Ruby Princess

Ruby Princess entered service in October 2008 as the last of the three Crown class ships, Fincantieri's modified take on the Grand class hull that carried Princess Cruises through the 2000s. At 113,561 gross tons, with roughly 3,080 guests at double occupancy across 1,530 staterooms, she is large without being a megaship. The defining idea is decentralisation: instead of one showpiece room, passengers are spread across a three deck Piazza atrium and a ring of small lounges, cafes and bars. Published reviews broadly agree the layout makes a big hull feel navigable.

The Piazza is the genuine differentiator, with the round the clock International Cafe and Vines wine bar opening off the same atrium floor. Crown Grill on Deck 7 is repeatedly named the strongest extra fee venue, with Sabatini's Italian Trattoria on Deck 16 and the Salty Dog Gastropub completing the paid roster; listings disagree on whether SHARE by Curtis Stone still operates, so treat that as unconfirmed. Movies Under the Stars, the adults only Sanctuary and the quieter aft Terrace Pool give the sun decks more than one mood.

The criticisms are consistent and mostly about age. Cruise Critic's editors rate the ship 4.5 out of 5, and members average the same across more than 2,000 reviews, but those editors also flag that she shows her age in places, that evening entertainment is thinner than some expect, and that pool decks crowd on sea days. Member reviews add worn bedding, plumbing faults and odours, main dining food arriving cold, and too little public seating for the passenger count. The ship was also the subject of a 2020 Australian special commission of inquiry into a COVID outbreak following its Sydney disembarkation, a matter of history rather than present operation.

She suits traditional cruisers who want a full sized ship without racetracks or waterslides, plus multigenerational groups who value a walkable layout. For 2026 that means Alaska round trips from San Francisco, with the same homeport carrying Baja, Mexican Riviera and Hawaii sailings into the 2026 to 2027 winter. She does not suit anyone shopping for the newest hardware, big budget production entertainment, or quiet at peak family season.

**What this means for choosing a cabin.** Roughly 57 percent of the 1,530 staterooms have balconies, and standard ones are modest, so deck choice matters more than category. Caribe deck 10 is the one enthusiasts name: balconies about 9 feet by 9 feet, with the overhang covering only the inner 5 feet, and cabin decks both above and below, so nothing noisy sits either side. Dolphin deck 9 and Baja deck 11 share that insulation. Treat Riviera deck 14 midship and aft with caution, since it sits under the Horizon Court buffet and the Lido pool deck, and likewise Emerald deck 8 forward, near crew spaces and above both the theatre and the Deck 7 lounges. Oceanview cabins on deck 8 in categories OV, OW, OY and OZ are obstructed, as are the family cabins on Lido deck 15.