Ruby Princess

The 2008-built Ruby Princess cruise ship is the ninth and final GRAND-class Princess Cruises liner, with sisterships Caribbean, Diamond, Golden (now Carnival Adventure), Grand, Crown, Emerald, Star (now Carnival Encounter) and Sapphire.

The vessel (IMO number 9378462) is currently Bermuda-flagged (MMSI 310567000) and registered in Hamilton.

History - construction and ownership

Princess Cruises is a USA-based passenger shipping company headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA. Formerly a subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises (founded in 1977), the company merged in 2003 with Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise shipowner. Among Princess Cruises’ assets is the private Caribbean island resort Princess Cays (located at the southern end of Eleuthera Island, Bahamas), approximately 80 km (50 mi) from Nassau.

The 3,100-passenger Ruby Princess follows the evolutionary design of Crown Princess and Emerald Princess. The vessels are nearly identical in layout and design, making navigation onboard intuitive for returning guests. For first-time Princess cruisers or those new to the Grand-class ships, Ruby Princess offers a stylish mega-vessel experience with high standards of cuisine, service, and facilities for more than 3,000 guests. While not radically innovative, she features signature Princess amenities, including the three-deck Piazza with its own bakery, the adults-only Sanctuary sun deck, and specialty restaurants such as Sabatini’s and Crown Grill.

Although there are few major surprises on this Grand-class vessel, several enhancements distinguish her. Princess expanded the Wheelhouse Bar concept to include English-inspired pub lunches. Suite guests may enjoy intimate breakfasts at Sabatini’s. The Ultimate Ship Tour offers access to normally restricted areas such as the engine control room, funnel, photo lab, and Navigation Bridge. Enrichment programs include Mixology@Sea (bartending classes) and Navigation@Sea (ship navigation workshops).

Decks and Cabins

Most Ruby Princess staterooms (1,530 total across 33 categories) are 170 ft2 balcony cabins (680). Nearly 80% of the outside staterooms feature private step-out balconies. There are 31 wheelchair-accessible cabins. The largest accommodations are the Balcony Suites (410 ft2 / 38 m2) with terraces measuring 180 ft2 / 17 m2.

The ship has 18 decks, 15 of which are passenger-accessible and 8 with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Ruby Princess features three main dining rooms offering a Caribbean-themed menu. Botticelli serves fixed-seating dining, while Michaelangelo and Da Vinci accommodate guests who choose “Anytime Dining.” Reservations are available but not required. Da Vinci also serves waiter-service breakfast and lunch. Rotating menus include soups, appetizers, entrees, and desserts, alongside signature pasta dishes and classics such as Caesar salad and salmon. Lotus Spa selections provide lower-sodium and lower-fat options. Horizon Court and Cafe Caribe are adjoining buffet venues open throughout the day, with Horizon operating as the primary Lido buffet. The Piazza area includes the International Cafe (specialty coffees, pastries, quiche, chocolate fondue) and Vines, the ship’s wine and sushi bar, known for its premium wine list.

In January 2016, celebrity chef Curtis Stone partnered with Princess Cruises to introduce his first specialty restaurant at sea. During Ruby Princess’ drydock, SHARE replaced the Italian venue Sabatini’s and introduced updated bedding, dining concepts, and entertainment enhancements. SHARE operates dinner-only with a USD 39 cover charge. The menu is divided into five sections, encouraging guests to sample multiple dishes, including items such as twice-cooked duck with fennel and parmesan crumb, or shrimp salad with turnip, citrus salt, brioche, and lemon gel.

SHARE is currently available on Emerald Princess and Ruby Princess. “Crafted by Curtis” dishes also appear on MDR menus fleetwide. SHARE distinguishes itself through its celebrity chef partnership, premium ingredients, and refined presentation. Prior to SHARE’s introduction, both ships featured three main dining rooms, a steakhouse, and a buffet. SHARE elevated the culinary offering with exclusive menu items unavailable elsewhere onboard.

