RUBY PRINCESS: Progressive Check-In Information

PROGRESSIVE CRUISE CHECK-IN INFORMATION

Please be advised that Ruby Princess will berth at Pier 54 and embarkation will not begin until 1:00 PM. To ensure a smooth start to your voyage, we operate a progressive embarkation schedule. Guests with a Preferred Boarding Pass may check in at any time from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM, though we kindly request that you arrive during your recommended time. If you have booked a Princess Cruise Plus Package or Princess Transfer, your check-in time will be provided at your hotel or airport. Boarding will commence shortly after check-in. Please do not arrive prior to 1:00 PM, as your cabin will not be ready, and there are not adequate facilities at the pier to accommodate early-arriving guests. All guests must be onboard by 3:15 PM.

1:00 PM - Dolphin and Emerald Decks: Cabins on these decks begin with D & E 

1:45 PM - Caribe and Riviera Decks: Cabins on these decks begin with C and R 

2:15 PM - Aloha and Lido Decks: Cabins on these decks begin with A and L         

2:45 PM - Baja and Plaza Decks: Cabins on these decks begin with B and P

PRINCESS@SEA & Internet Minutes

DON’T FORGET..to bring your smartphone, tablet or laptop on this cruise and here’s why!    

PRINCESS@SEA: Everything at your fingertips... while on board the 

Ruby Princess cruise ship. You will have access to PRINCESS@SEA

which connects to your personal electronic device with the Ruby Princess

ship’s Wi-Fi. No cellular or data charges required and it operates in 

“Airplane Mode”. 

Be advised that some portions of PRINCESS@SEA requires the creation of a user ID and password before proceeding. These include My Stateroom Account and My Cruise Planner which can be found on the Home Page.

Once you are on board, you can create an account and then open your browser and PRINCESS@SEA will be the default page that appears. Type in your browser “ruby.princess.com”  and then you can begin to explore:

HOME: Shows a sampling of today’s events while welcoming you to the next port

of call or encouraging you to enjoy your day at sea.

EVENTS: Show casing the current events and activities available to you throughout 

the ships.

INTERNET: Connecting to the internet is easy via Princess@Sea.

For more information about PRINCESS@SEA , double click and check it out!

PLUS: Check out your stateroom account, General Information from you stateroom directory, Itinerary, Locations, Hours and more including Internet access.

Check out Princess Cruises website under BOOKED GUESTS > CRUISE GIFTS & SERVICE>INTERNET & IN-CABIN CALLING for pre-purchase internet minutes. Buy them on-line and get those extra bonus minutes! 

Diana's Pre-Packing Tips for Hawaii Cruise on the Ruby Princess!

I thought I would share some helpful tips from my recent visit aboard the Ruby Princess. On this 15 day cruise being organized and efficient can alleviate that “over packing” and “whoops I forgot syndrome issue”. Listed below are some possible helpful pointers to assist in this pre-cruise task... 

✪ There will be 3 Formal
Nights...which means tux or a dark suit and tie for the men.

For the women folks formalwear can be that little black dress or for fun time take out that glittery long New Year’s evening gown for the glitz night. Those not wanting to dress up can settle for room service or head to the Buffet. The option is of course yours! 

✪ 12 Smart Casual Days. The key here is mix and match work style outfits and to 

     accessorize your casual wear with shirts, tops, pants, skirts scarves and jewelry for 

     the women folks. And for the men? Remember no shorts or sandals in the dining 

     room. Hear that Roger and Reagan! Collared Shirts, Big Boy long pants & shoes!

✪  As we cruise towards the Hawaiian Islands it can be come very humid. But   

     remember on the cruise ship the air conditioning are going at full blast so remember 

     to bring a sweater or light cover-up top. And be mindful that as you walk on the 

     deck it can be extremely windy and cool!

✪ There are laundry facilities on board the ship. So remember to bring you detergent 

    pods and dryer sheets. There are ironing boards as well in the laundry room for touch 

    ups!

