Cruising the West Coast From Los Angeles to Vancouver on the Ruby Princess
It’s been many years since I have sailed on a Princess ship, so I was excited to board the Ruby Princess for a voyage from Los Angeles north to Vancouver, Canada. Ruby launched in 2008 and was refurbished in 2018. The vessel features 19 decks with 1,542 rooms, 900 of which have balconies.
Renowned as a Jewel of The Sea, Princess’s Medallion Class service and amenities are head and shoulders above other cruises I’ve taken. Follow along on my Ruby journey to learn more about my experiences.
DAY 1 – EMBARKATION IN LOS ANGELES
First and foremost, if you are cruising on Princess, download the app. It will have all the information you need to plan your schedule and activities for the week in advance and it’s simple to use.
Embarkation at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro was a breeze. Porters were ready to take our luggage, after which we were directed to a Blue Line or a Green Line for check-in. Word of advice, purchase your medallion in advance! There is a small shipping fee of $10, unless you sign up for the Medallion Plus or Premier Packages, then its free - and well worth it. The Blue Line was extremely long, while the Green Line, for those passengers who already had their Medallion, had no wait and we glided through check in.
What is a Princess “Medallion”? It is a small device, like an Apple Air Tag, that pairs with the app and contains all of your personal and cruise data. You are given a lanyard to clip on to your Medallion, or you can purchase a watchband or button that it clips into.
You wear your Medallion whenever on board and it even has some perks in port as well. The Medallion is your key to the following services.
· It’s the key to unlock your stateroom door.
· It identifies you for embarking and disembarking the ship in port.
· You can connect with guest services and ask for assistance or ask questions from anywhere with the Crew Call Chat.
· You can book tours and excursions directly in the app rather than waiting in line at the Tour Desk.
· It is scanned for your Princess Plus or Princess Premier amenities, such as drinks, fitness classes, restaurant reservations, etc.
· It not only identifies you, but you can input your shipmates, family, friends, etc. and the app will let you know exactly where they are on the ship. This is genius!
· In a similar way, you can order any food or beverage to be brought to you anywhere on the ship, since they know your exact location.
· You not only use the Medallion when shopping onboard, but if you shop Princess’s Preferred Retailers in port, you’ll receive 7% of your purchase back in onboard credit and are entered for a chance to win a Princess SPASS Porsche Taycan.
Caveat. As a promoter of unique port shopping experiences, I can’t say I fully endorse the “Preferred Retailer” incentive program. If passengers are planning to make a purchase from a Princess Preferred Retailer, then this incentive is very enticing and rewarding, for certain.
However, since there is a fee, many small retailers and artisans in ports cannot afford to participate, so they may be overlooked by passengers who are unaware of their shops, studios and galleries. I encourage travelers to always seek out small, local businesses and artisans for an authentic shopping experience and beautiful handcrafted arts, in each cruise destination.
Once we embarked, we toured the ship, signed up for fitness classes and made a reservation for the Sanctuary on the first sea day. You’ll hear more about that experience coming up on Day 3. Lunch was at Botticelli, after quite a wait in line. The handmade ravioli and Grand Marnier souffle for desert were delish and service was excellent, so the wait was worthwhile!
After we sailed, there was some time for casino play before dinner at Da Vinci, where the food and service were really good. My favorite part of the evening was the Motown Hour in Skywalkers Nightclub where we sang and danced to old and new favorites!
The biggest surprise? When we returned to our room, we had received turn down service. This service is no longer provided on some other cruise ships, so it was a nice surprise after a long day of fun.
DAY 2 – SANTA BARBARA
This morning, we were told that guests wishing to tender into Santa Barbara early, should go to Deck 7 to receive a boarding number, which would be called when your tender was available after 8am. We were also informed that by 11am there wouldn’t be a need for numbers and all guests should be able to board. We slept in, had room service, and left our room at 11:00 with plans to tender ashore for lunch.
By Noon they were only on group number 30. So off we went to get a number, which was 42. It was now nearing 12:30pm. Our shipmates who departed on an earlier tender texted us to say that no one at the tender platform was checking numbers, so we went to board at that time and discovered many guests had done the same.
When we arrived in Santa Barbara at 1pm, we saw a very long line for tendering back to the ship. As such, we only stayed in Santa Barbara for a few hours, knowing the last embarkation was at 5pm.