The venue accommodates both couples and large groups, offering an open, airy setting with long communal tables and more intimate seating options. The ambiance is upscale yet relaxed, with family-style service encouraging conversation and shared plates.

Service at SHARE is highly rated, with knowledgeable waitstaff familiar with the menu and ingredient sourcing. According to Curtis Stone, the culinary team’s enthusiasm and energy were exceptional during the restaurant’s launch.

Portions are thoughtfully sized, allowing guests to sample appetizers, entrees, desserts, and cheese selections without feeling overwhelmed.

Below is the complete list of Ruby Princess restaurants and food bars.

• Michaelangelo Restaurant (aft Dining Room; dinner only – “Anytime Dining” from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.)
• Crown Grill (160-seat steakhouse/seafood restaurant; reservations recommended; on select days offers complimentary British Pub Lunch)
• Da Vinci Restaurant (forward Dining Room for breakfast 7–9 a.m., lunch 12–1:30 p.m., afternoon tea 3:30–4:30 p.m.; “Anytime Dining” dinner 5:30–8 p.m. or 8–10 p.m.)
• Botticelli Restaurant (aft Dining Room; dinner only with fixed seatings at 6 p.m. or 8:15 p.m.)
• SHARE (specialty restaurant; reservations recommended)
• Trident Grill & Prego Pizzeria (complimentary self-service fast-food venue)
• Horizon Court (complimentary self-service buffet restaurant)
• Cafe Caribe (aft self-service buffet restaurant)
• Pizza & Ice Cream Bar (complimentary)

In 2024, three fleetwide dining styles were introduced: Traditional (early/late seating), Reservable, and Walk-in Anytime (open seating). Each ship designates three separate dining rooms for these options, integrated with the OceanNow service, allowing guests to order food anytime and have it delivered anywhere onboard.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The Princess Theater is Ruby Princess’ main show venue, hosting production shows, comedy acts, and musical performances appealing to a wide audience. Crooners features a resident pianist and music trivia. Explorers Lounge hosts comedy, magicians, art auctions, and interactive events. The Piazza offers live performances and demonstrations throughout the day. Club Fusion serves as both a game show venue and nightclub. Skywalkers Nightclub hosts themed 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s nights, along with contemporary music events. The Wheelhouse Bar offers live bands playing standards and soft rock.

Below is the complete list of Ruby Princess lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues for all ages.

• The Piazza Atrium (three-deck open floor area with live entertainment and Bar Piazza)
• Princess Fine Arts Gallery; Photo Gallery & Shop; Platinum Studio
• International Cafe (24-hour coffee bar and patisserie); Escapes Travel Cafe (computer lounge)
• Vines Bar (wine, seafood, and sushi bar)
• Library (with Internet stations); Internet Cafe (24-hour)
• Princess Theatre (two-level venue for shows, workshops, seminars, and game shows)
• Speakeasy Lounge & Bar (smoking lounge and sports bar)
• Calypso Cove Shop; Essence Shop; Meridian Bay Shop; Facets Shop
• Gatsby’s Casino
• Crooners Lounge & Bar; Adagio Lounge & Bar
• Explorers Lounge & Bar (disco/show lounge hosting karaoke, comedy, and game shows)
• Wheelhouse Bar (daytime piano bar; evening English-style pub)
• Club Fusion Lounge (dance classes and quizzes; transforms into a nightclub after 7:30 p.m.)
• Outrigger Bar (poolside); Tradewinds Bar
• Ruby’s Lotus Spa complex; Beauty Salon; Fitness Center (with Aerobics Studio)
• Hearts & Minds Wedding Chapel
• Movies Under the Stars (outdoor LED cinema)
• Video Games Arcade; Teen Center; Youth Center with paddling pool and outdoor play areas
• The Sanctuary (adults-only retreat)
• Calypso Reef & Pool; Neptune’s Reef & Pool
• Jogging Track; Center Court (volleyball, basketball, soccer); Shuffleboard; Princess Links mini-golf
• Skywalkers Disco Nightclub