✪ Plenty of pools and jacuzzi’s to enjoy - So don’t forget your swim suit and cover-up as 

    well as your sandals or flip flops.

✪ The toiletries in the bathrooms are very minimal. They have a shampoo conditioner 

     and a bath gel that is refilled in a dispenser. So if you have your favorite products, I 

    would bring them along.

✪ The wall unit hair dryer on board for the women may not be up to your standards so 

     if you use one I would bring one from home. 

✪ There seems to be plenty of hangers on board, but a helpful tip is to bring some of 

     your outfit pre-arranged on disposable wire hangers...I like to set-up my outfits by each 
     day. This will alleviate any extra clothing for that over stuffed suitcase. Karen and Buzz 
     love their foldable garment bag for this option!

✪  You can also count on the Ruby Princess Ship to have shopping opportunities.

      Look for discounts in your welcome booklet and daily promo flyers in the Princess 

      Patter Newsletter.

✪ Our 25th Anniversary Renewal Ceremony will be Alohawear ...which means 

    Aloha Shirts and Sundress/Hawaiian Style Dresses with sandals or flip flops. We are 

    not doing a formal white wedding. C’mon we did that at our 5 year renewal in Vegas, 

    remember?

✪ Wanna be a “fashonista and color coordinated” for our Renewal Celebration? Pick 

    any color shades of BLUE, like the sea, GREEN like the tropical Island, WHITE like 

    the white caps of the waves, BLACK like the volcanic sand beaches and you will fit 

    right in!   

  ✪ And if you like, you can shop while in the Hawaiian islands as our renewal ceremony 

    celebration will be held on Monday, October 12th which is the day after we 

    leave Lahaina Maui --- the final Hawaiian Island Port of Call! 

✪ Wanna shop now? Check out the following links for ideas for hawaiian clothes.... 

✪ Here are some links to some Hawaiian style clothing

http://www.shakatime.com

http://www.lavahut.com 

http://www.papayasun.com

http://www.alohaz.com

http://hawaiianclothingfactory.com

http://www.alohaoutlet.com

http://www.alohafunwear.com

http://www.jadefashion.com 

http://www.hilohattie.com 

http://www.hawaiianoutpost.com

http://www.hawaiianshirtsinc.com

http://www.mauishirts.com

Cruise Terminal Passenger Unloading & Loading plus Parking Update

This is the long term cruise parking update from Princess Cruises via Alex for those not partaking in our Pre-Cruise Queen Mary package. Please be sure you are aware of this 

procedure before you head to your embarkation. If you have additional questions, please contact Alex directly. Thanks!

IMPORTANT NOTICES

Please be advised that Ruby Princess will embark guests at Berth 54 on Saturday October 3, 2015, and disembark guests at Pier 93 on Sunday October 18. Berth 54 is located at Outer Harbor, Berth 54, San Pedro, CA 90731. Pier 93 is located at 100 Swinford Ave., San Pedro, CA 90731. Guests with Princess transfers or a Cruise Plus hotel package will be transferred directly from Los Angeles International Airport or their hotel to Berth 54 on October 3, and from Pier 93 to Los Angeles International Airport or their hotel on October 18. Guests with independent transfer arrangements should be guided accordingly. Guests parking their car for the duration of the cruise should drop off their luggage at Berth 54 and then proceed to the long-term parking lot at Pier 93 as there is no long-term parking available at Berth 54. After parking at Pier 93, guests will be transported back to Berth 54 via complimentary shuttle from the parking lot near the Berth 92 building. Directions to Berth 54: Exit the 110 Freeway at Harbor Blvd. and turn right. Proceed 1.3 miles on Harbor Blvd. which will turn into Miner St. Proceed straight ahead on Miner St. to Berth 54.

