Ruby Princess observations

[MrSchwump]

We got off the Ruby this past Monday, 1/29.  Here are some observations about the ship and the cruise.

Our first Princess cruise was in 2006 about the Ruby’s sister ship, the Caribbean Princess so we were familiar with the general layout. Our most recent cruises have been on the Regal, Royal and Enchanted Princess.  I liked the smaller size of the Ruby in many ways.  I thought it was easier to move about the Ruby than the larger vessels.  I loved the Promenade deck that went all the way around the vessel. This was great for walking!

It seemed like there were lots of smaller spaces for people to lounge.  There were plenty of lounge chairs and I never saw any chair hogging activity, unlike on the bigger boats. I really enjoyed the “secret deck” above the bridge.  This was a great spot to watch our canal transit from!

A special and unexpected highlight of the cruise was juggler Victor Rubilar.  He was very funny and engaging.  He always had a packed house in the Piazza.  Do not miss his act if you get the chance.  The house band, Pinnacle, was also excellent.  They did reggae, R&B, country and jazz.  Very talented players!

There were a few downsides to an older, smaller ship. She was a little shopworn, with some minor dings here and there, but overall she was in great shape.  The buffet was a little small especially compared to the Royal class ships.  As such, I felt like the choices were limited.  Food was still good, just not as many options. The outdoor smoking section wasn’t nearly as nice as on the bigger ship either.

My biggest complaint was the lack of AC power outlets in the staterooms.  With all the devices that people carry now and the charging needs these devices have there really needs to be more power outlets! I saw a lot of geezers like me who carried a CPAP on board and I had a heck of a time getting electricity for it.  Our steward came up with a heavy extension cord but it was somewhat inconvenient having to run it across the floor. This is something Princess really needs to address.

My wife complained that the hair dryer was too weak.

The food was generally good.  My only complaints were the size of the Yankee Pot Roast serving.  It was ridiculously small.  The worst thing was the liquid concoction that they were passing off as iced tea.  It was the color of weak chocolate milk and tasted vile.  Every other drink was fine but this was gawd-awful!

All, told it was a very nice cruise and I would recommend the Ruby and the Panama Canal itinerary!

[57eric]

Disappointing that Ruby would be looking shopworn after having just undergone renovation a few months ago.

[kiwimum]

1 hour ago, 57eric said:

Disappointing that Ruby would be looking shopworn after having just undergone renovation a few months ago.

On the same cruise.  Majority of upgrades seem to be making it flagship for ADA compliant which was confirmed at the CC get together.    Cabins do not have USB or additional outlets. We have sailed on her several times since restart.   Crew are short handed and it shows.   Sabatinis still the best, Crown Grill great, coffee disgusting, Vines okay.   We ate in the dining room one night.   
Overall she is a great ship for 15 years old.   Will we sail her again, more than likely not.   
 

[MrSchwump]

13 hours ago, 57eric said:

Disappointing that Ruby would be looking shopworn after having just undergone renovation a few months ago.

It was small things, like dings and dents on corners, nicks and worn spots on baseboard molding. 
As the other post said, most of the fixes were ADA focused and on noticeable big impact things, carpet, etc. 

Still a lovely ship and a great cruise. But my god, that iced tea!!!!

[secretcastle]

On 1/31/2024 at 5:33 PM, MrSchwump said:

We got off the Ruby this past Monday, 1/29.  Here are some observations about the ship and the cruise.

Our first Princess cruise was in 2006 about the Ruby’s sister ship, the Caribbean Princess so we were familiar with the general layout. Our most recent cruises have been on the Regal, Royal and Enchanted Princess.  I liked the smaller size of the Ruby in many ways.  I thought it was easier to move about the Ruby than the larger vessels.  I loved the Promenade deck that went all the way around the vessel. This was great for walking!

It seemed like there were lots of smaller spaces for people to lounge.  There were plenty of lounge chairs and I never saw any chair hogging activity, unlike on the bigger boats. I really enjoyed the “secret deck” above the bridge.  This was a great spot to watch our canal transit from!

