This was a three night hop from Vancouver down to Los Angeles, an excellent way to pick up cruise credits en route to free laundry. :) The Ruby is not our favorite ship by a long shot. It’s small, and it feels small, despite her ability to carry so many people. When we got on board, I couldn’t believe the Horizon Court wasn’t a snack bar. What the heck? This was our second time embarking at Vancouver, so we know this wasn’t typical for them - or at least, this wasn’t what they used to be. There were three ships in port and boarding was a zoo. We came into the garage and were shuffled into a queue to a single elevator with our luggage to go down to the second garage level to drop off our luggage, then into another queue to take another elevator back up to queue up to register to get on board. Word to the wise: if you use a cane or are handicapped at all, GET A WHEELCHAIR as soon as you arrive. I was using a cane and was in significant pain by the time we finally got through all the check-ins, customs, immigrations, etc. Just... swallow your pride and use the damn chair. The food was, unfortunately, the least inspiring we’ve had on Princess. Not bad, just not great. Well, no. The Horizon Court selection really was quite poor, probably because it was just so darn small. Dinners were average - nothing special, which was disappointing. What really got my goat, however, was Princess is now so into increasing revenue on board the ships, the menu in the dining rooms include “selections from the Crown Grill for your convenience”... so if you didn’t get a chance to make a reservation at the Crown Grill (the pay-extra dining experience) you can fork over $19 - $29 for an entree in the regular dining room for an upgraded dinner. That is one slippery slope, IMO. Where does that stop? When do we start paying for all our meals, regardless of what we order, in the dining room? This I do not like. At ALL. I didn’t see anyone order upgraded meals, so hopefully that will stop, but who knows, maybe they will expand the practice. I sure hope not, but they seem to be pushing sales for as much as they possibly can, all the darn time. They’re now selling escape room activities, albeit for only $5 each, but it’s another pay-to-play, and $20 for a family of four. Bingo is getting more and more expensive (it’s now $59 for the most expensive package). Gelato will set you back $1.50/scoop, and sodas are $9.95/day + 15% gratuity + tax. Don’t ask about the unlimited booze, you can’t afford it. Someone (anyone) needs to teach them what afternoon tea is. It is NOT a hard roll and sugar cookies. It is finger sandwiches and little decorative cakes. It is scones with clotted cream and jam on BOTH SIDES of the scone after it has been split. It is a selection of tea (not just Earl Grey, which is all they had). That was just bad. How about the good stuff? The staff is great as ever. I love the trivia games (I wish they would schedule them a bit further apart from bingo...) Disembarking was a breeze (although the LA Port is a pig, there’s almost no where to sit while you wait for your ride, but that’s not Princess’ fault). Will we take Princess again? Unquestionably. Just not the Ruby Princess. Read Less

This is by far the worst cruise we’ve taken. Noise, noise, noise every morning starting at 4 am and lasting until1-2pm. Then after that time if still in the room now there’s running, heels noise from shoes. We was on the 14 floor. We complain they say we have to investigate, Internet wasn’t working, we was told we have to investigate. Blood on the sheets, we was told:oh not blood maybe food from eating in the room. We go to the diner hall, I asked for Gluten free bread and was told how are you gluten free, you didn’t fill out a gf card. We’re going to do it but we’re going to see how this goes. The food was horrible. Every other day and sometimes the same day, we had the same same food. The pillows and bed, very uncomfortable.I’m a proud black America but to pay all the money that was paid. I felt like I was being Discriminated against. On this ship the 2% seems to not matter. It was 12 of us and we’ve also spoken with others black and white that proves this score. Not for young people! Read Less

My wife have always wanted to visit Alaska by a cruise ship. So it was between Princess and Holland America as they offered the most itineraries with Glacier Bay. Holland America's Eurodam had a very similar itinerary as our Ruby Princess and almost chose that over the Ruby. The service aboard Ruby was very good. Room steward was excellent. Our mini-suite cabin was more than spacious for 2 passengers. We had assigned seating for the 5:30 PM dinner in DaVinci and the food and service was good. We also tried Crab Shack and Share. The food was probably a little better than DaVinci but the service and roominess was much much better. DaVinci dining room is a little crammed with a lot of tables. The extra pay restaurants offer much more room which seems like a real luxury when on a cruise ship. The buffet food in the Horizon restaurant was OK but the problem there is over crowding. It was very hard to find a table and when you did, you almost always had to hunt for silverware because they were not replenished quickly enough. I believe the staff there worked very hard. Perhaps Princess just does not have enough personnel in the buffet restaurant during peak hours. Anyway, by second day, we started to use DaVinci for breakfast also. If you go there when the restaurant opens up, you can get seated right away. Or, if you don't mind seating with fellow passengers, you can get seated right away also. This ended up being much more fun anyway because after the first, "Where are you from?" you never have a dull meal. You'd be amazed how many interesting people you meet from all over the world. On our cruise, we met a lot of interesting Australians who were travelling all the way back to Sydney on the Ruby as this was her last Alaska trip of the season and will be travelling to Australia for 6 months. I believe the Cruise Director had a very good programming for the entire cruise. We did some Zumba for the first time in our lives, sat through some lectures on Alaska, watched some live shows and watched movie on the top deck. All was pretty good and the vibe of the ship makes you relax. When I was tired, it was awesome to be able to just retire to your room to take a nap or whatever. One thing that disappointed me during the cruise was the myriad of tired and worn furniture I saw. I thought the Ruby crew could have done better with ship appearance. Perhaps the corporate office reduced the budget for ship upkeep? The stops on this trip was great. We did a Princess sponsored excursion at each port except Victoria. Embarkation and disembarkation was very smooth. Pro tip: Arrive for embarkation at the Seattle port after 2 PM. The lines are very short by then and you get get on board in less than 30 minutes. Read Less