PREPARING FOR SHORE EXCURSION SIGN-UPS

Well soon you will be approached with the decision of what shore excursions you will need to pick. But like a kid in a candy store or you at a buffet table you need to know that you won’t be able to have it all. With our ship anchored in port for one day on each island with only 9-16 hours pending the island. AND be sure to remember that you more then likely won’t be able to get off the ship till after an hour after the anchor is set plus you will need to get back at least an hour before the ship’s departure time...well you are now looking at a reality of 7 to 14 hours! So being efficient and making the best choice is the success of a great shore excursion.

In my opinion the safe, guaranteed and no-worry bet is to utilize Princess Cruises Shore Excursions. If the shore excursions gets caught up in traffic (yes, the islands have traffic & grid lock too) and the excursion is late. The cruise line will be responsible and will hold the ship till the group arrives. Not so much, if you chose to pick “your independent” and “cheaper” excursion that you found on the internet yourself. Miss the boat and you are responsible to get to the next island to catch up. Something to think about for sure!

The other thing to think about, is to decided what you would like to see and experience on each island. There are Helicopter Rides on just about each of the island but so are Sightseeing Drive and Visits. Oh what to do??? Do you want an active excursion, kayaking, biking, trekking or do you want to lounge on the beach? Is shopping your thing? Or do you want to have a Hawaiiana Cultural excursion? Each island has its highlights and beauty.

I recommend you go on-line “NOW” and check out Princess.com > Ships & Experience > Ports & Excursions.  #1 Select a Destination (Hawaii), #2 Select a Port of Call (Hilo, Hawaii / Honolulu, Hawaii / Kauai ‘Nawiliwili’, Hawaii / Maui ‘Lahaina’ Hawaii and our last ports of call Ensenada Mexico).

These excursions and ports of call will be a good indication of sample excursions and highlights of each of the ports of call. If you viewed my previous blog article “Important Cruise Deadlines for your Calendar”, it is anticipated that Princess will be posting our cruise shore excursion anywhere from 140 - 75 days prior to our embarkation date of October 3. Which means that Princess will be starting to post shore excursions as early as the week of May 12th to as late as the week of July 21st. Why the lengthy window of time? Because Princess reps will be negotiating independent island excursions for their cruisers and these details often require time and detail contract preparations.

So check back frequently during this period under Princess.com Log-In>Booked Guests > Cruise Personalizer>Excursion Reservations.  There is a wish list option for you to consider,if you like.. 

Its been my experience that if its something that is a “must do” or a close to my “heart bucket list gotta have” sign-up early and use your diligence. You won’t regret it!  Now might also be a good time to talk to fellow cruisers about what excursions they will be taking and asking if you can share the excursion experience by coordinating your sign-ups together. Though it might be the same excursions the time can vary and you maybe assigned to different groupings. So if you want to share it with another fellow cruisers get in touch and coordinate the registration!

Not everyone is planning to head to a shore excursion, maybe because they have visited Hawaii before and done it or may have friends and family that they plan to visit on the islands. Whatever the choice, be sure you do not miss the boat and allow yourself ample time to get back to the ship. In the Princess Patter there is ‘Emergency Contact for Princess Cruise Passengers', in case you miss the ship” so check that out in your daily newsletter and have that information with you. Just remember the expenses to catch up to the ship will be yours! So plan accordingly.

Oh and here's a veteran cruiser tip ...if you are not planning to get off the ship...take advantage of the quietness of the ship and enjoy the public areas without the crowd and contact the spa and see what kind of specials are running for treatment at a discount. Good opportunity to enjoy this indulgence!  

Lastly since many often inquire and would like to know.......Roger and I, we will not be participating in the sign-ups of Shore Excursions at this point. Our plan is to visit friends on some of the islands that we will be visiting. Or catch Roger and I at a local restaurant or bar as we par take in our favorite “ono-licious” Hawaiian fare in between roaming for some sightseeing shopping for fun!

