Ruby Princess Cheers and Jeer -April 11-18

[bruru]

Just returned from our cruise and wanted to post this. I will elaborate if anyone wishes

FLL:

Hyatt Place Shuttle-Jeers

Tom Jenkins Bar B Q-Cheers - Nothing fancy in this place except the best BBQ ribs I’ve ever had

Ruby:

Embarkation-Cheers

The Ruby-Cheers, but lots of walking

Room-Dolphin 625 minisuite-Cheers

Sail-away buffet-Jeers Overcrowded and lousy food. This will change, however

Food-Cheers- Good selection, plentiful, both at the buffets and dining rooms. Did not eat at the Crown Grill or Sabatinis

Service-moderate cheers. There was a large party from India in our station who had special diets and took up our waiter’s time so that we were never out of the dining room until 10:30 pm

Pizza, hamburgers etc.-Cheers

Staff-Cheers very accommodating and helpful ands pleasant. Special cheers to the room stewards

Crew-special cheers to Captain Tony Yoemans, Purser Diedre Doyle and the food and beverage manager who came to our meet and greet. The Captain is as charming as he reputed to be

Entertainment-Cheers except for Once Upon a Dream- a bit tacky

Cruise Director James Lay- Jeers-Over the top and whiney

MUTS-Half Cheers, Half Jeers-Movies were great, concerts (too many) were loud and the final round of the Masters was a treat

On Board shopping-Cheers- all you would expect except no sunburn treatments (aloe etc.) available

Disembarkation-Cheers

Special Jeers-We were nickel and dimed by all the extras with exorbitant prices like coffee cards, soda cards, internet, ice cream, photos. Everything was being hawked including a DVD of the original Love Boat TV series.

Ports and Excursions:

Ocho Rios-Cheers-Dunns River Falls

Jeers-shopping

Tour-Jeers Trevor Hudlin was supposed to take us River Tubing but we wound up at a horrible shopping area.

Grand Cayman-cheers. Stingray Sailing was first rate

Princess Cays-Cheers beautiful island but no waves at the beach

Jeers--Overcrowded, lousy food, long lines, and double jeers for the overpriced bungalow

Total cruise experience-Cheers Had a great time and the kids did not want to leave the ship

[RickEk]

Thanks for the review. Sounds like, overall, you had a cheery time! :)

[dresch25]

I enjoyed the Ruby as well, so much so that I booked her two Carribean samplers in December.

 

Vicki

[dsawyer]

Cheers for your very unique review! I enjoyed reading it and I appreciate you posting it.

 

Cheers again for Captain Yeomans, Deidre Doyle and perhaps Gunther Kopt as the Food and Beverage guy.

[sherman931]

Thanks for your review. I loved the Ruby.

[hummingbirdz]

Hi Bruce. So sorry we missed meeting you in Skywalkers. Hope the M & G went well.

 

I agree with you about James Lay. He was very loud and his voice always struck a nerve. Annoying.

 

I actually kept my ears open for you at Nachi Cocum, since don't know what you look like.....just hoped to hear your name. Did you make it there?

I posted a Nachi review on the Cozumel board. We had a bad experience with taxi back.

 

Too bad about Ocho Rios. We had the absolute best time there!

 

Glad to hear you had a good cruise overall!

[hummingbirdz]

Nevermind about my review of Nachi. It's been removed. Seems the rules are that you can't post a review.......only respond to others questions about it. Didn't know!

[sultan_sfo]

Review -- Cheers!

[Tak8]

I enjoyed your cheers and jeers. Seems like overall 3 cheers for your cruise.

[sonalanjaria]

Regarding the waves at princess cays, we have been there twice and had plenty. This year we were on an NCL cruise and their private island had no waves, I blamed it on the iddy biddy islands in front of the beach, but the sea was much calmer, it may be the seas and the weather that caused the no waves.

 

Sonal.

[beannie]

Thanks for jeers/cheers:) Great idea.

 

Can you expound on the bungalows? Thinking of getting one in November.

[vacation fool]

I enjoyed the Ruby as well, so much so that I booked her two Carribean samplers in December.

 

Vicki

 

Hi,

Am looking at the second sampler. Waiting to see if DH can get off. Any warnings of cabins or decks to stay away from? Tried to access the deck plans today but it was not working on the Princess site. We want to do the cheapest balcony we can. Thanks for any tips. :)

[bruru]

Thanks for jeers/cheers:) Great idea.

 

Can you expound on the bungalows? Thinking of getting one in November.

The only upside to the bungalows is priority tender tickets ship to shore. We were on the first tender and were assigned bungalow 17. This was quite a hike from the tender and the activities and the food, which, BTW was terrible. The restrooms were also far away. We got a small air conditioned bungalow with barely room for the table. A waiter came by twice, hardly what Princess described as attentive. Lunch, as I said was quite a walk from the bungalow, and the lineups were enormous. They supplied paper plates and no trays, so there was a limit as to how much you could carry back to the bungalow. If you wanted to return to the line for fruit, it was another hike. Would have been nice to at least have a dedicated fruit buffet close by. When the day was over, it was another hike back to the long tender line-ups. For $199 there could have been more attentive service like transportation to the bungalow and waiter service for lunch. There was an inherent value to the priority tender to the Cays and the air conditioned bungalow. It was worth about $15 per person, not $50 for our group of 4

[JWJs]

Liked your cheers/jeers Ruby review. Glad you enjoyed your cruise.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks

[jrw]

Hi,

 

