Group Live Ruby Princess 4/16-4/30

[panda64]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/04/27/ruby-princess-
 

from Washington Post today. It reports there were 37 positive cases when it docked April 23. But it also stated we were returning from Alaska! So who knows what's accurate!!!

 

Having lunch in an Ukrainian restaurant in downtown Vancouver right now. I was willing to do a vodka shot because the sales go to humanitarian aid. 

[sunviking90]

2 hours ago, CineGraphic said:

 New crew members boarded  yesterday in Seattle.
We had pre-dinner drinks in Explorers tonight and our waiter mentioned that he just boarded. He said he had no idea if it was Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday after flying from the Philippines to Japan, then to San Francisco, and finally to Seattle. Hopefully he’ll be able to adjust to the time zone changes in a few days.

 

After all of the trouble so many folks had with the ArriveCAN app, nobody checked a thing as we disembarked in Vancouver this morning. 
 

We have used the ArriveCAN app multiple times now, and border officers have never looked at it on arrival at YVR. We DID have to present the QR code when checking in for our flights. My guess is that once the info is completed and submitted, they already have it. I don’t think that the ship can be cleared on arrival unless all passengers had submitted their info through the app.

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, CineGraphic said:

We walked right off of the ship as soon as they announced we could. We walked all through Canada Place. Nothing was set up, and nobody stopped anyone…and we were in the hundreds if not thousands.

 

Not sure why anyone would fly to the us from here as the cruise returns to San Fransisco on Saturday.

 

D'Oh!  Sorry about that. I'm wondering if they will actually test when we disembark in Vancouver in a couple of weeks. My bad.

[Ombud]

1 hour ago, panda64 said:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/04/27/ruby-princess-
 

from Washington Post today. It reports there were 37 positive cases when it docked April 23. But it also stated we were returning from Alaska! So who knows what's accurate!!!

 

37 out of 2200 pax & unknown crew numbers so less than 1.6%??? Are you sure it wasn't higher??

[milogurd]

From FB - Looks like masks are back on the Emerald Princess.

Edited April 27, 2022 by milogurd

[PacnGoNow]

59 minutes ago, Ombud said:

 

37 out of 2200 pax & unknown crew numbers so less than 1.6%??? Are you sure it wasn't higher??

Washington Post headline:

Princess cruise ship has 253
coronavirus cases in 5
weeks
The CDC is investigating the Ruby Princess after
vaccinated passengers tested positive on three
recent voyages. 

[Ombud]

10 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Washington Post headline:

Princess cruise ship has 253
coronavirus cases in 5
weeks
The CDC is investigating the Ruby Princess after
vaccinated passengers tested positive on three
recent voyages. 

That's more believable.  253 cases over 10k persons (staff / crew / passengers per voyage .... last 2 voyages were about 7k of that count) would put it closer to 2.5% positivity rate. It's closer to 5% in my county so yeah, still safer onboard than in SF 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

This has been one of my best sailings ever.  I just don’t get all the complaining. You get back what you give out I guess. 
Learn, adapt and grow. I learned that going later than I normally would to dinner or to Vines would find me with crew that are less busy. While I could complain that I had to take Pepcid ac to go to bed let me instead tell you how touched I was when Dennis our head waiter rearranged the tables so we could have a window view. Let me tell you how we laughed until our sides ached and tears were streaming out of our eyes with Pamela and George in vines afterwards. 
 

I go earlier or later or not at all to some things. But this really has been hands down an exceptional trip. Even if one night in MDR my dinner was a bit “less than”. Big deal! So what?  The scenery, the ports, the crew have been amazing. Astoria we walked 7 miles.  We walked 5 miles in Seattle going to Chihuly, space needle, monorail and pikes place. Vancouver we took a cab to Stanley park and did a one hour narrated tour on a horse drawn carriage.  
 

Every sail away has been stunning scenery. This morning I had 3 spectacular hours of watching sunrise while sailing through the San Juan’s. 
 

we ordered 3 pizzas, 7 salads, 4 waters and one cocktail after stanley park for room service.  It all came quickly and exactly as ordered. 
 

It is sad that my positive experiences will get buried in all this negativity.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 27, 2022 by HaveDogWillTravel

[SFO-F/A]

41 minutes ago, Ombud said:

That's more believable.  253 cases over 10k persons (staff / crew / passengers per voyage .... last 2 voyages were about 7k of that count) would put it closer to 2.5% positivity rate. It's closer to 5% in my county so yeah, still safer onboard than in SF 

How bout all who got off and tested right after cruise......that happened to one in our group.

