LIVE from the Ruby Princess - Stupid Issue of Lemonaide

[marving9999]

We are live from the Ruby Princess currently sailing to Athens.

 

The issue of obtaining lemonaide on the ship has become unbelievable.

You can ONLY obtain lemonaide while directly in the Horizon Court which is the buffet dining area. We were sitting directly outside the Horizon Court not more than 5 feet from the door and asked for a glass of lemonaide. The hostess explained that she could not deliver it to my table. It was necessary for me to walk 5 feet and inside the door of the Horizon Court, obtain 2 glasses of lemonaide from a hostess, and then go back outside to my table and sit down. I also found out that lemonaide is NOT available in the main dining areas.

 

When I asked the head waiter and the food and beverage manager about that, both said that they were following orders directly from Princess headquarters in Los Angeles.

 

Sometimes, there are plain and simple stupid rules!!!!!!!

 

Any comments...............

[chrysalis]

I would hazard to guess that the rule exists to eleviate the drinking of vodka and lemonade around the pool and other areas...same reason that orange juice is not self served on a number of ships.

[bplazo]

I am just guessing that they want the servers to be available to customers who are paying for mixed drinks and not for complimentary drinks.

[Molly's Mum]

I was on the ruby recently and went to the horizon (on my way to morning trivia) to ask for some lemonade to take with me (10.30 am) I was told lemonade could only be served for lunch and after...

[bananavan]

When I am at home I dont even have lemonade. I wish I only had to walk five feet into the lemonade zone.

You now know the rules and you can either accept them or complain about them.

When the world hands you lemons, use them to make lemonade.

Enjoy the fact that you are cruising in the Med.

[vacationhappy]

Hi -

 

I have a question off topic - do you know what nights are formal nights ont he Venice to Barcelona itineary?

[kendon]

When I am at home I dont even have lemonade. I wish I only had to walk five feet into the lemonade zone.

You now know the rules and you can either accept them or complain about them.

When the world hands you lemons, use them to make lemonade.

Enjoy the fact that you are cruising in the Med.

 

I personally don't sweat the small stuff....but, Princess made a big deal out of now having lemonade. We asked for it once on the Ruby in February, and gave up after it became a big deal. The OP was just commenting, let's hear it all.

 

Let's not be critical of others comments.

[-Lew-]

 

We were sitting directly outside the Horizon Court not more than 5 feet from the door...

Now really...were you actually sitting only five feet from the door to Horizon Court? That's awfully close!!

 

If I were that close, I'd be getting up off my chair to get the lemonade myself. And I certainly wouldn't be spending valuable time on my cruise posting about it on CC.

 

I suggest you let it go and enjoy the rest of your cruise...

 

Lew

[Travel to Ports]

Hello Marvin!

 

So I now know that if I want a non-bar drink I have to go and get it myself? I would guess they don't charge you $5 and put on a 15% tip? You apparently have the opportunity to share your experiences. Do anything interesting in Venice? Have breakfast this morning in the dinning room?

 

As for the random off-topic question, if you are deposited for this itinerary, you'd know that formal nights are the two at-sea days.

 

Of course Marvin, it would be interesting if you would post 1-3 complaints about Princess each day, but lemonade should be the least of your problems?

 

Let us hear more!

David

traveltoports@yahoo.com

[rdsqrl]

Well, that's been true for forever with respect to iced tea, also. If you want an iced tea whilst sitting anywhere other than in the HC, you have to lever your fat patootie out of your lounger and go fetch it yourself. In the time it took to post this complaint, Marvin, you could have been back with the lemonade already . . .

[shawilson]

Wow, I hope you are kidding, but I'm afraid you are serious. People like you really scare me.

[Colo Cruiser]

We are live from the Ruby Princess currently sailing to Athens.

 

The issue of obtaining lemonaide on the ship has become unbelievable.

You can ONLY obtain lemonaide while directly in the Horizon Court which is the buffet dining area. We were sitting directly outside the Horizon Court not more than 5 feet from the door and asked for a glass of lemonaide. The hostess explained that she could not deliver it to my table. It was necessary for me to walk 5 feet and inside the door of the Horizon Court, obtain 2 glasses of lemonaide from a hostess, and then go back outside to my table and sit down. I also found out that lemonaide is NOT available in the main dining areas.

 

When I asked the head waiter and the food and beverage manager about that, both said that they were following orders directly from Princess headquarters in Los Angeles.

