As promised, here are more highlights from our seven day cruise on the Ruby Princess Cruise Ship from Los Angeles, California to the Mexican Riviera, that my husband and I took last month. This was only our second cruise, but I know it won't be our last, as we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Being on a large cruise ship with over 3,000 people is an experience in and of itself. The Ruby Princess had a variety of entertainment and activities and many different dining experiences to enjoy. There is also plenty of opportunity to just relax. It is up to the passenger to decide how much, or how little you want to do while the ship is at sea.
(All photos in this post will enlarge if clicked on)
My husband and I usually plan our vacations ourselves and do our own research. We are the "hyper" type that get up early and get on the road and push ourselves to do and see as much as possible where ever we go. Going on a cruise is much more relaxed, and was a welcome break for us in that we felt very little pressure.
We loved walking around the ship to get exercise, and to discover all the amenities. The 1,200 member crew was very helpful and pleasant. Our fellow passengers ranged in age, but were predominantly middle aged to retired, and the very young and the very elderly were also accommodated well.
A good resource to check out for information about all the Ruby Princess, as well as other ships, is Cruise Critic. This website is full of great tips and reviews of almost every cruise line and will help you chose what is right for you.
My husband and I chose the "anytime" dining option that the Ruby Princess offers, where we could dine in two of the three main dining rooms at any time during dinner hour and also sit at a table for two if we desired, instead of dining at a larger table with others. We had many a pleasant conversation with other nearby dinners, while at our table for two when we desired or could just concentrate on each other.
There was also buffet dining available for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and casual cafes and specialty restaurant venues that required a cover charge or extra fee.
There were many bars and lounges on the ship where one could sit and talk quietly, or enjoy a game show hosted by the Cruise Director with passenger volunteers.
The Gatsby Casino on board functions while the ship is at sea. We heard someone won a $3,000 jackpot one evening!
There were also four boutiques, which had varied merchandise from toiletries and souvenirs to jewelry, perfumes and clothing.
The Ruby Princess theater has 800 seats and put on Broadway style shows every evening. The Ruby Princess also does "The Voice of the Ocean," on the last night of the cruise, their own version of the popular NBC show The Voice. It features passengers who are picked from karaoke competitions done earlier in the cruise.
One of my favorite places on the ship was the art gallery, where the collections were rotated to show different paintings each day. I enjoyed going to the art auction events on the ship, as the auctioneer was very knowledgeable and described the painter's backgrounds. their painting techniques and gave interesting descriptions of each painting being auctioned.
There was such a beautiful array of artwork to marvel at!
We enjoyed many very delicious meals....
...and enjoyed all of the entertainment.
So yes, we will cruise again in the future and enjoy the fun again! We may not go on 149 Princess cruises, like the couple who were the first to pour in the champagne fountain with the ship's captain, but we will definitely sail on a Princess ship again!
I'm linking this post to the following blog events:
All Seasons, Blue Monday, Through My Lens Monday, Mosaic Monday, Life Through the Lens Monday, Mellow Yellow Monday, Inspiration Monday, Good Random Fun, Nature Notes, Grand Social, Photo Tunes, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday,Wanderful Wednesday,Wordless Wednesday, Oh My Heartsie Girl's Wonderful Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Share Your Cup Thursday,Little Things Thursday, Travel Photo Thursday, Thankful Thursday, Friday Photo Journal, Skywatch Friday, Sweet Inspiration, Weekend Travel Inspiration, Friday Features, Pink Saturday
Thank you to all the blog hosts!
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39 comments:
Looks like you had a lovely time aboard ship. They certainly work hard to feed and entertain passengers. It seems it is not the destination so much as the trip.
What a fabulous ship, so much to see and do and excursions into Mexico as well, sounds like a wonderful trip. Even though you made me envious I'm so glad you shared the adventure with us on Mosaic Monday today!
You brought back a lot of memories. Before I lost my husband, we took several cruises. It was so different back then. We loved the Princess lines as well.
Glad you had a good time! I've never been on a cruise.
Thank you for such a stunning post, darling Pat, I'm sure you're still treasuring that week !!!
Wishing you a very happy Monday and new week ahead,
with utmost gratitude, sweet friend
Xx Dany
WOW, what a floating city! There are more people on that ship an live in my small home town. Looks like you had a great time. Thanks for stopping by.
