Ruby Princess Review January 2024

[Sulialto]

Just finished the Jan 19 Panama Canal Sailing ~ 

 

Embarkation - Pretty flawless -  We arrived early since we had to drive 1 1/2 hours across Alligator Alley and you never know what might hold you up! We were among the first to arrive and about 10:00am they opened the terminal doors and we were sorted into Green Lane or Blue Lane, both moved fast. By 10:35am we were on the ship! At 12:30noon we heard the announcement that our cabins were ready - we were having lunch, so as soon as we were done, went to the cabin & our luggage was there!

 

Room & Steward - We had a Reserve Collection Mini Suite, everything appeared to be new, sofa, through pillows, bedding and carpet. We imagine this was pretty standard throughout the ship as she had been in dry dock a couple months ago. The bed was, as usual, one of the most comfy beds you’ll ever have. After a short bit our Room Steward knocked on our door to meet us. He asked if there was anything we needed - we requested some ice, a switch out of the red wine for white and a couple extra pillows, which he provided shortly thereafter.

 

Bars & Lounges - Hard to say what our favorite was, but, Crooners & Wheelhouse had great service & entertainment, which we enjoyed nightly. We also really loved the treat of the Platinum & Elite lounge in Skywalkers - great snacks & service, plus the view is fabulous! A note about The Explorers Lounge - LOTS of fun Game Shows and Trivia, but arrive about 15 minutes early for a good seat, service was also very good and attentive.

 

Dining - Horizon Court Buffet - Great selection for carnivores or vegetarians, also loved the tasty ethnic offerings. Always lots of fresh fruit, breads and snacks. The omelette station is great and they will deliver it to your table. 

International Cafe - our go-to place to get a delicious coffee and a quick breakfast. Great selection of pastries, yogurts & fruit, breakfast sandwiches, egg bites and a whole lot more.

Slice Pizza - I really didn’t miss Alfredo’s on this ship since “Slice” Pizza really made a good pie.

Salty Dog (on Deck) - often busy, we didn’t try it, but seems like good poolside food.

Salty Dog Gastro Pub - also didn’t try, Burgers etc. are really not our thing, we had plenty of other options.

MDR - The dinner menus changed daily and we always found something of interest. Food was well prepared and very generous portions…. An of course you can always ask for more (if you have the ability!) We dined in the Reserve Collection, which offers the same menu plus a special. We find having this perk is well worth it. We were recognized immediately as we entered the dining room and seated with our favorite waiters, David & Kevin. We were always able to dine at our own pace.

 

Specialty Dining - Crown Grill, Surprised it wasn’t as busy as on our last sailing (Regal). Again there was a nice variety of classic steak house items, Chops, Steaks, Seafood and plentiful sides. My Rib Eye came our amazingly tender and my husbands Porter House was huge and fabulous. Our server, Glen, gracefully juggled several tables at once without anyone lacking in service.  

Sabatini’s - Well, I’d like to hope our experience was a one off. First the food was VERY good, perfectly prepared and plentiful. As for the service, we feel there was a staffing issue - service amounted to: Our waiter taking our order and quickly delivering each course without ANY follow up. We were in need of a few items and also would have ordered additional wine. After our main course we were finally offered a dessert menu by another server, who placed our order and delivered it. There were also many tables around us that were un-bused with stacks of dishes. Upon leaving we shared our concerns with both the Restaurant Manager and Asst. Maitre D.

 

SUPER Specialty Dining - for lack of any other category! Upon boarding the ship I went to make a call to the dining line to book the Chef’s Table. After speaking with them, I was encouraged to not do the Chef’s Table due to my seafood allergies. She suggested I might enjoy “THE CAYMUS WINE PAIRING DINNER”, this was FANTASTIC! The absolute best meal we’ve ever had cruising! The dishes were outstanding and the level of service was beyond any we’ve ever had at sea. The price is not for the faint of heart, but worth every penny. The food plentiful and the wine pairings, delicious and yes, they refilled the wine as often as you liked. Save your pennies and be sure to book this!

 

Spa, Pools & Sanctuary - Lotus Spa - This cruise we didn’t feel the need for a thermal spa (it was HOT) and we’ve done it many times before. I did use hair services and had a fabulous wash and below dry in the salon by Rhenan - I was very pleased.

