Though both Venice and Athens are considered ports on this cruise, the first was an embarkation point and we did not go ashore on the second, due to strike actions closing the port. So, our first port and excursion was Kusadasi and we chose to go to the ruins of the ancient Greek city, Ephesus. Ephesus is really worth seeing and an excursion is the best way to get there if you have never been to Turkey before and do not know the language. The excursion was not bad, but if we went there again, I think we would try to arrange something more private. The guide was a very personable woman, but the commentary was pretty repetitive, there was a lot of waiting around for passengers who straggled to meeting points late. Also, lots of feedback and sporadic transmission on the headsets. The best part, though, was that the carpet making demonstration was right at the port and so we could miss it and get back to the ship. 


Kusadasi

Istanbul is an incredibly vital and interesting city of 15 million people. We had never been there before and so took the excursion to see - at least in passing - the biggest tourist sites: the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Cisterns. As with Ephesus, I would not choose an excursion like this again if I could get something else. Moreover, the guide, in this case, was not very good with people. We had a large Spanish speaking family on the excursion and he began by berating them for not taking the same tour with a Spanish speaking guide. It was entirely inappropriate and one got the feeling, throughout the day, that he was prejudiced against this group. 
Another drawback, though this was hardly the fault of the excursion company, was that the crowds were so thick at Topkapi Palace we were unable to see many of the exhibits and ended up finding a shady spot to sit and wait to leave. The carpet making display was, as others have noted, a waste of time. 
However, Princess did arrange a shuttle from the Bazaar back to the ship so that passengers really did not have to go to the carpet making display or spend the allotted two hours in the bazaar. That was much appreciated. 
We would love to go back to Istanbul, but to see more of the city that tourists do not go to. 


Istanbul

This was really the highlight of the trip. We took the excursion to the ancient city of Delos (birthplace of Apollo and Aphrodite). The tour guide was knowledgeable and I don't think we had to wear headsets. 
Like many Greek and Roman ruins, there are remains of colonnaded streets, an Agora (theater-like space for public meetings), theater and private dwellings and stores. In Delos, what is impressive is the size and extensiveness of the place - the town at its height was home to 30,000 people. You get to see a lot, even in a couple of hours, and are able to really get a sense of what this place must have been like. 
One highlight - the famous lion statues along one street. There may have been up to 16 of these - six remain. Even now, they give the town a sense of majesty and marvel - it was a sacred place, after all - the birthplace of gods. 
I heartily recommend this port and a tour of Delos. 


Mykonos

Our reason for choosing this itinerary was to see Pompeii. We had wanted to travel there 12 years ago, on our first trip to Italy, and had not been able to. We have waited a long time for the opportunity to see it. 
Our initial excursion - to Pompeii and the National Archaeological Museum was cancelled due to insufficient interest and so we chose a boat cruise to Amalfi and a tour of Pompeii. The cruise to Amalfi was fine - the coast and towns are very beautiful. In Amalfi itself we were simply given free time. There is really nothing much to see - and not much to buy. It is a beautiful resort town. A walk around with some commentary would have been better than free time. 
We returned to the area of Pompeii and had lunch, truly some of the worst food I have ever had in Italy. It was really pretty shocking - replete with a deafening strolling musician/singer. Naples is known for pizza - a slice of good pizza would have been far better than the cannelloni, with its sauce that was not much different in taste than the bottled kind you get in North American supermarkets and the overcooked chicken (same sauce). 
Pompeii is really worth seeing at least once. Again, it is pretty extensive and a really famous location. There are still a lot of artifacts that give you a good sense of what it was to live in a Roman town in the first century AD. The tour guide, who had not been too remarkable up this point, did provide an interesting commentary. 
Somewhere in there was a trip to a cameo factory where we watched a short video on the making of cameos and watched an artisan at work for a couple of minutes. It was not uninteresting, but really does feel forced on you as a pitch to buy what are actually probably not badly priced cameos. But cameos are a very expensive item to begin with. 
Altogether Pompeii is worth seeing. Really, though, if you can speak a bit of Italian and take the requisite precautions regarding the pickpockets and thieves that Naples is known for, you can probably do Pompeii on your own. Next time, we also want to see Herculaneum and the National Museum of Archeology. And we'll spring for our own lunch. 


Naples

To be honest, we did not go into Rome. We have been to Rome before and had different plans. We stayed in Civitavecchia, its port. We have friends who live in Rome. They joined us and we had a fantastic lunch at a seafood restaurant we found in one of the small streets. I only mention this because this cruise is particularly arduous. There are so many really great ports, you can end up needing a vacation after your vacation. Sometimes, just going ashore for a couple of hours, taking a walk and having lunch can give you a really great experience of a place. 
Mind you, if you have never been to Rome, then you have to head into town for the Colosseum, Vatican and incredible public places like the Piazza Navona and Campo dei Fiori. 


Rome (Civitavecchia)

Having listened to Hutch's port talk and not having much time, we simply took a walk around this resort for the ultra-wealthy. If you are interested in private banks and shop after shop of ultra expensive clothing, I suppose it might be worthwhile. It is a very beautiful spot and, I guess, the casino might be memorable if you gamble and have a lot of money to spend - and if you happen to win. Having been in the area before, I would say that my advice is go to Nice. It is relatively quick and easy to get there. It is much more interesting than Monte Carlo. 


Monaco (Monte Carlo)

We ended in Barcelona and stayed an extra day. Again, we had a friend who showed us around and were able to visit a few buildings designed by Gaudi (not the Sagrada Familia on this trip, unfortunately; but it is a must if you have never been seen it).

Barcelona is one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities on the planet. It is a place where architecture, for some reason, has always been inspired. Though Gaudi is the most famous architect, there are many others. Beautiful buildings from many centuries stand beside exquisite modern ones. Most notably, Barcelona has wonderful public art - statues from many centuries and artists from all over the world, including Roy Lichtenstein, the American pop artist.

This is a city to walk and walk and walk. Again, the Port talk gave enough information to plan, with a map, a day on your own. The city is pretty safe, except for pickpockets, and has an easy subway as well as a great hop on hop off tour bus.

We met family, who also happened to be vacationing in Spain, and friends for dinner. Catalan food is amazing! Barcelona is not to be missed. Next time, we will make much more time for it.

Barcelona

The cabin was really great - it had plenty of space, lots of storage. We were worried about how exposed the large balcony was, but that did not prove to be a problem, either for privacy or for shade. We were able to spend quite a bit of time out there, only driven indoors on a few occasion due to smokers on their balconies. That will change, however, with Princess's new smoking policy. Only problem was the bed was too soft. We will request a firmer mattress in future. I think it will be better if they simply remove the pad on top of the mattress.

It was difficult to find a night to try the premium restaurants, but when we did, we found Sabatini's even more incredible than the main dining room.One thing that no one mentions about the food on Princess is the fact that there are such healthy choices for dinner every night.

Ruby Princess Review

Ruby Princess meets expectations

Rating by category

Additional details

Cabin Review

Find a Ruby Princess Cruise from $188