This was our first cruise with Princess Cruise Lines. Princess has quickly became our favorite! The embarkation process was extremely smooth and organized! We were amazed at how quickly it went! The ship was spotless from top to bottom everywhere you looked! We took the Ultimate Ship Tour which allowed us to see the areas that most guests are not allowed into and it was very interesting...and clean! All of the staff was extremely helpful and friendly! The food was excellent! Our waiter made our dining experience fun and pleasant! Our cabin was very spacious with a steward wiling to help us with whatever we needed. We were busy everyday with the excursions and all of the activities onboard the ship. We booked our excursions through Princess and they were all great except for the one in Victoria. We arrived there at 7:00pm and the tour guide tried his best to point things out to us but it was too dark to see anything. Had it still been daylight it would of been excellent. We are looking forward to our next cruise with Princess...before our cruise was over we put down a deposit for our next cruise! Read Less

I truly chose this cruise for my parents, myself & sister because of the great deal. We were able to stay in a beautiful suite at a great discount. But we loved the huge balcony and appreciated the size of the suite and would have paid more for the wonderful week we experienced. Our only complaint was the lack of seating at the Horizons buffet (Dad is a buffet fan, but the crowd was a nightmare, so we only ate 2 lunches there) We appreciated the special attention received at the Da Vinci Dining room. The service was wonderful! We enjoyed two nights at the Crown Grill (our first night there was complimentary) Great steaks, as expected. We also enjoyed SHARE. And the Salty Dog Gastropub was a fun lunch (normally only open for dinner, but opened at noon the last day since we were in Victoria during dinner hours) I was told on the cruise that I would not have to sign for a bar bill under $50. I wish I did. The prices of wine seemed to vary from night to night. ??? Read Less

First time to go on cruise, Alaska cruise to be exact, close to home . Embark Seattle, WA. Embarkation and debarkation process were smooth and easy compare to airport. The ships is beautiful and clean, our cabin (interior) is spacious for two, spacious compare to some regular hotel room. Dining are wonderful, lots of foods selections and lots of dining areas to go to, you never go hungry while on board. You will not get bored due to lots of entertainments and activities to do on-board. The movie at sea is great, we watched movies even though it is cold and windy. The highlight of our cruise is the outstanding services that we got during our stay, all the staffs are very polite and very helpful. Ports and shore excursions are good but not great, depends on where are you going. Just one negative that I want to share; If the ship is rocking, don't go to Lotus Spa to get a massage. My wife and I had a massage when ship is rocking. we didn't realized that staffs who give us massage are both sea sick. Both staffs didn't gave us a good massage that we paid for. They keep on stopping and leaving the area, in the end we didn't get the full 70 minutes services (probably 30 minutes less. The price is too pricey and with the experienced we had, I don't recommend. We are planning to go on cruise again with the Princess cruise, maybe Mediterranean or Europe cruise this time. Thank you Princess Cruise for the good experienced we have with you guys, Read Less

I chose Princess Cruise for 2 reasons. I used to do security in tge building in Seattle where their customer service was and they where wonderful folks. They made a great impression on me. The second reason was Princess goes above snd beyond for Vets. That really impressed me and was a wonderful bonus. My husband got credit on board for serving our country. This whole week was relaxing had bueatiful views in Alaska. The art classes and auction was educational. We enjoyed the food at the buffets. The crew on board was very helpful always had a smile and wanting to help you have a nice vacation. It was great meeting people from all over the world. It was great hanging out and chatting. The first QUESTION always was where are you from? Then it was just chatting. The room was good size. The service was AWESOME. Had a great Steward. Loved tge schedules every night of the next days events. IT IS WORTH THE MONEY. HAVE A GREAT TIME. Read Less

Took a 7 day inside passage cruise to Alaska stopping in Juneau, Skagway, sailing through beautiful Glacier Bay, Ketchikan then Victoria Canada. Especially enjoyed Skagway with its goldrush history and Glacier Bay is absolutely stunning Beautiful, clean ship. We had the inside cabin and was delighted with the size, especially storage space for personal items. The bed and pillows were so comfortable, food was great, and the staff very friendly and accommodating. Especially enjoyed the afternoon tea time with scones and finger foods. You will have to pay for upgrades to dine in specialty restaurants and connect to wi-fi as with any other cruise line I imagine. As far as entertainment, we saw a couple of musical type shows which had some pretty amazing talent to be performing on a cruise ship. Also attended a couple of comic shows that were outstanding! Must do trip. Will definitely choose Princess again!! Read Less