In 2024, Ruby Princess’ Theater was upgraded with a modern, energy-efficient lighting system installed by ROBE Lighting (Czechia-based manufacturer of professional lighting equipment). The installation included 69 Robe ESPRITE units, 78 Robe PAINTE fixtures, 87 Robe Spiider LED WashBeam luminaires, 98 Robe LEDBeam 150 moving lights, and 48 ParFect 150 RGBA fixtures. Reportedly, stage power consumption was reduced by approximately 50%.

Itineraries

Ruby Princess’ itinerary program includes 10-day Caribbean and Panama Canal cruises departing from Fort Lauderdale Florida USA (winter season), 7-day Alaska roundtrips from Vancouver BC Canada (summer season), as well as Hawaii–Mexico and Mexican Riviera roundtrips from San Francisco California USA.

Princess Cruises’ Ruby ship is the fleet’s final Grand-class liner (built at Fincantieri Monfalcone), with same-design sisterships Crown and Emerald.

The liner was christened on November 6, 2008, at Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida. Her godparents (Trista and Ryan Sutter) met on ABC’s dating show “The Bachelorette,” later fell in love, and married. The inaugural cruise (maiden voyage) departed on November 8 from Fort Lauderdale.

Skywalkers Nightclub (the ship’s disco) is located aft of the funnel. Unlike the modified Grand-class sisterships (Emerald and Crown), it does not cantilever over the stern, and it also differs in design from Diamond and Sapphire. A notable first for Ruby Princess was the introduction of “The Ultimate Ship Tour,” a behind-the-scenes program allowing passengers to explore the ship’s operational areas and learn about onboard organization.

In December 2018, Ruby became the world’s first cruise ship to allow Chinese passengers to make onboard shopping payments using both Alipay and WeChat Pay—China’s two leading digital payment platforms. Alipay’s in-store payment service covers more than 40 countries and, as of 2018, was used by over 900 million people worldwide. WeChat Pay had approximately 800 million monthly users globally as of 2018, with a total transaction volume of around USD 6.5 trillion in 2017. Alipay was first introduced fleetwide on Majestic Princess during the ship’s 2017 summer homeport season in Shanghai.

Ruby Princess refurbishments review

Drydock 2023

The ship’s most recent drydock was in 2023 (September 24 through October 22) at Vigor Shipyard in Portland Oregon USA. The one-month project focused primarily on routine maintenance, classification works, and a comprehensive technical overhaul.

Drydock 2018

During the October 2018 drydock (USD 8.2 million project), the ship received three new dining venues—Slice Pizzeria, The Salty Dog Grill, and SHARE (by Curtis Stone).

Drydock 2015

The ship’s drydock refurbishment in 2015 (completed in Vancouver BC Canada, December 3–14) focused mainly on general maintenance and resulted in the following deck plan changes:

Two new premium dining venues were added. “SHARE by Curtis Stone” is a family-style restaurant created by Australian celebrity chef Curtis Stone. The menu features charcuterie (premium-quality meats), composed salads, homemade pasta, and gourmet desserts. The new “Salty Dog Gastropub” dining concept (by chef Ernesto Uchimura) offers a classic pub menu served nightly in the Wheelhouse Bar (Promenade Deck 7), featuring craft beers and pub favorites presented as small plates.

In 2015, aft on Sun Deck 16, “SHARE” replaced “Sabatini’s”—the Italian restaurant featured on Princess ships Caribbean, Coral, Emerald, and Sun. SHARE debuted on Emerald Princess (December 2015). The “Salty Dog Gastropub” concept debuted on Crown Princess (October 2015).

All cruise cabins were upgraded with the new “Princess Luxury Bed.”

Club Class Mini-Suite services and amenities were introduced.

The ship’s Fitness Center was upgraded with new sports equipment and free weights.