Group Live Ruby Princess 4/16-4/30

[andio2of5]

49 minutes ago, milogurd said:

"antipasto was burrito cheese and tomato and then fried zucchini and yellow squash "

That's not the kind of cheese I get on my burritos. I think your spell check didn't know about Burrata cheese. 😁

Got that right 😄. After posting, I reread and wondered how many would catch that spell check fiasco.

[SFO-F/A]

Onboard quickly, arrived port at 11:15, was on the ship, around noon!  Not bad at all. 

The six of us dropped our bags in the cabins (cabins not ready but we could drop our carryon bags) and went for drinks and burgers on deck 15. 

We were all very excited to be sailing again. 

After lunch we went to unpack and meet up later for sailaway drinks on the top deck.  Sailaway was supposed to be at 4 so we were there at 3:30 ready to party and go under the Golden Gate Bridge.

 

  Hummmmmm,  the captain said sailaway would be delayed till 5:30-6 due to windy weather.  Oh well, we are on the drink package, so drink we did.  Also got an amazing slice of pizza from Slice on deck 15.  Finally, the engines start, and we are on our way around 6pm.  

The inside of the Ruby is gorgeous.  Cabins clean and well appointed. The public rooms beautiful 

The staff very friendly and helpful.  

 

Dinner was in the main dining room, Botichelli.  Service was excellent and food good.  

By the time we got out of the dining room it was 9:30, we opted not to go to the show, a comedian.

We headed to Club Fusion to hear and dance to the band, Supersonics.  They are excellent.

Around 11:45 the music stops, and we are off to our cabins.  

I fell asleep thinking; this is going to be an amazing cruise.  

Just what I need after 2 years of no cruises.

 

Today is a sea day, after breakfast and a walk on deck, I decide to go to my cabin for a restful day of reading and sun, on my wonderful extended balcony.  What a surprise when I hear pounding, hammering and drilling on a balcony a few doors down, on the deck below!!!!   I call to complain saying this isn't what I signed up for.  A cruise is supposed to be peaceful and relaxing, not so loud that you can't even sit on your balcony.  I was told unfortunately it will go on the entire cruise!  WHAT!  Granted they need to repair the rust on the balconies and hull, however, not when guests are on board!  

 

Anyhow, what started as a wonderful, relaxing, fun cruise I was going to rave about, instead here I am complaining about something that shouldn't be happening. 

 

BTW, the ship is full, as told to me by guest services.  I know they sold this cruise at bargain prices after final payment.   We are not the ones who got a deal, as we booked this cruise 8 months ago.  

 

Guests very friendly, I'd say about 60% wearing masks indoors. 

 

 

 

 

[XBGuy]

3 hours ago, andio2of5 said:

started with this …these little bread pillows were the absolute best thing of the entire meal….when we return for another meal here I @m going to ask for seconds

 

 

 

 

They are called Zonzelle.

 

Be careful.  They are belly bombs.  When the Sabatini's Tratorria menu was introduced some years ago, they would put a bowl of them on the table.  On our first visit with the new menu we powered down the bowlful.  The server asked if we wanted more, and we gladly accepted.  I don't think we ate all of the second bowl, but the damage had been done.  As I was about to start on my Secondi Piatti course they "exploded" in my stomach.  Oh Em Gee.  I was so uncomfortable.  On our next visit to Sabatini's we were much more careful.  Eating only two of those little pillows was much better.  

 

On visits to Sabatini's on subsequent cruises, I immediately noticed that they had scaled down the Zonzelle content of the Stuzzichino.

[Ombud]

36 minutes ago, SFO-F/A said:

pounding, hammering and drilling on a balcony a few doors down, on the deck below

I'm going to be at C243 next week ... is it near that? If so,  should I  bring earplugs to sleep with??

