Cruise Raider

I see your second question has been answered. We have yet to hit the casino and it seems really smoky in there so it may be something we miss out on for this cruise. I love the triple play video poker machines and they are only on the smoking side of the casino. Anyway, there are no more scheduled arrival times. We’ve been pretty successful showing up between 11:00 - 11:30 AM with very little wait time for check in and boarding the ship. We are still on in time for lunch that way. I’m sure you will have a great time next week on the Ruby! The staff is great and the entertainment director, Lauren, is amongst the best in the business. I feel as though there have been some degree of cutbacks, even since last month. None of them are dealbreakers for us, though. We are still enjoying this cruise so much!

So, we usually order off the app about once a day. We’ve so far noticed the following items that have been taken off the menu: Turkey Sandwich (they still have a club sandwich that has turkey and bacon) Chicken Salad Sandwich Chicken Tacos Chips and Guacamole There’s probably more but those are the things we’ve ordered in the past that are no longer available. it may have already been available in the past but have never ordered dessert from the app. It does show that they have SMIZE ice cream crayons available in the different flavors for $6 each.

We are docked in Skagway this morning down by the helicopter pads. I believe it will be a bit of a longer walk into town but at least not a tender port for us. There are cloudy skies and cool but no rain in the forecast. Yay!

The one production show so far was Magic Can Do. Despite the very talented singers and dancers, we just did not like the show! I believe their other production shows are Colors of the World and Stardust. We’ve seen both those shows many times in the past so will probably skip them as well. They’ve been having so many activities and live music all over the ship so we certainly won’t be at a loss of finding something to do. There was the funniest comedian we’ve seen in a very long time in the theater the first night. They filled the theater with the Crooners piano player as entertainment had to be scheduled on the spot. I think Libby Riddles was possibly going to be on stage last night before our stop in Juneau was canceled. There have been singers scheduled for other nights. There’s really nothing scheduled for tonight as they will be having “puppies in the piazza”.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that the 50% off on select cruises if you book while onboard is still going on through the end of the month. While I booked several cruises on the list while we were on the Emerald last month, I booked one last sailing on this cruise on which I was debating. The policies and restrictions seem to be different on different ships. It’s all good, though. On our previous sailing, the cruise was to be paid off at the time of booking. Not so on this booking I made yesterday. Also, I was able to get additional OBC on bookings made on my last cruise but not on this one. No complaints from me .. just happy to get such good deals on future cruises.

So, the entertainment director’s skills were put to the test today and I give her an A+ for filling in the day with activities and lectures. She did an amazing talk on life in England from the view of a ‘peasant’ throughout history. We weren’t sure what to expect but it was a great talk! The tribute to Elton John show this evening only featured one Sir Elton John song. While I can appreciate the immense talent of the performer, it was mislabeled. But again, I believe it was thrown together on a matter of hours so, I will give them a pass. The food at the pub lunch was excellent this afternoon. We’ve been skipping dinner in the MDR and opting for some light snacks in the PES lounge instead. As with previous nights, the snacks have not disappointed us at all. The service is also fabulous there and of note, Frank plays the ukulele and sings some fabulous songs for the guests in Skywalkers during the happy hour. This is such a treat!

I was told you couldn’t share the price fixed menu from the GastroPub but cannot imagine you can’t share the charcuterie board from Vines. Since you can take it to wherever you’re seated, how would they even know. The GastroPub is different as it is a sit down restaurant.

We love Javi! I will definitely pass the message to him!

Oh .. and almost forgot to mention, they have the crab shack offered today, starting at 12:30 PM.

Now, we have successfully transferred the very ill passenger off in Ketchikan, we are well on our way to Skagway. The skies are cloudy with a little sun peeking through but no rain and the seas are super calm! They’ve scheduled a pub lunch for our sudden sea day! Yay! They have also scheduled some extra games and naturalist presentations. Kudos to all for the quick rescheduling!

I’m afraid we will miss you again! we will be on the Royal up north by then. We will meet in person one day! 🤞

We are watching the totem pole carver with great interest in the piazza. I find the enrichment programming so interesting. So, not to be rude, I’m posting this a bit late. We are not stopping in Juneau tomorrow after all as we have another medical emergency onboard, one that can’t be airlifted off .. so, we will make an unscheduled stop (not a port call) in Ketchikan tomorrow to disembark the gravely ill or injured passenger. Our first stop will now be in Skagway. I realize people’s vacations are important to the, but we saw some people absolutely disgusted that we had to miss Juneau tomorrow. Needless to say, I have zero empathy for those upset about this. Imagine if that was one of your loved ones needing care. Anyway, to not break my cardinal rule of negativity on this post …I will leave it at that!

