FEATURE
STORIES
Expectations at Sea
A Veteran Traveler Takes a First Cruise
by Melissa Gaskill
Most of my favorite vacations involved an ocean.
Yet I’d never been on a cruise. So last fall,
I jumped at the chance to take my first one on
a ship also making its first voyage, the Ruby
Princess.
As the airport bus approached the dock in Fort
Lauderdale, excited butterflies danced in my
tummy, but, I must confess, they were joined
by a few misgivings. Yes, I’ve spent a lot of
time in boats, even sometimes overnight, but
never more than roughly 100 miles from land.
Many friends and family members sing the praises
of cruising, but some of the things they love
most about it never appealed to me. Eating constantly,
for example. Or the sheer size of a ship – and
this vessel loomed overhead like a skyscraper,
its own small city. I generally travel to get
away from crowds, not to join them. These thoughts
– along with visions of rough seas and falling
overboard – like wet blankets threatened to dampen
my enthusiasm.
As I boarded, though, I noticed how the Italian-built
ship gleamed with warm wood and shiny brass railings,
her sides bright blue and white like sky and
water. Certainly setting
sail sounds romantic,
all full of anticipation and promise. And, while
the Ruby Princess can carry thousands of passengers,
she stretches more than three football fields
long and 19 levels high, a floating resort with
a luxury hotel, two restaurants, multiple dining
rooms, lounges and bars, an 850-seat state-of-the-art
theater, casino, shops, four pools, spa, and
more. Ample room, it seemed, for all those people.
Crowds did form at times, primarily at ports
of call requiring tenders to go ashore, and during
days at sea when, depending on the hour, passengers
filled the hot tubs or bar seats. People proved
easy to avoid however, either by finding an out-of-the-way
area on deck or retreating to the spacious cabin
I shared with my best friend and veteran cruiser
Debra Jenkins. We frequently relaxed in our roomy
indoor seating area or private deck. Anyway,
those desiring a secluded getaway surely don’t
seek it on a cruise ship. In fact, socializing
opportunities contribute in a big way to the
appeal of a cruise. People to meet, audiences
to join, experiences to share, and excursions
populated by like-minded cruisers bring energy
and action to the experience. By the end of the
cruise, I realized that a large ship brings people
together in a way no other setting possibly could.
Each passenger, and perhaps each crew member
as well, becomes part of a unique crowd. The
group of people on this ship and the specific
week we shared can’t ever be duplicated, only
remembered.
As for my other concerns, well, between the Bahamas
and Jamaica the seas did grow a little rough.
But thanks to the ship’s stabilizers, the waves
looked bigger than they felt, and at night simply
rocked me to sleep. I certainly ate too much,
but given the quality of the cuisine onboard,
can’t say I regret a single bite. Besides, the
fitness center’s treadmills face the front of
the ship, turning a work out into a sightseeing
jaunt on the Caribbean. And while I sometimes
completely forgot the sea beneath us, any time
I cared to look, the endless blue water almost
beckoned me to fall in.
The ship’s crew, a delightful mix of mostly young
people from a wide variety of countries, delivered
top-notch service. An almost two-to-one ratio
of passengers to crew (roughly 3000 of the former
and 1,200 of the latter) ensured that we never
had to look far for someone to fill a need. Our
cabin steward kept the room gleaming and everything
ship-shape, and when we desired something, he
appeared almost immediately, sometimes even before
summoned. In the cafes, we hardly sat down before
wait staff asked what we’d like to drink, tables
were cleared quickly, and the buffet brimmed
over. Dining room and bar staff were personable,
knowledgeable, and skilled, without the hovering
and interrupting that passes for good service
in some places.
A team of 258 chefs, cooks, and bakers - plus
67 people keeping the kitchens clean - 
make everything
from scratch on the ship, including fresh breads
daily (which requires 19 people baking around
the clock), sauces, soups, and divine deserts.
It showed, particularly in the Crown Grill, which
serves steaks that rival any stateside establishment,
and Sabatini’s beautifully presented and delicious
Italian cuisine. Next door, Adagio Bar mixes
American classics with an Italian twist, including
a 007 martini and after-dinner liqueurs and desserts.
The ship’s complement of round-the-clock dining
options made my head spin. In addition to these
two restaurants, a 24-hour buffet on the Lido
Deck, lunch in the Wheelhouse Pub, Anytime Dining
in two main dining rooms, and the traditional
two seats in another dining room, we could enjoy
afternoon tea from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., pizza and
ice cream from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and room service
anytime.
I highly recommend ordering room service breakfast,
which allowed us the decadent pleasure of drinking
coffee and nibbling on croissants while wearing
plush robes and gazing at sun shimmering on impossibly
blue and endless Caribbean waters. Another moment
that sticks in memory, sipping cocktails on the
stern of the ship as the sunset painted the clouds
shades of red and purple, Cuba rising misty green
and mountainous in the distance like some lost
Shangri-La, no visible sign of human inhabitance.
A bright moon mirrored in the dark sea served
as encore to the sunset show.
That kind of entertainment can’t be ordered –
although if it could, I’d put my bet on the ship’s
ebullient and talented entertainment staff. The
packed activity calendar included game show-type
fun, bingo, stick horse races, karaoke, and comedians.
On one pool deck, a giant screen continuously
played movies and concerts; live steel drum music
frequently drifted over another pool. A third,
on the stern, served straight sun and breeze
for those who wanted simply to converse, or perhaps
doze. A fourth anchors the spa, where full services
include scrubs and massages, the relaxation they
provide aided by the ship’s gentle rocking. At
any hour of the day, there was an option of something
to do, or the choice to do nothing at all.