Am looking at the second sampler. Waiting to see if DH can get off. Any warnings of cabins or decks to stay away from? Tried to access the deck plans today but it was not working on the Princess site. We want to do the cheapest balcony we can. Thanks for any tips. :)

 

When I was logged in the Princess site a couple of days ago, the pricing (at least on the 14-Dec sailing, which we are on) was the same for the lowest category oceanview, lowest category balcony, AND lowest category MINI-SUITE! So, if you are going after cheapest balcony, might want to see what the cheapest mini-suite would cost. I see in your sig you've been on Princess before, so log on and see what "your" pricing would be. It would be great if you could grab a mini for the same money! :D

[jrw]

When I was logged in the Princess site a couple of days ago, the pricing (at least on the 14-Dec sailing, which we are on) was the same for the lowest category oceanview, lowest category balcony, AND lowest category MINI-SUITE! So, if you are going after cheapest balcony, might want to see what the cheapest mini-suite would cost. I see in your sig you've been on Princess before, so log on and see what "your" pricing would be. It would be great if you could grab a mini for the same money! :D

 

I logged in just to see if this was still ongoing, but it is not. Perhaps they will do it again -- as with any sailing, keep an eye on pricing as it can move around and you never know what you might be able to get (price drop or move up to higher category).

[beannie]

The only upside to the bungalows is priority tender tickets ship to shore. We were on the first tender and were assigned bungalow 17. This was quite a hike from the tender and the activities and the food, which, BTW was terrible. The restrooms were also far away. We got a small air conditioned bungalow with barely room for the table. A waiter came by twice, hardly what Princess described as attentive. Lunch, as I said was quite a walk from the bungalow, and the lineups were enormous. They supplied paper plates and no trays, so there was a limit as to how much you could carry back to the bungalow. If you wanted to return to the line for fruit, it was another hike. Would have been nice to at least have a dedicated fruit buffet close by. When the day was over, it was another hike back to the long tender line-ups. For $199 there could have been more attentive service like transportation to the bungalow and waiter service for lunch. There was an inherent value to the priority tender to the Cays and the air conditioned bungalow. It was worth about $15 per person, not $50 for our group of 4

 

 

I have heard that they have golf carts to get you to the bungalow. Not true?

I have a group going that really want to do the bungalow thing. And I also have heard that they bring you lunch? Not true again?

[DrivesLikeMario]

Special Jeers-We were nickel and dimed by all the extras with exorbitant prices like coffee cards, soda cards, internet, ice cream, photos. Everything was being hawked including a DVD of the original Love Boat TV series.

 

Thanks for the review, but I'm wondering something - have you cruised with other cruise lines before? :confused: This is the standard M.O. of almost all cruise lines, except in addition to all the things you mentioned that were hawked, the others push drinks like crazy.

 

Again, what cruise lines are you comparing the internet charges to? The internet service is cheaper with Princess than any other cruise line I've been on.

 

I've had other cruises (Carnival particularly comes to mind), that pushed MUCH more than Princess does with the extras. Only bonus they have is free soft-serve ice cream (which isn't a big deal IMO).

[Caribbean Sunsets]

Great review and format!

[bruru]

I have heard that they have golf carts to get you to the bungalow. Not true?

I have a group going that really want to do the bungalow thing. And I also have heard that they bring you lunch? Not true again?

No and no

[bruru]

Thanks for the review, but I'm wondering something - have you cruised with other cruise lines before? :confused: This is the standard M.O. of almost all cruise lines, except in addition to all the things you mentioned that were hawked, the others push drinks like crazy.

 

Again, what cruise lines are you comparing the internet charges to? The internet service is cheaper with Princess than any other cruise line I've been on.

 

I've had other cruises (Carnival particularly comes to mind), that pushed MUCH more than Princess does with the extras. Only bonus they have is free soft-serve ice cream (which isn't a big deal IMO).

 

I've cruised NCL and Celebrity. I recall free capuccino machines and soft ice cream on the Jewel. But, I wasn't comparing just giving my impression of the Ruby. I felt that the extras were excessive and overpriced and expected. DW pointed out a review of the new Celebrity Solstice which read, "Bring lots of money". The lines probably discount passage rates because they know, once aboard the consumer will spend lots on overpriced excursions, photos, merchandise etc. That's just the nature of the cruises. Not a complaint, just a jeer.

[hintanjul]

hi, we are on the Ruby on 4th November and cant wait especially with the info i am getting off these great forums. we will keep an eye out for beanie, tracey lacey, sailfish et al. your point on the prices and hawkers is quite apt but it is an option. we take our own camera, do our own thing on shore trips and smuggle on kegs of beer, wine and french brandy!!!:p p.s. i dont like ice cream either. thanks for the cheers and jeers. :D:D

[JimVrhovac]

Thank you for the review. It was short, sweet , and to the point.

 

Ruth & Jim

[DrivesLikeMario]

I've cruised NCL and Celebrity. I recall free capuccino machines and soft ice cream on the Jewel. But, I wasn't comparing just giving my impression of the Ruby. I felt that the extras were excessive and overpriced and expected. DW pointed out a review of the new Celebrity Solstice which read, "Bring lots of money". The lines probably discount passage rates because they know, once aboard the consumer will spend lots on overpriced excursions, photos, merchandise etc. That's just the nature of the cruises. Not a complaint, just a jeer.

 

I see what you mean now. Thanks for explaining. Yes, you do get a few more feebies with some lines, but then they make up for it in another area (i.e. - Carnival pushes the cookbooks & drinks like nobody's business but they have free ice cream and fruit punch).

 

I wish they would all return to being all-inclusive and just raise the rates. :cool: