To celebrate the recent launch of its 17th ship Ruby Princess a host of new services and special features are slated to be implemented across the Princess Cruises’ fleet. The new programs include a pub lunch, an exclusive breakfast for suite passengers, additional enrichment programs from astronomy to mixology, two new stage shows and expanded wireless Internet and cell phone connectivity throughout the vessels will be available during the coming months. 

“The new features aboard Ruby Princess are a perfect example of our commitment to provide passengers with the widest array of intriguing options to customize their cruise vacation,” said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president.  

The new features are:

• On sea days, Ruby’s Wheelhouse Bar will be transformed into an authentic English-style pub, serving a selection of traditional fare.  A menu of British favorites, including bangers & mash, fish & chips, ploughman’s lunch and cottage pie, will complement a selection of traditional pub brews such as Stella Artois, Bass Ale or Guinness.  Pub lunch meal service is free of charge and will run from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

• Suite passengers aboard Ruby Princess will have the opportunity to enjoy an exclusive breakfast in Sabatini’s. Beginning with a “Good Morning Mimosa,” the menu features a variety of breakfast favorites, plus specialty items such as brioche French toast with apple & cinnamon compote, yogurt and super granola parfait with raspberry swirl, soft-poached egg over potato & vegetables with hollandaise sauce, and freshly made Belgian waffles. Suite passengers can enjoy this new amenity, along with the restaurant’s dramatic top-of-ship views, from approximately 7:30 to 10:30 a.m.

• In addition to serving more than 30 wines by the glass and seafood appetizers that have made Vines a passenger favorite, the atrium-area bar on Ruby Princess will now feature a selection of domestic and imported artisan cheeses. Twelve varieties – including unique choices such as boschetto al tartufo bianchetto, reblochon, and cambozola – will be featured each day for a nominal fee. 

• A number of new ScholarShip@Sea enrichment programs debut aboard Ruby Princess to expand passengers’ horizons. The Art of Entertaining offers passengers the opportunity to learn party-planning tips from lifestyle expert Susie Coelho via a multimedia presentation hosted by the cruise director. Navigation@Sea focuses on the history of navigation as well as the complexities of plotting the route of a modern cruise ship, with a presentation by the ship’s navigator. Mixology@Sea lets passengers channel their inner bartender with a hands-on course taught by the ship’s bar manager. For star gazers, the new Astronomy@Sea program provides passengers with the opportunity to explore the night sky through a telescope on the top deck, with the expert guidance of a ship’s bridge officer. Developed in conjunction with Dr. Thomai Serdari, Professor of Art History and Director of Research Collections for New York University, Art History@Sea: Botticelli to Warhol, The Evolution of Art makes 500 years of art come to life with a special hour-long presentation.

• Ruby Princess audiences will be able to enjoy two new Princess-produced shows in the ship’s theater. “Broadway Ballroom” presents the music of the ‘Great White Way’ with ballroom flair, pairing the songs of hit musicals with dance numbers ranging from foxtrot to rumba. The show also features the talents of a costume designer and choreographer from the TV hit “Dancing with the Stars.”  Meanwhile, “Once Upon a Dream” uses unique multidimensional cinematic projection to follow a dreamscape unlike anything seen at sea. The audience will accompany a young woman’s journey as she dreams of everything from a tea party in an English garden to singing camels in the desert, and even a trip through a waterfall and brief nightmare before waking to a new day.

• In the Horizon Court buffet, new waffle stations will offer fresh cooked-to-order waffles at breakfast and throughout lunchtime, and the buffet will also begin serving complimentary lemonade as a beverage choice. In the evening, passengers will find a selection of canapés in several of the ship’s public lounges. Passengers arriving back from shore will be greeted with chilled face cloths, and by the pool, “misting stewards” will offer bottles for passengers to use for a quick refreshing spritz with Evian to cool off.

• Young passengers can enjoy a new Wizards Academy, an exclusive presentation from the award-winning California Science Center. This enriching new program lets children explore the connection between science and magic in a fun and participative environment. Kids will also enjoy activities and projects from popular arts and crafts company Klutz, or participate in Yoga for Kids, a healthy and fun course designed specifically for children.

• Expanding on Princess’ Internet and phone connectivity, Ruby Princess will offer laptop users additional wireless hotspots around the vessel, including staterooms.  The ship will also be equipped so that passengers can use their personal cellular phones, if they have international roaming plans, while onboard. 

• A new exclusive opportunity to experience an array of “back of house” areas that are key to a ship’s daily operations, the Ultimate Ship Tour will give passengers the unique opportunity to explore beyond the public areas with visits to the ship’s engine control room, medical center, print shop, laundry, photo lab, funnel, bridge and other spaces. In addition to getting a rare insider’s view of many areas typically seen only by the ship’s crew, participants will receive a variety of themed mementos at many of the stops along the route. (A fee of $150 per person does apply for this tour.)

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company’s website at www.princess.com.

Princess Cruise Line is quite proud to be known as a destination-oriented, global cruise and tour company. Operating 17 ships with a fleet-wide age of 5 ½ years of age, Princess is a recognized leader in worldwide cruising with sailings to all seven continents, ranging in length from seven to 107 days. A recent posting of a voyage from Dover, England to Cape Town, South Africa for 2010 sold out in a matter of days before the brochures were even printed. Holy Land, Top of The World — Arctic cruises, cruisetours directly to Denali National Park and train trips off overnight Panama Canal visits all prove the company’s renown for innovative vacations to the world’s most desirable destinations is well earned.

Now the company has decided to offer an excursion right onboard ship while sailing to the next distant destination. The Ultimate Ship Tour, an exclusive opportunity to experience an array of “back of house” areas that are key to a ship’s daily operations. Passengers will be given the unique opportunity to explore beyond the public areas with visits to the ship’s engine control room, medical center, print shop, laundry, photo lab, bridge and other spaces for a rare insider’s view of many areas typically seen only by the ship’s crew. Participants will also receive a variety of themed mementos at many of the stops along the route.

“This tour is really the ultimate opportunity for some of our passengers to get a very unique view of the new Ruby Princess, and meet some of the ship’s senior officers in their working environment,” said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. “I’m sure people will be amazed at what goes into running a city at sea, particularly since our onboard staff makes it appear so easy.”

The Ultimate Ship Tour lasts approximately three hours, and will be offered once or twice per cruise on a sea day. Space is limited for the tour, which will be available for $150 per person, and can be only reserved onboard at the Passenger Services Desk.  Following its debut aboard Ruby Princess, the program will be introduced aboard all Princess ships.

The tour will feature:

Back Stage Area – Passengers start the tour with a glimpse behind the glitz in the Princess Theater, home to Princess’ stage productions. They’ll meet the cast and production staff, who will show them all that goes into making sure the show goes on night after night – including costumes and dressing areas, scenery and technical operations such as lighting and sound.

Galley and Food Production Areas – In the galley, guests will meet the executive chef, learn about the process of providing thousands of passengers meals each day, and see the inner workings of the ship’s kitchen areas while enjoying a glass of French Champagne, caviar and canapés. In addition, passengers will get a peek into some of Ruby Princess’ vast food storage and production areas, each specially equipped and temperature-controlled for a specific type of food. Each guest will also be presented with an official chef’s jacket or cookbook.

Engine Control Room – At the center of the vessel’s mechanical and electrical systems, the engine control room is where the ship’s technical team monitors everything from the operation of the ship’s propellers to the water supply in each stateroom. Participants will meet the chief technical offer and his staff who will explain the numerous functions overseen by the control room, including the vast amount of power generated to operate Ruby Princess.

Print Shop – Passengers will see where their daily Princess Patter, among other things, is produced. The ship’s printer will meet the group and demonstrate the printing equipment and explain which materials passengers see each day are printed right onboard Ruby Princess. To mark their visit, each passenger will receive their own set of personalized stationery.

Photo Laboratory – Princess was the first cruise line to go completely digital, and each ship operates a full photo lab with the latest in digital printing equipment. The group will meet the Ruby Princess photo staff and learn how they manage the thousands of pictures taken and printed each day. Participants might even see their own smiling faces print out during their visit.

