Live from Ruby Princess

[Shogun]

Hi All

Well car arrived on time got to the airport on time bags checked in through security. Along walkway to gate not even time to sit down and flight called me thinks should have left house earlier

Now in Southampton plane had to you turn to line up for run way so got nice views of Ruby both sides

Now the wait before we board so some last minute shopping

 

Yours Shogun

 

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[Shogun]

Hi All

For those that do not know Southampton if they go to the big Mall called West Quay and go to top of John Lewis store large cafe and facilities PC station and charging points

Also large glass windows over looking the ships just now can see Acardia and Regent ship

 

Yours Shogun

 

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[Woobstr112G]

Hi All

For those that do not know Southampton if they go to the big Mall called West Quay and go to top of John Lewis store large cafe and facilities PC station and charging points

Also large glass windows over looking the ships just now can see Acardia and Regent ship

 

Yours Shogun

 

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Forums mobile app

 

Have a wonderful cruise my friend. Looking forward to your reports.....:):):)

 

Bob

[geocruiser]

Have a wonderful cruise. I would love to do the British Isle cruise too!

Edited August 15, 2014 by geocruiser

[Lostincruisin]

Have a great cruise Shogun...love the ruby....look forward to seeing you in October...enjoying your posts..

 

Regards Loretta

[Pjran]

I expect you've already boarded and have eaten lunch. Was the restaurant open or did you have to go to the buffet?.

 

Have a wonderful holiday and hope the sun shines for you, it's a little glum at the moment.

 

We live over the other side of the water from Southampton so might see you sail past later when I'm in Hythe.

[Croptop]

I'm mostly just a lurker on the boards but I read all of the "Live from..." threads with great zeal as a way to get me through the months until I'm cruising again.

 

Have a great cruise, Shogun and thank you for posting a live thread.

[Shogun]

Hi All

Do not think boarding could have gone any faster walked in to large hall must have been 500 waiting but Elite was empty so straight up and then to baggage screening wait of only a few minutes quickly past photographer and onto the ship into cabin

Then our friend met up with us at IC by the time we said bye bye our cases were in our cabin.

Only disappointing thing so far is l am missing my Becks

 

Yours Shogun

 

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[lor74]

Have a great cruise!!!

[jfgdbg]

Looking forward to hear al about your cruise. We will be doing it next year on the Royal followed by the TA.

[Shogun]

Hi All

Just came across a distressed passenger a few doors down the problem toilet is over flowing

 

Yours Shogun

 

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[Northender]

Have a wonderful time you two. Enjoy every minute. I am looking forward to the Live From.:)

 

The Ruby is still my favourite ship.:)

[geocruiser]

Hi All

Just came across a distressed passenger a few doors down the problem toilet is over flowing

 

Yours Shogun

 

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Forums mobile app

 

How is your toilet? They may be on the same line.

[karena1]

Do you have Anytime Dining? If you do, can you post on how it is? It was so HORRIBLE on Ruby in Jan we ate in the buffet almost every night. So hoping it is better as we on are Ruby again in Dec. Not dragging formal wear with us if it is as bad and we end up in the buffet every night again.

 

To be specific when I say horrible - it was not the food - it was the WAIT!!! We do MTD on Royal all the time and never wait more than 10 minutes, usually none. On Ruby, the two nights we did eat in the diningroom the wait was a min of 25 minutes, most nights it was over 30. Just crazy. No excuse for waits that long. Did not matter what time you went to eat, the lines were insane. It was the talk of the ship, everyone we talked to said the same thing.

Edited August 16, 2014 by karena1

[truckmaker]

Ah Shogan. You are back on the water.

 

Somehow the world seems to be a little more in order with this.

 

Have a great trip.

[MaChere]

Do you have Anytime Dining? If you do, can you post on how it is? It was so HORRIBLE on Ruby in Jan we ate in the buffet almost every night. So hoping it is better as we on are Ruby again in Dec. Not dragging formal wear with us if it is as bad and we end up in the buffet every night again.

 

To be specific when I say horrible - it was not the food - it was the WAIT!!! We do MTD on Royal all the time and never wait more than 10 minutes, usually none. On Ruby, the two nights we did eat in the diningroom the wait was a min of 25 minutes, most nights it was over 30. Just crazy. No excuse for waits that long. Did not matter what time you went to eat, the lines were insane. It was the talk of the ship, everyone we talked to said the same thing.

We are just off the Aug 3 Ruby sailing. We did anytime dining and never had a wait. Some nights we had a table for two, some nights we shared with others. Met so many delightful people, especially our new cruise critic roll call friends. We ate around 8 to 8:30 each night since our port day excursions were long. But never had a wait at either Michelangelo or Da Vinci. Food and service both wonderful. Great ship. Great itinerary.

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

 

 

Where to start, well the Ruby is looking good OK not new but everything works and is well maintained, the normal round of painting and general up keep.

 

Passenger mix well never seen such a mix from young to old from all parts of the world so overall very nice mix.

 

Today Guernsey excellent weather conditions, formal tonight,couple of things as to why l like Princess, bought a coffee card but left it in cabin so went to buy a cup at IC waitress asked do you not have a card l said yes but not on me and handed my cruise card over she handed it back saying l think you have done enough cruises to get a free cup of coffee, OK a small jesture but a nice one then later a waiter from vines that l bought one glass of wine at wishes me good morning by name, then the Commodore comes over to chat to DW recalling our renew of vows. Not big things but makes you feel welcomed.

