LIVE from the Ruby - 20 day B2B Pacific Coastal + Hawaii, Sept. 26 - Oct. 15, 2024

[rheathslc]

I'll be on the Ruby for a B2B in November so I'm very excited and grateful for your thread. It will satisfy my curiosity since I've not been on the ship since before the recent refurbishment and I've exhausted all the other sources of recent info about Ruby that I can find online. 🙂

 

I am the one to take the lead on finding, planning, and booking cruises. To the point that when I find a cruise I want to go on, I ask my partner if he wants to join me or not (he gets far fewer days of PTO than I do) and then usually book anyway even if he can't/doesn't want to come. I even planned and mostly paid for the cruise we took for my own 40th bday in 2022. I have sailed solo on about half of the cruises I've taken since we got together. He probably thinks I book too many cruises but as we don't have children and we have our own separate finances for these types of things he doesn't object. 😁 I DO ask his opinion on if I should book a certain cruise. His answer is almost always enthusiastic support even if he can't join.

[theliterateleprechaun]

On 9/18/2024 at 1:56 PM, rheathslc said:

I'll be on the Ruby for a B2B in November so I'm very excited and grateful for your thread. It will satisfy my curiosity since I've not been on the ship since before the recent refurbishment and I've exhausted all the other sources of recent info about Ruby that I can find online. 🙂

 

I am the one to take the lead on finding, planning, and booking cruises. To the point that when I find a cruise I want to go on, I ask my partner if he wants to join me or not (he gets far fewer days of PTO than I do) and then usually book anyway even if he can't/doesn't want to come. I even planned and mostly paid for the cruise we took for my own 40th bday in 2022. I have sailed solo on about half of the cruises I've taken since we got together. He probably thinks I book too many cruises but as we don't have children and we have our own separate finances for these types of things he doesn't object. 😁 I DO ask his opinion on if I should book a certain cruise. His answer is almost always enthusiastic support even if he can't join.

Great to have you following along. Feel free to ask questions. We love the Ruby and wish you smooth seas on your Nov B2B. 

[ljhershey]

On 8/28/2024 at 2:22 PM, theliterateleprechaun said:

ALOHA! 🌺

 

This cruise will complete my 55th birthday present - 55 nights at sea for this circle around the sun! 

 

We embark in our home port of Vancouver and will be with my husband’s three cousins for the first part of our B2B Pacific Coastal + Hawaii. We fly home from San Francisco. 

 

I’m looking forward to being on the Ruby Princess again. We met so many wonderful staff members on our April cruise; some of whom have already become great friends. In fact, two of them got engaged in July and they sent us a video of the proposal in the atrium! I wish Leo and Daniella all the best as they navigate planning a wedding and working at sea. 

 

 

When you book a cruise (couples who are reading), do you make the decision together? One of you find a deal and present it to the other? How far out do you book? Has your significant other ever surprised you with a cruise?

 

We’ve been married 30 years and we always discuss big purchases together. My husband usually finds a great deal and we discuss it before calling our travel agent. THIS time, however, my husband surprised me on my birthday. The first clue was the Hawaiian flip-flop in my coffee cup. 
 

 

 

 

….then when I went to have breakfast I looked over at my case packed for Alaska with Stanley in his plaid…and saw that my husband had decked Stanley out Hawaiian style. 

 

 

I loved the surprise! 

 

We checked in with Rowena and Brian Vasquez and they will be the Hawaiian ambassadors on this sailing. This makes me so happy as they bring such ‘Aloha’ to the piazza. 

 

I’d love to have you along for my second ‘live from’ and, as with our Alaska 'live from' on August 31st, I’d love any feedback and am happy to answer questions. Are the photos too small? Someone suggested I make them smaller to accommodate people using cell phones to access the feed. What about the font? This is size 14. 

 

I'm an avid reader (a book a day) and always choose location reads. I'll be reading books set in Hawaii and posting book reviews for this cruise. Since this was a short-notice cruise (LOL), I will be choosing books from Kindle Unlimited. If you are following my 'live from' Alaska cruise, I'll be reading books set in Alaska, posting reviews on them, and will have some to give away on board and/or place in the ship's library after I finish reading. I'm an eclectic reader so you'll see a variety.

 

We usually include my parents and Steve's auntie in our travel plans as they are in their eighties, but this time we are on our own. After more than 500 sea days together over the years, this will sure feel different. 
 

