5 Things We Loved About Our Cruise On The Ruby Princess To Alaska And 5 Things We Didn't!

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5 Things We Loved About Our Cruise On The Ruby Princess To Alaska And 5 Things We Didn't!

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Күн бұрын

In August of 2023 we took a 10 day cruise to Alaska on the Ruby Princess. During the trip we came up with five things we thought were awesome about the Ruby and five things that could use a little work. If you're planning a cruise on the Ruby, watch this video for our thoughts on the staff, casino, restaurants and more.

Пікірлер: 63

@florencelacy4190 10 ай бұрын

We left on Ruby Princess out of SFO September 14-24 to Alaska. We had a beautiful trip. The only food we didn't like was the lobster in the dining room on the 2nd formal night . We had the Plus package, which was an AMAZING value. We ate at the Crown Grill twice. My husband tried out for the Voice of the Ocean, and WON!❤ would sail Princess again. The beds are really comfortable

@backroadstourist 10 ай бұрын

It sounds like you had a fantastic time! Congratulations to your husband on his big win. That's quite an achievement. I can't carry a tune in a bucket. I thought the lobster was good, but not outstanding. If you ever want an outstanding meal, try to get in on the Chef's Table. It's excellent. Thanks for watching and thanks for your comments.

@janicewhitlock3766 8 ай бұрын

We were on the same trip!

@lauralabuda2268 6 ай бұрын

Nice video. I love the Medallion and the Princess App. I love my morning coffee in the buffet. I love the mocktail called Strawberries on Fire. I love the main dining room. I dress nice for dinner and enjoy the formality of the service and atmosphere. It’s so much better than planning dinner, making dinner and cleaning up after dinner. Right?

@ianwoodroff459 9 ай бұрын

We are cruising on the Ruby in April 2024. We are doing the 16 days to Hawaii out of Vancouver. This will be our 11th cruise, all with Princess. We always have a good time. The staff is friendly and service is great. We have never been disappointed. Thanks for the video, very well done

@janicewhitlock3766 8 ай бұрын

We took Ruby Princess from SFO to Alaska in September 2023. I think the best part was at the beginning and sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge. We also used Botticelli as our dining room. My only complaint is that there is a vibration from the ships motor. Our favorite bar was Crooners. We made friends with the bartenders. They knew who we were when we entered the bar and knew how we liked our drinks. Especially my virgin bloody Mary. I will agree, with the exception of the bars, drinks are slow to be delivered. We are looking forward to our next cruise through the Panama Canal in the spring. We're excited that we will be on the Ruby again.

@backroadstourist 8 ай бұрын

I agree. Sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge was a thrill! Yes, the Botticelli can get a little rumbly since it's at the back of the ship. We sailed to Alaska on the Crown and they were having engine maintenance issues and the noise and vibration was almost unbearable. I also agree with you about Crooners. My wife and I love to sit there, relax and people watch. Speaking of drinking...I have a video coming out next Tuesday (December 12th) that might interest you. It's a review of some of the drinks we had on our last cruise. Enjoy your Panama Canal cruise. It's amazing! Thanks for watching.

@phantom629 7 ай бұрын

i did the princess ruby in november it was my first cruise, i was very excited, they cancelled one of the stops in panama, i'm in a wheelchair and they gave me a room that was not wheelchair friendly, i spent most of my time on Lido because it had the least amount of soft carpet, grand cayman stop wasn't wheelchair friendly either so i didn't stop there either, Jamaica was kind of nice but all in all i found the hole experience to be like Disney world in that every thing you do is specifically designed to separate you from your money, the cash class system was apparent if you want to enjoy the cruise plan on spending double the cost of the ticket for amenities.

@chrissharkey9644 10 ай бұрын

😂 don’t have a selection that makes you think you can! Classic!

@kimvilleneuve2543 10 ай бұрын

I only cruise with princess. I love their ships and the crew are very nice

@backroadstourist 10 ай бұрын

I agree 100%. I've tried a few other cruise lines, but Princess just seems to fit my style best.

@melferguson4782 6 ай бұрын

In regards to drinks we have learned that at dinner we order 2 drinks each right away 2x wine that way we have are drink while we wait and are drink with dinner as it takes a long time to get a second drink if you order separately

@wendysimpson134 5 ай бұрын

Great review!!!

@backroadstourist 5 ай бұрын

Thanks, Wendy. We're going on the Enchanted Princess soon and we'll do another review of that ship, too. Thanks for watching!

@lindaclarke204 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for this video! I was on the Sapphire to Mexico in 2008. I loved dining in the dining room at the same time every night. Loved how we had the same table and servers, too. Do they still do that? Do they still put your napkin in your lap?😊 I'm going on the Ruby to Hawaii this fall- can't wait!!! I got the Princess Plus this time- not exactly sure how it works, but I guess I'll find out!

