Ruby Princess

[Scotmay]

Which dining room is opened on embarkation day on the Ruby. 

[memoak]

14 minutes ago, Scotmay said:

Which dining room is opened on embarkation day on the Ruby. 

In March it was Botticelli and Da Vinci for Reserve dining

[arizonaperson]

52 minutes ago, Scotmay said:

Which dining room is opened on embarkation day on the Ruby. 

I think it is Da Vinci from noon-1:30pm.

are you cruising soon? Or next year? You could always check to see if there is a Live from the Ruby princess

The dining room may change ? with the new dining plan starting September 14, 2024. Time will tell.

Edited August 4 by arizonaperson

[axd]

6 minutes ago, arizonaperson said:

I think it is Da Vinci from noon-1:30pm.

are you cruising soon? Or next year? You could always check to see if there is a Live from the Ruby princess

The dining room may change ? with the new dining plan starting September 14, 2024. Time will tell.

Reservation for diner no problem. How do you reserve lunch at embarkation?  

[PacnGoNow]

2 minutes ago, axd said:

Reservation for diner no problem. How do you reserve lunch at embarkation?  

You don’t.  Just go there.  Don’t ask the crew, they’re going to say you can go to the buffet for lunch. 

 

[arizonaperson]

4 minutes ago, axd said:

Reservation for diner no problem. How do you reserve lunch at embarkation?  

No reservations accepted in the dining room for breakfast or lunch. You just show up.

The Patter a.k.a. the newsletter or on your app once you’re onboard will tell you a bunch of this type of information. It will list which dining room is open and all the food/bar venues -when they are open and when they close.

Edited August 4 by arizonaperson

[Scotmay]

8 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

You don’t.  Just go there.  Don’t ask the crew, they’re going to say you can go to the buffet for lunch. 

 

YesI have had tat experience in the past. Hubby is disabled and uses mobility scooter and don’t fancy trying to get him into the buffet and all the chaos on embarkation day. Looks like it changes on the day & ship. Thank you. 

[PacnGoNow]

3 minutes ago, Scotmay said:

YesI have had tat experience in the past. Hubby is disabled and uses mobility scooter and don’t fancy trying to get him into the buffet and all the chaos on embarkation day. Looks like it changes on the day & ship. Thank you. 

Yes, it’s usually midship 6, but they may be changing things around with the new dining program.  
 

[memoak]

1 minute ago, PacnGoNow said:

Yes, it’s usually midship 6, but they may be changing things around with the new dining program.  
 

Lately we have seen Reserve open on deck 6 mid and regular dining in deck 6 aft. This keeps people who are not “club class / reserve “ from trying to talk their way into reserve area when the is a line at the regular venue 

[PacnGoNow]

1 minute ago, memoak said:

Lately we have seen Reserve open on deck 6 mid and regular dining in deck 6 aft. This keeps people who are not “club class / reserve “ from trying to talk their way into reserve area when the is a line at the regular venue 

Makes sense.  Did they continue the breakfast and lunch in the Aft MDR also for regular guests?

 

[Scotmay]

We’ll just play it by ear. My hubby cannot walk at all and on previous cruises the staff have always treated us with respect and consideration. For this reason, I made a point of booking us in the Da Vinci dining room early in our booking for all our evening meals and mercifully they were saved throughout all the hullabaloo surrounding the dining rooms. It will all work out!  Thank you for all your input!

[arizonaperson]

@Scotmay definitely check out your Patter or journey view once you’re onboard. Currently the Emerald Princess, I know not your ship ,but same dining rooms. They are having embarkation lunch in Botticelli -currently this week.

[DallasGuy75219]

3 hours ago, Scotmay said:

Which dining room is opened on embarkation day on the Ruby. 

 

1 hour ago, PacnGoNow said:

Did they continue the breakfast and lunch in the Aft MDR also for regular guests?