A special and unexpected highlight of the cruise was juggler Victor Rubilar.  He was very funny and engaging.  He always had a packed house in the Piazza.  Do not miss his act if you get the chance.  The house band, Pinnacle, was also excellent.  They did reggae, R&B, country and jazz.  Very talented players!

There were a few downsides to an older, smaller ship. She was a little shopworn, with some minor dings here and there, but overall she was in great shape.  The buffet was a little small especially compared to the Royal class ships.  As such, I felt like the choices were limited.  Food was still good, just not as many options. The outdoor smoking section wasn’t nearly as nice as on the bigger ship either.

My biggest complaint was the lack of AC power outlets in the staterooms.  With all the devices that people carry now and the charging needs these devices have there really needs to be more power outlets! I saw a lot of geezers like me who carried a CPAP on board and I had a heck of a time getting electricity for it.  Our steward came up with a heavy extension cord but it was somewhat inconvenient having to run it across the floor. This is something Princess really needs to address.

My wife complained that the hair dryer was too weak.

The food was generally good.  My only complaints were the size of the Yankee Pot Roast serving.  It was ridiculously small.  The worst thing was the liquid concoction that they were passing off as iced tea.  It was the color of weak chocolate milk and tasted vile.  Every other drink was fine but this was gawd-awful!

All, told it was a very nice cruise and I would recommend the Ruby and the Panama Canal itinerary!

Thank you for your review:) Glad you had a nice cruise.

Is the deck above the bridge only for Panama viewing or perhaps glaciers as well ? If so, how would we access this? 
Thanks 😊

[bobpell]

We were long time HAL cruisers who jumped ship to the Ruby last Nov. and won't be going back to Princess's competitor.

The main stage entertainment was the biggest reason.  HAL 's Pinnacle class ships used 20 minute BBC shows projected on the walls as their nightly shows. These episodes were available to view on your tv in your stateroom!!??

The nightly shows on the Ruby are what we used to see on HAL years ago...LIVE entertainment.

We are getting daily email ads and printed brochures in our mail box from HAL. Does that tell you they are suffering or what!!

[MrSchwump]

6 hours ago, secretcastle said:

Thank you for your review:) Glad you had a nice cruise.

Is the deck above the bridge only for Panama viewing or perhaps glaciers as well ? If so, how would we access this? 
Thanks 😊

No, you can look at anything you want from

up there. It was closed a couple of times due to wind and rough seas. 

[deja moo]

The deck above the bridge can be accessed from the Lido deck all the forward.

[secretcastle]

4 hours ago, MrSchwump said:

No, you can look at anything you want from

up there. It was closed a couple of times due to wind and rough seas. 

Awesome thanks!  Can you tell me how fo access this area please? 
thanks so much

[secretcastle]

6 hours ago, deja moo said:

The deck above the bridge can be accessed from the Lido deck all the forward.

Thank  you 😀 

[DallasGuy75219]

19 hours ago, bobpell said:

Does that tell you they are suffering or what!!

No.  It tells me they send marketing materials to previous cruisers.

Edited February 10 by DallasGuy75219

[cr8tiv1]

It is very simple to travel with a CPAP.  There is always an outlet near the bed (often hidden behind/under).  I use an adapter.  Most medical devices are dual voltage.  I also have a multi-function outlet that I can plug 2 prong AND usb connectors.  
 

I do understand the need for an update.  My sister took over the desk plug for her: rechargeable hearing aids, phone, computer, headphones, and others.  I took the plug behind the television. Good thing it was not attached to the wall (yay for older ships).
 

OREI

OREI European Power Adapter Plug, Perfect for Travel To Europe, Germany, France, Spain, Norway, Korea - Universal Socket - Type E/F Outlet - 2 Inputs - Safe Grounded ConnectionOREI European Power Adapter Plug, Perfect for Travel To Europe, Germany, France, Spain, Norway, Korea - Universal Socket - Type E/F Outlet - 2 Inputs - Safe Grounded

[trin880]

On 2/9/2024 at 2:47 AM, bobpell said:

We were long time HAL cruisers who jumped ship to the Ruby last Nov. and won't be going back to Princess's competitor.