@dalemaki7603 2 ай бұрын

We sailed on the Ruby Princess may 2023 10 day to Alaska from san francisco the only complaint we had was the buffet food . But that wasnt a deal breaker because there are so many other places to eat on the ship. We are sailing on the Ruby princess . Again this time, a sixteen day to hawaii in oct 2025 from San Francisco.

@backroadstourist 2 ай бұрын

Our honeymoon cruise was from LA around Hawaii and back. You'll love it! The seas the first day were a little rough and we were told that that's pretty standard, so be aware!

@dalemaki7603 2 ай бұрын

@@backroadstourist thanks for letting us know .

@belowt16 8 ай бұрын

We are sailing on Ruby in January to the Panama Canal! So excited! This will be our first Princess cruise, but we've done Royal, Celebrity (twice), and Carnival. So far we've like Royal and Celebrity more than Carnival!

@backroadstourist 8 ай бұрын

I'm sure you're going to have a wonderful time! The Ruby is a little bit older ship, but still beautiful. Princess has a more laid back vibe than many cruise lines and that's what my wife and I enjoy. It looks like you may be going on the same cruise we took back in March on the Caribbean Princess. Here's a link to a rundown of that cruise. Have fun! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/aZN3q8-VnafTZ5s.html

@user-hw8cq7sk5x 3 ай бұрын

I like videos without music its nice to hear the sounds on the ship

@yosemitechris 3 ай бұрын

great video

@backroadstourist 3 ай бұрын

Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

@rebeccabowman7038 10 ай бұрын

We enjoyed the crown princess in 2017 booked on the ruby for April of 2025 looking forward to it

@backroadstourist 9 ай бұрын

We enjoyed both the Crown and the Ruby. I hope you have a wonderful time! Thanks for watching.

@ThompsonsTakeOn 10 ай бұрын

We will be cruising with Princess on the Ruby in 2025. We've just got into cruising, and we're trying out the lines. We have done Carnival and Holland. We're going back to Holland in a few months, then, Royal, then Celebrity, and then Princess. My guess is it will be hard to nail down which one is the best, but we really loved Holland. Carnival was too "young" for us as we're past the party all night stage of life ;)

@backroadstourist 10 ай бұрын

For someone who's just getting into cruising, you seem to be building quite a resume! I think that you are EXACTLY RIGHT in trying out several different lines. I believe it's so important to find a cruise line that fits your style. My wife and I enjoy Princess because the service is usually wonderful, the entertainment is great and we generally find our fellow passengers to be friendly. The perks from the casino help, too. We've never tried Royal or Holland, but we'd like to. On October 24th, I'm putting up a video tour of the Ruby including three excellent places to get great views. I hope you'll watch it.

@janicewhitlock3766 8 ай бұрын

Wow, you've been on many cruise lines. We've only taken 2 so far. Both have been on Princess, Emerald and Ruby. Both are identical. What I like most is that everything is done through the medallion. Everything from opening you stateroom door to ordering food and drink to buying something in the shops and everything else in between, it all done on the medallion. Enjoy your cruises.

@lynnkongkham7655 8 ай бұрын

I really wish Princess would stop having smoking in their casinos. And they always seem to have the better machines and more of them in the smoking side.

@sherrymyers8709 9 ай бұрын

Thank you for your review. We have cruised their sister line Carnival but looking for something with a bit more quality. Considering the Hawaiian cruise in Feb 2025 for our 40th wedding anniversary so I am researching all I can on Princess and specifically Ruby Princess

@backroadstourist 9 ай бұрын

I'm so glad it was helpful! This Tuesday, I have a video tour of the Ruby coming out. I think you might find that video helpful, too. We cruised Princess from LA to Hawaii and back for our honeymoon about a dozen years ago and really enjoyed it. There are a few things to bear in mind. We cruised in February, too and the ocean was a bit rough the first day out. A LOT of people, including my wife, got seasick. A doctor came to our cabin and gave her a shot. She took a nap and woke up feeling fine. Secondly, we neglected to book excursions beforehand and found that when we got on the ship, most of the excursions had already been filled. We haven't made that mistake since then. Finally, you'll probably make a stop in Ensenada, Mexico. There's not much to do there and many people didn't even get off the ship. Hawaii that time of year is wonderful. Great weather and lots of whales. Let me wish you an early Happy Anniversary and I hope you enjoy the cruise!

@janicewhitlock3766 8 ай бұрын

The staff are always friendly and eager to please. We really enjoyed the events at the piazza and the "game shows" at the bar next to Crooners.

@chriskrieger6083 Ай бұрын

I got sick on ruby princess. They have a great clinic.

