Ruby Princess

Neptune’s Reef is big enough for morning or evening laps, with a low ledge all the way around for dipping your toes in, plus hot tubs nearby. Above it, stadium-style seating faces a massive LED screen for Movies Under the Stars, an idea Princess pioneered. First-run films and big sporting events play here at no extra cost, and at night the crew brings out blankets, popcorn, and cookies and milk.

Tucked between the spa and the fitness center, the Lotus Pool has two hot tubs, extra-comfy loungers and stadium-style seating. It’s also the entrance to The Sanctuary, an adults-only retreat up forward with loungers, tables and daybeds for two. Guests can reserve it for a half day, a full day or the whole cruise, with upgraded service, Bento Box delivery, food and drinks. Spa Cabanas nearby are booked separately at the spa.

The buffet in the Horizon Court is the quick, casual option for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late snacks. Stations rotate through soups, salads, breads from the bakery, carved meats, hot dishes and seafood, which gets an upgrade on Alaska sailings, plus a big dessert spread. Window tables for two and four line the sides. A second, identical buffet sits aft, next to a full bar and a quieter pool with views over the wake.

Princess’s youth program has a dedicated space for each age group. The Treehouse has a playhouse with a slide, a jungle gym, reading time and arts and crafts for the youngest cruisers. The Lodge (ages 8 to 12) adds video games, skee-ball, foosball and science experiments. Teens 13 to 17 get the Beach House, with air hockey, a movie area and a lounge. Programming with Discovery and Animal Planet ties into the destinations.

The Lotus Spa covers massages, facials, wraps and acupuncture, along with a full beauty salon, a barber for shaves and haircuts, and manicure and pedicure stations. Couples treatment rooms are a favorite on the Love Boat. The Thermal Suite, sold by the day or for the whole cruise, has heated stone loungers, steam rooms and experience showers. The fitness center faces forward over the bow, with classes from yoga to spinning.

Sabatini’s is Princess’s classic Italian trattoria, set aft and fully redone in the ship’s recent refurbishment. The menu runs from antipasti to handmade pastas, mains and desserts, and plenty of guests book it more than once. Seating ranges from tables for two by the windows to booths for six, plus a family sharing room tucked in back. In the morning, suite guests enjoy an upgraded breakfast here.

The Wheelhouse Bar is a big, classic lounge built around a huge horseshoe bar, with lounge seating, tables for two and four, and a bandstand for live music. In the early evening it becomes the Salty Dog Gastropub, serving upgraded burgers and pub fare for an extra charge. Just outside, the Promenade Deck wraps the ship, a great spot for a sea-day walk or for watching glaciers and fjords slide by.

Crown Grill is Princess’s classic specialty steakhouse (a cover charge applies, or it’s included with some packages), with an unapologetic menu of favorite cuts, from filet to surf and turf, plus appetizers, soups and salads. In regions like Alaska, an upgraded seafood menu comes along with it. Booths and tables for two wrap the windows around a central bar. In the recent refurbishment, Princess upgraded the restaurant, right down to new plates and silverware.