 

Botticelli for embarkation and (and all breakfast and lunch) for non-Reserve on the July 23 Ruby sailing.

 

2 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

 Don’t ask the crew, they’re going to say you can go to the buffet for lunch. 

Exactly.  I asked which dining room was open (not where can I eat) and they told me the buffet was open.  I had to get a little assertive until someone answered the question I actually asked.

[Scotmay]

5 minutes ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

 

Botticelli for embarkation and (and all breakfast and lunch) for non-Reserve on the July 23 Ruby sailing.

 

Exactly.  I asked which dining room was open (not where can I eat) and they told me the buffet was open.  I had to get a little assertive until someone answered the question I actually asked.

Yes, I can get assertive when I have to. We can’t go all over the ship on embarkation day because there is a lot of traffic and I need to have a definitive answer. Not all people are sympathetic to truly disabled people. Elevators are very busy for example. I like to have a plan and be organized. Thank you all!

[memoak]

3 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

Makes sense.  Did they continue the breakfast and lunch in the Aft MDR also for regular guests?

 

Yes

[DallasGuy75219]

1 hour ago, Scotmay said:

We can’t go all over the ship on embarkation day because there is a lot of traffic and I need to have a definitive answer.

Horizon Court is a mess on the older ships, even for passengers without disabilities.  The serving lines corral people into a wandering loop getting in each other's way, there is wasted potential seating space with the dividers/half walls between the walkway and the seating area, and there are not enough two-tops for smaller parties.

 

At the popular breakfast times and for sea day lunch it can be hard to find a table even walking back to Cafe Caribe. My Ruby sailing last week had lots of families traveling together, so one person would save a table while everyone else served themselves, then people would stay at the table chatting and/or leisurely drinking coffee long after they finished eating.  Very inconsiderate to other passengers walking around clearly looking for a table.

 

I usually cruise alone, so on embarkation day it's even more difficult trying to serve myself and eat at the buffet with carry-on luggage and a CPAP, when people are lingering even longer at their tables until cabins are ready.  The MDR is a much calmer and less stressful atmosphere for embarkation lunch; I can set my carry-ons next to my table without having to worry about babysitting them while I'm at the buffet.

[jbooth2099]

I always try to board as early as possible.  Then swing by the pool, grab a stack of towels.  I then run around the ship placing a towel on everything I want to reserve for myself during  the cruise.  

 

JB

[peety3]

My classic advice seems to have already shown up here: I would have suggested to ask the crew explicitly "which MDR is open for lunch", but apparently even that didn't work for some of you.

 

Fair warning: the embarkation day MDR lunch ends at 1:30, and I've seen them close the doors earlier than 1:30.

 

Ruby is a fantastic ship; we've sailed on her several times and always enjoyed it. Our little secret is the Adagio Bar, deck 16 aft. It's quiet, very warmly decorated, and has a very unique bar menu. The doors are usually open all day, though the bar isn't usually staffed until 5pm. Often live music in the evenings, often jazz but not always. A "back door" that opens up to an outside deck (though admittedly I don't think that door is wheelchair/scooter friendly); the only way out to that deck is via Sabatini's, Adagio Bar, or by coming down the stairs from the deck above.

[wolfie11]

On 8/4/2024 at 2:12 PM, Scotmay said:

Yes, I can get assertive when I have to. We can’t go all over the ship on embarkation day because there is a lot of traffic and I need to have a definitive answer. Not all people are sympathetic to truly disabled people. Elevators are very busy for example. I like to have a plan and be organized. Thank you all!

Hint for Ruby:  Use the Promenade Deck to get forward and aft without the crowds.  The starboard side has handicap doors and all the elevators are where the doors are.

[Scotmay]

7 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

Hint for Ruby:  Use the Promenade Deck to get forward and aft without the crowds.  The starboard side has handicap doors and all the elevators are where the doors are.

Great tip, thank you!  Our cabin is aft, starboard side!  Now to remember this!  lol!