Ruby or Grand

[geocruiser]

I am planning another cruise in Jan. 2011. It is between two ships, Ruby and Grand. The ports don't matter to us and the price is good for us on either one. I have been on Ruby but not on Grand. For those who have sailed on both, which one do you like more and why?

[gertz]

I am surprised you had to ask.

The Grand, space ratio. For us it isn't everything but it is ahead of a whole bunch of other reasons.

[-Lew-]

 

The Grand, space ratio.

I would have to agree. Less crowding makes a cruise much more enjoyable.

 

The Grand is our favorite Princess ship. With the extensive dry dock behind her, she's just that much better.

 

Lew

[geocruiser]

I never thought about the space ratio. In the past I have been on Tahitian, Old Crown, Ruby and Emerald. Ruby was pretty new when we were on her.

[srpilo]

I've sailed both in fact we've sailed on Grand a couple of times and once since her recent refurbishment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would pick the Ruby in a heart beat over the Grand. Personally for us while we enjoy any cruise, the Grand is our least favorite Grand Class ship, that and the fact that the cabins and furnishings are really showing their age on the Grand, and of course that the Ruby is the newest in the fleet.

 

 

Opinions will always vary, but we'd take the Ruby everytime over the Grand

Srpilo

[mafig]

Didn't they spruce up the cabins on Grand during her recent drydock?:confused:

[srpilo]

Didn't they spruce up the cabins on Grand during her recent drydock?:confused:

 

Nope

 

 

 

 

Srpilo

[geocruiser]

I've sailed both in fact we've sailed on Grand a couple of times and once since her recent refurbishment.

 

I would pick the Ruby in a heart beat over the Grand. Personally for us while we enjoy any cruise, the Grand is our least favorite Grand Class ship, that and the fact that the cabins and furnishings are really showing their age on the Grand, and of course that the Ruby is the newest in the fleet.

 

 

Opinions will always vary, but we'd take the Ruby everytime over the Grand

Srpilo

 

Thanks, that is one of the things i wanted to know.

[Coral]

I would choose the Grand. Less crowded!

 

Rooms can be spruced up with out a dry dock.

[johnmik1]

I am planning another cruise in Jan. 2011. It is between two ships, Ruby and Grand. The ports don't matter to us and the price is good for us on either one. I have been on Ruby but not on Grand. For those who have sailed on both, which one do you like more and why?

 

Definately Ruby.Grand cabin condition is hit or miss and Ruby has Caribe Cafe.

[Coral]

Definately Ruby.Grand cabin condition is hit or miss and Ruby has Caribe Cafe.

 

Grand has a new pizzeria :)

[johnmik1]

Grand has a new pizzeria :)

 

Unfortunately,it only has pizza and not a salad which would go good with the pizza,as a meal.Also,I had to ask for pizza margarita,as it is not on the menu

[Coral]

Unfortunately,it only has pizza and not a salad which would go good with the pizza,as a meal.Also,I had to ask for pizza margarita,as it is not on the menu

 

It is too bad they don't use the menu on the Sun Class ships which has great lasagna also! Did they give you your pizza Margarita? I was curious if they allow deviations from their menu?

 

I was not impressed with Caribe Cafe. The quality of the food just didn't seem to be there for me, similar to Horizon Court.

[Woobstr112G]

If I had to pick one, if they were both doing the itinerary I wanted, I'd go with the Grand. More space due to less passengers is a big plus. This was very noticible when we sailed on the Diamond (2009) a short three months after sailing on the Emerald. The Diamond is comparable in size to the Emerald but has one less deck and about 500 less passengers.....

 

Bob

[johnmik1]

It is too bad they don't use the menu on the Sun Class ships which has great lasagna also! Did they give you your pizza Margarita? I was curious if they allow deviations from their menu?

 

I was not impressed with Caribe Cafe. The quality of the food just didn't seem to be there for me, similar to Horizon Court.

 

I agree about the Sun class ships.I loved the anti-pasto with the pizza.They did make my Margarita,but they were not happy about it.

[geocruiser]

Hi,

 

I have been looking on Princess.com for info on Grand Princess. I am looking for the ships length, beam, # of PAX. I just can't seem to find it! Where did it go. Oh, by the way I did find out that Upper berth and bed ladder capacities are 550lbs. I never read that before. Can you please tell me where the info i want is.

[Coral]

I agree about the Sun class ships.I loved the anti-pasto with the pizza.They did make my Margarita,but they were not happy about it.

 

Wow - and it is so much more difficult for them to make a plain pizza??? Hopefully they will improve on this.

[gertz]

Hi,

 

I have been looking on Princess.com for info on Grand Princess. I am looking for the ships length, beam, # of PAX. I just can't seem to find it! Where did it go. Oh, by the way I did find out that Upper berth and bed ladder capacities are 550lbs. I never read that before. Can you please tell me where the info i want is.

