The Ruby Princess

Mom and Dad safely made it to the Ruby Princess last night and they are in love with this new ship. Mom raved about the fish she had for lunch while Dad was beyond thrilled to meet John the Blogger. Stay tuned for a complete report and lots of pictures from them.

Count Down to Ruby Princess 1

1 Day before we board the brand new Ruby Princess. Tune in Thursday evening for photos and our thoughts of this ship.

Count Down to the Ruby Princess 2

2 Days to go before we board Princess Cruise Lines newest ship. The Ruby Princess. On board will be a favorite blogger of ours. John Heald who is the senior cruise director for Carnival cruise lines. We hope to meet John on this cruise. To view and read Johns blog go to http://johnhealdsblog.com/.

Count down to the Ruby Princess

3 days before we board the beautiful Ruby Princess. Watch our blog for coments photos and updates on this beautiful new Princess ship.

Cruise on Ruby Princess

Diane and I will be on a special two day cruise to nowhere on Princess Cruise Lines brand new ship the Princess Ruby. We will be posting photos and our thoughts about this new ship live on November 6 and 7th.

Cruising Eastern Caribbean Part 1

Cruising the Eastern Caribbean
Part 1. St. Thomas
Port of call Charlotte Amalie St. Thomas USVI

St. Thomas is part of the United States Virgin Island and we think it has one of the most beautiful beaches in the world: Magens Bay. No matter which cruise ship you’re on, all provide shore excursions to the beaches. Or, if you’re a little more inclined to do some bargaining and you want to be a little more flexible with your time, you can hire one of the many taxi’s that are waiting to take visitors to and from the port. This lets you enjoy the duty free shopping in Charlotte Amalie. Magens Bay does cost about $2 per person, but it is well worth it! There is a small souvenir shop and a restaurant on the beach. The water is clear gorgeous shades of blue and Magens Bay is a wonderful spot for snorkeling.

Looking to bring home some wonderful souvenirs? St. Thomas has great shopping at two main shopping areas. The first is right at the port where the ships dock and the second one is in the downtown area, which is our favorite. Downtown is old and very quaint. Shopping at St. Thomas will allow you to practice those bargaining skills, although keep in mind, not all shops do bargain.

From St. Thomas you can also take a ferryboat to the island of St. Johns. St. Johns has an underwater national park with available snorkeling, allowing an up close view of the coral and sea life. The island of St. Johns has circle island guided tours by bus, which we have taken and enjoyed very much.

Here are some photos from St. Thomas

Diane with Magens Bay in the background

Tim enjoying a swim in Magens Bay

St Johns Beach

Dinner on our balcony. Well worth the money.

Our Dinner

Sunset leaving St. Thomas

Twilight in St. Thomas

Our next port of call will be the twin island nations of St. Martin and St. Maarten

Concerned About the Weather?

Yesterday Hurricane Ike made landfall in Texas. Hanna took a trip up the East coast and visited New England. Gustav decided to explore Louisiana and the states above. All three traveled in the waters surrounded Florida, waters that cruise ships routinely use when departing and returning from the main port and other ports of call. MSNBC.Com had this article regarding what cruise ships do when severe weather threatens. I know my parents have talked about this before. But MSNBC.Com had the benefit of speaking to cruise line officials to provide more specific information.

So take a look at the article, let it put your mind at ease and then contact my parents regarding that cruise you've been considering.