Medical Center – The ship’s doctor will meet the group to show them the state-of-the-art medical facilities, including treatment rooms, laboratory facilities, intensive care unit, and digital x-ray system. Participants will learn how the ship’s doctors and nurses – all full-time maritime medicine specialists – keep both passengers and crew healthy and handle medical emergencies. They’ll also learn about the most common reasons passengers visit the medical center.

Main Laundry – Ruby Princess’ onboard laundries operate 24 hours a day to wash tons of passenger and crew linens, towels, and clothing – including more than 20,000 towels a day alone. Here visitors will meet the laundry master and will see this impressive operation in action. Participants will also receive a luxurious bath robe usually reserved for suite passengers.

Funnel – The group will then travel to the upper most deck of the ship to join the staff captain for the opportunity to peek inside the ship’s funnel area high atop Ruby Princess, where they will be treated to spectacular views of the ship and the surrounding ocean.

Bridge – The tour concludes at the ship’s command center, where passengers will meet the captain and his bridge team and learn about the state-of-the-art navigational equipment and safety systems aboard Ruby Princess. Passengers will also take in the dramatic front-of-ship views from the bridge’s wraparound windows, while they enjoy special refreshments and pose with the captain at the ship’s wheel for a complimentary photo. The framed photo and a tour completion certificate signed by the captain will later be delivered to each participant’s stateroom.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company’s Web site at www.princess.com.

Princess Cruises has long been associated with romance on the high seas, dating back to its days as the setting for TV’s “The Love Boat” (1977-1986). Cementing that connection, it was recently named the “Best Cruise Line for Romance” and “Best Cruise Line for Weddings” in the 2008 Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Awards.
The Ruby Princess, the 17th and last brand new ship scheduled for the company’s fleet for the foreseeable future, was introduced to the public recently during a spectacular “ruby-red formal” naming ceremony with America’s reigning reality couple, Trista and Ryan Sutter of 2003’s “The Bachelorette” releasing the traditional bottle of Champagne.

Befitting an event celebrating “romantic moments and milestones,” the official naming was followed by the ultimate romantic ceremony, a wedding. Kip Hickman and Danielle Vurpillat of California not only had Trista and Ryan as their wedding attendants, but also the Love Boat’s Captain, actor Gavin MacLeod, gave away the bride. The minister who officiated at the nuptials, Phil Roberts, is a member of Princess Cruises’ Department of Romance.

During a special two-night preview sailing, the ship held an array of romantic activities, including a massive renewal of vows for all couples while the ship was at sea. “It’s only fitting that as the most romantic cruise line in the industry, we celebrate the naming of our newest ship with a tribute to ‘romantic milestones,’” said Alan Buckelew, Princess Cruises president and chief executive officer. “It was exciting to have Trista and Ryan Sutter serve as godparents of Ruby Princess and of course the wedding during the ceremony added an appropriate touch to the festivities.”

A sister ship to Crown and Emerald Princess, which debuted two years ago, Ruby Princess, is not an identical twin; as there are a few subtle differences. At approximately 113,000 tons, Ruby is a mega-ship, bigger than any of parent company Carnival’s ships; however, it has retained one of the best features we have enjoyed about Princess, it is a large ship that has a small ship feel and comfort level. The 3,080-passenger luxury liner includes a dramatic three-story atrium featuring an Italian piazza with small-bite eateries and an ever-changing line-up of street performers. It also offers many other innovations that define the Princess’ “total escape” experience, including the popular Movies Under the Stars poolside screen, Personal Choice Dining featuring traditional or anytime seating in one of the three main dining rooms, multiple entertainment venues, a huge, relaxing Asian-style Lotus Spa with fitness center, an oasis just for adults called The Sanctuary, an extensive children and teen’s center, as well as a 50-seat wedding chapel.

The debut of Ruby Princess also introduced an industry first, The Ultimate Ship Tour, an exclusive opportunity for passengers to experience an array of “back of house” areas that are key to a ship’s daily operations. Passengers will get the unique opportunity to explore beyond the public areas with visits to the ship’s engine control room, medical center, print shop, laundry, photo lab, bridge and other spaces for a rare insider’s view of many areas typically seen only by the ship’s crew.  Participants will also receive a variety of themed mementos at many of the stops along the route.