Happy exploring...it’s under a 200 days now till our ship leaves the Port of Los Angeles!

Photo provided by BestPlacesHawaii

   

IMPORTANT CRUISE DEADLINES FOR YOUR CALENDAR

Graphics by socialmediaexaminer.com

Planning ahead as much as Diana does is enough to drive even her travel agent, Alex crazy at times. I know it drives Roger nuts, but for the most part he has learned that planning ahead is far better then last minute rushing (as long as Diana does all the work of course!). Certainly some of our cruisers have already began to inquire .... “When can I...? Is it time to...? Can I start to....” well here are some helpful guidelines to settle those inquiry minds or at least get you to start establishing your own timeline. Additional reminders may be communicated and noted in the upcoming future, so check back here at our cruise blog.

In the upcoming months Alex and I (and maybe even some of our more veteran cruisers) may be elaborating some of the topics below in our cruise blog. In the meantime...mark your calendar or add these important dates to your schedule. Mahalo Fellow Cruisers, it’s getting real!

PRE-CRUISE TASK DESCRIPTION	2015 DEADLINE DATES
DAVIS GROUP CRUISE SIGN-UP DEADLINE         Last call to be included in our group. Renewal preparations  are needing finalization of counts and details!	MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2015
SHORE EXCURSION POSTING BY PRINCESS CRUISES            75 days to 140 days before embarkations. Estimated posting dates             are as early as week of May 12 through week of July 21, 2015	Approx. the Week of: May 12  thru  July 21
FINAL CRUISE CONNECTION: Guest Introduction                       Email Article & Photo to Diana	FRIDAY,  MAY 1
YOUR DINING OPTION TO ALEX Options: Anytime Dining - Early Dining - Late Dining	FRIDAY,  MAY 29
RSVP & PAYMENT DUE FOR PRE-CRUISE SOCIAL Mail check to Diana - $37 per person	FRIDAY, JUNE 6
PRE-CRUISE GROUP SOCIAL  Duke’s Huntington Beach - 12:00 Noon	SUNDAY, JUNE 28
GROUP CRUISE PAYMENT FULL BALANCE DUE TO ALEX   Contact Alex to approve your credit card payment	FRIDAY, JULY 17
PRE-CRUISE STAY &/or PARK RESERVATION TO ALEX         San Pedro Double Tree Hotel	FRIDAY, AUGUST 14
T-SHIRT SIZES & COLOR ROGER  Email at rogerwdavis@cox.net	MONDAY, AUGUST 17
FORMALWEAR (TUX) RENTAL	SUNDAY, AUGUST 30
CRUISE PERSONALIZER- ONLINE, completion	SUNDAY, AUGUST 30
CHEF TABLE RESERVATION TO DIANA           Limited seating & availability. First Come- First Served No guaranteed till I can confirm with Ruby Princess Maitre’d	MONDAY, AUGUST 31
PASSPORT & USA CITIZENSHIP DOCUMENTS	MONDAY, AUGUST 31
FLIGHT & SHUTTLE ARRANGEMENT Airport Option: LAX (Los Angeles) or LGB (Long Beach) Generally your best price for flight is to book early!  PRE-CRUISE OVERNIGHT STAY & PARK                                   San Pedro Double Tree Hotel, pre-reservation required. Contact Alex                                                                                                                                                              EMBARKATION DAY Boarding 12:30pm-3:00pm, Ship Departures 4pm	FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3

PRINCESS CRUISES: Cruise Answer Book

Here’s a cruise preparation tip if you haven’t check this out already. It’s the Princess Cruise’s  “Cruise Answer Book”. This is a downloadable document off the Princess Cruise’s website. It is about 32 or so pages and you can print it for your reference. This document is a good resource for you to know what will be expected of you for your upcoming cruise and may very well answer some questions you have been wondering about.

