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Mixed feelings Ruby 11/3-11/8


Reader0108598
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Going to make this a quick review :)

 

Embarcation a disorganized mess!

 

Food not so good:(

 

Kids on board.. well if you like kids dumping cups of fruit juice in the hot tubs and without parental supervision this was the cruise for you!

 

Cabin steward (Gervacio )Baja deck forward. Wonderful! Knew how to keep this low key couple happy without intruding.

 

It was a funny kind of cruise staff present but not really there... Hmm

 

OBTW: Princess met plenty a first time cruiser you upgraded...just wanted to say thanks:) Yeah we get it we are not valued!

Edited by Reader0108598
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Sorry you had some disappointments on your cruise. We were on the Ruby last spring for a 5-day cruise and mostly had a great time. My only big complaint was with the shore excursion desk. I thought the food was great. The entertainment was just so-so. We did not have any problems with the children on our cruise--which was during spring break--but we stayed away from them, using the adults only pools.

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I was on this same cruise. Actually my 1st Princess cruise and other than the embarkation I loved everything about it. We thought the food was good and some things better than good. Of course I know food is very subjective.

 

Maybe we were lucky, but only saw a handful of children on this cruise. We had a great time and will definitely cruise Princess again.

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Just off the same cruise and totally agree with you!

 

Horrible check-in, worst of any cruise we've ever taken. It's the first time our luggage beat us to the cabin!

 

Really, the first day was a mess. Rush rush, very late lunch in a horribly crowded Horizon Court (and lousy selection to boot), then off to muster where we waited another half hour for people to show up, then back to room to drop off life jackets and unpack, then up to dinner.

 

We didn't get to tour the ship until AFTER we'd come back from Princess Cays the second day.

Overall had a great time, but would never choose Princess at a non-discounted fare. Seemed a bit second-rate to all of us - poor food selection and quality, few music offerings, horribly small cabins. Our cabin could have been a quad and had 2 beds that folded down from the walls, but they stuck out 18". My husband had to bend over, hold onto the bed and walk sideways to get out of bed. He hit his head several times. Seemed like something you'd have found on the old Premiere ships back in the 80's.

 

Loved our room steward, though - Cecile, one of the best we've ever had. But the ship had no "wow" -very vanilla and blah. The Piazza would be a good idea if it were larger, but the whole ship just seemed very cramped.

 

I guess we just didn't feel the Princess love. We might sail her again if offered a fantastic deal, but we just didn't get why all the Princess hype. I would have to rate it at the bottom of the cruiselines we've been on - MSC, HAL, Celebrity, RCCL, Carnival. Definitely the food was the worst. Anyone for squid ball soup at breakfast? How about deep-fried french toast that oozed grease with the first and only bite?

 

Really, the buffet was tiny and awful, and we are the furthest thing from picky eaters. Our best meal was on formal night when the Cafe Caribe was open and we had delicious beef tenderloin and cornish hen out on the aft deck under the stars.

The MDR food was just OK. Some of the offerings were just strange.

 

I like a "musical" ship, and there just wasn't enough on this one. As for shows, the first production show, Broadway Ballroom, was similar to a high-school production. Several in our party fell asleep during it, although most of the dancers were good. It just lacked that spark that holds your interest. The second show, Once Upon a Dream, was better. Imaginative costumes, a little comedic break, better vocals.

 

Drinks were VERY expensive - most were $8.95 plus gratuities, so each one was over $10. The best deal was happy hour everyday at the Wheelhouse Bar between 3 and 4 - buy one get one free and it was packed!

 

So overall, while we had a fun time, we were not impressed with Princess. I had been so impressed with their website and pre-cruise communications so I had high expectations. Honestly, with all of the beautiful ships out there today, I don't see how Princess demands such high prices on most of their itineraries.

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Just off the same cruise and totally agree with you!

 

Horrible check-in, worst of any cruise we've ever taken. It's the first time our luggage beat us to the cabin!

 

Really, the first day was a mess. Rush rush, very late lunch in a horribly crowded Horizon Court (and lousy selection to boot), then off to muster where we waited another half hour for people to show up, then back to room to drop off life jackets and unpack, then up to dinner.

 

We didn't get to tour the ship until AFTER we'd come back from Princess Cays the second day.

Overall had a great time, but would never choose Princess at a non-discounted fare. Seemed a bit second-rate to all of us - poor food selection and quality, few music offerings, horribly small cabins. Our cabin could have been a quad and had 2 beds that folded down from the walls, but they stuck out 18". My husband had to bend over, hold onto the bed and walk sideways to get out of bed. He hit his head several times. Seemed like something you'd have found on the old Premiere ships back in the 80's.

 

Loved our room steward, though - Cecile, one of the best we've ever had. But the ship had no "wow" -very vanilla and blah. The Piazza would be a good idea if it were larger, but the whole ship just seemed very cramped.

