The cruise I didn’t take: 15-nights to Hawaii on the Ruby Princess

This one is going to be a little different. I am blogging about a cruise that I am not on. That’s a bit of a trick, and my ability to successfully do it depends entirely on G’s dedication to sending me pics of menus, food items and Patters, so we’ll see how this goes. My final words to him as I dropped him off at the airport this morning?  “Pics or it didn’t happen”. Let’s see how he enjoys being an Ace Cruise Reporter. 

So why is G cruising and I’m not?  Well, one of us (not me) gets a little antsy at about this point in the winter. Our weather has been largely really mild, but it’s still that time of year when it’s tough to work on outside projects. We were sitting in the family room a few weeks ago when G wished he could just get on a cruise ship, preferably one to Hawaii. When I found the perfect solution, I warned him that I would not be going with him this time.  I mean, have I mentioned that I want to be home for the boys’ senior year sports? I know I have, but have I mentioned it lately?

Interestingly, I’ve learned today  that embarkation day, even if I’m not on the cruise, is tiring. Of course, that fact that the alarm went off at 3:45am might have a little something to do with it. I made a cup of coffee in a travel mug, pulled my SUV out of the garage to get it warmed up, G loaded up his suitcase and we were driving away at 4:30am. Our weather at home is pretty nice right now, so I was not expecting the fog/misty rain we encountered along the way, nor the splash back and temps hovering just below freezing. Between the dark of night, the potential for a deer (or 100) on the highway and the slick road, that was a smidge dicey. Luckily, we made it safely, but number one on my list of things to do today was to get my vehicle washed. Even the door handles were crusty. 

G’s flight to San Francisco was uneventful, and he was very happy to be met at the Terminal 2 baggage claim by Princess reps for his shuttle to the ship. 

A friendly face at baggage claim

We had been unable (and by we I mean me, because G was so nonchalant about the process that he was quite happy showing up at the terminal without opening the Medallion App even once) to get him Ocean Ready, but experienced quite the comedy of errors trying.  Oh well, it really doesn’t matter. G’s flight was booked using EZ Air, so we assumed Princess would know when and where he was arriving even without being able to complete that information in the app, and they did. And, unlike the Princess shuttle experience we had in Fort Lauderdale, this one went perfectly.

I was busy this morning at physical therapy, a trip to the library to get free N95 masks, some minor shopping and going to the car wash, but G kept me up to date with where he was and how things were going.  I was also keeping an eye on his progress with the Find Friends app on my iPhone (we call it the Find My Husband app). Apparently, once the bus arrived at the terminal for Pier 27, guests were divided into small groups for the COVID test, and kept waiting for about 30 minutes for the results until his group was told they were all fine to board. They only show stopper (for some) was that they had not yet completed the Hawaii Safe Travels documentation (https://travel.hawaii.gov/#/).  There were written instructions available in the terminal if needed, and everyone was required to show the QR code that is generated when the information is completed online (take a screen capture to show the agents, they don’t actually scan it). 

The last time I saw the Ruby Princess was in Auckland, New Zealand, when we

disembarked the ship to join the Majestic Princess. 

And then COVID changed the world. 


The COVID testing process in the terminal

About the same time I returned home from my errands, G started sending me pics from the embarkation day lunch in the DaVinci Dining Room. And that is when it started feeling weird. I made myself linner (that’s lunch/dinner), and sat down “with” him on FaceTime as we ate “together”. I have never before felt so much like I had one foot at home and the other on a cruise. 

The excellent service starts here

He really didn’t even need to see the menu 😉

Beef medallions

You may remember that G has cut short Sydney sightseeing to be on the ship for beef medallions

Soufflé a la mode

And, because I’m sure you’re dying to know, back home in the RW (real world)

I had quinoa and roasted veggies over chopped romaine with 

soy yogurt lime cilantro dressing 

G finally made it to his cabin, met his cabin steward Joao from India, watched the safety video on his cabin TV and checked in at his muster station (stopping for a drink on the way or on the return…or both). 

Get the party started!

No hanging around the bars in the current COVID environment


I *think* that’s a dirty banana, probably the first of many

Scenes from sail away, cruising under the Golden Gate Bridge

This is the first time I was convinced that G would survive his first solo cruise. 

A table by himself next to a window. His life is good!

And this was my second indication that all is right in his world. 

A garden salad with blue cheese and blue cheese crumbles. 

Chili. No prime rib on the embarkation night menu. 

Steve Moris is still entertaining on ships

G has a nice balcony cabin toward the back of the ship on Riviera Deck (our usual haunts) and has told his steward Joao that he rarely needs any service. He has extra towels and will return the wet ones and take the trash to Joao on his own.  Joao told him to just ask when he wants a linen change. And that’s the biggest difference between G and I. I want service and a spotless room twice a day on a ship.  That’s a huge part of the cruise to me.  G just wants a man cave. 😆

Senior officers on the Ruby Princess.