which delayed embarkation. The line just to get into the cruise terminal was outside the building and wrapped quite a ways around. Once we cleared security, it was "smooth sailing". We were both able to check in with no issues (My Medallion works this time!). There was another line onboard and it seemed like the person checking in people had issues with her device that scanned Medallions. Again, it seemed to be resolved fairly quickly. Due to the delay of the ships arrival, the rooms weren't ready right away, so we had a nice lunch in the DaVinci dining room. We went out for the SailAway Party. The ships crew kept making announcements over the ship-wide PA system every time the cruise director tried to get the "party started". Eventually it was pretty comical.

 

We just returned from Dinner in the DaVinci room, which was fantastic. Our dinner was just as the Ruby was passing by Alcatraz and under the Golden Gate bridge. I was able to jump out and capture a couple of pictures from the bow of the ship. Note to anyone who wants to take pictures from the bow of any cruise ship while it's leaving the San Francisco bay: Wear a jacket. It is extremely windy and very cold.

 

If anyone has any questions, feel free to post them in the comments, I'll try to keep up as time and my internet connection allows.

[cruzin4us]

Thanks for the "Live".......I'm following along closely as we board the Ruby on the 9th of June.   

When you have a chance, can you tell me if Sabatini's & Crown Grill are open or are they alternating nights?

Also, do you know what the passenger count is?    

Happy sailing & enjoy Alaska!

[Phantom of the Seas]

Interested in the new fish & seafood menus MDR on your Cruise to Alaska....please post menus if can and reviews of the food...have a great cruise

[Coffeeluvr05]

1 hour ago, Phantom of the Seas said:

Interested in the new fish & seafood menus MDR on your Cruise to Alaska....please post menus if can and reviews of the food...have a great cruise

I had the pan fried Alaskan cod last night and it was delicious! I’m not a big fish eater and this was really good! 

[Coffeeluvr05]

For those of you wanting to know the schedule of what days are formal nights. 

[Cessna140]

Thanks for posting....we are onboard on the 30th and looking forward to our first trip in two and a half years. 

[tcdcruiser]

I’m also aboard.  Both speciality  restaurants are definitely not open every night.  However the pax load is around 2000, so I think supply is being driven by demand. 
 

Fighting 30+ knot headwinds.  Only averaged a speed of 10 knots overnight. Currently racing at 14 knots.  

[7seascruising]

3 hours ago, Phantom of the Seas said:

Interested in the new fish & seafood menus MDR on your Cruise to Alaska....please post menus if can and reviews of the food...have a great cruise

The great thing about the MedallionClass app now is that you can see the menu for every day if the cruise (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner). I’ll post the dinner menus in this thread for each day. If you want the other menus, please let me know.

[Coffeeluvr05]

Captain just announced the swells are 4 meters or about 13 feet. I googled it! Ha!

 

Crown grill and Sabatini's are both fully booked on the nights we want so we asked to be on the wait list. They alternate nights so they are not both open each night. 
 

The MDR was not crowded during our dining time of 5:20. Lots of empty tables. We were told we would have the same table each night but we still needed to check in with our medallion with the hostess instead of just walking to our table. Our waiter was happy to hear that and so were we. 

[7seascruising]

Day 1 MDR Dinner Menu

 

[7seascruising]

Day 2 MDR Dinner menu

 

[7seascruising]

Day 3 MDR Dinner menu

 

[7seascruising]

Day 4 MDR Dinner menu

 

[7seascruising]

I'll post more menus when I'm not fighting this "challenging" internet. For now, I'll leave you with this view of us cruising under the Golden Gate Bridge...

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

We were on the GG few days ago, missed you guys.

 

Anxious to hear all about your trip.

 

And if you hear Passenger Count for this cruise and Next?  Thank You

 

 

[clueless2]

1 hour ago, 7seascruising said:

I'll post more menus when I'm not fighting this "challenging" internet. For now, I'll leave you with this view of us cruising under the Golden Gate Bridge...

Approximately how long after pushing away from the dock do you sail under the bridge?  Thanks.

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

Maybe 30 mins.  And like mentioned above, might wanna bring a jacket if you want to  be

King of the World. 