Our cruise’s feature entertainment, Once Upon
a Dream, wowed with elaborate costumes, lively
choreography, and singing that could hold its
own against anything Broadway offers. The cruise
line took a gamble dedicating this much space
to a theater when it could be cabins or even
a bar (although bar service is available from
the seats until the show starts), but I’d call
it a winning one. The cast spends a month preparing
the show stateside, then grabs rehearsal time
whenever possible while at sea. If dancing on
a moving ship presents a challenge, I couldn’t
tell.
Our first shore excursion, to Princess Cays,
the cruise line’s private beach on Eleuthera,
Bahamas, ultimately proved my favorite. Because
I booked a scuba dive, I disembarked early on
a designated tender and so avoided much of the
wait. Only two other divers meant I buddied up
with the dive master, who prowled the lush reef,
pointing out huge fish and crabs hiding under
ledges, an octopus, and other marine life I might
have missed. Back on the beach, I claimed my
clamshell and lounge chair, and went through
the lunch buffet with Deb. We took a stroll down
the island away from the people, then wandered
through the shops, live bands, games on the beach,
and over-water observation deck. People dotted
the warm, clear water of the sheltered swimming
areas, some using masks and snorkels to check
out the marine life. After lunch, a long line
formed for tenders back to the ship, but we relaxed
until 30 minutes before the deadline and only
waited briefly to board the last one.
The view of lush green hills from the vantage
point of the ship ranked as one of my favorite
things about our stop in Jamaica. At Grand Cayman,
strong winds forced the ship to anchor on the
south side of the island rather than off George
Town, and unfortunately dictated cancellation
of all water activities. At one point at sea,
the weather also closed the ship pools, which
sloshed like bowls of soup carried by drunken
waiters thanks to wind and waves. Many people
choose to cruise in winter to escape harsh weather
at home, of course, but the season can be unpredictable
even in the Caribbean. Those not fleeing freezing
temperatures and snow might do better to book
in summer time. Sea breezes, swimming pools,
and air conditioning should keep things comfortable
on the ship any time of year, as do water-based
activities on shore.
For our Cozumel shore excursion, we walked off
the ship and boarded a large catamaran sailboat,
made a snorkeling stop, then sailed to a private
beach. At our beck and call, a bar (beer and
margaritas on the boat and the beach were included),
hammocks, lounge chairs and a swimming area stocked
with a huge inflatable slide, trampoline, and
floating mats. Jet skis and horses awaited for
an additional charge. Unfortunately, time constraints
meant we left the beach after just one hour.
I wanted at least three at such a lovely and
relaxing place and briefly contemplated mutiny.
Back at the dock, a large shopping complex created
just for cruise ships and populated by a number
of familiar chains was spotless and attractive,
but with little real Mexican flavor or soul.
Three large ships docked here at once, so it
also felt crowded, and this wasn’t ‘our’ crowd.
We quickly returned to the ship, by now our home
away from home.
I found that those brief, tantalizing tastes
at each port of call left me wanting more. I
yearned to explore beyond the proscribed reaches
of the excursions, some of them clearly created
solely for tourists, into the real Jamaica, Cayman
or Cozumel. Shore excursions encompass a wide
variety of activities, or course, and for those
with a passion for things such as golf, sailing,
or shopping, offer the opportunity to indulge
that passion often. A multiple-port cruise also
allows cruisers to try out a number of new and
different places and perhaps choose one worthy
of an entire vacation another time.
That alone
could make the trip worthwhile for some. But
I found that I enjoyed the ship and days at sea
more than most of the stops. I felt an obligation
to do, see, and try as much as possible, this
first cruise. But skipping an occasional shore
excursion would have allowed more time for, say,
the spa, or to attend the cruise line’s Scholarship@Sea
classes – perhaps on astronomy, mixology or navigation.
To watch a movie from the comfort of a padded
lounge chair, with a solicitous crew member bringing
me popcorn and drinks. I also missed putting
on Princess Links, high above the sea on deck
19, and never made it to Skywalkers Nightclub,
one level down, with a view off the back of the
ship. The ship library’s stock of books and games,
the art gallery, games in the pool, line dancing,
ceramics painting, a facial, a lecture on wreck
diving, ice carving demonstrations, the crew
show, yoga and tai chi – I missed all of this,
and more. Next time, I will savor fewer experiences,
relax more, and just enjoy the ship, the sea,
and the company.
Photos courtesy of Princess Cruise Lines
My Ruby Princess Western Caribbean Itinerary
Day 1 - Board in Fort Lauderdale. Overnight cruise
to the Bahamas.
Day 2 - Princess Cays private beach on Eleuthera,
Bahamas. Scuba dive, clamshell on the beach
Day 3 - At Sea
Day 4 - Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Gardens tour,
beach (spent in the beachside bar, due to rain),
climbing Dunn’s River Falls (wet anyway, so rain
not a problem)
Day 5 - Grand Cayman. Swim with the rays at
Sting Ray City cancelled. Toured Cayman Turtle
Farm, rum factory, Hell.
Day 6 - Cozumel. Snorkel and sail to private
beach.
Day 7 - At sea. Docked at Ft. Lauderdale at
7 a.m. the next morning.
Total distance traveled: 1937 nautical miles
Ruby By the Numbers
948 – Ship’s length (in feet)
3599 – Passenger capacity
1200 – Number of crew members
21.5 – Cruising speed (in knots)
500 – Average day’s travel (nautical miles)
6 – Number of diesel engines powering the sipo
2200 – Tons of water made each day by three evaporators
8500 – Approximate number of breakfast pastries
baked in the kitchen each day
130 – Tons of food used per week
25,000 – Photographs printed in the lab each
week
6 – Onboard medical staff (two doctors and four
nurses)
20,000 – Number of towels laundered per day (sheets
are changed every third day to conserve water)