Pools-  when the sea gods weren’t angry, pools were very popular, that said, we could always find an available lounger.

The Sanctuary - Seems that this little gem still remains unknown to many! Not that it’s easy to get a spot, my husband ran there immediately upon boarding. We were fortunate and scored front row loungers for the entire cruise, including Canal Day. The service, as usual was terrific, led by Glen (same waiter we had in Crown Grill!) and the lighter menu offered was a relief!

 

The Rest - Ship condition, Entertainment, Casino and Shore Excursions - The ship appearance on Ruby is pretty amazing for a ship of her age. Yes, some of the venues look a tad dated, but mostly classic. I believe many of the seating might have been replaced or reupholstered during dry dock because everything looked to be in excellent condition. Carpeting everywhere (cabins included) looked fresh.

Entertainment was good - we mostly did the Game Shows and Trivia. We weren’t really interested in the Production Shows offered. While on Regal we were lucky enough to see “Born to Dance” and that may be hard to match.

The Casino looks completely new from machines, gaming tables, carpet and seating. The new color scheme is bright and appealing.

Shore Excursions, we went on a very good Princess tour of Cartagena that allowed a good amount of free time for us to explore. Our meeting place was easily found, the guide very knowledgeable & entertaining. We heard feedback from some passengers that their Canal Tours were greatly delayed in returning to the ship. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this and one of the reasons we didn’t do a tour from Lake Gatun.

 

The Wrap up ~ Ruby is a beautiful ship with a wonderful crew and we had one of the best cruises ever! FIVE STARS!

[PescadoAmarillo]

Great review.  Thank you!

[zukecruiser]

Will be on the Ruby next month.  Wondering what the cost was for the Sanctuary and if there was a price break for multiple days reservations.

 

Enjoyed your review.

[Sulialto]

35 minutes ago, zukecruiser said:

Will be on the Ruby next month.  Wondering what the cost was for the Sanctuary and if there was a price break for multiple days reservations.

 

Enjoyed your review.

$40.00 per day, $20.00 for half and no price break ~ a $20.00 additional for entire day of the Panama Canal crossing. Canal day was well worth it, panoramic views and no one standing in front of you - plus the amenities of The Sanctuary…… sign up AS SOON as you get on board.

[Sulialto]

2 hours ago, Sulialto said:

Just finished the Jan 19 Panama Canal Sailing ~ 

 

Embarkation - Pretty flawless -  We arrived early since we had to drive 1 1/2 hours across Alligator Alley and you never know what might hold you up! We were among the first to arrive and about 10:00am they opened the terminal doors and we were sorted into Green Lane or Blue Lane, both moved fast. By 10:35am we were on the ship! At 12:30noon we heard the announcement that our cabins were ready - we were having lunch, so as soon as we were done, went to the cabin & our luggage was there!

 

Room & Steward - We had a Reserve Collection Mini Suite, everything appeared to be new, sofa, through pillows, bedding and carpet. We imagine this was pretty standard throughout the ship as she had been in dry dock a couple months ago. The bed was, as usual, one of the most comfy beds you’ll ever have. After a short bit our Room Steward knocked on our door to meet us. He asked if there was anything we needed - we requested some ice, a switch out of the red wine for white and a couple extra pillows, which he provided shortly thereafter.

 

Bars & Lounges - Hard to say what our favorite was, but, Crooners & Wheelhouse had great service & entertainment, which we enjoyed nightly. We also really loved the treat of the Platinum & Elite lounge in Skywalkers - great snacks & service, plus the view is fabulous! A note about The Explorers Lounge - LOTS of fun Game Shows and Trivia, but arrive about 15 minutes early for a good seat, service was also very good and attentive.

 

Dining - Horizon Court Buffet - Great selection for carnivores or vegetarians, also loved the tasty ethnic offerings. Always lots of fresh fruit, breads and snacks. The omelette station is great and they will deliver it to your table. 

International Cafe - our go-to place to get a delicious coffee and a quick breakfast. Great selection of pastries, yogurts & fruit, breakfast sandwiches, egg bites and a whole lot more.

Slice Pizza - I really didn’t miss Alfredo’s on this ship since “Slice” Pizza really made a good pie.

Salty Dog (on Deck) - often busy, we didn’t try it, but seems like good poolside food.

