Photo: Tony Hisgett | Licence: CC BY 2.0; crop by CruisePing.
Ruby Princess at a glance
| Cruise line | Princess Cruises |
|---|---|
| Ship class or type | Crown Class within the Grand Class family |
| Entered service | 2008 |
| Last major refurbishment | 18 January 2018 in current Princess itinerary data |
| Gross tonnage | 113,561 GT |
| Length | 290 m / 951 ft |
| Guest capacity | 3,080 guests at lower-berth occupancy |
| Crew | 1,200 |
| Passenger decks | 19 decks in official ship data |
| Cabins or suites | 1,542 staterooms, including 26 suites and 178 mini-suites |
| Accessible cabins | 31 wheelchair-accessible staterooms |
| Dining venues | Three main dining rooms plus Crown Grill, Sabatini’s, buffet, International Café and casual food |
| Bars and lounges | Crooners, Wheelhouse, Explorers Lounge, Adagio, Club Fusion, Skywalkers and Speakeasy |
| Pools and hot tubs | Multiple pools including adult Lotus Pool, plus hot tubs |
| Library | Dedicated library |
| Spa and fitness | Lotus Spa, fitness centre, sports deck and putting course |
| Children’s facilities | Princess youth and teen centres for ages 3 to 17 |
| Adults-only facilities | The Sanctuary, Lotus Pool and quieter lounges |
| Wi-Fi | MedallionNet available; package and device limits vary |
| UK departures or deployment | Alaska, California Coast, Mexico and Pacific routes are important; no regular Southampton homeport season |
Best suited to
- West Coast and Alaska travellers offered a strong route and fair price
- Couples wanting traditional Princess lounges and an adult retreat
- Passengers who prefer a familiar ship to a large new resort vessel
Think carefully if
- You want modern cabin technology or contemporary bathrooms
- You assume a later entry date makes Ruby substantially different from Crown or Emerald
- You are paying close to a Royal Class fare
The booking decision
Ruby Princess is a straightforward proposition. It combines the Crown Class layout with nearly 900 balcony rooms, several traditional lounges and Princess’s established dining model. There is no single feature that makes it essential over Crown or Emerald Princess.
Choose Ruby when the itinerary, embarkation port and cabin are right. Alaska, California Coast and Mexico routes can suit the ship well. A newer Royal Class vessel is preferable when fares are close and contemporary cabins matter more than Skywalkers or the traditional lounge spread.
Ruby Princess full walkthrough video
Layout and evening atmosphere
The Piazza is supported by Princess Theatre, Explorers Lounge, Wheelhouse, Adagio, Club Fusion, Speakeasy and Skywalkers. This creates a varied evening rather than one dominant atrium programme. Skywalkers remains a distinctive observation and nightlife venue.
The ship’s 3,080 lower berths create familiar pressure around lifts, theatre exits and buffet times. Several pools and the adult Lotus Pool help outside, while the Sanctuary provides paid quiet space. Navigation is generally logical once the aft and forward lift banks are understood.
Cabins and room selection
Ruby has 1,542 staterooms: 682 balconies, 178 mini-suites, 26 suites, two family suites, 218 outside rooms and 436 insides. Standard balconies deliver the view but limited internal seating. Mini-suites add a sofa and more liveable space.
The 2008 room platform remains apparent in sockets, bathrooms and storage. Do not assume a polished public area means every cabin has new-build functionality. Choose a room between accommodation decks and check the 31 accessible cabins by exact plan.
Dining and drinks packages
Three main dining rooms, Crown Grill, Sabatini’s, International Café, Vines, World Fresh Marketplace and casual deck food cover the core needs. Ruby lacks the broad premium restaurant catalogue of Sphere Class, which can make the main dining rooms more central to the holiday.
Packages work best for passengers who will use drinks, Wi-Fi and crew appreciation as well as dining. A speciality-meal count alone can exaggerate value. Reserve Crown Grill and Sabatini’s early and check whether casual venues are permanent or scheduled on the sailing.
Alaska and Pacific deployment
Ruby’s balcony inventory suits Alaska and Pacific routes, although a balcony is not a substitute for open-deck access. San Francisco or other West Coast embarkations may add scenic sailaways but also travel complexity for UK passengers.
Itinerary quality should dominate. Glacier access, port duration and scenic days matter more than whether Ruby is one year newer than Emerald Princess. Compare flights, hotels and transfers as part of the fare.
Families and quieter adults
Youth and teen clubs, pools, films and sports make Ruby a workable family ship. It does not have slides or headline attractions, and standard four-person rooms can be tight.
Adults benefit from the Sanctuary, Lotus Pool, library, Crooners, Wheelhouse and Adagio. The atmosphere is often strongest for couples and mature multigenerational groups who want a conventional cruise rhythm.
Before you book Ruby Princess
- Compare Ruby directly with Crown and Emerald Princess on itinerary and price.
- Check cabin sockets and bathroom dimensions before choosing an older room.
- Do not overvalue a package when the ship has a limited specialty-dining catalogue.
- Include West Coast flights and hotel nights in the true fare.
Ruby Princess compared with other Princess ships
| Ship | Main difference | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Crown Princess | Close sister with newer 2025 public-space changes | Choose Crown when O’Malley’s and the refresh matter |
| Emerald Princess | Near-identical practical proposition | Choose by route and cabin |
| Royal Princess | Newer-generation Royal Class | Choose Royal when modern cabins justify the price |
Related CruisePing guides
- Princess Cruises guide
- complete Princess ship selector
- Princess Medallion guide
- Celebrity Cruises versus Princess Cruises
- inside cabin versus balcony guide
- best cruise-cabin position guide
- the true cost of a cheap cruise
- Crown Princess
- Emerald Princess
- Royal Princess