 

 

Edited April 17, 2022 by Ombud

[andio2of5]

This is the second leg of our B2B so let me tell you how easy the transition was. In transit passengers were to meet at the Wheelhouse on Sat at 10:30am but at 9:45 they announced that disembarkation was ahead of schedule and all in transits should make our way to the Wheelhouse now. By 10:15 we were all (maybe 75 people??) led off the ship and into the terminal where we went thru customs. Customs consisted of walking past an officer while he took a cursory look at the passport in your hand and nodded you by. We were then all led back onto the ship where we had to ding in and then free to go. The hardest part of the whole procedure was walking down that long zig zag walkway and then backup again 😄

[travellingnana]

43 minutes ago, andio2of5 said:

This is the second leg of our B2B so let me tell you how easy the transition was. In transit passengers were to meet at the Wheelhouse on Sat at 10:30am but at 9:45 they announced that disembarkation was ahead of schedule and all in transits should make our way to the Wheelhouse now. By 10:15 we were all (maybe 75 people??) led off the ship and into the terminal where we went thru customs. Customs consisted of walking past an officer while he took a cursory look at the passport in your hand and nodded you by. We were then all led back onto the ship where we had to ding in and then free to go. The hardest part of the whole procedure was walking down that long zig zag walkway and then backup again 😄

No covid testing??

[SFO-F/A]

45 minutes ago, Ombud said:

I'm going to be at C243 next week ... is it near that? If so,  should I  bring earplugs to sleep with??

 

 

I asked the worker how long he was going to be working on that particular balcony and he said a few more days, then he will move to the other side of the ship.  They start around 9 and finish at 5.  It's super quiet otherwise. 

This is a great cruise, except for the work going on while you want to enjoy peace and quiet. 

No work at night.

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

13 minutes ago, travellingnana said:

No covid testing??

Yes we were tested on the 15th.

[CineGraphic]

1 hour ago, SFO-F/A said:

BTW, the ship is full, as told to me by guest services.

There are about 2000 on board, which is 55% occupancy. They can’t sail full due to CDC requirements for isolation cabins for new crew members and passengers with Covid.

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

Everything has been great!  Service and food excellent.  Better even than last week.  Yes, masking is way higher on this cruise as opposed to the prior 5 day.  Guest services told me 2050 passengers, so not very full.  Weather today was sunny and warm if in the sun.  Santa Barbara tomorrow with projected nice weather again.

[Ombud]

1 hour ago, SFO-F/A said:

I asked the worker how long he was going to be working on that particular balcony and he said a few more days, then he will move to the other side of the ship.  They start around 9 and finish at 5.  It's super quiet otherwise. 

This is a great cruise, except for the work going on while you want to enjoy peace and quiet. 

No work at night.

So basically all of them but only during normal business hours 🙃 

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

We have had some plumbing issues on Baja.  They have to fix things.  Some banging and hammering.  It’s fine.  Glad they are maintaining the ship.

[Thrak]

Are they still supplying KN95 masks in the cabins?

[Cruise Raider]

13 minutes ago, Thrak said:

Are they still supplying KN95 masks in the cabins?

 

We just disembarked and were given a pack of regular surgical masks.  

[Thrak]

6 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

We just disembarked and were given a pack of regular surgical masks.  

 

Disembarked?  I was asking about embarkation. At one point folks said they were putting KN95 masks in the cabin and would give you more if you wanted fresh masks. I realize many don't mask but I want to know what I can expect when we cruise soon. (Of course it may well vary from ship to ship. Princess has never been the best at being consistent.)

[Thrak]

How has the mini-bar been handled on this trip? Reports have varied on other cruises.

[Cruise Raider]

4 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Disembarked?  I was asking about embarkation. At one point folks said they were putting KN95 masks in the cabin and would give you more if you wanted fresh masks. I realize many don't mask but I want to know what I can expect when we cruise soon. (Of course it may well vary from ship to ship. Princess has never been the best at being consistent.)

 

I didn't explain myself very well.  We were on the cruise from April 11-16 on the Ruby and on the 11th, there was a pack of regular surgical masks in our room.  Not KN95's.  

 

As for the mini bar, it was the same as always with one exception.  We got Sam Adams in place of the Dos Equis that we've normally seen in the past.  

Edited April 18, 2022 by Cruise Raider

[cr8tiv1]

@ThrakIt seems that masks in the cabin are not standardized.  In March, on the Grand, I was given two KN95 masks for 15 days.  When I requested another set midway through the cruise, my steward said he would have to clear it with his supervisor, but I did receive 2 more.  Two more showed up on in-transit day.  When I asked at the "Purser's" desk, I was given a package of 5 blue surgical masks.  

 

It is now April.  And COVID seems to be more prevalent on the ships.  For your sake, I hope masks are given out more freely.  Good Luck.  

