We had a great time and Princess is trying to navigate post Covid challenges as best they can. Everyone is happy to be cruising again, so we have to be more vigilant a bit longer and not get too complacent yet. Weather was not very cooperative, which lead to some disappointment in entertainment, but Princess cannot be faulted for that.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Most of our meals were in The Da Vinci MDR, one specialty meal in Sabatini's and a few lunches in the Horizon Court buffet. The food itself was excellent, but we did notice service was slower. I believe the ship was under staffed as passenger capacity rises, or perhaps because we chose a normal pace ( not overly quick) for timing, others who had requested quicker service were accommodated first. I was disappointed that the buffet went back to self-service. I think it is too soon for that. Menu choices will similar each day, so while the food tasted good, the variety was lacking.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We took part in Trivia most days, tried line dance lessons and enjoyed a few of the game shows. Used the Casino, but disappointed the poker table never got engaged. The cruise staff was entertaining and professional, but stormy seas curtailed my line dance efforts. I was pleasantly surprised at how stocked the library was, since our last cruise about the Grand was devoid of books.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
The house band was excellent (Sonic something), but their was only one show with the production cast early on. Rough seas brought on a cancellation (twice), so we never had a full on production show, a real disappointment. Entertainers were good, but had to be repeated to fill in for cancellation. The Aretha tribute was very good as was the comedian. The magician was okay, but did not warrant watching a second show.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Room steward was excellent and very visible if needed. Every request was handled with professionalism and efficiency. Dining staff was very very good, but it was evident they were short staffed, especially at breakfast when different servers needed to attend to different passengers preferences. Luckily we were not in any hurry.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Although I gave a five, I noticed the very visible cleaning and maintenance protocols we experienced on our last two cruises (October and January) have been somewhat relaxed. With masks no longer required, it should be the other way around. It is too soon and while the world is making progress on fighting Covid, there are cases on every sailing. Only about 40% of the passengers wore masks, even in recommended areas ( elevators). I myself, tested positive when I got home. We disembarked on Friday, Saturday had mild symptoms, and Sunday tested positive. Our last two days aboard the Ruby were sea days and while I did wear a mask in most venues, eating with strangers does present risks. Even though all passengers tested negative before boarding, shore excursions and laxity in mask wearing almost makes in inevitable to bring Covid onboard. I know Princess has excellent protocols and isolation rules in place for crew and passengers who present positive onboard, it is impossible to know how many passengers go home infected. I believe it is foolhardy to think this pandemic is over and relax so many rules.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
This cabin is a little gem. Larger than most ocean view cabins and laid out very well. Loved the wall of closets and extra space. The obstructed view was just a small wall and stairs going to the "secret" deck above the flybridge. Our window had reflective coating on the outside, so if people were there, they could not see us. When we needed privacy, we pulled the drapes. The door to the deck was just next door, so convenient if we wanted to use it. Only negative was the exterior door did not have a soft close so when passengers went in and out it slammed, needs a new closure valve, but noise was limited to daytime hours. With the inclement weather, access was closed off on many days, so it was a non-issue.
Ship tip
If you choose the same cabin, know there is more movement, especially if the seas are rough. Those with motion sensitivity should not stay in this cabin.
Thank you for the uplifting review
Just a future suggestion…if you notice a noise like the door slamming…ask your steward to come in and hear…if he hears the noise he can escalate things on your behalf…and a steward speaking up for you is far more efficient than trying to get things corrected by joining the long line of complainers at the service desk…and you should not endure an irritation …
Thanks for the review! We booked cabin L104 for March 2023 when the Ruby starts sailing from Galveston. Looked like a neat location and we decided to try it as it booked at the same rate as a interior cabin.
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