I have some miserable cough I caught onboard, not covid.  Probably from me dancing the night away.. LOL

Still had a GREAT time!

Edited April 27, 2022 by SFO-F/A

[Buckeye10640]

37 minutes ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

This has been one of my best sailings ever.  I just don’t get all the complaining. You get back what you give out I guess. 
Learn, adapt and grow. I learned that going later than I normally would to dinner or to Vines would find me with crew that are less busy. While I could complain that I had to take Pepcid ac to go to bed let me instead tell you how touched I was when Dennis our head waiter rearranged the tables so we could have a window view. Let me tell you how we laughed until our sides ached and tears were streaming out of our eyes with Pamela and George in vines afterwards. 
 

I go earlier or later or not at all to some things. But this really has been hands down an exceptional trip. Even if one night in MDR my dinner was a bit “less than”. Big deal! So what?  The scenery, the ports, the crew have been amazing. Astoria we walked 7 miles.  We walked 5 miles in Seattle going to Chihuly, space needle, monorail and pikes place. Vancouver we took a cab to Stanley park and did a one hour narrated tour on a horse drawn carriage.  
 

Every sail away has been stunning scenery. This morning I had 3 spectacular hours of watching sunrise while sailing through the San Juan’s. 
 

we ordered 3 pizzas, 7 salads, 4 waters and one cocktail after stanley park for room service.  It all came quickly and exactly as ordered. 
 

It is sad that my positive experiences will get buried in all this negativity.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sounds great!  Astoria is a cute little town and I love the Chihuly Museum. 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

More photos for my post number 258 

 

sail in Vancouver. 

Astoria “ the album cover shot” lol

astoria 

astoria 

Edited April 27, 2022 by HaveDogWillTravel

[HaveDogWillTravel]

In port until 9 or so tonight at Vancouver. 

so case in point to my post 258….. I went down to crooners at 4 pm and it was a complete zoo. There is only one bar per deck open and the chairs at the bar are gone and that area is roped off. GS and Ic were similar. Sooooo what?  I’m sure there will a lot of people complaining though. If you have not learned to keep a little something in your mini fridge to tide you over when the bars are slammed that’s on you. 
 

 

Edited April 27, 2022 by HaveDogWillTravel

[CineGraphic]

57 minutes ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

I just don’t get all the complaining. You get back what you give out I guess

I hope that you’re not implying that I’m some sort of miserable yutz looking for things to complain about.

Any idea  what the folks who had reservations for CG were sowing when they decided to close the venue every other night.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

9 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

I hope that you’re not implying that I’m some sort of miserable yutz looking for things to complain about.

Any idea  what the folks who had reservations for CG were sowing when they decided to close the venue every other night.

To tell the truth I don’t even pay attention to who is writing what. I just read thru the body of the posts. I have no interest at all in keeping a score card. I have no idea what you personally have posted. 

[AnyMajorCruiseDude]

1 hour ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

This has been one of my best sailings ever.  I just don’t get all the complaining. You get back what you give out I guess. 
Learn, adapt and grow. I learned that going later than I normally would to dinner or to Vines would find me with crew that are less busy. While I could complain that I had to take Pepcid ac to go to bed let me instead tell you how touched I was when Dennis our head waiter rearranged the tables so we could have a window view. Let me tell you how we laughed until our sides ached and tears were streaming out of our eyes with Pamela and George in vines afterwards. 
 

I go earlier or later or not at all to some things. But this really has been hands down an exceptional trip. Even if one night in MDR my dinner was a bit “less than”. Big deal! So what?  The scenery, the ports, the crew have been amazing. Astoria we walked 7 miles.  We walked 5 miles in Seattle going to Chihuly, space needle, monorail and pikes place. Vancouver we took a cab to Stanley park and did a one hour narrated tour on a horse drawn carriage.  
 

Every sail away has been stunning scenery. This morning I had 3 spectacular hours of watching sunrise while sailing through the San Juan’s. 
 

we ordered 3 pizzas, 7 salads, 4 waters and one cocktail after stanley park for room service.  It all came quickly and exactly as ordered. 
 

It is sad that my positive experiences will get buried in all this negativity.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So true. So many posts that are not truly reflective of how hard the crew is working and how great the experience is.  

[CynCyn]

1 hour ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

In port until 9 or so tonight at Vancouver. 

so case in point to my post 258….. I went down to crooners at 4 pm and it was a complete zoo. There is only one bar per deck open and the chairs at the bar are gone and that area is roped off. GS and Ic were similar. Sooooo what?  I’m sure there will a lot of people complaining though. If you have not learned to keep a little something in your mini fridge to tide you over when the bars are slammed that’s on you. 
 