 

I guess we just didn't feel the Princess love. We might sail her again if offered a fantastic deal, but we just didn't get why all the Princess hype. I would have to rate it at the bottom of the cruiselines we've been on - MSC, HAL, Celebrity, RCCL, Carnival. Definitely the food was the worst. Anyone for squid ball soup at breakfast? How about deep-fried french toast that oozed grease with the first and only bite?

 

Really, the buffet was tiny and awful, and we are the furthest thing from picky eaters. Our best meal was on formal night when the Cafe Caribe was open and we had delicious beef tenderloin and cornish hen out on the aft deck under the stars.

The MDR food was just OK. Some of the offerings were just strange.

 

I like a "musical" ship, and there just wasn't enough on this one. As for shows, the first production show, Broadway Ballroom, was similar to a high-school production. Several in our party fell asleep during it, although most of the dancers were good. It just lacked that spark that holds your interest. The second show, Once Upon a Dream, was better. Imaginative costumes, a little comedic break, better vocals.

 

Drinks were VERY expensive - most were $8.95 plus gratuities, so each one was over $10. The best deal was happy hour everyday at the Wheelhouse Bar between 3 and 4 - buy one get one free and it was packed!

 

So overall, while we had a fun time, we were not impressed with Princess. I had been so impressed with their website and pre-cruise communications so I had high expectations. Honestly, with all of the beautiful ships out there today, I don't see how Princess demands such high prices on most of their itineraries.

 

Amazing - everything is relative. When we were on the Ruby in June (British Isles), we thought the food was very good in the MDR and fairly acceptable in the Horizon Ct. We also thought the drink prices were extremely reasonable - but then we live in a suburb of New York City where the average drink price is mostly $12 - $14 (plus TAX and gratuity). $8.95 is a bargain.

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Thank you for your review

As you will see from my history I am a Princess fan but have noted that you can win or lose on the food stakes.\The worst dinner I have every had on a cruise sahip OR A RESTAURANT of the sort MDR should be was Christmas dinner at New Zealand.

But on another cruise on nthe same ship obviously we had a better chief chef and the food was excellent.:D:D

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As all of us who've hung out here know, upgrades are never to be expected, and are not a function of any discernible qualification whatsoever, including the number of times you've sailed, your Captain's Circle status, and/or your astrological sign.

Edited by shepp
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Not defending Princess but the boarding problem could have been caused by an an unannounced inspection that day. We've hit them before & it created havoc for the whole crew.

Kids....well it only takes a few bad ones to create a bad cruise and the shorter the cruise the more chance you have of them being there. We did a 5/4 day trip on the CB in Sept & there were a few of the little darlings - but it still wasn't as bad as your trip.

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It's a shame your experience was not a good one.

 

We travelled 3 times on the Ruby this year most recently in September, we had a couple of hiccups not worth mentioning, but overall it was very good.

We have travelled a lot on various Princess ships and enjoyed them all. Perhaps try another ship on a different itinerary then make a decision after that, of course it depends on what you are looking for.

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OP thanks for you review.

 

I will be on the Ruby for three weeks starting the end of this month and looking forward to it. Probably not a lot of kids on our cruises since they will be in school. As far as food goes, that is very subjective.

 

Guess I will get to see for myself.:D

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We were on the same cruise and had a totally different experience. Due to timing, we were the third and fou.rth passengers on the ship. The Elite lounge was comfortable, our wait was short. We went to the MDR at 12:15 for a relaxed lunch. The food in the MDR, where we ate most of the time, had very good service and pretty good food. We certainly didn't turn anything away. We ate on Deck 15 twice, once for breakfast and once for pizza. The pizza was outstanding if you enjoy thin crust and tasty sauces. We felt the entertainment was very good. The opening show was better than most. Were still wondering how the magician did some things. The singers and dancers were very good in the first show but outstanding in Once Upon a Dream. It's worth booking another cruise just to see that show again for the special effects. Steve Moris was a hoot in the theater but a little lack luster in the lounge. Princess Cay was what we expected with one exception. The snorkeling around the snorkeling pier was very good. That was a nice surprise. Our shore excursion was a catamarand sailing in Ocho Rios. We didn't get as close to the falls as expected and the swimming was not at a beach as described. The current was very strong so I didn't swim there. The party atmosphere on the sail back was well worth the cost. The crew showed us a great time with dancing, music, and rum punch. Trivia was very hard. On the last day several people got up and left before scores were revealed. I'm still muttering over which weighs more: a cup of powdered sugar, a cup of granulated sugar, or a cup of brown sugar. Got to check out the answer for myself! The Crab Shack experience was one area we were a little disappointed with. Service was exceptionally slow at our table and the one next to us. While the food was good, there was too much for anyone to eat. We left before coffee and dessert were served as there were other things we'd rather be doing other than sitting waiting for our over worked waiter. Debarkation went smoothly for us, as did everything else on this cruise. We had a wonderful time and wish it had been a 7 day cruise instead of a 5 day.

Edited by Grannycb
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Good morning everyone

 

Busy getting through emails and such forgot to come back and check this thread.

 

I appreciate not being jumped on for my thoughts:)

 

Not saying I did not have a good time just a few things were off.

