11 Nights Mexican Riviera Holiday Cruise

Please Use Sanitizer After Coughing/Sneezing!

12th Princess cruise, 3rd to Hawaii. Must be content with sea days. All cruises have glitches and this had a few extra... part of the adventure. Embarkation was bad. Just after noon and the line looped around outside in cold wind with threat of rain. 55 minutes to get in building, another 55 min to get thru cattle lines. This is Medallion 'walk on?' Cabins great... we have an RV so we think it’s roomy. TV no longer over fridge corner but larger on wall across from bed. Mattress most comfortable ever on my bad back. Hate the duvet... choice of a sheet or a sleeping bag on you. Our cabin steward had uncanny ability to clean room when we stepped out. Weatherwise, this cruise was cold. But ship was cold, esp buffet and Princess Theater. Passengers and crew often wore jackets. Help is all hard working, cheerful, well groomed and crisply dressed. Staff cut back if that's possible. In buffet, often can't find anyone to take your beverage order, tables not clean, set ups empty. Have to grab silverware from another table.  No more bucket of beer-- 5 cans on ice-- for a price break. No pitcher of margarita. No happy hour deals. Missed an upsale, Princess! They have a photo pkg for multiples, 5 for $120 inc digital. Otherwise 8x10s are $25 plus $5 for digital. Bottled water $4, soda $6, beer $8, drinks $10-15 (don’t drink). Laundry is $3 ea for washer and dryer, $1.25 for soap. FOOD: Food good but not as good. Something for everyone. Princess, there's a problem in buffet. Not contaminated food but contaminated tongs. Watched 2 dozen people enter without stopping at hand sanitizer. They were too busy coughing into hand or wiping nose with wadded tissue. Then they pick up tongs. I have been known to crab at them if you heard about a quarrel. There is also handy sink washing stations, usually monitored. That’s a thankless job. Please folks, it protects you first. During peak mealtimes, there could be no table available after walking one side and the other, or even outside. Despite a sign to not use table for games or reading, many were. The MDR, DaVinci was usually good for walk-in if you time it right. Be early, or show up between 6:30-7 when 1st wave is leaving, or after 7:30 show. Botticelli usually had app reservations. Princess pasta and breads are perfection. International Café can’t make our favorite hot mocha. We ordered with 'extra chocolate ' and barely above a latte. Gave up after 4 mornings and used regular buffet coffee which was usually good. Love the menu on the app; would like it extended to list featured buffet items. The Salty Dog Grill did not have street tacos. ENTERTAINMENT:  To avoid crowds, I’m very selective what shows to attend and don’t go to most entertainment. The production show Stardust was a huge miss. I felt trapped in the Dinah Shore Show listening to my mother's music and I'm 76. In fairness, I heard people raving about it. But after the great Motown and British production shows, this was a step backward. The guest entertainers were the best. Jason Ostrowski as Elton John...Wow! And Stephanie Hodgdon doing rock... now I’m a fan! In Honolulu, do not miss the local Halau Liia Makanoe Hawaiian dance youngsters. Great! Regardless, you need to get to theater 45-30 min early.... standing room only. By the end of the cruise, lots of hacking coughs. Art auctions a pain. Couldn't preview art or sit down till scheduled auction time. Not good for old gimpy people with money. Opens with 'give yourselves a hand!' Oh puke. Enrichment lectures: Love ‘em. I should get college credits for the scientific ones. Hawaiian port lectures were very good and steeped in culture but lacking in specifics... how far to town, can it be walked, are shuttles available and how much? The Princess app has a teeny tiny map... that’s it. PORTS: Nawiliwili in Kauai was a port disaster. Ship arrived very late due to weather, but principles the same. Little or no signage. No line for a scarce shuttle bus, just a mob pushing and crowding.  When I questioned a port official, he said 'I don't know...they don't tell me anything.’ After making no progress onto a bus, we went back through security to ship. That included being directed to one gangway to be told to go back to another gangway. I may have straightened that out. Honolulu we took an Uber – easy. Kona was a shuttle and we didn’t get off ship. Hilo I was lost. We started to walk to town (how far?) but turned back to ship. Ended up getting an Uber to Pana’ewa Zoo. Saved the day!! We are now Elite. We’re booked again on this ship in July, plus 2 more Princess cruises. Note: This is the first cruise in the past 10 that I didn’t return go-to-the-doctor sick with bronchitis and/or pneumonia. All that hand washing and sanitizer might be working.

Christmas and New Year’s on Ruby to Hawaii

This was an Excellent cruise itinerary, we had good service by friendly crew in all areas, consistent well prepared food in main dining room Botticelli. We had mixed feelings on our meals at the busy Horizon buffet, some lunches quite good, others didn’t suit us, but great pizza or a burger Ora grilling chicken sandwich and fries by the pool was always an alternative. There was varied entertainment, nine musical acts on board, crafts for families and kids. Beautiful Christmas decorations, many pretty trees, wreaths and garlands. New Year’s hats and tiaras were presented at NYE dinner. Santa gave gifts to the many children on board. Good weather. Some felt it was a bit rocky a few days but most didn’t mind. Lots of extra cleaning going on due to GI cases reported, no self service in Buffet. A wonderful way to celebrate the holidays. Hanukkah was also celebrated each night with candle lighting and traditional foods.

Wonderful experience

We once again enjoyed sailing on the Ruby Princess. As far as I am concerned, sharing joy with the crew and other passengers is what makes a cruise most memorable. The crew sets the festive, heart warming, and fun tone, and the passengers pick up on this quickly. Every elevator ride becomes a chance to make new friends. This is not a traditional review, but I can only say the over-riding sentiment was friendship and delight. To be sure the main dining room food was not as inviting as previous cruises and on board pricing for drinks, photos, bottled water had increased, but the pervading theme was enjoyment. The Cruise Director and her staff did an excellent job of presenting games and there was always one or more fun activities from which to choose. The energy level of the entertainment staff was extremely high. The production shows varied, food was plentiful and the mattress comfortable....a definite five star experience.