@tomseekins1627 2 ай бұрын

The bedding was like sleeping on a cloud...

@laurat63 3 ай бұрын

Hi, We are hoping to book our first Princess cruise on Ruby, please can you tell me if its very casual or do people still dress up if there's a formal night?

@backroadstourist 3 ай бұрын

That's a great question, and I wish I had a definite answer for you. Some people choose to engage in formal night and some don't. There are a handful of men wearing tuxes; a few more wearing sportcoats and some who wear slacks and a nice shirt. Generally, I've found that women tend to dress more nicely than the guys do. That can range from gorgeous dresses to slacks and a nice top. A couple of things to bear in mind is that Princess tends to cater to an older demographic who tend to be more traditional (although that's not always the case) and I've also found that for some reason, Alaska cruises tend to be a little less dressier than others. My thought is that as long as YOU think you look okay, I wouldn't worry about what anyone else thinks. Enjoy your cruise and have fun! Thanks for watching.

@maguiwallace8078 11 ай бұрын

I've cruised with Prince many times, and yes, ordering drinks in the app is a gamble. As you mentioned, they take for ever to arrive, or do not arrive at all. I just go to the bar and get it myself. I'm.a picky cruiser too, but let's not forget that the cruiseline overbooks the trip, they are understaffed, the staff is underpayed, overworked, they work up to 12 hours shifts without days off, always smiling, and guests can be very messy. I couldn't work on a cruise!

@backroadstourist 11 ай бұрын

I agree with everything you've said! I have nothing but mad respect fot the staff and crew on a cruise ship. As I mentioned in the video, we struggled finding FIVE things to gripe about for this video and some of them were pretty minor. The staff and crew have always been top notch, though! Thanks for watching!

@CruisingwithChooChoo 10 ай бұрын

Thank you for posting this video. I enjoyed it very much. I’ve never cruised on Princess but will be taking my first cruise on Ruby Princess in January. How many swimming pools are there? Do you have to pay for the on demand movies? Thanks once again. I have subscribed

@backroadstourist 10 ай бұрын

Thank you for your kind words and THANK YOU for subscribing. I really appreciate it. My wife and I really aren't "pool people", but we did pass the pools several times. On the Lido Deck you'll find two pools. I think each one has two hot tubs. At the back of the ship, one deck down on the Riviera Deck is the Terrace Pool. It's quite a bit smaller than the other two, but it's also more secluded so may be less crowded. The Ruby also has a pool in the Lotus Spa. I believe that is for adults 18+ and I'm not sure if there is a charge to use it (like I said, we don't frequent the pools much). I'm happy to say that the on-demand movies are FREE! Plus, they have a really wide selection. They also offer "Movies Under The Stars" on a big screen on the Lido Deck. It's sort of like a drive-in movie without the cars. Grab a deck chair, cover up with a blanket, get some free popcorn and watch a movie. Have a wonderful cruise! Princess is our favorite cruise line.

@CruisingwithChooChoo 10 ай бұрын

@@backroadstourist Thank you for the tips! I look forward to my cruise very much. So excited! Does Princess provide good quality shampoo, conditioner and lotion ? Just wondering if I need to bring these things. Thank you so much once again.

@backroadstourist 10 ай бұрын

@@CruisingwithChooChoo Hey, it's my pleasure. I'm happy to help out where I can. I'm afraid I can't vouch for the shampoo on Princess. I always bring my own wherever I travel just because I'm used to it, so I've never used theirs. If there's a hair or skin product that you really, really like, I'd suggest bringing some with you. You can get small containers to put it in so that you don't have to take big bottles with you.

@CruisingwithChooChoo 10 ай бұрын

@@backroadstourist Thank you

@dannasilva9079 7 ай бұрын

Do they have drink stations in the buffet where you can serve yourself?

@backroadstourist 7 ай бұрын

Good question! Our experience was that we could go to the drink station and refill water, tea, coffee, lemonade and orange juice. But if you wanted a soft drink or anything else, the server brought it to you. On our cruise prior to this one, there was a touch of norovirus on the ship and they didn't allow you to refill with anything yourself. You could take your glass up to the station and someone would refill it for you. Thanks for watching!

@JaJa-qt5sf 7 ай бұрын

Cruise ships are always short with crew. You as guests should complaint about that one to companies. Write them emails or whatever. I think you pay a lot of money to sail so deserve to jave enough crew and good service.

@KarenRicci 6 ай бұрын

I still can't believe ships have a smoking area inside. None of the UK cruises have this. Do you still have indoor smoking in public areas in the USA? In Scotland especially this was banned in 2007. I'm glad I won't be going in the Casino.