The Ultimate Ship Tour lasts approximately three hours, and will be offered once or twice per cruise on a sea day.  Space is limited for the tour, which will be available for $150 per person, and can be only reserved onboard at the Passenger Services Desk.  Following its debut aboard the Ruby, the program will be introduced aboard all Princess ships.

Other new services and special features slated to be implemented across the fleet following Ruby’s debut include: a pub lunch, an exclusive breakfast in Sabatini’s for suite passengers, enrichment programs from astronomy to mixology, two new stage shows from the in-house entertainment department and expanded wireless Internet and cell phone connectivity throughout the ships. 

Deep red colors are used throughout the vessel but in a quiet, soothing way. Dining rooms and lounges have soft lighting and muted tones making one feel very relaxed in the comfortable elegance. Staterooms feature lots of rich granite and marble with beige and gray tones, the rooms and bedding were extremely comfortable. Bathrooms and hanging space for clothes were quite ample and there was a surprising amount of shelve and drawer space for storage. All in all this was one of the prettiest and understated elegant ships we have encountered.

Ruby Princess features the following options for dining and snacks: Three main dining rooms: Michelangelo Dining Room and DaVinci Dining Room both seat 514 guests and feature intimate seating arrangements and elegant decor. They offer anytime dining. The Botticelli Dining Room, like the ship’s other two main dining rooms, features elegant artwork, warm furnishings and intimate seating areas for couples with traditional reserved, time specific dining. This room can accommodate 584 passengers.

Other options are: Sabatini’s: Italian restaurant; Crown Grill: steak and seafood grill; International Café: coffee and snacks; Vines: wine and seafood bar; Café Caribe: Caribbean/Mediterranean buffet; Horizon Court: 24-hour buffet restaurant; Prego: poolside pizza; Trident Grill: hamburger and hot dog grill; Scoops: ice cream sundae bar and 24-hour room service. Ruby Princess’ two alternative dining restaurants, “Sabatini’s” and the “Crown Grill,” require reservations and have an additional cover charge. A $20 cover charge applies for Sabatini’s dining. A $25 fee applies for dinner in the Crown Grill with some items carrying an additional charge.

The new Wheelhouse Bar Pub Lunch features traditional British favorites like bangers & mash, fish and chips, cottage pie and soon a selection of British beers. The pub lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. on sea days at no additional charge.

The Chef’s Table dining event that offers passengers an opportunity to be welcomed by the executive chef into the galley during the busy dinner hours for pre-dinner cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, followed by a specially prepared multi-course tasting dinner in the dining room is also available.  Specially created at the chef’s choice, the menu will not be offered anywhere else on the ship.  Diners will enjoy interaction with the chef throughout the dinner as it is served at their private table.  This special evening is available to 10 diners per night at a cost of $75 per person.

The Ruby has three main show lounges (both theater and cabaret style), all with nightly shows; 12 lounges/bars for refreshments, entertainment and dancing. Passenger services include: a casino, four duty-free shops, Lotus Spa and fitness center, The Sanctuary, sports deck, wedding chapel, children’s and teen’s centers, disco and observation lounge, nine-hole putting course, two golf simulators, library, Internet Café, with 25 computer stations, an art gallery and the Escapes Travel Café. 

Escapes is where passengers can plan future Princess vacations, equipped with a large plasma screen for presentations, a wall of webcams highlighting views from all Princess ships, and personal computers for researching destinations and vessels around the world before consulting with the ship’s Future Cruise Sales consultant. They real do want their passengers to become repeat cruisers.

During Ruby Princess’ inaugural season she will make seven-day weekly sailings from Fort Lauderdale to the Western Caribbean. Calls include Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Cozumel, Mexico and Princess Cays in the Bahamas. Next spring the ship will move to Europe for 12-day sailings in the Mediterranean and Greek Islands. Up-to-date fare and itinerary information can be found using Princess’ Searchlight tool on www. princess.com.