Currently, it’s just the additional charge plus 18% that you will pay if you have the plus package and purchase a drink over $15.

I’m onboard right now. While the captain did announce no flash photography was allowed, he didn’t forbid photography. However, nobody on the port side was allowed in their cabins, the entire pool deck, including the buffet was closed and nobody was allowed up on the open decks. I can’t imagine how someone that was not defying the captain’s orders got a video of the evacuation. Perhaps they did it through a window on one of the lower decks. Just of note, it was passengers on one cruise coming in to San Francisco a number of years ago that prompted these rather strict rules. The captain kept ordering people off their balconies and they wouldn’t comply. When it also happened last year on the Ruby, I noticed that the captain wouldn’t allow anyone on the entire side of the ship to be used for the e actuation to meet up in Club Fusion. I don’t think they were allowed back into their cabins until the wee hours of the morning. If the procedures are delayed because of the lookie loos, it puts the passenger and the rescue team at greater risk.

At todays vegetable carving demo!

I just have to say, thank you all for keeping this post civilized and not just a forum to complain. I was hesitant to start a live from feed because of all the negative comments on here and on FB. But, you all have restored my faith in humanity. I just wanted to relay what I’ve noticed without having to defend my experiences and happy to do so since nobody has gotten nasty on this thread.

OK .. a few things I’ve learned .. Rombauer Chardonnay has been discontinued, at least on this ship. They still may have a few bottles left but are only selling it by the bottle. The only Chardonnay they have by the glass is canyon road, pennifolds, Schaffer Ranch. but now for the good news, they are offering lunch in the Crown Grill and Sabatini’s on alternating dates on sea days. It’s the same price as dinner but offered at a better time for some people .. namely us! We saw this on the Emerald last month, too! I’m excited for my cruises where I have purchased the premier package. I can’t eat that much at night and still feel comfortable enough to sleep. So, this is a perfect option for us. I help they keep this change permanently.

I think you are right in that people will find a way around the $14.99 charge pp. I also think there will be people complaining about the ON activation fee on the app. I think that is what all the lines are about at guest services.

There is no Alfredo’s / Gigis onboard this class of ship but that’s what I understand to be true at the Wheelhouse Bar. I’m guessing the same would be for the other casual dining restaurants, though. Think of it as a cover charge. I did ask the couple at Vines if I could take a photo of their food as they ordered the prix fix menu and they were sharing it. Not sure what package they had, though.

You now do that through your room steward. So, no charge.

The Ruby is in fine shape! And if you know me through my posts, I am not one to go easy on the condition of a ship in my descriptions. I don’t know exactly what they are going to do in dry dock but will check with one of the officers if I get the chance. It’s doubtful that much of anything will be done inside but that’s just my take on it because everything looks to be in very good condition. They are actually going to complete their dry dock in Portland, Oregon. Someone mentioned there would be two weeks in Portland and one week in Victoria. I may have misunderstood but that’s what I heard. As for rough, I know that’s not what you mean, but thought I’d include it right here. The whole way up, the seas have been having the ship doing this weird wiggly motion. We are dead center ship and can still feel it but it’s not really bothering us. If our cabin were all the way aft or forward, that would definitely be another story.

Someone that ordered off the menu at vins was kind enough to let me take photos of their food order. It did look very nice!

So, the prix fix menu for the causal dining can’t be shared between two people. If your like to share, you have to use the a la carte menu. I’m adding a couple ophotos of the menu at the GastroPub as well as the Vines menu. I’ve never seen so many people in the piazza, Good Spirits and Vines. It is my understanding that the buffet and pool deck were closed due to a medical evacuation that was required today. It was very foggy today so, the helicopter actually had to go back shoreside to refuel to return for the evacuation procedures. We understand the passenger was safely evacuated during a break in the weather. Anyway, I won’t comment any further on the reasons for the evacuation. BTW, the food delivery service e menu on the app is slightly reduced. I’m a big fan of the chicken tacos that used to be available. I made due with a salad and some chicken tenders, though. Menus have changed and I can understand this for as long as I can still get something I like. BTW, the GastroPub was as busy as we have ever seen it tonight. And it sure did smell delicious but we already had dinner. We still may stop in there to eat off the a la carte menu later in the cruise.

It’s just nobody else’s business and tacky to try to be the paparazzi in these situations.

Yes, they prohibited entry into the balcony cabins on the port side of the ship until the evacuation was complete. Someone else’s medical condition is just nobody else’s business! Period! Beyond just hoping the fellow passenger is ok and survives, please don’t care what i4 is about!