 

Best wishes for a wonderful birthday cruise. What a lovely surprise from your husband.

 

We were on the Ruby in January and were so pleased we came home and immediately booked it for November .  The crew, indeed, makes it a special experience, even compared to other Princess ships.

 

One question, which of course I should remember the answer to, were there USB ports on the lamps?  Seems like that was added after the refurb but not sure.  If I don't have to pack a multiplug gadget I can use that space for more fun stuff.  Thanks in advance for you, or a fellow Ruby-lover, answering this question.

[Josie201]

Avidly following.  We have a Hawaii cruise booked on Ruby for next year.  I know the ship is older but I’m hoping she’s still in great shape.  We were on the Grand a number of years ago and she was a bit of a rust bucket and worn out all over.  

[YVRteacher]

One more sleep until iced lavender lattes and granola pucks for breakfast!

 

#envious

[cr8tiv1]

Pack your sun screen and shorts.  It is still rather hot in the islands.  Mid 80s but at least we have trade winds.  Pack an umbrella for the occasional morning (mauka/mountain) showers or use as a sun canopy.  

[cruzrbachoua]

We will be following this avidly as well.  We will be on the Grand in Feb of 2025.  If you could or have the time could you post pics of the daily dinner menus and patters?  After your cruise is fine as I don't want to take up much of your time on board..any info would be greatly helpful as it is our first long cruise and first time to Hawaii.

[FlutePrayer]

2 hours ago, cruzrbachoua said:

We will be following this avidly as well.  We will be on the Grand in Feb of 2025.  If you could or have the time could you post pics of the daily dinner menus and patters?  After your cruise is fine as I don't want to take up much of your time on board..any info would be greatly helpful as it is our first long cruise and first time to Hawaii.

We'll be sailing in late February on the Grand. We're looking forward to hearing about your voyage.

[cruzrbachoua]

17 minutes ago, FlutePrayer said:

We'll be sailing in late February on the Grand. We're looking forward to hearing about your voyage.

We are on 2/9 to 2/25

[FlutePrayer]

1 minute ago, cruzrbachoua said:

We are on 2/9 to 2/25

We board on February 25. We can wave to each other as we pass. 🙂 Have a fabulous cruise!

[TBfrPH]

@theliterateleprechaun, have a fantastic trip.  We have sailed Ruby a few times and always had a terrific time overall.

 

We're booked to go on her again in about 6 weeks.  Would love to preview live music on board.  Please consider posting a sea-day Patter, and/or give us your first-hand impressions of the various bands playing in the lounges (Piazza, Club Fusion, Explorer's Lounge, Wheelhouse, etc.).  Thank you very much.

[rheathslc]

24 minutes ago, TBfrPH said:

We're booked to go on her again in about 6 weeks

You must be on the sailing right before mine! Mine leaves Nov 16th. 7 weeks and change. 🙂

I can't wait!

[rheathslc]

Happy embarkation day @theliterateleprechaun!

[phabric]

I stayed at Pan Pacific overnight.  The Ruby was docked overnight here.

They have the flags out on deck blowing away.  Very windy with grey clouds today 11c going to 15c.  Rain all day yesterday.

[cruzrbachoua]

15 hours ago, FlutePrayer said:

We board on February 25. We can wave to each other as we pass. 🙂 Have a fabulous cruise!

will do.. we are in a cabin we were in on our 2023 cruise..left a note under the little pad in the safe...curious to see if it is still there..lol

[theliterateleprechaun]

 

You have no idea how excited I was to have a dry day for our journey to the ship! We took the 15 minute seabus from Lonsdale Quay to the Waterfront. 

 

 

 

A 5 minute walk and less than $4 from door to ship. It's good when it's a dry embarkation! As I type, it's pouring. Early bird gets the worm.  

 

 

 

View from the seabus at 9:30 this morning.

 

Embarkation was a breeze. 

 

 

We were the 5th and 6th passengers to board. 

 

 

 

WTG, Princess! Another stellar embarkation. ✨️ 

[theliterateleprechaun]

 

We've all been there, right?! 

 

 

 

 

We are in an inside cabin on Baja deck and @ljhershey there are no USB ports on the desk lamps. We have 1 plug by the hairdryer. Good thing we always pack a hub. 

 

Off to meet up with the cousins for a drink! 