I love Santa Barbara, which you know if you’ve read my blog about the Funk Zone. That visit to Santa Barbara was by land, so I had a full day to explore the artistic vibe of this seaside town.
This visit we enjoyed lunch on the patio at Jeanine’s and returned to my favorite shop, Loveworn, so I could buy a warm shirt for the chilly, breezy day. Be sure to grab a brew and a pretzel at the German Biergarten located next door to Loveworn as well!
We then took a walk down Santa Barbara’s historic Sherman Pier and I met a talented sand sculptor with his mermaid in progress, before returning to the tender line.
We waited in the tender line for 30 minutes and the return took 15 minutes. We were back on-board ship by 4pm.
This is my biggest disappointment with cruise lines. There is never enough time to explore each port. I’d love to see a cruise line overnight in some ports, so that passengers have time to fully experience the destination and its culture, dining, shopping, entertainment and attractions. Less port visits, but more meaningful ones.
Our shipmates met us for craft cocktails at Crooners Bar before dinner at Michelangelo, which was very tasty. We spent the rest of the evening listening to a variety of great music, followed by the production show: Magic to Do. The show is written and produced by renowned Broadway producer, Stephen Schwartz. The amazing spectacle was mesmerizing and beyond beautiful! Watch the video below, courtesy of Princess, for a glimpse of this spectacular show!
Afterwards, we laughed along with comedian Mike Wilson and topped the night off with 50’s and 60’s Rock ‘n’ Roll in the Explorer’s Lounge.
DAY 3 – AT SEA
This morning began with fitness. I headed to Zumba while my husband went to Stretch Lab, which was complimentary as part of our Princess Premier package. Zumba was the bomb, led by an instructor from the entertainment team. I regularly take Zumba when we are in San Diego, but this hour was a real treat and so much fun with fellow passengers. There were about 40 of us! All ages.
We had planned to spend our day in the Sanctuary, which is a beautiful outdoor adults-only area on deck 16, forward of the ship. There is an additional charge for access.
The indoor area of the Sanctuary is designed like a casual English garden and solarium with a dedicated bar and pool, cushioned seating and amazing ocean views. We had booked two loungers on embarkation day and were looking forward to a little rest and relaxation in the sun. However, Mother Nature had other plans.
The day turned out to be very windy and cold. So, we canceled our Sanctuary loungers and spent the rest of the day enjoying indoor activities, including bingo with Ms. Fortuna Luck, a quirky member of the entertainment team. We didn’t win, but it was a lot of fun!
As part of our Princess Premier package, which I highly recommend purchasing, we received a complimentary daily deluxe desert. An ice cream shop located alongside the Slice pizza bistro crafted the most outrageous sundaes I’ve ever seen. We weren’t there every day, but true ice cream aficionados would be!
This evening was the first formal night for portraits, so we changed for dinner and met our shipmates for cocktails. In the Atrium, the ship’s senior officers were introduced, followed by a fun participation by guests to fill a towering, bubbly champagne fountain. Great photo op!
This evening, the casino had given us complimentary dinners and wine in the ship’s specialty steakhouse restaurant, Crown Grill. Unfortunately, we could only get the last reservation for the evening at 8pm.
As a result, service wasn’t great (they wanted to close, and started resetting tables around us). The steak was dry and the sides of “loaded” baked potato and sauteed mushrooms left a lot to be desired. Even desert was disappointing. Although we did enjoy a nice bottle of wine, we were relieved we hadn’t paid the upcharge to dine at Crown Grille.
DAY 4 – SAN FRANCISCO
We arrived in San Francisco early at 7am. Having visited most of the city’s attractions before, I was looking forward to a fun day of local shopping and dining. We waited until 10am to disembark. The weather was perfect. Sunny and high 60’s. So, we strolled along the Embarcadero, dined on Dungeness Crab for lunch at the Crab House, and enjoyed San Franscisco’s colorful seaport. Especially the noisy sea lions at colorful Pier 39, which is filled with souvenir shops, delicious restaurants and cafes.
Next we headed to the Ferry Buidling, a historic landmark turned contemporary culinary and artisan marketplace. Be sure to read my blog about San Francisco’s historic Ferry Building Marketplace, where I talk about the unique culinary products and retail goods that I discovered during my visit. You’ll definitely want to visit when in San Francisco.
Back on board, we enjoyed live music and dinner before our evening departure. Once the ship set sail at 8:30 pm, we headed up to Deck 16 to experience the passing of Ruby under the glowing lights of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was very windy and cold. The sight was both breathtaking and exhilarating. Photos just can’t do it justice.