 

Oh and the upgrade thing: I never expect an upgrade. It was just that a large amount of new cruisers or cruisers with a few cruises under their belts received upgrades on this cruise . (Yes, spoke to a lot of people in the hot tubs) :)

 

It would be nice if princess showed the same courtesy to their loyal cruisers . Nothing extra just the same. Although I should have received special treatment because I am a virgo!!!:D

( I also know why they give upgrades to new cruisers).

 

 

Hope all who sail Ruby in the near future have a wonderful time.

 

Reader

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The upgrade thing: We booked guarantee balcony and ended up mid ship on Aloha. It's a shame you didn't get an upgrade, but they are random as far as I can tell.

 

We were rarely on the pool deck so didn't see the kids there. There were a few kids who thought Aloha halls were for racing. That was annoying.

 

Having been on cruises where things didn't go right for us but went perfectly for others, I know what you are talking about. It's frustrating. May your next cruise experience go better.

Edited by Grannycb
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Grannycb glad you received an upgrade:)

 

Believe me the upgrade thing did not ruin my cruise. As a matter of fact we went up on deck for the first time ever and watched us pull into Port everglades that was pretty cool:)

 

Hey come to think of it maybe we will stop paying for those balconies...inside cabin made us get out more ..lol :)

 

Yep kids were a bit annoying same group every day...why were they out of school? Never could tell who the parents were:rolleyes:

 

Happy sails to you !

Reader

Edited by Reader0108598
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It's still nice to have someone report their problems encountered on any of the ships especially ones I've already sailed on before. For the most part I believe people want to know the things that didn't go so good even though there are some who will criticize anything posted.

 

Lovetocruiseprincess

Thank you !!!

 

Not my intent to complain just sharing my experience.

 

Reader

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OP thanks for you review.

 

I will be on the Ruby for three weeks starting the end of this month and looking forward to it. Probably not a lot of kids on our cruises since they will be in school. As far as food goes, that is very subjective.

 

Guess I will get to see for myself.:D

 

 

ready2cruzagain

 

I am sure you will have a wonderful time:D

Umm.. don't count on the Kiddos being in school , I will keep my fingers crossed for you:)

 

 

Reader

Edited by Reader0108598
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OP thanks for you review.

 

I will be on the Ruby for three weeks starting the end of this month and looking forward to it. Probably not a lot of kids on our cruises since they will be in school.

End of November? That is Thanksgiving. Unless your cruise is only sold as a three week cruise, (which I don't think it is), you will have plenty of kids during one of your three weeks.

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I was on the cruise too. Yes, the check-in was horrid. Worst in over 90 cruises. And I didn't have an issue with the delay in the embarkation time. But they were understaffed and the staff they had were clueless and some even rude. Couldn't believe the woman in charge with the priority boarding was yelling "Sit down!" to the guests. But, hey, I wouldn't say it ruined this cruise. Especially when this was followed up with an amazing luncheon in the da Vinci dining room. No, there were a couple of misses with the food but overall I was happy. I'd say the Horizon Court lunch when we were in Ocho Rios was pretty poor as well as the American Dinner night menu in the main dining room (sweetbreads and tripe are not to my liking...thank goodness for the always available section). No lobster on this cruise but the tiger shrimp and sea scallop entrees I had were terrific and the lobster is, more often than not, a disappointment when it is offered. I did get an upgrade on my first Princess cruise (to a mini-suite, no less) and a few times moved from obstructed ocean view to non-obstructed (but one of those cabins all the way up front where the joggers pass outside early in the morning). But, that seems the way they handle upgrades. Get the newbies so they'll want to keep back. But I was perfectly content with my inside. It was very spacious compared to most other mass-marketed cruise lines and my cabin steward was aces.

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I was on the cruise too. Yes, the check-in was horrid. Worst in over 90 cruises. And I didn't have an issue with the delay in the embarkation time. But they were understaffed and the staff they had were clueless and some even rude. Couldn't believe the woman in charge with the priority boarding was yelling "Sit down!" to the guests. But, hey, I wouldn't say it ruined this cruise. Especially when this was followed up with an amazing luncheon in the da Vinci dining room. No, there were a couple of misses with the food but overall I was happy. I'd say the Horizon Court lunch when we were in Ocho Rios was pretty poor as well as the American Dinner night menu in the main dining room (sweetbreads and tripe are not to my liking...thank goodness for the always available section). No lobster on this cruise but the tiger shrimp and sea scallop entrees I had were terrific and the lobster is, more often than not, a disappointment when it is offered. I did get an upgrade on my first Princess cruise (to a mini-suite, no less) and a few times moved from obstructed ocean view to non-obstructed (but one of those cabins all the way up front where the joggers pass outside early in the morning). But, that seems the way they handle upgrades. Get the newbies so they'll want to keep back. But I was perfectly content with my inside. It was very spacious compared to most other mass-marketed cruise lines and my cabin steward was aces.

 

 

 

Who was that lady????? Just left the army would be my guess ...

Nice way to welcome your guests back...lol

 

Reader

Edited by Reader0108598
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