Onboard the Beautiful Ruby Princess

Jun 12, 2012 Avatar Sha Dev Sha Dev

I just sailed on Princess Cruises’ Ruby Princess from Ft. Lauderdale, visiting St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Turks & Caicos and Princess Cays (their private island). I was pretty excited since this was my first Eastern Caribbean sailing with Princess Cruises. These days luxury cruise ships are getting bigger, and the ship carries approximately 3,000 happy passengers on her 7-day sailings each week.

After a quick lunch, I set off to find my way around the ship and was impressed how easy it was to navigate her. This is a very beautiful ship with numerous loungers and bars on various decks. One of my favorite areas to hang was the Piazza. This is a great place for people watching, which I love to do. They had live music and entertainment in the evenings which made this area on the ship a gathering place for many families but never crowded.

For those looking for total seclusion, I would highly recommend The Sanctuary. This is an Adults-Only area that offers a swimming pool, a whirlpool and a spacious sundeck with lounge chairs. They serve light refreshments as well. There is a fee to use this facility, and it is well worth it. Another feature I enjoyed is the Movies under the Stars, at the outdoor theatre. Princess screened new releases and concerts on various nights. This was a hit among passengers in the evenings, when they provide you with a light blanket and popcorn (how cool is that) and you find a cozy place for your movie night. Always check your Princess Patter, since they may play the same movie twice.

If you are one of those who must stay connected, there is an Internet Café onboard. The connections may be a bit slow at sea, therefore your minutes can be used up pretty quickly. Princess also rents laptop at a nominal fee.

There are two premium restaurants onboard, Sabatini’s and Crown Grill. Plan on taking your spouse or date for a special meal at one of these restaurants, and be sure to make advance reservations.

There is no shortage of entertainment on this ship. If you like to dance, there are four different hot spots to check out. Hey, for someone like me who is too shy to dance, I even hit the dance floor and had a blast!