To access it start by going to http://www.princess.com then click on SHIPS & EXPERIENCE, scroll down to FAQ:Onboard Experience open the page and

not on the lower right hand side, under: Download, Cruise Answer Book, 

Download Now >> 

Below is the Table of Content to this document...now go and print it for your pre-cruise preparation. 

PRE-CRUISE

Preparing for your cruise

• Cruise Personalizer
• Passage Contract
• Document Requirement
• Visas
• Princess Medical Centers
• Health & Wellness
• Pregnancy
• Passengers with Special Needs
• Casino Cash Advances
• Princess Vacation Protection
• Princess eZAir

Before you leave

• Boarding Passes and Luggage Tags
• Travel Summary
• Age Requirements/Traveling with Children
• Pre-Reserving Shore Excursions
• Pre-Reserving Lotus Spa Appointments
• Ship Deck Plans
• Port Driving Directions

What to Bring

• Clothing Recommendations
• Formal Wear Rentals
• Packing for Your Vacation
• Valuables

Travel & Transportation

• Port Driving Directions
• Motorcoach Travel
• Transfers
• Travel Tips
• En route delays
• Safety Ashore

ONBOARD

Onboard Experience 

• Onboard Atmosphere
• Special Occasions
• Alcohol Policy
• Alcohol Age Restrictions
• Laundry Services
• Cashless Cruising
• Onboard Currency
• Shopping Onboard
• Staying Healthy
• Gratuities 
• Stateroom Amenities
• Television Programming
• Medical Assistance
• Religious services
• Daytime Activities
• Future Cruise Sales

Youth & Teen Programs

• Children and Teen Programs
• Family Traveling
• Children’s TV Programming
• Children with Special Needs
• Additional reminders

Dining & Nightlife

• 1st Day Dining
• Anytime Dining
• Traditional Dining
• Speciality Restaurants
• Casual Dining Venues
• Special Dietary Requests
• Room service
• Onboard Entertainment
• Casino Games

Keeping in Touch

• Contact Phone Numbers
• The Internet at Sea
• Cell Phones at Sea

POST-CRUISE

Saying Goodbye

• Disembarkation

Diana’s Top Ten Tips to Think About for the Cruise!

Well our story begins in just over 200 days, when we will embark on the Ruby Princess. So to take our journey without a hiccup, planning and preparation will be key to a smooth

sailing cruise. This is especially so for those still having to juggle life with working. Okay, also for those busy retirees who have packed schedules and not sure what happen to all the hours in a day, let alone a week! So here are Diana’s 10 tips, if you are so incline to read on...

No. 1 - Identification 

I have asked Alex to share some insight in an upcoming article about what type of identifications we will need for this trip since we will be stopping in Ensenada Mexico on the way back from the Hawaiian Islands. I recommend this might be a good time to double check on the expiration date on your US Passport, Driver’s License or any other ID you might have. Including an original birth certificate which is always a good ID, so check your files for that option if needed. By the way, Roger did check on our passport and we were expired, where did ten years go?

No. 2 - Insurance/Vacation Protection

Emergency and other unexpected circumstances do happen. Roger and I always like to have a back up and we ask Alex to assist us in covering our cruise investment. Dollars well worth the cost for insurance. I recommend you contact Alex and talk to her about your needs. She can assist with this, whether to cover for you and your trip expense or perhaps to cover an unexpected family member’s emergency that might interrupt your plans. You’ll be glad you called Alex!

No. 3 - Getting There

Not everyone going on this trip will be from Los Angeles so now is a good time to begin to think about your transportation to the Port of Los Angeles. If traveling from afar, flights will be to either Los Angeles (LAX) or Long Beach (LGB) airports which are your closest options. You will also need to get a Shuttle Transportation arrangements from the airport to the port and back. How about coordinating with other cruisers who may be going out of the same airport? It makes it fun, folks!