Salty Dog Gastro Pub - also didn’t try, Burgers etc. are really not our thing, we had plenty of other options.

MDR - The dinner menus changed daily and we always found something of interest. Food was well prepared and very generous portions…. An of course you can always ask for more (if you have the ability!) We dined in the Reserve Collection, which offers the same menu plus a special. We find having this perk is well worth it. We were recognized immediately as we entered the dining room and seated with our favorite waiters, David & Kevin. We were always able to dine at our own pace.

 

Specialty Dining - Crown Grill, Surprised it wasn’t as busy as on our last sailing (Regal). Again there was a nice variety of classic steak house items, Chops, Steaks, Seafood and plentiful sides. My Rib Eye came our amazingly tender and my husbands Porter House was huge and fabulous. Our server, Glen, gracefully juggled several tables at once without anyone lacking in service.  

Sabatini’s - Well, I’d like to hope our experience was a one off. First the food was VERY good, perfectly prepared and plentiful. As for the service, we feel there was a staffing issue - service amounted to: Our waiter taking our order and quickly delivering each course without ANY follow up. We were in need of a few items and also would have ordered additional wine. After our main course we were finally offered a dessert menu by another server, who placed our order and delivered it. There were also many tables around us that were un-bused with stacks of dishes. Upon leaving we shared our concerns with both the Restaurant Manager and Asst. Maitre D.

 

SUPER Specialty Dining - for lack of any other category! Upon boarding the ship I went to make a call to the dining line to book the Chef’s Table. After speaking with them, I was encouraged to not do the Chef’s Table due to my seafood allergies. She suggested I might enjoy “THE CAYMUS WINE PAIRING DINNER”, this was FANTASTIC! The absolute best meal we’ve ever had cruising! The dishes were outstanding and the level of service was beyond any we’ve ever had at sea. The price is not for the faint of heart, but worth every penny. The food plentiful and the wine pairings, delicious and yes, they refilled the wine as often as you liked. Save your pennies and be sure to book this!

 

Spa, Pools & Sanctuary - Lotus Spa - This cruise we didn’t feel the need for a thermal spa (it was HOT) and we’ve done it many times before. I did use hair services and had a fabulous wash and below dry in the salon by Rhenan - I was very pleased.

Pools-  when the sea gods weren’t angry, pools were very popular, that said, we could always find an available lounger.

The Sanctuary - Seems that this little gem still remains unknown to many! Not that it’s easy to get a spot, my husband ran there immediately upon boarding. We were fortunate and scored front row loungers for the entire cruise, including Canal Day. The service, as usual was terrific, led by Glen (same waiter we had in Crown Grill!) and the lighter menu offered was a relief!

 

The Rest - Ship condition, Entertainment, Casino and Shore Excursions - The ship appearance on Ruby is pretty amazing for a ship of her age. Yes, some of the venues look a tad dated, but mostly classic. I believe many of the seating might have been replaced or reupholstered during dry dock because everything looked to be in excellent condition. Carpeting everywhere (cabins included) looked fresh.

Entertainment was good - we mostly did the Game Shows and Trivia. We weren’t really interested in the Production Shows offered. While on Regal we were lucky enough to see “Born to Dance” and that may be hard to match.

The Casino looks completely new from machines, gaming tables, carpet and seating. The new color scheme is bright and appealing.

Shore Excursions, we went on a very good Princess tour of Cartagena that allowed a good amount of free time for us to explore. Our meeting place was easily found, the guide very knowledgeable & entertaining. We heard feedback from some passengers that their Canal Tours were greatly delayed in returning to the ship. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this and one of the reasons we didn’t do a tour from Lake Gatun.

 

The Wrap up ~ Ruby is a beautiful ship with a wonderful crew and we had one of the best cruises ever! FIVE STARS!

Sorry the the site loaded some pics upside down🙃

[skynight]

1 hour ago, Sulialto said:

$40.00 per day, $20.00 for half and no price break ~ a $20.00 additional for entire day of the Panama Canal crossing. Canal day was well worth it, panoramic views and no one standing in front of you - plus the amenities of The Sanctuary…… sign up AS SOON as you get on board.

