This was our 6th time on the Ruby. We have always enjoyed this ship and it felt like "home" when we got on board. Having been on the Ruby before, it was easy to get around. This cruise was a Summer Solstice to the North Cape. Unfortunately it was a hassle going through security in Southampton - long lines and no elite line. Counted 9 twists and turns before getting to security. And then noticed that 2 security stations were not manned.

But what I noticed was that the ship was starting to show some wear. The paint on the deck chairs was pealing. When I looked up on the ceiling of the balcony, I saw lots of rust spots. Seat cushions had stains as did outside tables. And the windows always were dirty.

The itinerary was fantastic - can't beat sailing in and out of the fjords. Was a perfect time as there was still snow on the hills and mountain tops. And with that, the snow had also started to melt and we saw hundreds of waterfalls - both little trickles and large gushers. One guide told us this wasn't the peak time for waterfalls as that had passed a few weeks prior. But it couldn't have been better. Wish the weather had been warmer but we still had enough sunshine to enjoy the long days! Only bad day weather wise was in Trondheim - rain, wind and very cold. Also didn't like the fact that we were charged $16 per person round trip bus fare to get into the city. Interesting that we had to take a bus in Bergen from the ship to a city drop off and it was free. Read more