No. 4 - Pre-Cruise Stay & Park    

The ship will depart on Saturday, October 3rd. But for the Davis’, our trip begins on Friday, October 2nd when we will be checking into the San Pedro Double Tree Hotel for a overnight stay and park your car program. Great option for those who want to drive and our car will be residing under the care of Double Tree Hotel for the next 15 days. There will also be an overnight stay option with no parking as well for those flying in. If you are interested in joining Roger and Diana and starting the cruise early....contact Alex as I have asked her to work with Double Tree to come up with a group rate for us.  

No. 5 - My Booking & Cruise Personalizer

If you haven’t already checked this out, you should! Alex has emailed your cruise booking confirmation if you made your deposit. On that document is your booking number which will allow you to access your Princess Cruise “ Cruise Personalizer ”. This is a great time to explore this valuable tool and an invite to your first peek into your upcoming cruise. It will get you excited about your cruise.. Have questions or need help, give Alex a call. Yes, she has your booking number if you can’t find your invoice.

No. 6  - Roger and Diana 25th Anniversary Renewal Cruise Blog

I know many of you have visited this cruise blog. But I also know first hand that many have not (As I have had to resend the blog address and yes will do it again). Don’t fret...you don’t have to sign up or pay for this service. It’s free, but it will not visit you unless you visit us at our group cruise blog. This will be where I will be in touch with our group, unless you email or call me directly. I highly recommend that you check here as our blog will be our central communication tool where both Alex and I will be relaying our information first hand. So bookmark this in your computer favorites!

No. 7 - Special Needs Request

If you have a special request, whether its to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. Or you need to have some medical needs such as distilled water for a CPAP machine or a sodium free diet. The cruise line can assist and so can Alex. Think about what you might need to make your cruise as comfortable and efficient as being at home. The cruise line will do all they can within their limits. As you go on-line and begin to explore and complete your My Princess/Cruise Personalizer note that you can request certain medical/health accommodation as well as to note that you are going on this cruise for a celebration such as your birthday, retirement or anniversary?

No. 8 - Cruise Dress & Attire

Well you certainly would not want to forget your swimsuit and cover-up as you walk on the Lido deck. But also remember we have 3 Formal Nights and 12 Smart casual Nights. I wrote an article back in December on this blog titled “Helpful Tip - Preparing Now For Formal Night” . Now, would be a good time to revisit this as you can begin to get your cruise wardrobe together as Spring and Summer season approach. Heading to Hawaii will be be warm and humid. But don’t forget, the ship and your cabin is air-conditioned as well as on deck it can be quite chilly from the winds. So you will need a wrap or light jacket to protect you from these conditions. I know many of the gals in our group would often wear long sleeve tops or bring a sweatshirt/windbreaker as we sit and play cards or have a drink.  

No. 9 - Shore Excursions

Cruising can best be described as visiting a buffet table. Lots of options to pick, but you can’t have it all. With limited hours in our port of call, varying between 9-16 hours. And of course don’t forget you generally won’t be able to get off till an hour after the ship docks plus be back on the ship an hour before departure (Don’t miss the boat otherwise it will be your responsibility to catch the boat at the next port). This will be a good time to explore your options of what is it you truly would like to do on each of the island. Start making your list and talking to your travel partner or friends, so that you can be ready once the shore excursions are posted for sign-ups. 

No. 10 - Pre-Cruise Meet & Greet Social

Hopefully with advance notice many can join us for the upcoming No-Host Pre-Cruise Meet & Greet Social that will be held in Orange County this Summer. Currently, Karen Vaughn and Diana are exploring options for a location site. This is a great chance to meet some of our other fellow cruisers. As well as have an opportunity to talk to Alex & Diana for some “Frequently Asked Questions”. Okay and of course there will be “Eats & Drinks”...how else did you think Roger would be there? Please keep checking with our cruise blog for important dates and information. A handy Master Calendar Timeline is forthcoming with important details in a future “what else”... BLOG ARTICLE...stay tuned!