Pleasant October Repositioning Cruise

Item: Ruby Princess
Rating: 4.4
Author: orcowboy52

Ruby Princess Cruise Review to U.S. - Pacific, Northwest

orcowboy52

Contributor Level: Second Mate

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 17

Overall rating:

4.4 out of 5

5 Night Pacific Coastal (Vancouver To Los Angeles)

Sail date: October 13, 2018

Ship: Ruby Princess

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: D327

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 2 years ago

Review summary

This was our 1st cruise in many years and it was great.

Embarkation

4 out of 5

It was the end of season in Vancouver. The Ruby was the only ship at the port. we stated in the Pan Pacific Hotel right in Canada Place. They took our luggage direct to the ship. My husband needs a wheelchair and we were given priority access to check-in and security. However, staff did not know where priority passenger should be seated and we were sent to 2 places incorrectly. Otherwise the process was simple.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

We had a great cruise with one exception. We booked the Crown Grill for my retirement dinner. The appetizer and soup were wonderful but our steak, the 16oz. Beef chop (bone in rib-eye) was awful. It was pour quality, tough, and gristly. It ruined the meal and we left. They did deliver my special desert to our room and it was very good but... We ate in the DaVinci Club Class Dining Room area and got very personalized service. We became friends with our wait staff, Jose, Jelena and Francisco. We were generally pleased with the food quality. We did discuss it with Jose, our head waiter.

Skywalkers Nightclub

4 out of 5

We’d just use the space during the day to relax, read, and watch the waves. Sadly the ceiling details were rattling in time with the propellers.

International Cafe

5 out of 5

Skipped lunch and had a light snack here everyday, Good simple salads and sandwiches, decent coffee.

Crown Grill

3 out of 5

A huge disapointment. The premium beef chop was impossible to eat, tough, gristly, and poor quality. Appetizer and Black and Blue Onion Soup were fantastic. But the steak ruined it. The chef should have never accepted the beef.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

We loved the Club Class Mini-suite. Nice size, lots of storage, roomy for a stateroom, great large balcony.

Ship tip

As of mid-October 2018 Princess is in the early process of installing Ocean Medallion. They were starting to change out door locks as we disembarked.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Vancouver (Canada Place), British Columbia

5 out of 5

Vancouver is a second home so we just enjoyed being in town. Stayed in the Pan Pacific Hotel right in Canada Place. Expensive but fantastic hotel. Vancouver is a great city, but avoid Gastown and East Hastings. Head south and west.

Thumbs Up 5

Victoria, British Columbia

5 out of 5

Have been in Victoria several times. Just went to Murchie Tea House and walked a bit of the downtown.

Thumbs Up 4

San Francisco, California

4 out of 5

Just relaxed in San Francisco. Used the Muni Mobile app on our smart phones to buy a $12 all day transit pass. Historic streetcars go right by the ship’s port and take you along the Embarcadero and Market Street. Did the Powell Hyde street car to coffee and had some sourdough (world’s best) at Boudin’s Bakery.

Thumbs Up 8

Los Angeles, California

3 out of 5

We were visiting family. The San Pedro port is 1 hour from downtown.

Thumbs Up 1

Disembarkation

3 out of 5

Disembarkation in LA was great but slow. No hassles. Immigration in San Francisco was another story. Poorly planned and executed. Stood in line for over an hour to be admitted.