For our first-ever cruise we took the Ruby Princess to Alaska. The cruise went off without a hitch, embarking and disembarking went very smoothly. When we embarked I made the mistake of trying to walk everywhere myself (foot issues mean I should minimize my walking), from checking in at port to finding our family on the ship. I got exhausted pretty quickly. After that fiasco we went down to the Medical Office and rented a wheelchair for the duration of the trip. The medical staff were super helpful and it only took a few minutes to rent the wheelchair. The rest of the trip was very happy for me because I could rest in the wheelchair and save my feet for the excursions, and it was relatively easy to maneuver around the ship. The ship is very wheelchair friendly. I was also able to disembark on a Princess wheelchair, a Princess employee wheeled me all the way through customs/luggage to the shuttle stop, and that was very helpful.

The ship was immaculate and tastefully decorated. We often got lost trying to get to one place or another; it would be helpful if there were more signage pointing out where you are vis a vis the public venues. Also helpful if hubby would remember he has a map of the ship in his pocket!

The ship's crew were wonderful. We especially appreciated our steward, Teddy. He seemed to always be right outside our cabin door! One day when the toilet had problems we told Teddy as we left for breakfast and by the time we came back it was fixed! Couldn't believe it! Other requests were handled promptly and with a smile. Room always freshened while we were out yet we never ran into the cleaning people - they magically disappeared when you wanted to hang out in the room. I loved the shower, honestly the water pressure was better than the shower in my house! Our room was quiet, very little sound coming from hallway or other rooms. Read more