It's also $30/day if you book the entire cruise. If you are going on a Panama Canal cruise I'm not certain how they handle that day if you book the entire cruise. My guess, and only a guess, is that there is an extra charge. 

[Sulialto]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

It's also $30/day if you book the entire cruise. If you are going on a Panama Canal cruise I'm not certain how they handle that day if you book the entire cruise. My guess, and only a guess, is that there is an extra charge. 

I’m sure - 

[johnkylie]

We are on the Ruby in June for an Alaska cruise so thanks for the detailed review. How much was the caymus wine pairing dinner if you don't mind me asking?

[Sulialto]

1 hour ago, johnkylie said:

We are on the Ruby in June for an Alaska cruise so thanks for the detailed review. How much was the caymus wine pairing dinner if you don't mind me asking?

Ir was $140.pp + grat’s ~ a lot, but, a lot of outstanding food and a lot of excellent wine. It was a special occasion for us, so we rationalised!

[johnkylie]

Thanks for the quick reply. Much appreciated. 

[HERDFAN]

Have booked Ruby for Alaska July 2025. It will be our first Princess cruise. We are RC diamond + and want to try something different. Thanks for the great review.

[ColoradoMom!!]

On 2/1/2024 at 8:33 AM, Sulialto said:

Shore Excursions, we went on a very good Princess tour of Cartagena that allowed a good amount of free time for us to explore. Our meeting place was easily found, the guide very knowledgeable & entertaining.

What was the name of this tour?  Any other port tips or excursion recommendations or insights?  Thanks!

[Sulialto]

20 minutes ago, ColoradoMom!! said:

What was the name of this tour?  Any other port tips or excursion recommendations or insights?  Thanks!

It was a Princess Tour called “best of Cartagena” - everywhere else we just did on our own. We found the local people weren’t overly pushy if you just told them, “No thank you” and moved on. That said I wouldn’t go wandering off all by yourself. Many people really enjoyed the Rainforest in Costa Rica, a little pricy, but a really nice tour. Also, it’s VERY warm in Costa Rica, Columbia and Panama. Know that if you do a Panama tour out of Lake Gatun, you are at the mercy of the port in terms of when you’re able to get back on the ship - they say the excursions are good, but you can wait a few hours without anything to do before re-embarking.

[nini]

@Sulialto

Thank you so much for this upbeat review. We have never been on the Ruby... maybe someday.

 

I believe that in one thread you mentioned that the Ruby has received a high rating amongst the Princess ships. Can you please clarify that and direct one to finding the ratings of all of the Princess ships? Thanks

[Sulialto]

2 hours ago, nini said:

@Sulialto

Thank you so much for this upbeat review. We have never been on the Ruby... maybe someday.

 

I believe that in one thread you mentioned that the Ruby has received a high rating amongst the Princess ships. Can you please clarify that and direct one to finding the ratings of all of the Princess ships? Thanks

We were told by the Hotel General Manager in our “Meet & Mingle” that Ruby has gone from #13 in the Fleet to #2. I’m afraid I don’t know where one can find these ratings, but you might try to reach out to Princess. 

[ColoradoMom!!]

3 hours ago, Sulialto said:

It was a Princess Tour called “best of Cartagena” - everywhere else we just did on our own......

 

Also, it’s VERY warm in Costa Rica, Columbia and Panama. Know that if you do a Panama tour out of Lake Gatun, you are at the mercy of the port in terms of when you’re able to get back on the ship - they say the excursions are good, but you can wait a few hours without anything to do before re-embarking.

Thank you so much for responding!  And the heat is a big concern for me.  I got my Alaska cruise ( ha ha - I am not a heat/humidity fan) , and this is my husband's bucket list trip. We are going late Feb - early March in 2025 full transit historic locks. Hoping it wouldn't be too bad that time of the year, but I think that's just wishful thinking. 

But I am excited and really appreciate the insight!

[Sulialto]

12 minutes ago, ColoradoMom!! said:

Thank you so much for responding!  And the heat is a big concern for me.  I got my Alaska cruise ( ha ha - I am not a heat/humidity fan) , and this is my husband's bucket list trip. We are going late Feb - early March in 2025 full transit historic locks. Hoping it wouldn't be too bad that time of the year, but I think that's just wishful thinking. 

But I am excited and really appreciate the insight!

