A slightly bumpy start
This September I joined the Princess Cruises team and a small group from the travel industry for a week sailing the California coast on Ruby Princess. I’ve been in cruise for over ten years, and it’s still trips like this that remind me why I love it.
We all met at Heathrow on 9th September and flew out to San Francisco with United Airlines. Everything was going perfectly until we landed, when my phone decided it had done enough travelling for one day and stopped working completely.
So instead of getting my first taste of San Francisco, I spent most of that first night in the hotel trying to bring it back to life. It wasn’t having any of it. The next morning, a few hours before we were due on the ship, I was running to the Apple Store to buy a brand new phone. Not quite the pre-cruise sightseeing I’d pictured, but I made it on board, new phone in hand, and the holiday could properly begin.
Our seven night California coast itinerary
Our sailing was seven nights round trip from San Francisco, with two sea days to relax in between:
- San Francisco
- Day at sea
- Catalina Island
- Los Angeles
- San Diego
- Ensenada, Mexico
- Day at sea
- San Francisco
That’s four very different places in one week, and only one lot of unpacking. Two of them surprised me more than anything else on the trip, but more on those in a moment.
Ruby Princess: chosen for where she goes
I’ll be upfront. Ruby Princess is one of the older, smaller ships in the Princess fleet. If you’re used to the bigger, newer ships, she might not be your first pick, but I really wouldn’t let that put you off.
Ruby Princess is a ship you choose for her itineraries rather than the bells and whistles. She was spotless, and because there’s plenty of space and venues for the number of guests on board, she never felt busy.
The crew deserve their own mention. They knew our names, remembered our drinks orders and were some of the friendliest people I’ve come across at sea in a long time. If you want an interesting, adventurous itinerary and to be looked after like royalty while you do it, Ruby Princess is your girl.
My balcony cabin on Ruby Princess
We were lucky enough to have a balcony cabin each, which on a trip like this is pretty much unheard of. One nice thing about an older ship is the cabin size, and these balconies had space to spare.
The storage was brilliant. Between the walk-in wardrobe and the rest of the cabin, you could easily fit clothes for two people on a 14-night sailing or longer, all hung up or folded away.
It’s the little things, but I always check whether the bed is high enough to slide suitcases underneath. On Ruby Princess it is, so there’s no tripping over luggage in the middle of the night.
If you’ve sailed with Princess before, you’ll know how comfortable their beds and pillows are. You can actually buy them online, and they might be making an appearance on my Christmas list this year.
The food (and my Crown Grill order)
Every meal on board was a treat. Because we had the Princess Premier package, we could book speciality dining as often as we liked, so we ate at both Crown Grill and Sabatini’s twice in seven nights.
Crown Grill is my favourite, and I’ve said the same on other Princess ships. The food gets me every time. My order never changes: lobster bisque to start, filet mignon with all the trimmings for main, and an espresso martini to finish. You can’t go wrong.
Catalina Island: my favourite stop
If there’s one place from this trip I’d tell anyone to visit, it’s Catalina Island. I didn’t know much about it before we arrived, so I didn’t really know what to expect. It completely blew me out of the water.
It felt like a Caribbean island and a quaint little town straight out of a film, all at once. The boutique shops along the pier were gorgeous and I could have browsed for hours.
We took a short walk up to the Chimes Tower lookout, and the views across the bay were incredible. It’s a view I won’t forget for a long time.
Los Angeles: have a plan
We decided to explore Long Beach rather than take the long drive into LA itself. It’s around an hour each way into the city, and the main attractions are quite spread out.
Next time I’d either book an excursion or go in with a proper plan. My tip: if there’s something specific you want to see in LA, a Princess excursion takes the stress out of getting there and back.
San Diego: the one I’ll be going back to
San Diego was another stop that surprised me. It had never been high on my list, but it was clean, modern and easy to love, and I’d go back for a longer stay in a heartbeat.
That’s what I love about cruising. You get a taster of somewhere new, tick off several places in one trip, and find the ones you want to return to properly.