[theliterateleprechaun]

On 9/24/2024 at 3:04 PM, Josie201 said:

Avidly following.  We have a Hawaii cruise booked on Ruby for next year.  I know the ship is older but I’m hoping she’s still in great shape.  We were on the Grand a number of years ago and she was a bit of a rust bucket and worn out all over.  

She looks lovely! I'll be on the watch and keep you posted. Our cabin appears to have new carpet and we don’t see any wear so far. 

[rheathslc]

12 minutes ago, theliterateleprechaun said:

 

You have no idea how excited I was to have a dry day for our journey to the ship! We took the 15 minute seabus from Lonsdale Quay to the Waterfront. 

 

 

 

A 5 minute walk and less than $4 from door to ship. It's good when it's a dry embarkation! As I type, it's pouring. Early bird gets the worm.  

 

 

 

View from the seabus at 9:30 this morning.

 

Embarkation was a breeze. 

 

 

We were the 5th and 6th passengers to board. 

 

 

 

WTG, Princess! Another stellar embarkation. ✨️ 

Yay! So glad you had that experience. Our first time embarking in Vancouver was a nightmare. Mostly due to getting through the border and then again having to go through U.S. Customs before boarding which I did NOT expect and I swore never to sail out of Vancouver again. Of course I DID and the 2nd time was much better. But that was mostly because we didn't have to go through  Customs that time.

[theliterateleprechaun]

5 hours ago, rheathslc said:

Happy embarkation day @theliterateleprechaun!

Thank you! 👋 🤩

[theliterateleprechaun]

2 minutes ago, rheathslc said:

Yay! So glad you had that experience. Our first time embarking in Vancouver was a nightmare. Mostly due to getting through the border and then again having to go through U.S. Customs before boarding which I did NOT expect and I swore never to sail out of Vancouver again. Of course I DID and the 2nd time was much better. But that was mostly because we didn't have to go through  Customs that time.

@rheathslc Our ship is the only one in port and it's been docked since yesterday morning. It makes ALL the difference. 🤩 Customs was a breeze. You'll be surprised next time. 

[rheathslc]

8 minutes ago, theliterateleprechaun said:

We are in an inside cabin on Baja deck

I'll be in an inside on Baja deck in Nov! Looks so clean and not worn out at all. 

 

Bummer about the lack of USB ports but I have my plug with multiple outlets and ports so I'll survive. 🙂

[rheathslc]

1 minute ago, theliterateleprechaun said:

@rheathslc Our ship is the only one in port and it's been docked since yesterday morning. It makes ALL the difference. 🤩 Customs was a breeze. You'll be surprised next time. 

Good to know! The first time was Labor Day weekend with 3 ships in port. The border crossing was bad to start off so we were delayed even getting to the terminal. Then the line to get through customs took about 2 hours. And the line got even longer after we got in. It was horrible. I don't know how they got everyone on board in time.

 

I know better now but I can't help that my birthday is around Labor Day. 😁

We were actually supposed to be on the Diamond for a B2B for her first two cruises back in service after the restart. They canceled those less than a month out. We had to scramble to find a replacement and I was adamant about cruising for my birthday which left us with limited options. So it was the Royal out of Vancouver to Alaska on Labor Day Saturday. We flew into Seattle on the morning of (also a mistake I won't be repeating) and took the Princess transfer to Vancouver.

[theliterateleprechaun]

7 minutes ago, rheathslc said:

Good to know! The first time was Labor Day weekend with 3 ships in port. The border crossing was bad to start off so we were delayed even getting to the terminal. Then the line to get through customs took about 2 hours. And the line got even longer after we got in. It was horrible. I don't know how they got everyone on board in time.

 

I know better now but I can't help that my birthday is around Labor Day. 😁

We were actually supposed to be on the Diamond for a B2B for her first two cruises back in service after the restart. They canceled those less than a month out. We had to scramble to find a replacement and I was adamant about cruising for my birthday which left us with limited options. So it was the Royal out of Vancouver to Alaska on Labor Day Saturday. We flew into Seattle on the morning of (also a mistake I won't be repeating) and took the Princess transfer to Vancouver.

I'm so sorry you had all that stress at the start of your birthday vacation. Holiday weekend travel tests us all....🙄😁 

[theliterateleprechaun]

On 9/24/2024 at 10:22 PM, YVRteacher said:

One more sleep until iced lavender lattes and granola pucks for breakfast!

 

#envious

 

One day we'll sail together! Miss you already. Did we book #sushisunday for when we return?! 🥰