 

Cruise critic meeting this afternoon.

Toilet working fine.

Never hear Princess talk about crime on shore and on ship before have always said to be aware report suspicious things but this time onboard crime was referred to.

Yours Shogun

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[Lostincruisin]

Do you have Anytime Dining? If you do, can you post on how it is? It was so HORRIBLE on Ruby in Jan we ate in the buffet almost every night. So hoping it is better as we on are Ruby again in Dec. Not dragging formal wear with us if it is as bad and we end up in the buffet every night again.

 

To be specific when I say horrible - it was not the food - it was the WAIT!!! We do MTD on Royal all the time and never wait more than 10 minutes, usually none. On Ruby, the two nights we did eat in the diningroom the wait was a min of 25 minutes, most nights it was over 30. Just crazy. No excuse for waits that long. Did not matter what time you went to eat, the lines were insane. It was the talk of the ship, everyone we talked to said the same thing.

 

Did you by any chance make a reservation for anytime dining. I have always made a reservation for 730 or 8 o'clock and never had to wait as there are usually two lines. The line on the right is usually for reservations, however on the Caribbean Princess in July they would not take a reservation for anytime dining and the same long waits prevailed... I'm wondering if it is a fleetwide situation now where they do not take reservations. If you have any ideas please let me know.. I believe I will contact princess to ask this question. Thank you and have a great day regards Loretta

[Working 2 Cruise]

Did you by any chance make a reservation for anytime dining. I have always made a reservation for 730 or 8 o'clock and never had to wait as there are usually two lines. The line on the right is usually for reservations, however on the Caribbean Princess in July they would not take a reservation for anytime dining and the same long waits prevailed... I'm wondering if it is a fleetwide situation now where they do not take reservations. If you have any ideas please let me know.. I believe I will contact princess to ask this question. Thank you and have a great day regards Loretta

 

I believe if you call Princess, you won't get a true answer. This policy varies from ship to ship. In your case, you may be better off with traditional dining?

 

Let's save Shogun some time and enjoy his reports.

[karena1]

Did you by any chance make a reservation for anytime dining. I have always made a reservation for 730 or 8 o'clock and never had to wait as there are usually two lines. The line on the right is usually for reservations, however on the Caribbean Princess in July they would not take a reservation for anytime dining and the same long waits prevailed... I'm wondering if it is a fleetwide situation now where they do not take reservations. If you have any ideas please let me know.. I believe I will contact princess to ask this question. Thank you and have a great day regards Loretta

 

No that is the point of ATD, I don't want to make a reservation, I want to show up when I feel like eating. Never been an issue on Royal or Celebrity. On Ruby is was terrible. What I learned is they let people from set time dining into ATD which Royal and Celebrity do not. That is what causes the insane lines.

 

Like I said, I plan to ask as it gets closer to Dec. I am not dragging formal wear if we are going to end up in the buffet. I enjoy having dinner in the diningroom each night, but not waiting 30-45 minutes to get a table. When we were there in jan and finally got in, there were tons of open tables. So just doesn't make sense. They need to fix it so people that want ATD have their own designated area like Royal and Celebrity does

Edited August 17, 2014 by karena1

[Brenda8129]

It's good to hear that the Ruby is still looking good. I haven't been on her in a few years. Does she have the IC?

 

Thank you Shogun for doing a "live from........."

[happiness is cruising]

Yes there is an IC

 

 

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[Shogun]

Hi All

 

Sitting in Cobh today wind is from the Artic so a lot cooler than the past few days still nice bright and sunny but our friends from Florida look like they are setting out on a polar expedition. Formal night was well attended looked like almost 100% of folks made some type of effort. Commodore made his welcome aboard speach in English and Spanish. Had a nice chat with Commodore and HGM will not go into details but will say Commodore likes ships to have a full prom deck. The cruise critic meeting was very well attended with all the senior officers present. We have nice mix at our table for diner the Swedish couple have cruised the world but do not go into detail but did say on their last cruise waiters served only three people each not sure which cruise like but assume a premium line to get that ratio. My old friend the casino almost gave me heart failure was playing a slot machine were you needed three ten times symbols for the jack pot now in two days of play not even seen one so when the first reel stopped in ten times l got a smile then the second reel stopped on then ten times the machine starts playing music because you have won something but how much reel three is spinning and spinning then starts to slow music builds up the reel comes almost to a stop and there is the third ten times coming round the pay out for three is 10,000 so heart is beating faster as the third reel drops onto the ten times but does not stop it slides a click round then stops so we get 1000 instead time to leave and get a drink. Casino hours are reduced due to being in UK waters.

 

To night is ye old pub night show IC serving Guinness pies,

 

Yours Shogun

 

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[geocruiser]

It sounds like you are having a great cruise. We will be on Ruby in Jan. Looking forward to being on her again.

[Lostincruisin]

I believe if you call Princess, you won't get a true answer. This policy varies from ship to ship. In your case, you may be better off with traditional dining?

 

Let's save Shogun some time and enjoy his reports.

My question was not to Shogun it was in response to Karena1. I would not think of interrupting his trip with frivolous questions... And I will not call princess I will always write to them and I immediately get a response so I do beg to differ with you. We don't care for traditional dining. I preferred to go anytime but I have always made a reservation in the past.. Maybe things are changing... I will soon get to the bottom of this...