sammyjoanne

We left SF on the Ruby in April.(first timers) We put our hand luggage in the room, then went to the crooners bar, after that we went to the hotdog place which is near the pool and it was much quieter than the horizons buffet. Embarking was really easy. We was also green lane and looking at the queues it did not make much difference at the time. might be now restrictions are getting better and cruising becoming more popular again. I think you have the right time. We was earlier at 11am and got the queues. When we left a week later, we had to hang around for a while, and we saw queues really early on, but then when it got to about 12 it started to calm down. We wont be embarking until about 1pm next time we do the emerald next year.

I joined cruise critic recently after being on my first cruise last month on the Ruby, and had booked LA to Fort lauderdale, going through the panama canal for next year on the Emerald. I saw your blog, and noticed that some of your stops along the way were the same as our future cruise. It was a lot of fun and informative to follow, so thank you Ken for sharing your cruise and the photos. Safe trip home.

Ken, Hollywood hiccups is one of my faves in the explorers lounge. Its such a fun show. hiccups.MOV

Nice picture of a solar flare there Ken

I didnt walk the way round but my husband did. It was only when it docked in sanfrancisco for elaving they closed it.

Not quite a current Ruby passenger, we went April 16th for a week and the change was happening at that point. At the very start of the cruise we all wore masks. Be it in the lift, walking through horizon court, or deck 7, and would take it off in the room, or outside. Then the CDC changed the rules 18th of April and whilst we was in LA on the 19th, and we was being told that masks were no longer required on buses and transportation. Then after that the passengers did not wear a mask as much. Lifts yes, but inside walking around it was about 20% mask wearing, 80% not. MDR dining, we had any time dining and was in the davinci at 5pm and we waited about 15 mins for an unbooked table. Bottecelli we booked for a half past 8 table and got straight in. With the davinci we did notice there was a bit of unorganisation in the queueing at the entrance. No one knew which side was anytime waiting side, or the prebooked side; so we did see the staff trying to filter everyone through the right way, so people were not missing thier booked times. When it comes to mask wearing you do what feels comfortable. For me I felt better wearing a mask on the lifts, and in the queue for leaving the ship, and making sure I had my sanitizer on me. When it comes to dinner in the MDR; if you do not have a show on, the later slots were no queue at all, where as 5pm was busy, so worth a though if you are alright eating later than usual.

The eldest daughter wanted to join the local astronomy society when she was 12 and once a month they would have guest lecture speakers with powerpoint slides. Shes at uni now so we no longer attend, but seeing your pics Ken has brought back some lovely memories. Were doing the panama canal next year on the Emerald, fingers crossed Fred Cink is there 🙂

Ruby used deck 9 'D' deck, starboard side.

Ive ate early at 5pm when it was a sea day, but a port day; by the time we get back and had lunch mid afternoon, we won't want to eat dinner until about 8-9pm. When we ate at the MDR at the later time, we did not have as much as did not want the dinner to sit on us at bed time, so we would not have as many courses.

Ive blocked out my personal details but this is the PDF version they sent. The QR code is fine as it was done in dec and will be invalid now. update, just tried scanning it and it said expired. Also, we used prenetics (project health) for Aprils trip to SF in the USA which is a home test but done over zoom (either over phone or on a laptop thats got a camera). They were just as good. I had to do another in clinic test in san francisco because we was sight seeing for a few days before boarding, but the prenetics one is another option 🙂

Agreed. Definitely worth getting a booster. I went to USA at Christmas (none cruise), and I had the booster back end of November. Day after Christmas day we all got covid, and spent the recommended time in the hotel in quarantine. I think the booster really helped as I was fine after day 2, likewise with the youngest who had just had her second jab at the same time as me. App, we also found it slow when in port, no so much when out to sea. The San Diego night tour was cancelled for us, but the view at night of the shoreline did make up for that when we looked out from deck 15.

Not for the cruise, but I have used dam health to go to the USA at Christmas (none cruise), and it was absolutely fine at the airport. Dam health have a portal where you can log in and see your results once its published, but I did at the time when I went to the clinic said to please also email them me in PDF as well which they did. I download to my phone, and I printed them off as well. The pass certificate did have all the details on, name, date of birth, name of the dam health and their details etc.