These ships are amazing. So much to see and do and eat! Lovely mosaics. Happy Mosaic Monday and Valentine's Day Pat!
I have always wanted to go on a cruise these shots make me want it even more.
I like to plan my own trips too. I'm glad yours turned out so well. Thanks for linking to Blue Monday!
Beautiful shots from your cruise trip.
I'm so glad you enjoyed your cruise, Pat. We love cruising as well. You are right that it can be anything you make it. Relaxing or high gear! Your photos look wonderfully exciting. This chilly day certainly makes me wish I were on a cruise! Have a great week ahead. ♥
Looks like a wonderful way to spend some vacation time! Such great photos, Pat! Glad y'all had such a good time and thank you for sharing the info with us! blessings ~ tanna
Lovely photos of a delightful cruise ship and what a great time you had ~ love the collage of photos too ~ thanks,
Wishing you a Happy Week ~ ^_^
A very different holiday for you. Glad you enjoyed it so much. Look forward to seeing your excursion photos of Mexico.
Great shots.
Sydney – City and Suburbs
That looks fantastic and sounds wonderful. A cruise is on my bucket list, but the bucket is deep and the pockets are notes it may never happen.
Am glad you had a great time! All these boutiques and food would be too much temptation for me, and would have to live on a shoestring and diet for the rest of the year, lol! But your photos are beautiful as always, and thank you so much for sharing the collage and your comment to share at ALL SEASONS! Hope you're also going to show the ports you passed on this cruise:) Have a grand week, Pat:)
Cruises are nice, they kind of enforce relaxation upon you, and the food is good and it is great to go to shows every evening. The flexible dining options are nice also.
A relaxing vacation is fun sometimes, and a cruise ship the perfect venue. What a magnificent ship the Ruby Princess looks in your photos. So glad you had a wonderful time.
What a gorgeous ship!
What a lovely interior. And you had such fun - and so much good food!
Pat, Looks like you had a great time. I love the art gallery on a ship! The food looks delicious. Thanks for sharing. Sylvia D.
Your photos are incredible.
Worth a Thousand Words
That is quite the ship. I bet you really did have a marvelous time.
I've never really wanted to go on a cruise. However, you might have just convinced me to try it. I like the relaxed atmosphere of this one.
Thanks! Your photos are really good also.
Hello Pat, the ship and cruise sounds wonderful. So glad you had a great time. I like you can dine anytime. The photos are great, beautiful ship. Have a happy day and week ahead!
Thank you for sharing these lovely photo's.
I'm so pleased you had a great time.
All the best Jan
Had an awesome cruise ourselves a couple of years ago...our first, but it won't be our last either. Loved your awesome photos!
I like cruises too! I took one that stopped in Catalina Island and Ensenada but have wanted to take a longer one for some time. The food is one of the things I liked the most. There were so many options and everything was good. I want to read more about your experience since I have not visited any of the cities you stopped. #OurWorldTuesday
So glad you had a great time, Pat. Looks like lots to keep you busy.
Wow! How can you not have a good time on that ship!! My MIL takes at least one cruise a year and has no intention of stopping. Personally, I would like to take one sometime down the road, maybe to Alaska. Your photos are just wonderful!
What a lot of bright colors! Yes, how could you not have a fun time on this cruise?!
Love your pictures and it all looks so fun. Makes me look forward even more to the one we've booked for this Fall. I'm glad you liked Princess as that is the line we chose. Interested that you liked the anytime dining option ... it would be our choice as well except we read where people sometimes had to wait in longish lines to be seated. I can't remember what we opted for and/or if we can still change.... must ask my in-house travel agent what he finally chose. Thanks for posting and all the great info!
How wonderful that you and your husband were able to relax and enjoy the trip, such incredible amenities, amazing food, delightful accommodations! I enjoyed your mosaic pictures, all the food looked so good, indeed! :)
Glad you had such a fun time! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Such an elegant looking ship. I am amazed about the art gallery onboard.
It really does sound fabulous...and LOOKS amazing! What splendor! The time must have flown by! Hugs, Diane
This is a larger ship than I have ever cruised on. It looks like a great time (as I would expect from Princess Cruises).
That looks like you had a marvelous time. That's amazing that they are able to put 4 boutique shops, a theater, and art gallery all on one ship! I'm glad you were able to go on this cruise. :)
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