 

Sometimes, there are plain and simple stupid rules!!!!!!!

 

Any comments...............

 

 

Wow guess the rest of the cruise is overshadowed by the lemonade fiasco?

I probably would not base my early internet transmissions on the lack of lemonade availabilty outside the HC doors.

I hope things calm down for you.

[Arkadoo]

Hi, Marvin,

 

I will be getting on the Ruby on May 28 and would love to hear more about the ship, shore excursions, etc.

 

I will be looking for more posts from you.

[mjmalino]

sorry to be off topic, but we are doing the Venice to Barcelona in July and I was wondering, with the overnight in Venice, when do they do the muster drill?

[NorcalGuy]

It's not as simple as going in the five feet to the HC to grab a couple glasses of lemonade.

The OP would have to set at a table, (if one could be found) and wait for the server to come around, which could be some time. It's not available in the dispensers like the Iced tea and coffee.

Please, let's not scare the OP off with criticism...

I for one want to hear more about this voyage!

[rcacace]

I have never tried to get lemonade by ordering if from outside the Horizon but it sounds as though they don't want the bar tender staff to start providing buffet drink no matter what the reason. I could never understand why they always get the lemonade from inside the kitchen area & not have installed a spigot similar to the ice tea.

[Ethel5]

I have to agree that Princess made such a BIG DEAL out of having lemonade that we all thought it would be easily accesable but it isn't and it has become a point of irritation.

[-Lew-]

 

It's not as simple as going in the five feet to the HC to grab a couple glasses of lemonade. The OP would have to set at a table, (if one could be found) and wait for the server to come around, which could be some time. It's not available in the dispensers like the Iced tea and coffee.

That's not true at all. The lemonade is in pitchers on various trays located around Horizon Court along with pitchers of water and iced tea.

 

All you need to do is grab a glass or two, fill with ice from a dispenser, and pour the lemonade. Been there, done that! Couldn't be easier.

 

Lew

[rcacace]

That's not true at all. The lemonade is in pitchers on various trays located around Horizon Court along with pitchers of water and iced tea.

 

All you need to do is grab a glass or two, fill with ice from a dispenser, and pour the lemonade. Been there, done that! Couldn't be easier.

 

Lew

 

It's not always in those pitchers, they very often have to get each individual glass full in the kitchen area. Not very efficient.

[claudio]

if you are nice to ur drink waiter by the pool they will go and get it for you had no probs on sapphire . its only friggin lemonade not cognac

[wrongwaywatson]

I was on the Ruby in April for the last Caribbean cruise before the TA voyage. I enjoyed lemonade twice in the HC. I knew that was where it was served. In Cafe Caribe it was in pitchers my the waitstaff station, along with water.

 

I didn't try and order it outside of the HC, because I knew it wasn't available. It's really not a big deal.

[lahoban]

Forget the lemonade and drink water it's better for you...

[Psee]

In February on the Ruby we went through the whole gambit of the mysterious lemonade affair. DW would order ice water and I would order lemonade. The waiter would leave and go to another employee to discuss something. The original waiter would then bring the ice water. A few minutes later either the original waiter or the other employee would bring the lemonade.

 

After going through this a few times DW finally agreed to having lemonade as well so we could get our drinks at the same time. We'd make a salad, find a table, order our lemonade, and take turns going back to finish our selections. By the time we had our meal assembled the lemonade would arrive. Worked out fine...

[Solstice23]

The pool Butlers on Celebrity get you lemonade or iced tea for free with no tip needed.??? Thats odd of Princess over lemonade???

[WeBeGone]

ops0603 et al - no need to be snarky...........

 

Here is the issue - Princess made a big deal and media splash about starting to offer lemonade. People expect it to be as available as ice tea or water. It isn't. It is only served to you by a wait staff while you are physically sitting at a table in the Horizon Court, and only between the hours of 11:00 and 7. You can't get it delivered, you can't get it in the dining rooms, you can't get it yourself. If you help yourself using one of the pitchers in the Wait Station, you are really in a space you should not be in, handling food service items you should not be handling. Have I done it? Sure, and will probably do it again.

 

However the issue is that Princess is not living up to their own media hype. Just like cranberry juice and orange juice, lemonade is not a help yourself item. And yes, it is to prevent people like me from "hoarding" juice in the cabin fridge so I can make my own cocktails in the afternoon using my Rum Runner booze. :p