@backroadstourist 6 ай бұрын

I agree with you. In the U.S. there's not a lot of smoking in public places. However, most of the casinos here still allow it. One thing I really enjoyed about our Australia cruise several years ago was that there was no smoking in the casino. On most of the Princess ships I've been on , one side of the casino has been smoking and one side non-smoking. Unfortunately, most of the machines were on the smoking side. I wonder if the casino would consider at least having smoking and non-smoking nights in the casino? That would be an interesting experiment. Thanks for watching...I appreciate it.

@KarenRicci 6 ай бұрын

No worries. Going on the Ruby Princess on an Alaskan Cruise in May so have been watching a lot about this ship. Have only ever Cruised with P&O before but looking forward to this one. Even if there is no kettle in the room haha! Like most Scottish people I love my tea! @@backroadstourist

@spacecadet1249 7 ай бұрын

NEGATIVE: I can't bring my drone anymore (they're prohibited). I can't fly a kite from the ship anymore (it risks destroying the ocean if the string breaks). We can't shoot Trap on board anymore. It used to be so much fun! Every new rule is another freedom gone forever.

@stevehorvat69 9 ай бұрын

We were also on this same cruise in August 2023 (might even have been on yours). We’ve been cruising during our 36 years of marriage and have been on Royal, NCL, Carnival, Holland American and prior Princess Cruises. Sorry but I have to say this was the worst ship of them all. Even their own Carnival cruises were better. The ship is old and falling apart and needs to be retired. Dining in the restaurants was always good but the buffet is a joke. I have never seen such a small buffet with limited selections. There were always plates and glasses left about on the decks and pools that no one would come and pick up. No Bartenders to come around outside and take your drink order. On one of the sunny days, we sat on the deck chairs only to get covered in soot from the smokestacks. Everyone outside had the same issue. Chairs were covered with soot. The nightly shows were a joke. To give credit, the house band was excellent as was the magician/comedian. The divorced middle aged comedian lady was so awful that we walked out. I’ve been to many comedy shows and have never walked out of anything in my life. I have to say the ships staff was excellent. We were on a princess cruise 10 years ago and enjoyed it. This company has gone downhill since then. I’m will never go on another Princess cruise and will stick with Royal or NCL. We will also try Celebrity for the first time. Lastly, the Prince Rupert port (mandatory Canadian stop) was a joke. You know it’s going to be bad when the cruise Director highlights stopping at the local Walmart to get some kind of Australian cookies. The stop should have rather been in Vancouver, but you know that would’ve cost Princess more money.

@backroadstourist 8 ай бұрын

Thanks for your insight. I agree that the Ruby has a few wrinkles but I didn't notice the soot (but then again, I wasn't looking for it...we're not pool people). Some of the shows I liked and some I didn't. I thought the magician on our cruise was terrific, but I missed the comedian...but I DID hear some of the same comments you made about her. Looks like I didn't miss much. Yes, Prince Rupert was a bit dull, but did you see that Mountie you could take pictures with??? He had the Dudley Do-Right jaw and everything. lol. My wife bought a nice cutting board in the craft shop there, but that was about it. Thanks for your comments and thanks for watching!

@stevehorvat69 8 ай бұрын

@@backroadstourist yes the Mountie was very cool. My wife took several pictures with him after he gave us directions. The lumberjack show in Ketchikan was also so much fun. Overall, seeing Alaska on this cruise was amazing. If you’ve never done the Panama Canal cruise, I highly recommend it. We did that just before Covid hit in 2020.

@janicewhitlock3766 8 ай бұрын

@stevehorvat69 We're doing the Panama Canal in the Spring 2024. It will be our 2nd Ruby trip. We've also traveled on the Emerald. The sips are identical with the same amount of needs for an update. While on the Alaska trip in September. We were told it was the last trip to Alaska for the season. It would then transfer to Vancouver and to into dry dock to get fully rentivated and then transfer to Fort Lauderdale for the Panama Canal season.

@AvaT42 4 ай бұрын

Well I am not happy there is smoking in the casino. I will not be going in it.

@onelittlemustardseed 9 ай бұрын

Positive - excellent video, informative! Negative - your background music is horrible! Elevator music on steroids.😅

@backroadstourist 8 ай бұрын

Thanks for the compliments. I'll talk to the music director and see what we can do on future videos. Thansk for watching!

@janicewhitlock3766 8 ай бұрын

I had to go back and listen to the video again. All I can say is..Really, the music? It was fine. It wasn't overpowering and didn't interfere with the narration.

@tangara7166 8 ай бұрын

Lower the sound of the background.

@Justforyouvacations 9 ай бұрын

Your negatives are not worth even saying

@EfficientRVer 5 ай бұрын

They pretty much told you that, but for some reason wanted to stick to the format of 5 bad, 5 good. Sticking to a format can be good, because it helps keep reviewers from just becoming cheerleaders or haters.