Ruby Princess

Ruby Princess was still in her first full season and you could tell. She gleamed from bow to stern and had the most motivated crew I have ever witnessed. Now that is saying something because the Princess Cruises staff are generally of a high standard anyway. I like the cosmopolitan feel of the Princess ships. It’s a good international crowd which offers variety and colour. To me the most abiding memories of a cruise are and have always been of the people. Long after the taste of the great cuisine (and on this ship it really is ‘great’) has gone and the thrill of sparkly, modern facilities has left, it’s the fun people you meet on board which you’ll remember longest.

While the restaurant dining on this ship is 9as you’d expect) of a high standard, I urge you to explore teh fine dining restaurants ‘Sabatinis’ and the ‘Crown Grill’. Both dining experiences can hold their own with expensive restaurants ashore and you’ll be thrilled with the attentive yet discreet service of the waiting staff. But it’s not all about fine dining either. Fancying a respite from the main restaurant dining, we went to the buffet expecting the conventional ‘help yourself’ selections or at best a themed Italian or Chinese night. Oh how wrong could one be? The catering geniuses on Princess had gone past the conventional and offered things like a Bavarian Buffet, a welcome departure from the expected.

Finally the itinerary. We did the 12 night Barcelona – Venice and it really does include many of the highlights of the Mediterranean: Monte Carlo, Florence, Rome, Naples, Mykonos, Kusadasi and Istanbul. I’d recommend it to anyone who is not well versed in that part of the world. there’s just teh right mixture of culture, history and natural beauty.

To summarise my holiday in one line: In one cruise, we saw many of the wonders of the Mediteranean while sailing on one of them!