I have been wanting to see Alaska for years. Finally, my dream came true. The staff on the Ruby were fantastic. The meals and the menu couldn’t be any better. I loved gathering with my family every night at the Michael Angelo. The staff made us feel appreciated and welcomed. They were part of the family. The service was five star all the way! The only set back in my opinion are that the cabins look pretty old. The ship itself is not bad but I expected a little more. The ranger from glacier park got a political in her announcements. I was enjoying the view and loved the glaciers. It ended with a big let down with the rangers announcement. Take the mic away from her. The cabin porter was fantastic. Couldn’t appreciate him enough. Things got done and I didn’t even realize it. Much appreciated. The staff as a whole were fantastic. Over and above. Read Less

we Really enjoyed this cruise. The food was great. The people were friendly & helpful. Best message I have had in years. We enjoyed the shows especially the comedian , I think Carlos. Enjoyed the magician also. Played some bingo and some slots. Also went to my very first art auction. I won a piece. All in all we had a great time. Yes I would do it again. Our excursions were the best too. We stopped in Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan & Victoria. We enjoyed every port from the tram in Juneau, the train ride in Skagway, the lumberjack show in Ketchikan & the bike ride in Victoria. We did a lot of walking but it was worth it. The weather wasn’t bad at all. No need for umbrellas. However, our last stop in Victoria was the best. What a way to finish the cruise. We got a ride from Ryan at Victoria Bike Rentals And Tours. They were right outside of ship. Our bicyclist was Ryan. Best bike tour I have ever been on. Very informative & educational. I fell I love with the little houses on the water. It was a wow effect. Visited the blue bridge & parts of town we never knew existed. A very beautiful city. A very clean city. I only hope it doesn’t change. Ryan was Very nice, polite and he cared about us. Gave us blankets to stay warm. Let us shop. If we were hungry we could have stopped to eat. Can’t say enough about him as a person. He knows his history. Would recommend. Just look for Ryan. It was worth every penny. Thanks again Harold & Carol Read Less

Chose this cruise to Alaska based on a recommendation from friends. It was so good the first time they cruised last year, they wanted to go again! After reading all the reviews here, I was concerned. But rest easy, this was a truly marvelous experience. I am not easily impressed, but Princess really sucks you into the experience! Room attendant, "Carl" remembered and used our names on day 2! Room was clean, bed comfy, bathroom as advertised. Enough space for a week for 2 in a room with a view (partially obstructed), nice t.v. with tons of relevant programming....and movies! Great pillows, comfy beds and linens. Lots to see on the ship and lots to do. I went to 3 trivia games! I missed the sled dog puppies, and was amused by the art auctions and bingo games. SO. MUCH. FOOD. Casual snacks, salads, sammies, and sweets (SF options too!). Dinner at the same time, same table, same server every night or casual dining, pick your time, smorgasbord of servers! And then, the buffet. Ooooo. The buffet!!! Ports were lovely. Every last one. Rented a car in Juneau to see Mendenhall Glacier. Fun! Friend in Skagway drove us around the City and then we took the Red Onion GoodTimes Girls walking tour of the City, by the gracious Daisey May Doya. Ketchikan is steeped in history... past the gift shops. Our only excursion was the Lumberjack Show. Very entertaining and fun. This beautiful city needed a little further exploration. Vancouver B.C. we didn't disembark. It was a late, short stop, at night. Coffee was very good indeed. I bought a coffee card for floofy coffee, and it was worth it. Didn't buy an alcohol package because I don't drink that much, but I did buy some drinks. Price includes tip but prices are the same as bars here in Oregon! However, the pours were different at each bar for the same drink. Ship had, luckily, smooth seas. Hot tubs and pools in working order and clean. But they close at 8:30 pm. Pizza, hot dogs, burgers, fries, chili, Cali-toast, street tacos, stromboli, on Deck 15 were.....FABULOUS. Crew always says hello. Ship was kept spit-spot and ship-shape constantly (but unobtrusively). Announcements could be challenging! Shops were great. What's up with Tanzanite??!!!! And, folks complaining about heavy sales pitches, it just didn't happen. Unless you went to a sponsored event. All in all it was a really great time. Glacier Bay and the weather, were awesome. Princess does a great job. So enjoyable. Just, please FIX THE OCEAN CONCIERGE program. You know what I'm talking about!6 Read Less

We had an amazing vacation. Meet some very neat people. Looking forward to keeping in touch with them. The ship was clean and beautiful. Food in the Horizon Court was always really good. The best meal we had was at Curtis Stone Share! Go there and eat, you will not be disappointed. The Casino was fun we won some and lost some but overall it was fun. The artwork was pretty, not my style but nice to look at. We got the coffee card, but could have done without it. The coffee in the Horizon was just as good and free :). Soft serve ice cream was perfect, my hubby's favorite. :) We had great weather, only rained in Juneau. We did a little shopping in Juneau. We did the train ride in Skagway, that was beautiful. I would go again! Glacier Bay was beautiful, so peaceful and relaxing, we did see a portion of the glacier break but did not get pictures.The Lumber Jack Show in Ketchikan was really cute and fun, great for the family! We did the Pedi-Cab ride in Victoria, BC, I recommend seeing the city this way. The stop in Victoria is short and Pedi-Cab makes it to where you see the whole city in 2 1/2 hours. So you still have time to shop if you want. Overall the best vacation we have taken in years. We are looking forward to our next cruise, I really want to got to New England & Canada cruise. Read Less