The evening’s production show was called Stardust. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with the quality of the show. It reminded me of cruise ship shows from 10 years ago. I may be spoiled by NCL’s Broadway production quality entertainment. But I wouldn’t watch Stardust again. Then it was on to the casino for some play time, which was buzzing (or should I say dinging) with activity!
DAY 5 – AT SEA
I began this morning with another Zumba class. It was almost canceled due to the high swells and rocky motion of the ship, but we all kept our balance and had a great time!
Next I went to a wonderful wine tasting class. There was live music and appetizers to pair. The sommelier was so fun and informative. I find that each wine tasting class varies by cruise ship and I learn something new every time!
This evening was the Love & Marriage game show. We always love laughing through these shows, but this time, my husband and I were the entertainment.
The ship’s entertainment team selects a newlywed couple, a couple married 10-20 years and a “lifetime” couple, which was us.
And we won! After forty four years of marriage, I guess my husband and I do know quite a bit about each other. LOL!
Afterwards, we headed to the late-night comedy show featuring former LAPD officer Kevin Jordan. No shortage of laughs this evening. What a great way to top off the day.
DAY 6 – ASTORIA
The port of Astoria is simply charming. It sits along the Columbia River, where it feeds into the Pacific Ocean. It is the oldest city in Oregon and is best known for its fishing and logging industries, as it is surrounded by rich, stately forests. Victorian architecture shines throughout the homes and buildings in the small town, which boasts a great collection of breweries, seafood restaurants and local shops.
The ship docks about a mile from downtown, and you can walk or take a complimentary trolley along the Riverfront to downtown and the Columbia River Maritime Museum. I visited a couple shops featuring local artists, followed by lunch at Mo’s Seafood, where I enjoyed the freshest fish and chips, with a waterfront view on a sparkling sunny day. Such a scenic, welcoming fishing port!
DAY 7 – VICTORIA, BC
After docking in Victoria this morning, we walked about ten minutes from the port to Fisherman’s Wharf. Along the way, we enjoyed trees bursting with Cherry Blossoms and beautiful gardens filled with blooming tulips.
At the Wharf, we discovered a colorful community of private house boats called “Float Homes”. Each home was decorated in bright colors, displaying a kitschy, eclectic collection of seafaring décor and humorous nautical signage.
Living on a traditional power boat myself, I find these homes fascinating. Perhaps they are the best of both worlds. Although, the Float Homes are permanently docked, and we are free to explore San Diego Bay and the Pacific at will.
Fisherman’s Wharf offers a few quick-serve seafood restaurants, and a local Artisans Boutique, featuring an array of handcrafted jewelry, crafts and pottery. From here you can also catch a water taxi to the Inner Harbor and downtown Victoria.
In the afternoon we visited Butchart Gardens. Over 100 years old, the Garden is a National Historic Site of Canada. It’s about a three hour walk to experience the entire property. To our delight, it was a bright sunny day, and the garden was abloom with beautiful trees, colorful flowers, sculptures and fountains. Be sure to visit Butchart Garden’s gift shop where you can purchase seeds cultivated from an array of their flora and fauna.
Lunch downtown at the Irish Times Public House was delish and featured live Irish music. The nearby Inner Harbor and beautiful park in front of the BC Parliament Buildings were bustling with street performers and music, including a kilted bag pipe player! After our walk, it was time to head back to the ship to enjoy our final evening aboard and prepare for tomorrow’s disembarkation in Vancouver.
DAY 8 – DISEMBARKATION IN VANCOUVER
The disembarkation process in Vancouver was easy and well managed. We decided to stay on for a couple days in Vancouver so I could search for local artful, creative and indigenous Things reflective of this Canadian Pacific Northwest culture. Watch for my upcoming blog about Vancouver’s Granville Island to discover more about my extraordinary shopping adventure.
The week on Ruby Princess was truly delightful, despite the few hiccups! Princess is one of our favorite cruise lines, especially for casino players, who receive rewards and comp rooms based on the week’s play. In fact, we have already booked another Princess cruise in October to the Southern Caribbean islands of St. Thomas, Dominica, Martinique, St. Kitts and Antigua!
My upcoming voyage is on NCL’s Joy. Follow along as we cruise for a week to the beautiful pink sand island of Bermuda.
Till then, keep cruisin’ through life, discovering your own special Things!
CHEERS!
