Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our first cruise on the Ruby Princess, and despite scheduling changes due to the weather we also enjoyed our ports of call. Looking forward to doing this cruise again!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Very efficient embarkation process; we were boarded by 11:15 am!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The MDR felt a bit cramped, especially as we had requested a table-for-two, but were seated elbow-to-elbow with other couples, with one of us on a settee! The MDR food was just okay, so we opted for the Horizon buffet mainly, which had its usual excellent variety. The highlight food-wise was the Balcony Breakfast which was outstanding! Abundant food, excellent service—better than we had imagined!
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We enjoyed the Discovery Planetarium Experience, as well as the Jewellery Heist game. We attended the art auction once, but were disappointed by it so we didn’t attend again.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
We went to see one performer in the Princess Theatre who had a good voice, but whose banter detracted from his show. We caught the end of a show in the Wheelhouse Bar with a piano player/singer who was also very talented. We watched two movies on MUTS and that as usual was an enjoyable experience.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
The service was unobtrusive, which we prefer anyway. The highlight was the friendly and attentive service with the Balcony Breakfast. A complaint made to the Purser’s desk about an unknown charge was handled quickly and reversed promptly.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Yes, the ship was in very good condition, and always kept clean.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The stateroom was very clean, very comfortable, and came with a larger-than-expected Balcony.
Ship tip
Try the MDR embankment lunch in the Da Vinci Dining room—a really pleasant way to start your cruise, with an excellent menu away from the crowded Horizon.
Hadn’t intended visiting Lautoka due to reading poor reviews. However, we needed to purchase a Sim Card so we caught the shuttle bus in. We enjoyed wandering around the large shopping mall, and found some nice gifts from the Pure Fiji range of coconut oil products.
Caught the shuttle bus into the city, but could have just as easily walked into the city as the shuttle bus ended up a stone’s throw away from the ship. We didn’t do any excursions but enjoyed wandering through the city centre and visited some shopping centres and a large market.
Our favourite port of call on this voyage! A relatively short tender ride into the wharf where you are greeted by magnificent blue water and white sand, truly a tropical paradise! There are decent snorkeling areas for novices like me close to the beach, and so we enjoyed a most idyllic day in this magnificent spot.
We absolutely loved our morning at Lifou. A short tender ride, followed by a 15-minute walk across the island, brings you to a gorgeous snorkeling area. Be aware though that only 100 tickets are issued by the locals for the morning and afternoon sessions of snorkeling to protect their natural treasure, so avoid disappointment and order your tickets on-board.
We caught the free shuttle bus into the city and then boarded the HOHO bus (if you purchase the tickets at the bus terminus, they are half the cost of getting them onboard the ship) for a circuit of the island which gave us a good overview of places to visit. Enjoyed strolling through the city and having coffee and cake in Coconut Square, in the centre of the city. A lovely place to visit!
Hopefully our cruise next November 27-Dec 7 to Mexico on the Ruby will be a “GO”. We too have a balcony on the Caribe deck. I’ve heard very nice comments about the larger balcony. We have sailed on the Star a couple of times as well as the Grand. New ship for us but sounds easy to get around, especially with the medallion. Thank you for your review.
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