A very relaxing escape!

Horizon Court

This is the iconic “Lido Deck” buffet, with all of the selections one would expect, including many of the lesser items in the dining rooms each night. Covid restrictions had reduced the amount of selections, but what they had were more than adequate. As usual for us, we appreciated having the salads, British and Indian selections, but missed the Asian items that we found on the more extensive Royal-class ships. Most items are served up by ship staff, but about a third of the items are grab-and-go things.

Slice Pizzeria

The pizza slices here on the pool deck are the typical cheese and pepperoni offers, plus a decent daily special. The pizza is hand-tossed on-site, with a thin crust, that comes out very good. It’s no substitute for Alfredo’s Neapolitan pizza. But it’s a reasonable fill-in for a moment’s desire during an afternoon of sunning.

Wheelhouse Bar

Our prime hangout for the trip! Main advantage was some fabulous entertainment presented there (an Irish duo, singing pop and folk songs), but also a very good selection of higher-end whiskies.The adjoining space, the Salty Dog Gastropub, was suitably creative with burgers, fries, calamari, and a good selection of beers. We found it oriented more toward the creative-fried-food side, which is not our preference, but the lobster mac-and-cheese was wonderful!

Sabatini's Italian Trattoria

This is, hands down, the best food venue on board the Ruby Princess! Sabatini’s in general offers fabulous selections, from the breadsticks and seasoned olive oil on the front to the Beef Pappardelle. The Veal Marsala was a standout dish!However, be aware that some design elements of the ship makes this Sabatini’s deck shake. When the Ruby Princess is at speed, items on the tables rattle and occasionally move. More sensitive travelers should visit when the ship is docked in port.

The Salty Dog Grill

Offering the pool-deck selections of burgers and hot dogs, I found the food an excellent place to satisfy hankerings for a good hot dog. They also offer an intriguing vegetarian taco, but we didn’t get to try that.

Good Spirits at Sea

A very entertaining place, with an interesting selection of creative cocktails. The regular sessions with the bartenders explaining the drinks were highly entertaining. I particularly recommend the drink with pea flower tea in it, which changes color as it’s mixed!

Adagio

This is a good, quiet place to hang out if you wish to escape the bustle of the rest of the ship. Nestled alongside Sabatini’s on Deck 16, it’s a good place to wait until your reservation is up.While I can’t vouch for all hours of the day, the lounge appeared to be shut down due to the low passenger count… and that was fine with us! We ordered drinks using the Medallion Class app, and relaxed in peace.

International Café

Always the go-to place for a quick bite, any time of day or night. The small Cornish pasties are a favorite of ours, as is the availability of the day’s soups. Beware the ever-present cookies, but do indulge in the regular chocolate mousse and cake offerings.

Princess Theater

A great selection of shows here, with a great space capable of holding a large portion of the ship’s passengers at once! Musical shows were up to Princess standards, if still a bit traditional to the cruise ship experience. The solo shows and enrichment was quite muted during our trip, partly because it was a short trip, but also the relative dearth of available content right now.The staff won’t serve Medallion App drinks here… at least, not yet. I’m hoping they do once full cruise service starts.

Movies Under The Stars

The Big Screen has a good selection of movies, video concerts, and live sports over the length of the cruise. I’m very impressed by the fact that there are some “balcony” decks specifically meant for movie watching! The volume can be a bit loud, but none of it is hearable from the adjoining Neptune Pool area — a great example of acoustic isolation!The movies are good quality across the genres, and the marquee movies are typically shown twice in the day, so all can catch them. (They’re all repeated on the cabin TVs if you still miss them.)Live events, though, are highly dependent on the satellite reception of your ship. the US football games they showed had video hiccups and delays about every 10 seconds, making for a very stuttered game that missed a lot of crucial plays. Hopefully the reception and video quality on your trip will be better.