Once again the NCL Jade’s Captain Tommy Stensrud made sure we were at the pier in Katakalon well before our scheduled time as this small fishing village, the gateway to the sanctuary of ancient Greece known for having been the site of the Olympic Games since 776 BC, was sure to be overwhelmed with tourists as no less than five cruise ships were due and a Costa Cruise Line’s ship was leaving after an overnight stay.
The Jade was joined in Katakolo Bay by Regent Seven Seas’ Voyager, Holland America’s Noordam, MSC’s Musica and Mauritius Island Cruises’ Island Sky which is one of the former Renaissance Cruise Line “R”  luxury ships. However, since we were the first ship to dock and be cleared by the local authorities, the shore excursions were well on their way by the appointed time and the buses were the first to arrive at the idyllic Ancient Olympia site, some 25 miles east of town. We, once again, were not among the masses rushing off the ship as we have been here before and have already seen these sights.
Before the crowds arrived, Jade’s passengers were able to see the ruins of the gymnasium, the guesthouse, a workshop and the floor of the original stadium itself. They were also able to see the marble starting blocks used by early athletes in the 45,000-seat arena, as well as the ruins of the Temple of Hera and the gigantic Temple of Zeus — its gold and ivory statue of Zeus was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world but the statue was destroyed in a fire after being moved to Constantinople by Roman Emperor Theodosius I.
Although the ancient Games were staged in Olympia, Greece, from 776 BC through 393 AD, it took 1503 years for them to return. In 1875, German archaeologist Ernst Curtius realized one of his life long dreams: to excavate at the Greek site of Olympia, home of the ancient festival of Zeus. What he found there ultimately led to the re-institution of the Olympic Games. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens in 1896. The man responsible for its rebirth was a Frenchman named Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who presented the idea in 1894. His original thought was to unveil the modern Games in 1900 in his native Paris, but delegates from 34 countries were so enthralled with the concept that they convinced him to move the Games up to 1896 and have Athens serve as the first host.
The idea of the Olympic torch or Olympic Flame was first inaugurated in the 1928 Games in Amsterdam. There was no torch relay in the ancient Olympic Games. The modern Olympic torch relay was first instituted at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. The Olympic flame of the modern-day Games is lit by reflection of sunlight in a parabolic mirror at the restored stadium and then transported by a torch to the place where the games are held. When the modern Olympics came to Athens in 2004, the men’s and women’s shot put competition was held at the restored stadium.
Katakolon is a quiet seaside town, rather island-like, by the side of the Ionian Sea on the Peloponnese peninsula. We decided a visit to the local galleries and shops for traditional crafts and works by local artists would be the orders for the day as the ship was due to depart for Athens at 2 p.m.  It was a short stroll from the pier to the shops on the town’s two streets. Most of the shops sell jewelry and typical Greek souvenirs, many with Olympic motifs. Along the waterfront promenade are some small cafes offering local specialties such as lamb, fresh fish, Greek salads and honey-soaked baklava. Of course, we fell on the sword and sampled the sweet dessert as everything tastes better with a beautiful view of the deep blue Mediterranean to look at while snacking.
New friends Chris and Pauline from Miami will have different memories of their visit to Katakolon. Chris, who hasn’t been feeling 100 percent since returning from the overnight shore excursion in Cairo, has been confined to his stateroom by the ship’s doctor who suspects he might have a touch of the dreaded Novovirus. The gastroenteritis virus is the leading cause of food borne illness outbreaks on ships, so all the cruise lines are extremely cautious when dealing with suspect cases. His wife, Pauline, to lift both their spirits, decided to help the local economy by purchasing a $750 ring. She said she felt the shopping at this little town was the best value and least hassle of the entire trip.
Obviously, Ginny hasn’t been herself health wise for this whole trip as she definitely did not do her usual due diligence in regard to Greek jewelry and souvenirs. But this being the last full day on board and prior to repacking the suitcases, she was determined to spend some quality time checking out the Galleria Boutique, the 7,000 square feet of shopping opportunities of logo wear, NCL souvenirs and the brand name watches, jewelry and accessories. She also intended to stop by the Ying & Yang Spa to check out the specials on the numerous beauty and wellness products they have on sale. So many sales and we are running out of time on this beautiful ship.

