We always enjoy cruising and this one did not disappoint even with the negatives. As I previously said they all have their pros and cons. You can choose to gripe and have a bad time or to shrug it off and make the best of it. It is really about spending time with those you are traveling with anyway.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Quick and efficient. No wait to get our medallions. Security and check in was quick. Our bags were in our room by 2:30. We were pleasantly surprised by this!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
International Cafe
4 out of 5
Be sure to ask for cookies. They have them they are just not out for display.
Horizon Court
3 out of 5
The selection was lacking and the buffet not as big as I have experienced on other cruises. You can take your plate outside to either the pool area or to the Terrace deck and enjoy the weather and the views. This is the only area of the ship to get water so be sure to refill your cups before leaving Deck 15.
Botticelli Dining Room
5 out of 5
We had reservations here for 4 out of the 5 nights. We were seated in two different sections and had two different waiters. We had Oliver on nights two and three and Richard on nights four and five. They both provided excellent service. The food was good. Some dishes could use more spices.
Crown Grill
5 out of 5
We ate here on night one. The food was excellent. We feel they offer more variety in their food selection versus Chops Grill on RC. The bread was awesome. I had the lobster, and my husband had the sea bass.
The Salty Dog Grill
3 out of 5
The bacon and cheese fries were good. They use real bacon. The hamburger was so so.
Da Vinci Dining Room
5 out of 5
We enjoyed the afternoon tea on the last sea day. The scones were delicious. This was not promoted on the app or the Princess Patter. We only knew of it from watching a YouTube video. Be sure to find out about times if you like afternoon tea.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We attended some of the game shows and trivia. They are always fun to watch and participate in.
Calypso Reef And Pool
4 out of 5
The water was cold in all the pools, so we did not get in that often. All the hot tubs are small and are always crowded. Only 4 or 5 people can comfortably fit in one.
The Sanctuary
1 out of 5
We did not go to the Sanctuary as you have to pay to use the area. We were disappointed that there was nowhere for us to just sit and relax and enjoy the view similar to the Solarium or Serenity deck except for the Sanctuary.
Fitness Center
5 out of 5
Nice selection of machines and a great view while exercising!
Entertainment
5 out of 5
We booked this cruise for our anniversary and had no idea until later that this was an 80s themed cruised. We loved the music and the tribute bands they brought on for our entertainment. Ralph Harris was the comedian on our cruise. He performed on night one and night four. Twice each night and the second night was a new routine. While the second night was rated R it was nothing too bad or offensive. Night two DSB performed. They are a Journey tribute band. They were good. Night two Wanted performed. They are a Bon Jovi tribute band. They were really good!!! On night 5 Red Corvette performed. They are a Prince tribute band. The lead singer did a really good job on singing and really perfected copying Prince's style and mannerisms. For the farewell party, Wanted did an 80s jam session. It was really good. While not the normal entertainment, we really enjoyed it!
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Everyone was friendly and had a smile. Customer service was very helpful the few times we needed assistance or had a question. We were not impressed with our room steward. He did not fully clean our room one day. We don't leave our room a mess, so it was not because he could not. He did make the bed but skipped the bathroom.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship was clean but is showing her age. It took a couple of days to get used to the layout. The medallion app made it easier to navigate and get to where we needed to be. Be sure to give access of your location to others in your cabin. You can then locate each other on the app.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We loved the location of our cabin. It was close to the aft elevators. One floor up was the buffet and pools. Just a few steps down the hall to the terrace pool and wonderful aft views! The views from our balcony were wonderful, and we enjoyed sitting outside. The closet was the biggest we have had on a cruise and we were able to have all 11 pairs of shoes, our luggage and dirty clothes hamper neatly lined up in the closet. We did not have to use every crook and nanny to shove stuff into as well. We actually had a couple of shelves that were empty at the vanity in the room. The bathroom was typically small. I did like that they had soap, lotion, and 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner from the spa in the bathroom. The room was the perfect size for just the two of us. We did not have a problem with the motion light in the closet coming on at random times as some other reviews mention. I loved how the curtains overlapped each other to keep the sun from peeking through.
Ship tip
Enjoy and know that there are pros and cons to every ship and cruise line. While we had some negative experiences, it is not going to keep us from cruising Princess again. We wanted a quieter more relaxed cruise and overall Ruby Princess provided it. The one major issue we did have is no one was making sure people were sanitizing their hands, especially before entering the dining areas. And hardly anyone did. They did have sanitizing stations all over though.
We went on a tour bus excursion to Merida. We learned about the Mayan civilization and culture. We were given about 2 hours of free time to wander around downtown Merida and to eat lunch. We enjoyed lunch at Casa Maya and there was a flower display next to an old Catholic church that was neat to stroll through.
Appreciate your detailed and informative review. How nice to have music that fit your personal theme. Wonderful attitude for cruising. Glad you enjoyed your anniversary cruise.
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