Very Windy too.  Not enuf hairspray in the world gonna hold your doo.🙆‍♂️

 

 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

 

Sabatini’s was open Friday the 20th, Crown is open tonight the 21st. So if you want to guess what alternating day each is open for the next cruise that might help. I’ll be eating at Sabatini’s tomorrow night and will ask Dennis the restaurant manager there if the pattern continues across cruises. 

 

Albert & Max  (two of my Sabatini waiters from last month)were both promoted to assistant restaurant manager….Albert in Michelangelo and Max in DaVinci. I have been eating at a private table for one in Michelangelo’s and it has been night and day better than my previous MDR experiences on this ship. 

 

I often, but not always, eat in Club Class which is of course wonderful.   I have also had a few sailings without CC where I tried to use DMW and eat in the MDR. In the past (November thru April) it has been a dismal failure. This time lo and behold they see my reservation, the two tops are very nicely spaced apart and I am truly impressed with the service and food.  I keep my meals simple and have been in and out in an hour or less. As was mentioned by @Coffeeluvr05the Alaskan cod last night was simply stunning. Best I’ve ever had. The prime rib tonight was excellent (the baked potato of all things was a miss). 

 

I ate at 7 pm yesterday and at 5:20 tonight. Both nights I’ve noticed a huge line at DaVinci as I head down to deck 5 for Michelangelo’s where I’ve had only 1 or 2 parties ahead of me in a “line”. 

 

I will have to say the white wine by the glass selection has been nothing short of dismal. I am not a Chardonnay drinker so can not speak to that. But Vines has no whispering Angel, no Gloria Ferrar or Chandon Sparkling, no decent Sauvignon blanc at $12 or less. I went on a mission today to all the bars and was able to find a couple of bars that had some of my preferred choices.  But they told me that the bottle they had was the last one they had. Ughhh. I am not a cocktail, red wine or beer drinker but it looks like I may have to branch out…..at least until we get to a port where I can buy some bottles to bring back on.  

[cruzin4us]

12 minutes ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

 

Sabatini’s was open Friday the 20th, Crown is open tonight the 21st. So if you want to guess what alternating day each is open for the next cruise that might help. I’ll be eating at Sabatini’s tomorrow night and will ask Dennis the restaurant manager there if the pattern continues across cruises. 

 

 

 

If you wouldn't mind asking, that would be a super big help to me.   We sail June 9th if that helps any.   Thank you so much!!!!

[HaveDogWillTravel]

Woke up to gorgeous calm seas and this fabulous sunrise.  We are off the coast of northern Oregon I believe  

[tcdcruiser]

Havedogwilltravel is correct. We are just north of Portland .

 

We are doing almost 22 knots.  Looks like petal to the metal  to make up lost time on day one. However MarineTraffic.com forecasts strong 25 knots westerly winds later today    That will slow us down again.  Hope we make Icy Strait Point .  
 

yes the prime rib was good!
 

 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

I hope those winds don’t come until I’ve finished my afternoon nap in the sanctuary. 😴

[7seascruising]

Yes. The seas are much calmer today. After the last two days of rockin and rollin, this is very welcome. 
 

Also, my wife agrees whole heartedly about the prime rib. I had the lasagna, which was also excellent. I have a bowl of French onion soup every night and it never fails to disappoint. 

 

Edited May 22, 2022 by 7seascruising

[7seascruising]

As of 9am this morning, this is our speed and heading according to the MedallionClass app. 

[ebeluga]

21 hours ago, Coffeeluvr05 said:

Captain just announced the swells are 4 meters or about 13 feet. I googled it! Ha!

 

Crown grill and Sabatini's are both fully booked on the nights we want so we asked to be on the wait list. They alternate nights so they are not both open each night. 
 

The MDR was not crowded during our dining time of 5:20. Lots of empty tables. We were told we would have the same table each night but we still needed to check in with our medallion with the hostess instead of just walking to our table. Our waiter was happy to hear that and so were we. 

In general, may I asked whom we should talk to in order to have the same table for the entire voyage? Headwaiter or restaurant manager?  Thx!