Sadly, the closer you are to the Equator, the warmer it gets!😬 That said, choose your tours wisely ~ The Cartagena tour we did started nice & early going to the fort (a blessing) it does require a trek up a steep hill, (should you choose to go up). When we were in the Old Town we tended to be in & out of various buildings, so it really wasn’t all that bad. We also opted to omit going to an Emerald Museum (there are a few) and wandered down a street to a small pastry/coffee shop & enjoyed some local food. We then wandered to a nearby square where we enjoyed a cool drink and returned to meet up with the group. Yes it was hot, but not unbearable. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it all & if you’re on Ruby, it’ll be the best!

[suekel]

6 hours ago, nini said:

@Sulialto

Thank you so much for this upbeat review. We have never been on the Ruby... maybe someday.

 

I believe that in one thread you mentioned that the Ruby has received a high rating amongst the Princess ships. Can you please clarify that and direct one to finding the ratings of all of the Princess ships? Thanks

I know the Sapphire was number 1.  After spending 18 days on her last spring, I concur.  

[nini]

3 hours ago, ColoradoMom!! said:

Thank you so much for responding!  And the heat is a big concern for me.  I got my Alaska cruise ( ha ha - I am not a heat/humidity fan) , and this is my husband's bucket list trip. We are going late Feb - early March in 2025 full transit historic locks. Hoping it wouldn't be too bad that time of the year, but I think that's just wishful thinking. 

But I am excited and really appreciate the insight!

We went in January 2018 and it was HOT and HUMID!!! My camera lens fogged up when going outside to take photos. I thought there was something flawed with my new lens!

[nini]

8 minutes ago, suekel said:

I know the Sapphire was number 1.  After spending 18 days on her last spring, I concur.  

 Thank you! Maybe we will be on the sapphire someday.

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

Very happy to hear Rubys dry dock was a success.

We will be onboard in a couple weeks, and were really Hoping Ruby looked better

than we had the past several times onboard.

Thanks for your review.

 

And if you spent any time in the casino, can you tell us how Smokey was it?

(We cancelled a Hawaii Ruby cruise due to the bad smoke smell.)

 

 

[charliedalrymple]

So nice to hear that you thoroughly enjoyed your cruise on Ruby!

 

We really want to do a Panama Canal cruise but I'm a bit ignorant on the details.  Perhaps you (or others) could answer a couple of questions.

 

- Was this a full or partial canal cruise?  How long does each take?  Does it get a bit boring after a while if you are in the canal an entire day?

- Was this the new or the old canal?  Which would you recommend?

[Sulialto]

10 hours ago, nini said:

 Thank you! Maybe we will be on the sapphire someday.

I do recall they said, “Saphire is #1, but it’s hard to compete with a ship sailing in Antarctica!”🤣

[Sulialto]

6 hours ago, CalLuvsCrusingToo said:

Very happy to hear Rubys dry dock was a success.

We will be onboard in a couple weeks, and were really Hoping Ruby looked better

than we had the past several times onboard.

Thanks for your review.

 

And if you spent any time in the casino, can you tell us how Smokey was it?

(We cancelled a Hawaii Ruby cruise due to the bad smoke smell.)

 

 

The Non-smoking section wasn’t bad at all - I did play the slots & have a sensitivity to smoke (mild asthma). As far as gaming tables go, the ones on the non smoking side are good.

[Sulialto]

6 hours ago, charliedalrymple said:

So nice to hear that you thoroughly enjoyed your cruise on Ruby!

 

We really want to do a Panama Canal cruise but I'm a bit ignorant on the details.  Perhaps you (or others) could answer a couple of questions.

 

- Was this a full or partial canal cruise?  How long does each take?  Does it get a bit boring after a while if you are in the canal an entire day?

- Was this the new or the old canal?  Which would you recommend?

This was a partial transit from Ft Lauderdale via the Agua Clara (new) locks. We didn’t find it boring, but had also done some studying on the canal before we went. We chose to spend the day in the Sanctuary (reserve immediately 1st day), and could wander around to get a 360 view, rest on our loungers out of the sun & enjoy food & drinks. Many people got off and took excursions when we got to Lake Gatun - the only thing to be wary about is you’re at the liberty of the Canal Authority as to when you can get back to the ship. Many people end up waiting a couple hours before they can re-embark.