Cruise to Alaska on Princess Ruby Aug 24, 2019 RT from Seattle, WA. We invited friends to go, their first Princess cruise and their LAST. Their desire was to see Alaska. Due to Princess' contract air carrier Delta, our friends endured the first day at the airport, due to Delta delay 3 times (supposed mechanical issue). Our friends arrived at Seattle dock at 3:28 p. m. and could not board the ship due to the gangway being pull up. TAKE AWAY - EZ Air by Princess IS NOT a guarantee you will make the ship on time, nor does their insurance provide assistance for extra expenses. BTW - there were several couples involved with the Delta delay and missing the ship in Seattle. Our friends were flown to Juneau, where NO one would take the Delta Vouchers given to them - taxi, hotel or food - be aware this is an out of pocket expense, which you may get reimbursed for, friends are still working to get their money back (Sept 7, 2019). The next day when the Ruby arrived in port our friends had to wait for people to disembark before they could get on and the 4 of us had a 2:00 p.m. excursion scheduled. We advised the passenger service desk they were boarding in Juneau due to missing the ship in Seattle, because of Delta. Once they were on the ship and Passenger Services provided them the necessary cruise card we headed to their assigned Cabin, only to discover that the guaranteed Cabin they booked in May had been assigned to someone else, so we go back to Passenger Services. (Passenger Services also had their steward take the luggage to the guaranteed Cabin and we advised him he needed to meet us at the Desk to discover what Cabin they would now be assigned). It appears that Princess gave our friends an upgrade Cabin from Deck 12 to Deck 5 - we are still baffled by the upgrade. At least they had a Cabin and NO they will NOT cruise Princess again. Upon returning to the Service Desk, I requested to speak to a Manager 4 times and was refused each time - s/he was busy. No one cared was the message being sent. In the meantime, where were their excursion tickets, the specialty dining coupon and the photo coupon - these never arrived at the new cabin and for the remaining days of the cruise they were back at the Passenger Service Desk every day, including needing to request the documents for Canada and disembarkation. The Passenger Service Desk was NO Service Desk and the Captain's Circle Hostess was NO help, either. Every time our friends went to the Desk they had to deal with someone different and had to restate their experience to another person. What a NIGHTMARE and NO they will NOT cruise Princess, again. By the 7th day of the cruise a customer service rep called our friends to offer a credit of $275 pp for their . . . The above info is for those, who fall for the "refer a friend" promotion Princess has available. We like our friends more than we like cruising! As for our trip - we did not "come back new", my husband and I were never stressed out so much on a vacation and we have had many trips over 30+ years - Princess ships; planes; trains; road trips, etc. We both have noticed that the QUALITY of Princess Cruises has declined over the past 10 to 12 years, and understand it is due to Carnival acquisition. We once enjoyed Princess Cruising and often tell others about the WONDERFUL experiences we have had, but we can no longer say that and will no longer promote them. Except for the specialty dining, the food is OK, nothing outstanding. Service in the dining room Botticelli was lacking this time, not sure why but appeared to be less staff. Service for breakfast at the Da Vinci was exceptional. Service in Crown Grill was exceptional, as always! Our embarkation was very smooth and easy. Having driven to Seattle we were able to walk off - this disembarkation was the GREATEST we have ever had. Read Less

Advice from my travel agent. Way to many musicals, the buffets were not very good, same things every day, go into a speciality restaurant, and they charged an extra 29 dollars to get basically something that you could get for less money at a steak house. Next night go into a regular restaurant and they had almost the same things on the menu that you paid an extra few of twenty nine dollars for. Needed more time in Could not do any of the longer excursions that we wanted to do, because of the time limit that were there. The room attendant we had was very good along with the wait staff in the restaurants and bars. The drinks were very expensive, if you ordered a drink with 2 different alcohols in and they charged me double the price on top of an expensive drink already. The casino was nice with a good variety of slot machines and gaming tables. Read Less

They main thing I want to point out is that this ship is dated and it mostly shows in the cabins. The buffet food was marginal, but hey, there is only so much you can do with the buffet food. Main dining was hit or miss, but mostly hit - especially the desserts. The Curtis Stone Share was a neat experience, but could have been better if staff didn't keep mixing up our dishes. The entertainment was amazing. Princess needs to spend a little more in in the tech and props department to support the fabulous talent they have. Service was hit or miss but mainly a hit. Cabin stewards were great. I loved this Alaska experience and it was very multi-generational and good for people of all ages. My son loved it; but Princess needs to get on board with accommodating to kids with special needs. I mostly loved the ports. Having only a few hours in Ketchikan and Victoria was a waste of a stop. Wish there had been more time do more than see the tourist trap type shops. Princess only steers you to the preferred shops that they associate with. Read Less