 

 

It is in the cruise atlas and probably on line under ships. However, here is what your requested. 2590 pax, 109,000 gross tons, 950 ft in length. The atlas doesn't give the beam now but you can probably find it on line. I,m not sure where you found ladder capacities.

[geocruiser]

It is in the cruise atlas and probably on line under ships. However, here is what your requested. 2590 pax, 109,000 gross tons, 950 ft in length. The atlas doesn't give the beam now but you can probably find it on line. I,m not sure where you found ladder capacities.

 

Thanks for the Grand info. Below is the link for the Upper berth and bed ladder capacities.

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/ships/ap/deck_plans/index.html

[srpilo]

No one disputes the passenger difference, but the question was specific to the Grand, had the same question been asked of the Star or Golden I would probably picked the Star or Golden.

 

The Grand was the first of it class but unfortunately it's has design flaws which were corrected in it's later sisters. The damming of these flaws is the absense of the center staircase, this alone make the ship one of the most passenger unfriendly ship I've ever sailed on. If don't use the heavily used elevators you're litterally forced to go to the front or aft of the ship to access the only stairwells to the passenger cabin floors, if you have a mid-ship cabin you must constantly walk all the way forward or aft if you want to use the stairs.. Over 3000 passengers and only 2 stairwells :confused: .

 

 

As I said in my first post, any cruise is great , but given the choice the Grand is my least favorite Princess ship

Srpilo

[lovevacadays]

It is too bad they don't use the menu on the Sun Class ships which has great lasagna also! Did they give you your pizza Margarita? I was curious if they allow deviations from their menu?

 

I was not impressed with Caribe Cafe. The quality of the food just didn't seem to be there for me, similar to Horizon Court.

 

 

I agree with you on Cafe Caribe. I had read so many positive posts on this but when we sailed on the Crown and tried the Cafe Caribe I wasn't impressed at all.

[lovevacadays]

No one disputes the passenger difference, but the question was specific to the Grand, had the same question been asked of the Star or Golden I would probably picked the Star or Golden.

 

The Grand was the first of it class but unfortunately it's has design flaws which were corrected in it's later sisters. The damming of these flaws is the absense of the center staircase, this alone make the ship one of the most passenger unfriendly ship I've ever sailed on. If don't use the heavily used elevators you're litterally forced to go to the front or aft of the ship to access the only stairwells to the passenger cabin floors, if you have a mid-ship cabin you must constantly walk all the way forward or aft if you want to use the stairs.. Over 3000 passengers and only 2 stairwells :confused: .

 

As I said in my first post, any cruise is great , but given the choice the Grand is my least favorite Princess ship

Srpilo

 

 

Thanks for that info. Very helpful. I sailed on the Crown and didn't find the extra passengers created that much more crowding so I was really interested in other aspects of the differences between the different ships. This is really useful info.

[geocruiser]

No one disputes the passenger difference, but the question was specific to the Grand, had the same question been asked of the Star or Golden I would probably picked the Star or Golden.

 

The Grand was the first of it class but unfortunately it's has design flaws which were corrected in it's later sisters. The damming of these flaws is the absense of the center staircase, this alone make the ship one of the most passenger unfriendly ship I've ever sailed on. If don't use the heavily used elevators you're litterally forced to go to the front or aft of the ship to access the only stairwells to the passenger cabin floors, if you have a mid-ship cabin you must constantly walk all the way forward or aft if you want to use the stairs.. Over 3000 passengers and only 2 stairwells :confused: .

 

 

As I said in my first post, any cruise is great , but given the choice the Grand is my least favorite Princess ship

Srpilo

 

Thanks, I did not know about there being no center staircase. This may be an issus for one of our friends that may come with us.

[srpilo]

Thanks for that info. Very helpful. I sailed on the Crown and didn't find the extra passengers created that much more crowding so I was really interested in other aspects of the differences between the different ships. This is really useful info.

 

Your welcome :)

 

I agree, I've also sailed on the Crown twice btw (nice ship) and while there are more passengers then the original Grand class ships, I'm like you, in that additional people aren't the deal breaker for me that many here seem to experience...

 

 

Of course as always opinions vary, But I thnk we can agree on our love of cruising and being so fortunate to do so :)

Srpilo

[lovevacadays]

Your welcome :)

 

I agree, I've also sailed on the Crown twice btw (nice ship) and while there are more passengers then the original Grand class ships, I'm like you, in that additional people aren't the deal breaker for me that many here seem to experience...

 

 

Of course as always opinions vary, But I thnk we can agree on our love of cruising and being so fortunate to do so :)

Srpilo

 

Absolutely! We are so fortunate. I was just thinking that as I was responding to some post on the ports forums. I feel so blessed that I have traveled to these ports and can share my experiences with others. I have a few friends you haven't traveled much at all so the fact that I have had the wonderful opportunity to cruise 16 times is amazing to me.