Corfu is the north island in the Ionian Islands of Greece at the entrance to the Adriatic Sea. Located between Italy and mainland Greece, Corfu’s population is approximately 140,000 and has a heavy Venetian influence in its architecture, food and way of life. Greek is the official language but many islanders are also fluent in both Italian and English. Prince Philip of England, Queen Elizabeth’s husband, was born on Corfu at the Palace of Mon Repos, which is operated today as a Neo-classical museum. Mon Repos was the former summer residence of the British Commissioner and was given by the British government in l864 to the Greek royal family, of which Philip is a member. Corfu has always been a summer getaway for European’s and is still a special favorite of English and Italian tourists

Known as Greece’s “Emerald Island,” Corfu’s foliage is lush with beautiful green mountains, a far cry from the arid, dry, rocky terrain of the Cyclades Islands of Santorini and Mykonos that we recently visited. Our guide told us that the weather from mid October through April was rainy making this the greenest of the Greek Islands. As we drove around the island and especially as we sailed from our port of Corfu town, we looked across the water to the arid mountains of nearby Albania. They looked so bleak.

Since this was our first visit to Corfu, we signed up for a four-hour tour entitled “Colorful Towns,” $82 pp.  The day was warm and sunny making the drive along the coast and up into the hills past lots of olive and lemon trees and through the small villages especially pleasant. We stopped at the Achilleion Palace in the village of Gastouri. It was built by Empress of Austria Elisabeth (Sissi) of Bavaria in 1890, she used it as a summer retreat and it was later purchased by Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. The palace was named after the sculpture, Dying Achilles, which can be found on its grounds. We spent about an hour touring the recently renovated palace and its lovely flower and statuary laden grounds.

Later, we spent several hours in the Esplanade, the main square of Corfu Town, for a walk through its picturesque winding streets with a visit to the rose-colored, onion-domed, Church of St. Spyridon, the patron saint of Corfu. The church contains the remains of the saint which the Corfiotes parade around the town four times a year to mark various holy days. Ninety seven percent of the Greek people are members of the Greek Orthodox faith. We have visited many gorgeous Orthodox churches during this cruise. St. Spyridon is a medium size church with many magnificent Icons, dozens of silver lamps and several heavy and very ornate silver chandeliers. There were many local people in the church praying however no service was being conducted.

The Esplanade also contained about a hundred small shops. As usual, many were jewelry stores selling heavy gold pieces but there were also stores selling wooden bowls and spoons made from the wood of local olive trees. Of course, there were also lots of the T-shirt/souvenir shops for those of us with fewer Euros to spend. Since the Greeks, Europeans and every other tourist in the world seem to love this island getaway, everything was marked up accordingly.

After returning to the Norwegian Jade, we donned bathing suits, headed to deck 12 to soak our weary bodies in one of the four hot tubs before heading back to our cabin to spruce up to join new friends, Sharon and Dave in their deck 11 penthouse suite to chat and to sip Champagne on their large balcony while we sailed away from port. The suite consisted of a living room with adjacent dining area, large balcony, separate bedroom with queen-size bed and large walk in closet, another (inside) bedroom suitable for children as well as a huge bathroom with whirlpool tub, large separate shower and twin sinks. Both the tub and shower give the bather a wonderful view of the sea. Dave admitted he was more than a little surprised when he turned around in the shower to admire the scenery as we were entering a port and another cruise ship or ferry passed nearby as it was leaving the harbor and he quickly ducked for cover forgetting that the glass had one way viewing.

Our dining choice for the evening was a return to the Bistro. It was Sharon and Dave’s first visit to the French specialty restaurant. We lingered over our delicious dinners a little too long and missed both entertainment offerings for the evening, the British musical Shout (performed for a second time) and Duo Platchkov, an acrobatic, juggling and balancing act from the famed Great Moscow State Circus. Second City was also performing in the Spinnaker Cabaret as well. Yet another very full day!

P.S. We have met wonderful fun people from all parts of the world on cruise ships. People whose paths we would never cross otherwise and tonight’s new friends were no exception!