We've been to Alaska many times and we wanted our daughter and her family to see the beauty of the land that we keep going back to see. It's so peaceful with breathtaking scenery in all directions. There are many areas of pristine, untouched nature and wildlife abound everywhere. Embarkation and Disembarkation were the best of all the cruises we've been on. The crew couldn't do enough to make us comfortable and fulfill all our needs. The food was excellent and varied including gluten-free bread and dessert offerings. There could be a more consistent kids' program, however. And an indoor pool would be nice for Alaskan tours. The boutiques are well stocked with a diverse selection of goods. I love the International Cafe which is open 24 hours for a late-night snack. I loved taking a hot bubble bath at the end of the night...such a treat on a ship. Well worth going. Check the hours of some of the ports because we had one very early one...7 a.m., and one very late one...7 p.m. I'd have preferred more daytime hours for being onshore. Read Less

They sail to great places in Alaska. Beautiful scenery. Can’t fault that. There is no coffee/tea making facilities in the room like, for example, P&O Cruise. Large gym with many treadmills. Charge for using launderette. I remember there are cruise lines that don’t charge for this. Unsatisfying vegetarian options although they tried to make something on the spot if there is no vegetarian options on the menu. Seems a bit amateur with vegetarian food. Waiters, waitresses, room stewards and other general staff are friendly and helpful. Reception staff less so. I wasn’t impressed (well, impressed in some way...) when I tried to check the random holds Princess placed on my credit card because there were some fraudulent transactions on my credit card bill, a reception staff said “Oh is this the first time you’re on a cruise? This is just how it works.”. I’ve experienced more polished tone than this from other cruise lines. Overall it’s a great way to see Alaska. Onboard experience can benefit from refinement. Read Less

An Alaskan cruise was not on my “To do” list but my daughter insisted we give it a try. I am so happy we did! Everything about this cruise was top notch. The ship is in wonderful condition considering her age. I found her size to be perfect- not too far to get anywhere on the ship. We never had a problem getting an elevator, actually a problem on other ships we have sailed on. We found the crew to be friendly and helpful. Food: Because we were in a suite we had almost all of our meals in the Club Class dining room. It was fantastic! We had a wonderful wait staff- Sheldon and Alex! We were fortunate to have a table in their section for each meal! The CC hostess, Deagana, knew our names from day one and always took us to Sheldon and Alex. Lunches in the dining room were very relaxing and warm. (The International buffet up on the pool deck was rather chilly due to the doors opening to the outside- which was cold!) Dinners I have to say we’re excellent. The menu was different than we had on the Caribbean Princess in May, 2019. Each night the entree selections on the Princess Favorites changed! There were also entrees specific to an Alaskan cruise. All meals were served hot and were delicious. For breakfast we were able to eat with suite guests in the Crown Grill. The fresh squeezed orange juice was a treat along with the freshly prepared eggs, etc. We also had an excellent dinner in the Crown Grill, but we were not happy with Share. The entire dining room for Share is over the aft of the ship and the vibrating was significant. They changed our table three times, but the vibrations were very uncomfortable. The food was definitely gourmet, which my daughter liked better than I did. I would not choose to go there again. Excursions: We booked our excursions at least six months in advance- a good choice as prices did increase. Although we booked the Pilot’s Choice helicopter tour in Juneau, it was canceled due to heavy rain and a low ceiling. That was disappointing but not really a problem. Unfortunately, the Excursion staff on the dock were very disorganized and did not tell us about our tour being canceled. We asked several Princess people who told us to find the tour people, who didn’t display the tour number because it had been canceled. After quite a while we were able to book the bus trip to the Mendenhall Glacier, which turned out to be fabulous! In Skagway we did the White Pass train one way up and the bus back down. The scenery was amazing! At the end we had a delicious lunch at an organic farm. In Ketchikan we did the Misty Fiords boat tour. It was very pretty but four hours was too long. For only the second time in 26+ cruises I had to visit the medical center. The staff was extremely responsive to my problem and the doctor was very thorough. Embarkation and disembarkation were both quick! We stayed in Seattle the night before and took a taxi to the port. The taxi dropped us right in front of the ship, so only a short walk to the building. Because the airport is rather difficult to navigate we took the Princess transfer, which resulted in a long walk with our luggage through the parking lot up to the checkin desks. Overall, our cruise was thoroughly enjoyable! The key is to pack warm layers of clothes and a waterproof outer coat! It’s Alaska, after all! Read Less

We where searching for a cruise line that we would enjoy the ship, destinations, food and the overall feel of the experience.the staff was very friendly. The ultimate ship tour and the chefs table where great add ons to the trip to alaska. The staff in share, crown grill, and the salty dog gastro pub. Made for so wonderful nights. Alaska took our breathe away from the morning we approached juneau till we departed ketchikan. The shore excursions we took where great. We will be returning. Ruby princess was a great ship for being at full capacity it did not feel crowded. We where on deck 15 forward. The cabin was nice and quite during the night and mornings. The view from the other decks made evening walks a joy. The dining anytime option made for fun and interesting dining groups. The photo package we purchased worked out very well for us. This was a cruise we will smile about when we remember this lovely trip. Read Less

