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| Whole Roasted Beef Tenderloin in a port wine reduction with market fresh vegetables and whipped potatoes |
Too many pictures and places and not enough time! I didn’t want to move on completely to the NCL Dawn before finishing up with the beautiful Ruby Princess. Last time we looked at a few of the cabins, but this time we will take a look at the food onboard. After all, who doesn’t love a great meal while cruising?
After running around the ship at full speed trying to see every nook and cranny in an unbelievably short amount of time (otherwise known as a ship inspection), we were treated to lunch in one of the Main Dining Rooms on the ship. The Ruby Princess has three with the Botticelli Dining Room on Deck 6 Aft and Da Vinci Dining Room also on Deck 6 as well as Michelangelo Dining Room on Deck 5. This ship offers several formal dining rooms in the cruise tradition, with Traditional Dining at the same times for each meal, with attentive service provided by your own waiter throughout the cruise. Modern, stylish furniture and lighting provide the guests with a comfortable atmosphere while enjoying any of their meals.
We sat down for lunch and we were handed a special menu for luncheon guests. With only a few selections, I was concerned that I would probably have to skip out on lunch. But to my surprise, once I told the server that I didn’t eat meat or eggs (nearly impossible to be vegan on a cruise ship), he brought me out a different menu. Both menus offered limited selections, but what was served everyone absolutely enjoyed. Maybe the food was good because we were on the ship inspection or maybe the food was good because Princess Cruise Line is a premium cruise line and the food is better. Either way you can’t lose! You can see both of the menus along with all of the pictures I took of the meals and the rest of the ship that don’t appear here in my blog on the Travel Shop Girl FaceBook page within the next few days.
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| Seared Salmon Steak with herb butter, fresh season vegetables, and parsley potatoes |
In the meantime, this is one of the entrees, the Seared Salmon Steak with herb butter, fresh seasonal vegetables, and parsley potatoes. The first picture on today’s post is of the Whole Roasted Beef Tenderloin in a port wine reduction with market fresh vegetables and whipped potatoes. Let’s just say that most of the plates were almost licked clean. Scary, but true!
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| Gatsby’s Casino |
After lunch we waddled out of the dining room and made our way to several of the ship’s public areas including Gatsby’s Casino on Deck 6. Now I hate to admit this for fear that someone might think I have a gambling problem (I don’t!), but I have seen and played in quite a few ship casinos. Gatsby’s Casino felt the least like a ship casino and more like a land casino. This picture should give you an idea of what I mean. From the brick columns, overhead lights, and seating, the casino felt like a real casino and not an over the top, brightly colored and overly lit ship casino. I’ve seen people so overwhelmed in those types of ship casinos that they’d probably be better off focusing on somewhere online like kis918 or the likes, as to not miss anything and lose out on winning opportunities. Considering this casino was a little more refined and felt how a casino should feel, I was appreciative and I am sure other guests will be as well.
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| Outrigger Bar |
Up on Deck 15, the Lido Deck, in addition to the pool area, there is Cafe Caribe, Outrigger Bar, Pizza & Ice Cream Bar, and Trident Grill. Imagine you’re in the pool and want a quick bite to eat. You can walk over to the Trident Grill and not only get the typical cheeseburger or hot dog, but how about bratwurst, knockwurst, or wait… a veggie burger? That’s right — they serve veggie burgers at the Trident Grill! They are open the majority of the day and evening, from 11 am to 11 pm, and if you don’t feel like schlepping it to one of the dining rooms, you can always snack on something or make sure the kids have something to eat while you have fun poolside. I have to admit that I would have to convince myself that they were not cooking the veggie burgers alongside the beef burgers on the grill, but somehow I don’t think anyone cares about that but me unfortunately.
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| Crooner’s Bar |
The Ruby Princess offers a variety of entertainment options during the day and evening including the Wheelhouse Bar, Club Fusion, Skywalkers Nightclub, Movies Under the Stars, and Crooner’s Bar. Here piano music provides the backdrop for an afternoon or evening of fun onboard. Although masculine in appearance, I think anyone would have a great time in here relaxing and throwing back a drink or two.
Every cruise line has its own vibe and feel and that can change based on the passengers that are on the ship at a specific time. Overall, Princess Cruise Line provides a premium cruise experience to its passengers and it shows in the all of the aspects of the ship from the crew to the food to the tiniest of details. Is this a party ship? Absolutely not and I would definitely steer younger crowds away from expecting as much. If, however, you were looking for a family friendly vacation that was low key or a romantic cruise, Princess Cruise Lines and the Ruby Princess can definitely deliver all that and more. This is why it is so important to speak with someone knowledgeable about the different cruise lines, ships, and itineraries before booking your cruise vs. simply clicking a few buttons online and booking a cruise yourself. Price should never dictate what cruise you take because you could end up on the wrong type of cruise and have wasted your entire vacation. And that, my friends, is no fun for anyone!