 

That’s because you are in Vancouver.  BC limits the # of bars…..

 

[californiagirl]

CineGraphic your pictures are gorgeous.  It looks like beautiful weather.

[Ombud]

3 minutes ago, CynCyn said:

That’s because you are in Vancouver.  BC limits the # of bars…..

 

FWIW the bartender at GS says he brought a few bottles of Chocolate Block over from Vines. Just saying ~~~ (only missing 1 glass that I'm aware of😉)

[CineGraphic]

I post about the good, the bad, and the ugly. Always have, always will.

I will certainly never be mistaken as Little Mary Sunshine, but I’m no Grinch either, and I can’t pretend everything’s perfect when it’s not.

We too eat late to avoid the craziness. In fact almost everything we do revolves around avoiding crowds as much as possible. When everyone goes one way, we go the other.

 

In most cases, the crew is doing the best they can, despite management.

Managers are being reactive instead of proactive, and seem to prefer sending out chocolate covered strawberries and bottles of wine as an apology, instead of getting things right in the first place.

Last night I gave some of those free bottles to crew members who have been dealing with tons of rude folks frustrated with the ArriveCAN app. Some acted like spoiled children, throwing their phones on the floor. It’s disgusting.

 

 

[Ombud]

10 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

Some acted like spoiled children, throwing their phones on the floor. It’s disgusting.

I'm sorry you went through that.

 

On GOOD NEWS: food delivery is FAST today. No idea what the change is 

[VibeGuy]

Good grief.  The ArriveCAN app is so well-done and easy to use - it took all of 30 seconds to do my last land crossing.  
 

The number of people who don’t know their App Store login information or how to install an app is just mindblowing.   I should set up a table in the Piazza and charge $50, cash or card, to bypass the lines. ;0)

[VibeGuy]

I also don’t understand people’s attraction to Botticelli.  It was never designed for Anytime/Dine Your Way, and it has *always* had lines going up the stairs during peak seating periods.  It’s a barn with no atmosphere, it’s miles from Vines, Crooners, Good Spirits or any other bar and it’s a pain to get to.  If you want to stand on the stairs and wait, more power to you, but it’s a complete mystery to me. 

[CineGraphic]

13 minutes ago, VibeGuy said:

I also don’t understand people’s attraction to Botticelli.  It was never designed for Anytime/Dine Your Way, and it has *always* had lines going up the stairs during peak seating periods.  It’s a barn with no atmosphere, it’s miles from Vines, Crooners, Good Spirits or any other bar and it’s a pain to get to.  If you want to stand on the stairs and wait, more power to you, but it’s a complete mystery to me. 

late at night it’s the perfect place for a quiet dinner. It’s out of sight, and out of mind for most passengers. With a far aft cabin, it’s just an elevator ride away. We love our 2 top by the window, and our server Dan is one of the best we’ve ever had. He’s certainly the funniest and most flamboyant. This is what makes cruising wonderful, we all find that we like different thing s for different reasons.

[VibeGuy]

I absolutely agree it can be quite empty off-peak.  I should have been clear that my beef is largely around people beefing about delays in being seated.  It did work great for Traditional after people knew where their tables were. 
 

It feels like an overwhelming amount of the dislike of DMW is from people who want to be seated promptly at peak rush, and those aft dining rooms are the worst-situated to accommodate the peaks. 

[cruzin4us]

17 minutes ago, VibeGuy said:

I also don’t understand people’s attraction to Botticelli.  It was never designed for Anytime/Dine Your Way, and it has *always* had lines going up the stairs during peak seating periods.  It’s a barn with no atmosphere, it’s miles from Vines, Crooners, Good Spirits or any other bar and it’s a pain to get to.  If you want to stand on the stairs and wait, more power to you, but it’s a complete mystery to me. 

ok, I'm super confused.....please help me out here.  

Normally, we just eat in the Specialty Restaurants because we like the more intimate dining, however, we thought we'd give traditional dining a chance for a few nights.   I don't care if we have the same waiters, we just want the best service and less chaos.   I'm able to book a table for 2 at any of the dining venues (Michelangelo, Botticelli and DaVinci).    Typically, we eat on the early side (yes, I'm an acid refluxer).    We are in an aft facing stateroom (not that it matters, we can walk).     What am I missing/not understanding about why one place is better than the rest.