Overall, it was a nice cruise. Phone reps were fairly knowledgeable and helpful. Had a couple of issues that needed to be resolved and unfortunately, management fell short. The two that I spoke to were rude and very short with me, so be aware, problems will NOT be resolved. You will leave feeling very unimportant. The cruise itself was very nice. The dinners were wonderful. Got to try many new dishes I would have never tried before. The staff was very attentive. Lots of food choices. The pizza, burger and ice cream areas are not as great. Kinda like fast food. Enjoyed our time on the ports. Juneau - did the Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier tour. Skagway - Did the Yukon Discovery tour through Southeast tours. Ketchikan - did the Misty Fjords excursion that was highly recommended by Princess, but I would NOT recommend it. It was a little pricey and did not live up to the hype. The Valet Port express was very helpful. I used the Princess shuttle, which was convenient., but cost a bit more. Ubering, especially with more than 2 people is more cost effective. Everything went smoothly with disembarkation. Read Less

We chose Alaska as the destination for our 30th wedding anniversary and we chose the Ruby Princess because we had read good reviews of the ship. We booked 9 months in advance and our Princess vacation planner (Leticia Woolum) was terrific at walking us through all the options. We took our adult daughters with us (ages 22 and 20) and booked adjacent rooms where the balconies connected once the partition was removed. Our oldest can become seasick so Leticia chose the Aloha deck (higher up) and cabins that were mid-ship (A619-A623) to minimize the amount of motion we would likely feel. We flew into Seattle the night before the cruise and stayed at the W Hotel near Pike’s Market. It’s a trendy, hipster place with a great staff. We took an Uber XL over to the pier around 2:15 pm (our assigned time to board was 2:30 pm). We used the porters to take our luggage and walked right into the terminal – there were no lines at any of the checkpoints. We were literally on board in about 5 minutes. After checking out our cabins and meeting the steward, we got a bite to eat and the luggage had been delivered to the rooms by the time we returned. We used the Princess@Sea app on our iPhones (in addition to the Princess Patter newsletter) to decide on board activities. The app is terrific, and we used it extensively to message each other while on board. The only negative is that you do not receive a push notification when someone sends you a message (as you typically would for normal texts). So, when we were separated on board, you had to remember to look at the app every few minutes to make sure you didn’t miss a message (for example, “hey, bring me back a piece of pizza”). As for activities, we especially loved the trivia contests, the True or Moo contests, Movies Under the Stars, and Blingo. The fitness center was much larger than we expected and there were several exercise classes to choose from each day. We steered clear of the (never ending) EFFY jewelry promotions, the art auctions and the Lotus Spa treatments. Our favorite activity though, were the wine tastings – not the large gathering in the Botticelli dining room that get so-so reviews, but the small group setting (8 people) in the Vines wine bar. The sommelier, Alan, had a signup sheet on a table in the Vines wine bar – had we not stopped while walking by to see what the clipboard was for, we would have missed out on our favorite experience. For just $37 per person, we tried 5 fabulous reds paired with various cheeses and meats. An absolute bargain. At the end, Alan mentioned he was planning a white wine tasting on the afternoon of the sea day spent in Glacier Bay, and everyone at the red wine tasting signed on for that too. Alan paired 3 whites with a delicious sushi offering and then ended the tasting with champagne. An absolute steal for $15 per person! If Princess was smart, they would do well to expand these small group wine tastings from just 2 per cruise to many more. The service was exceptional and friendly – from our cabin steward to the dining rooms, bartenders and activities. Our steward (Joseph D.) made a lovely swan and heart towel sculpture for us on the first night and then made a few for our daughters the rest of the week. Every time we left the room, our steward had refreshed the room before our return. Before the cruise, we had preordered some alcohol, soda and water and the vouchers were in the room on the desk when we arrived – I called room service and they were brought to the room in about 30 minutes. Our steward always made sure we had plenty of ice cubes in the bucket. About two weeks before the cruise, we finally started to review the shore excursions available in each port – the shear number of options was mind boggling. It took at least 2 hours to read the excursions, find ones that interested everyone in the party and then do a quick check on whether someone had left a recent review on-line. I booked a few through the Princess web site and planned do book more but the web site cuts off on-line bookings 5 days before the cruise (seems dumb to me and I still haven’t really received a satisfactory explanation as to why they wouldn’t let people book on-line right up to the day of embarkation). Anyway, once we boarded Saturday afternoon, my first stop was to the shore excursion desk and I booked the remaining excursions I had planned to do on-line. Here’s the rundown with letter grades for Juneau: Interactive Self-Guided Jeep Tour (B+), Mendenhall Glacier River Float (A+, and you will get wet), Skagway: Red Onion Saloon (A-), Musher’s Camp (A+), Ketchikan: Adventure Kart Expedition (A+, and you will get muddy) and Victoria: Butchart Gardens (A+). Because the ship is only in Ketchikan for ½ day, you can only do one excursion and even then, there’s not really time to see the town itself before you must be back on board. And the time in Victoria is even less (scheduled for 4 hours) – but strong winds delayed our ship by an hour, so we only had 3 hours in Victoria – and thus we had to walk briskly through Butchart gardens in order to see everything. (Princess did offer to refund the cost of the excursion to those people that chose not to go to Butchart because of the compressed time.) Prior to the cruise, we had booked dinner reservations at the Crown Grill on Saturday and at Share on Sunday. Both restaurants were fantastic – the quality of the food, the presentation of the food, and the broad wine and food menu selections. We thought the up charge for each restaurant ($29 per person) was more than reasonable. We also ate at the Salty Dog Gastropub on the other sea day (Wednesday) and the service and food were also excellent (Thank you Artha, Pamela, and Vicky). As for the main dining room, we chose anytime dining and never had an issue calling down for a reservation the same day…although that could have been the case because we generally ate at 8 pm or later. On the last day, in the main dining room, we actually ordered entrees from the Crown Grill menu – it’s a different kitchen but the same delicious food – and yes there was an up charge for that as well, but again, we felt it was reasonable. The Horizon buffet was good although we mainly used it for breakfast and the occasional snack. The made-to-order omelettes were very good. The only negative was the weak coffee – not good at all. On the third day we started to go to the International Café instead. The expresso and specialty coffees were excellent (yes, an upcharge of $2.50 and up) but well worth it. The Café also offers breakfast sandwiches, salads and paninis, plus cookies and sweets (no upcharge). The other cool place we discovered on day 3 was the Wheelhouse Bar, which is co-located with the Salty Dog Gastropub. A wide array of available spirits and cocktails, each made expertly by the bartenders (thank you Romero!). They also have live music (mostly piano, guitar, sax, bass) that sets a nice club mood. Side note on the Speakeasy Cigar Lounge adjacent to the casino. As an occasional cigar smoker, I was looking forward to going there at night to have a few puffs. The cigar selection was ok, not great – maybe ten brands to choose from. However, a big drawback is that Princess allows cigarette smokers in the cigar lounge – which is a big turn off for most cigar smokers – and totally unnecessary since they can smoke in certain sections of the casino and at designated outdoor locations. If Princess was smart, they would have cigar and bourbon tasting promotions or cigar and port tasting promotions, charge $15 for the cigar and comp the tastings – but first they would need to not allow cigarette smokers in the lounge. It’s has big revenue potential and Princess is missing out. As for entertainment, we didn’t make it to any of the production shows. However, we saw the “house” comedian (Michael Wilson) on both nights he performed. We thought him very funny. Our daughters didn’t get all of the jokes (e.g., Johnny Carson impression) but I think he skews his material to an older age demographic given the make up of the passengers. We also saw the French magician the night he performed, and he was very good. The only disappointment was the “guest comedian”, Jim McDonald – low energy and not very funny. Disembarkation was easy. We didn’t follow our assigned time since we had a later flight home and wanted to stay a little longer on the ship rather than at the airport. Eventually we left the ship, picked up our luggage at the pier and proceeded to the busses. We had pre-purchased transfer vouchers to take us from the pier to the airport. No one ever asked to see them – I wonder how many people just got in-line and boarded the bus without knowing they were supposed to pay? One last suggestion…bring some cash on the trip just for tipping. The bus drivers and guides for the shore excursions are typically seasonal workers and they rely in part on gratuities. On the ship, whenever you ordered something with an upcharge and the server brought the receipt to sign, they would usually ask for a cash tip instead of putting the gratuity on the room charge (because those gratuities are shared across all workers). In summary, this cruise is a “bucket list” trip and the Ruby Princess is a good way to experience Alaska. Read Less