The whole group did the San Diego SEAL Tour, which is a great way to see the main sights of the city before heading out on the water to see the sea lions. Along the way we learned that one of San Diego’s military bases trains sea lions to help with defence. They can dive far deeper than people and spot things humans can’t, and dolphins are trained in the same way.
While we were out on the boat, we actually saw one of the dolphins in the middle of a training session with its team. What I liked most was learning that the animals still live in the wild, even though they’re trained for this work.
Ensenada: book an excursion
For Ensenada, I’d really recommend booking an excursion. The port shuttle drops you in quite a touristy area, and I don’t think you get to see the real Ensenada from there.
We had a wander around and stopped for some tacos before heading back to the ship, which was a nice way to spend a couple of hours. But if you want to get under the skin of the place, an excursion is the way to go.
Is Princess Premier worth it?
From personal experience, if you’re thinking about upgrading, do it. Here’s what it covered for me:
- Unlimited speciality dining. That’s how we fitted in two visits each to Crown Grill and Sabatini’s.
- Unlimited drinks. Cocktails by the pool and a glass of wine with dinner, without the 15-drink daily limit that comes with Princess Plus and the standard onboard drinks package.
- Wi-Fi for four devices. I had no problems all week on my (new) phone or my laptop.
- Shore excursion credit. My San Diego SEAL Tour was completely covered.
- Four casual dining meals. More on this below.
The casual dining part is the bit people often misunderstand. On Ruby Princess, venues like Salty Dog Bar & Grill and Vines aren’t classed as speciality restaurants, but they still carry a charge. With Princess Premier, four of these meals are included across your sailing.
If you love your food and plan to do plenty of excursions, the package is worth it for those two things alone, before you even count the drinks and Wi-Fi.
A few final hours in San Francisco
After the phone drama on day one, I was glad we had a few hours to explore San Francisco properly before our flight home. We wandered around Pier 39 and then jumped on one of the traditional cable cars for a ride up and down those famous hilly streets. That one had been on my bucket list for a long time, and it was a lovely way to end the trip.
Who I’d recommend Ruby Princess to
This sailing is a great fit if you’d rather see lots of new places than have every onboard extra, if you love your food, and if you’re after a first taste of the West Coast before planning a longer trip back. Add a night or two in San Francisco either side and you’ve got a brilliant fly-cruise.
If Ruby Princess and the California coast have caught your eye, give our cruise specialists a call on 020 7949 0270 or enquire online. We’d love to help you plan it.
Ruby Princess & California Coast FAQs
Do you need an ESTA for a cruise from San Francisco?
Yes. If you’re travelling on a British passport, you’ll need an approved ESTA to fly into the US for your cruise. Apply on the official US government website well before you travel, and keep a copy somewhere other than your phone (trust me on that one).
Is Catalina Island a tender port?
Yes. Cruise ships anchor in the bay off Avalon, and you take a small tender boat to shore. The ride is short and drops you right by the pier, so you’re straight into exploring.
Is Ruby Princess an old ship?
She’s one of the older ships in the Princess fleet, having launched in 2008. You won’t find all the latest features of the newer ships, but she’s spotless, the cabins are roomy and the crew are wonderful. I’d choose her for the itinerary without a second thought.
Is it worth flying to the US a day before your cruise?
Absolutely. A night in San Francisco before boarding gives you a buffer if your flight is delayed, time to shake off the jet lag, and a chance to see the city. It also gives you time to sort out any surprises, like a phone that stops working the moment you land.
What’s the best time to cruise the California coast?
California is a year-round destination, but for me, late summer into autumn is hard to beat. San Francisco often gets its warmest, clearest days in September and October, once the summer fog has eased. Further south, Catalina, San Diego and Ensenada stay warm and sunny well into autumn.
Can you do this sailing as a longer trip?
Definitely, and I’d recommend it. The easiest way is to add a hotel stay in San Francisco before or after your cruise, so you have more time to explore the city.
If you want a proper West Coast adventure, you can turn it into a multi-centre holiday with an internal flight to Las Vegas. Or, if you just can’t get enough of life on board, you can book two sailings back to back and enjoy two different itineraries in one trip. Our cruise specialists can put the whole thing together for you.
