This was our first time on Ruby Princess. We left from Fort Lauderdale and stayed the night before in the Hampton Inn Plantation, FL. A little expensive @ $209 but we paid to park the car there for $25. They have free internet and breakfast and a free shuttle to and from the airport and cruise port, however they don't start to pick up at the port until 8:30am, so we took a taxi back to the hotel when we returned for $30 including a tip.

We got to the port at 1130 and we were walking on the ship at 12:45. We went to our cabin first to drop off the carry-on luggage and then up to the lido deck for lunch. We chose to have pizza instead of using the horizon court/caribe cafe as everyone else was going there. We were the only ones at the pizza place and they had a pie coming out of the oven as we ordered. Yum! We did not order drinks for sail-away as the ship now charges Florida tax on anything you buy before leaving for open sea in addition to the gratuity. There were signs indicating this, but they were not in abundance.

The first evening was very rough and a lot of people were loading up on scopalomine patches and bonimine tablets. Read more