This was our first Cruise. We learnt a lot from it! We are going on the Ruby Princess again in January, so it did us good to get familiar with it. We will be on a different floor than this time, in January, but things will be have the same eating places. The good things about the room we were in was it was an Ocean View. We could see the waves hitting the ship when waters we rough. Our cleaner for our room was Nopporn Niliprasert and he was great. Good things - Bathroom in this room- is set up really well - The shower curtain never stuck to you when in it - Closet space - more than we expected - Night Light in the room was an added touch - loved it - Hair dryer- was very powerful, never expected that Bad Things- Music- to Loud- not what we expected. Hopefully the same people are not on the next ship. - Dining Areas - We liked the one they had, but more of them should be free - Booze and Beverage Pkg. - should have been all inclusive, more people would have gone to the bars and lounges, where so many were empty.Thermos should be able to be filled for tours of the boat, and just drinking by the pools. - Ketchican- More time is needed there, did not get to walk around after the tours we wee on - Victoria - also could have been cut out or have been longer there. - Agendas - this is a waste of money- when you could give internet free and have an app for it, so all could follow. Or have a bulletin on each floor telling what is up for the day's themes we had to keep the agenda in our pocket and some time, no pockets. - emergency - ??? not sure about this at all! - Servers- good service when you first arrive. After a couple of days, most of them were looking on their cells, talking among themselves, and standing around. A little disappointing! I really hope things are a little different on the trip in January, especially the entrainment. Read Less