[milogurd]

4 hours ago, SFO-F/A said:

Onboard quickly, arrived port at 11:15, was on the ship, around noon!  Not bad at all. 

The six of us dropped our bags in the cabins (cabins not ready but we could drop our carryon bags) and went for drinks and burgers on deck 15. 

We were all very excited to be sailing again. 

After lunch we went to unpack and meet up later for sailaway drinks on the top deck.  Sailaway was supposed to be at 4 so we were there at 3:30 ready to party and go under the Golden Gate Bridge.

 

  Hummmmmm,  the captain said sailaway would be delayed till 5:30-6 due to windy weather.  Oh well, we are on the drink package, so drink we did.  Also got an amazing slice of pizza from Slice on deck 15.  Finally, the engines start, and we are on our way around 6pm.  

The inside of the Ruby is gorgeous.  Cabins clean and well appointed. The public rooms beautiful 

The staff very friendly and helpful.  

 

Dinner was in the main dining room, Botichelli.  Service was excellent and food good.  

By the time we got out of the dining room it was 9:30, we opted not to go to the show, a comedian.

We headed to Club Fusion to hear and dance to the band, Supersonics.  They are excellent.

Around 11:45 the music stops, and we are off to our cabins.  

I fell asleep thinking; this is going to be an amazing cruise.  

Just what I need after 2 years of no cruises.

 

Today is a sea day, after breakfast and a walk on deck, I decide to go to my cabin for a restful day of reading and sun, on my wonderful extended balcony.  What a surprise when I hear pounding, hammering and drilling on a balcony a few doors down, on the deck below!!!!   I call to complain saying this isn't what I signed up for.  A cruise is supposed to be peaceful and relaxing, not so loud that you can't even sit on your balcony.  I was told unfortunately it will go on the entire cruise!  WHAT!  Granted they need to repair the rust on the balconies and hull, however, not when guests are on board!  

 

Anyhow, what started as a wonderful, relaxing, fun cruise I was going to rave about, instead here I am complaining about something that shouldn't be happening. 

 

BTW, the ship is full, as told to me by guest services.  I know they sold this cruise at bargain prices after final payment.   We are not the ones who got a deal, as we booked this cruise 8 months ago.  

 

Guests very friendly, I'd say about 60% wearing masks indoors. 

 

 

 

 

Who was the comedian? Carlos Oscar?

[andio2of5]

55 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

 

 

As for the mini bar, it was the same as always with one exception.  We got Sam Adams in place of the Dos Equis that we've normally seen in the past.  

We got Sam Adams last week, this week it was Dos Equis (which we exchanged for the preferred Sam Adams.

[Wavesprite]

59 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

 

As for the mini bar, it was the same as always with one exception.  We got Sam Adams in place of the Dos Equis that we've normally seen in the past.  

Do you know if you have the drink package if you can drink from the mini bar without an additional charge?

[cvpends]

13 minutes ago, milogurd said:

Who was the comedian? Carlos Oscar?

I don't know who they have this week, but Carlos Oscar is my all-time favorite comedian!

[cr8tiv1]

11 minutes ago, Wavesprite said:

Do you know if you have the drink package if you can drink from the mini bar without an additional charge?

 

If you are in a suite or elite, you can drink anything in the mini-bar.  It's been a really long time, but I don't think they stock a non-elite with a mini-bar.  There might be bottles of water that have a price tag.  Maybe a soda or two.  I used to just stash it behind the television (not not with a flat screen...haha).

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

 

Disembarked?  I was asking about embarkation. At one point folks said they were putting KN95 masks in the cabin and would give you more if you wanted fresh masks. I realize many don't mask but I want to know what I can expect when we cruise soon. (Of course it may well vary from ship to ship. Princess has never been the best at being consistent.)

I went to psd and got two n95’s.  We brought several, but got a few fresh ones.  

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

I didn't explain myself very well.  We were on the cruise from April 11-16 on the Ruby and on the 11th, there was a pack of regular surgical masks in our room.  Not KN95's.  

 

As for the mini bar, it was the same as always with one exception.  We got Sam Adams in place of the Dos Equis that we've normally seen in the past.  

Same for this leg for us.  Pack of blue surgical masks.  Exchanged at psd for kn 95.