We’re back onboard the Ruby Princess from Princess Cruises and this time we’re going to take a look at a few of the cabins. Next to dining, cabins tend to be the most talked about item on a ship. I had the opportunity to tour the ship during a recent conference in Florida and the Ruby Princess was one of those ships that I was able to tour while there. I will be posting all of the photos of this cruise tour on my FaceBook page shortly, so visit that page for more pictures of this ship and others. According to CruiseAdvice.org, the best cabins on this ship are located on decks 10 (Caribe deck) and 12 (Aloha deck).
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| Balcony Cabin on deck 15 (Lido Deck) |
The first cabins we visited on our cabin tour was the oceanview double cabins with balcony (category BA) on deck 15 (Lido deck) in cabins L209 and L219. These are typical balcony cabins that you might find on any of the cruise lines. The decor is similar to Royal Caribbean as is the layout. Approximate square footage is 233 square feet including the balcony. Considering this is Princess Cruises‘ latest ship (2008), I really expected that cabins to look newer than they did. Not that they aren’t nice, but they appear somewhat dated.
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| Inside cabin L233 |
While up on deck 15 (Lido deck), we also checked out cabin L233, an inside double stateroom (category II). Measuring 160 square feet in size, the addition of the mirror on the one wall does make the room appear bigger than it is. In this photo you can see that the beds are in a twin bed configuration, but based on your reservation, the cabin attendant will either leave them apart or put them together if you need a full size bed. Traveling in an inside cabin is an affordable way to cruise and is also great for anyone that likes their room to be pitch black when sleeping since no outside light will come in the room. Having said that, most people who have tried an inside room usually decide to try an oceanview cabin on subsequent cruise. After that, they try a balcony cabin and forget about going back to an inside cabin after you’ve experienced a balcony cabin!
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| Balcony Cabin on deck 14 (Riviera Deck) near Terrace Pool |
Next up on deck 14 (Riviera deck) is a cabin that I will absolutely recommend to anyone who loves spending a lot of time at the pool. Located aft (at the back of the ship) on deck 14 are a small group of four oceanview double cabins with balcony (category BB) that are only steps away from the Terrace Pool. These cabins are standard balcony cabins, which are located on decks 8, 9, 10, 11, and 14, vary in size from 233 to 285 square feet including the balcony. However, it’s the location that makes this cabin extremely desirable and I suggest that if you are interested in booking one of these, to book as far in advance as possible so as not to be disappointed.
Some might find it strange that I would take a picture of the staircase near the elevator, but this is what you see when you are on a ship. Again, it looks like most other ships and isn’t anything out of the ordinary. The carpeting, decor, and art are similar to what you might see on other ships while on the way to your cabin or dining room. In most of the public spaces you can appreciate that the Ruby Princess is a premium cruise line. However, in areas such as this or in the cabins, unless you are one of the lucky ones that can afford a suite, “premium” seems to have been omitted from the design.
Conversely, this is the main elevator area near the Promenade Galleria and it oozes elegance in the warm tones of the wood and contrasting gold colors. You truly feel like you are in a high end resort in this section of the ship and other public spaces, more of which we will touch upon next time. Even the established cruise lines have difficulty striking a balance on their cruise ships. Will most people notice? I’m not sure, but I’m onboard these ships as the eyes and ears to those of you reading my blog. Anyone who knows me knows that I am brutally honest and I will tell you the truth, even if you think you might not want to hear it. Some might say that they don’t care if the cabins are a little dated, but if you’re sailing on a premium cruise line like Princess Cruises, then you are also paying a little more for that premium cruise. Therefore, I do think that the entire ship should better reflect the premium experience and hopefully, they will consider this on future ship construction.
Next time we will look at the dining and public spaces on the Ruby Princess so bring your appetites!