What is there not to love about sailing to Alaska aboard the Ruby Princess? Not much! The scenery is stunning, the amenities are fantastic, and the service was out of this world. The good: 1) The ship is incredibly wheelchair accessible. I use a mobility scooter and the only place I encountered even the slightest challenge was at the gym (the machines are placed too closely together to allow a wheelchair transfer). Everywhere else, whether on ship or shore, there really wasn’t anything I couldn’t access. Our balcony stateroom, R301, was wonderful. Plenty of room to move about the room and balcony, and the roll-in-shower was perfectly equipped for my needs. 2) The service is generally above and beyond amazing. Our room steward, Arnolfo Lumbre (aka Arnold) and everyone we encountered in the dining rooms/food service facilities, exceeded our wildest expectations and we’ve been to some pretty high end hotels/resorts. Additionally, the crew fell all over themselves to be helpful — always offering to carry items at the buffet or casual service places and assisting in boarding and disembarking at each port. 3) The scenery is exactly what you expect from this type of cruise: stunning. There truly is no place like Alaska. 4) The shore excursions we took were all excellent. The operators were extremely professional and friendly. From whale watching in Juneau, the scenic train in Skagway, the lumberjack show and visit to the Saxman native village, and night tour of the Butchart Gardens in Victoria there was nothing that we didn’t love. We also did a side trip to Jewel Gardens in Skagway on our own where we had lunch at their lovely restaurant Poppie’s and blew glass ornaments. It’s only a mile outside of town and easily walkable through a safe residential part of town, or you could take one of the city’s SMART shuttle buses that stops right on the property for $2 each way. 5) Michael Modzelewski, the ship’s resident naturalist, is a national treasure. Go for him alone. 6) Food was generally very good. Take it from a discerning NYC foodie. Most meals were excellent, and SHARE and Salty Dog were nice treats that were well worth the up charge. Lobster night (formal night #2) and crab leg night (Skagway day) are not to be missed in the main dining room, so plan to be there for those. Generally anything with crab and chocolate was extremely well done. Breakfast at the buffet and international court cafe was generally better than in the dining room, though lunch and dinner was the reverse. The not so great 1) The shore excursion desk. While most employees on the ship go out of their way to be helpful and are great at their jobs, the people at the shore desk are a special brand of incompetence. We got a call from them to inform us that a lift bus would not be available for one of our excursions at the last minute though access was confirmed with the shore excursions dept months in advance and the dock manager was very confused because there were multiple lift buses working that day and I was on his manifest for rides back to the ship — so it all worked out, but not without wasting an hour dealing with the shore desk. 2) Salmon! Surprisingly the one thing the dining room kitchen couldn’t get right was salmon. Way over cooked and under seasoned two nights in a row. 3) Coffee in the dining rooms was dreadful. Tasted like hot water with brown food coloring so we ended up buying lots of lattes. 4) There weren’t a lot of social activities that are geared to younger passengers. My friend and I are in our thirties and it seemed like most of our fellow cruisers were either retirees or families so it was hard to find others in our demographic to hang out with. Read Less

Always wanted to see Alaska. Service was top notch. Food was great everywhere except the specialty steakhouse. Entertainment was great. Did the helicopter ride to mendenhahl glacier. Once in a lifetime experience. White pass train trip was so entertaining. Hannah, our tour guide was the best. The new port valet service was a life-saver. We had all day in Seattle on our return. Our bags were sent straight to the airport. I have taken many cruises and have always had great information from customer service beforehand. The customer service before the trip wasn't great. Also, the cruise onboard schedule was not available. We didn't schedule any specialty dining or spa treatments ahead of tome because we couldn't tell when we would have time. However, the service onboard was so good we were able to schedule everything we wanted. I really couldn't tell if it was because we were in a suite and got special treatment but we had no problems reservations. Read Less

Went with friends for my first cruise and first trip to Alaska. Being a novice to both - it was an incredible experience all the way around. The cruise staff were always friendly and helpful. Ship very clean. Food in dining areas was very good with varied selections. Ate dinner at buffet once - many selections. Drink prices were a respectable price range. They were not off the charts and inline with what I pay at home - pleasant surprise. Our cabin was immaculate. Constantly keeping our rooms in shape. Room service was so quick. Embarkment and disemarkment ran with ease. Entertainment was very good and diverse. Excellent shows by comedian Mike Wilson and piano/singer Liam. Dance lessons and Zumba. Trivia and Karaoke. And many many more options to keep you busy while on the ship. Excursion in Skagway was beautiful and well worth it. Excursion in Canada was the only negative part of the trip. We docked a bit late and therefore the bus trip was in the dark. Not sure how you're expected to tour and see things in the dark. Total waste of money and time. The woman running the trip was good - being dark wasn't her fault. They should have given us the option to back out and give us a refund. Extremely disappointing for our last night on the cruise. Given there was always attention to detaIl for every part of the cruise, I'm surpised this slipped through. Kudos to our steward, Jose; waiter, Stephen; bartender, Deepak; entertainment, Guido. I wish I could remember the names of all of them - ALL the staff were so good and made you feel like family. It's really tough to name a few. Thanks to Princess Cruises for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime. Alaska is amazing. Words can't define the beauty of the nature seen. Read Less