The main stage entertainment was the biggest reason.  HAL 's Pinnacle class ships used 20 minute BBC shows projected on the walls as their nightly shows. These episodes were available to view on your tv in your stateroom!!??

The nightly shows on the Ruby are what we used to see on HAL years ago...LIVE entertainment.

We are getting daily email ads and printed brochures in our mail box from HAL. Does that tell you they are suffering or what!!

Ruby's night entertainment was amazing thanks to Gravity band and everyone from ship's entertainment leadership!!! Gravity has tried and satisfied variety of music choices and tastes. Some people like disco, some like line dancing or slow. So different from our experience on Royal Princess, where only "line dancing" music was offered and favored by a small group of people. Piano, violines, steel pan, acoustic guitar...very, very good. But, honestly, not a fan of production shows. Have seen it on Royal, and, nope...not for us.

[roomba920]

On 1/31/2024 at 8:33 PM, MrSchwump said:

We got off the Ruby this past Monday, 1/29.  Here are some observations about the ship and the cruise.

Our first Princess cruise was in 2006 about the Ruby’s sister ship, the Caribbean Princess so we were familiar with the general layout. Our most recent cruises have been on the Regal, Royal and Enchanted Princess.  I liked the smaller size of the Ruby in many ways.  I thought it was easier to move about the Ruby than the larger vessels.  I loved the Promenade deck that went all the way around the vessel. This was great for walking!

It seemed like there were lots of smaller spaces for people to lounge.  There were plenty of lounge chairs and I never saw any chair hogging activity, unlike on the bigger boats. I really enjoyed the “secret deck” above the bridge.  This was a great spot to watch our canal transit from!

A special and unexpected highlight of the cruise was juggler Victor Rubilar.  He was very funny and engaging.  He always had a packed house in the Piazza.  Do not miss his act if you get the chance.  The house band, Pinnacle, was also excellent.  They did reggae, R&B, country and jazz.  Very talented players!

There were a few downsides to an older, smaller ship. She was a little shopworn, with some minor dings here and there, but overall she was in great shape.  The buffet was a little small especially compared to the Royal class ships.  As such, I felt like the choices were limited.  Food was still good, just not as many options. The outdoor smoking section wasn’t nearly as nice as on the bigger ship either.

My biggest complaint was the lack of AC power outlets in the staterooms.  With all the devices that people carry now and the charging needs these devices have there really needs to be more power outlets! I saw a lot of geezers like me who carried a CPAP on board and I had a heck of a time getting electricity for it.  Our steward came up with a heavy extension cord but it was somewhat inconvenient having to run it across the floor. This is something Princess really needs to address.

My wife complained that the hair dryer was too weak.

The food was generally good.  My only complaints were the size of the Yankee Pot Roast serving.  It was ridiculously small.  The worst thing was the liquid concoction that they were passing off as iced tea.  It was the color of weak chocolate milk and tasted vile.  Every other drink was fine but this was gawd-awful!

All, told it was a very nice cruise and I would recommend the Ruby and the Panama Canal itinerary!

I don't believe the Caribbean is a sister ship to the Ruby. I think Emerald and Crown are her sister ships.

[MrSchwump]

1 hour ago, roomba920 said:

I don't believe the Caribbean is a sister ship to the Ruby. I think Emerald and Crown are her sister ships.

They’re at least 1st cousins. 

[57eric]

On 1/31/2024 at 9:20 PM, 57eric said:

Disappointing that Ruby would be looking shopworn after having just undergone renovation a few months ago.

Hmm, Princess says Ruby last refurbished in October, 2018.  https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ships/ru-ruby-princess/.   Did last year's work not qualify, or is this just poor website maintenance?

[memoak]

12 minutes ago, 57eric said:

Hmm, Princess says Ruby last refurbished in October, 2018.  https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ships/ru-ruby-princess/.   Did last year's work not qualify, or is this just poor website maintenance?

 

It was in dry dock in Portland for quite awhile. I assume there was quite a bit of work done

[Serious Cruisers]

2 hours ago, memoak said:

It was in dry dock in Portland for quite awhile. I assume there was quite a bit of work done

I got off Nov 30. Lots of updates cabins casinos etc