CRUISING THE CARIBBEAN ON THE RUBY PRINCESS

On February 13, I went on a cruise to the Western Caribbean. I went with Gwen, her nephew James and his wife Fabiola. We flew to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on Friday and stayed there at a Marriott Hotel. We left on Saturday morning to board the ship the Ruby Princess. It is a new ship as of November 2008. It was beautiful. We had 3286 passengers and 1210 crew members on board. There were 44 nationalities represented on the crew. If you stand this ship on its end it would be as long as the Empire State Building is long. I have about 335 pictures to try and choose from to share my experience of the cruise with family and friends. I hope some of the pictures help to capture the trip. It was breathtaking to see the ship. I have never seen anything so big!!!!!

This is the Ruby Princess

As we pulled away from the docks at Ft. Lauderdale, we had boats escorting us out to sea. The houses along this inlet were beautiful and big.

We left on Valentines Day and as we boarded the ship they had all these Valentines cakes in the main Pizazz.



There was a group that played in the main Pizazz the day we boarded the ship.




This is all the luggage lined up to get on the ship. You just pray that yours makes it to the right cabin. There was a GIANT movie screen on one of the top decks. We watched Mama Mia under the stars.


Gwen and I at the life vest drill. Aren't we cute!!!





















This is a chandelier in the main area and another picture of the Pizazz.


One of the winding staircases in the Pizazz. It was so pretty.



















On Jamaica we went to a place called Shaw Park Gardens. This is Gwen and I by one of the waterfalls. Everything was so green.


Overlooking the Carribean Sea.




Our tour guide showed us a Banyan tree that was huge. He is swinging from the vines.



We went to Dunn River Falls in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. This was beautiful. You start at the bottom of the falls then hike up to the top. We didn't hike the falls but walked from the bottom to the top along the walking path.



Our next stop was Grand Cayman Islands. This is where alot of banking takes place. There were over 60 plus banks here. We had to take the tender boats over to the Island because the boat couldn't get close enough to the dock because of the coral reefs.



Grand Cayman Islands.



James and Fabiola on the bus for a tour to the turtle farm.

All kinds of turtles, big and little.

Me holding a turtle. It was so cute!!! I was a little nervous because he flaps his front flappers to try and get away so you have to hold them just right or you could drop them. It felt alot different than I thought it would. I thought the under shell would be squishy but it was hard like the top shell.

James and Fabiola with their turtles. Gwen rubbing her turtles tummy.


While on Grand Cayman we visited HELL. I can

honestly say I have been to "HELL"

They drive on the wrong side of the road and the steering wheels on the the right side of the vehicle.

Taking the tender back to the boat.

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The ship from the pier.


Our next stop was Cozumel Mexico. We went on a tour called Discover Mexico. This chest was an example of the artwork done in Mexico.




We saw alot of scale models of buildings and ruins in Mexico. Some of these we went to in November when we went to Cancun.


This is the Catholic Church in Zacatecas Mexico where Fabiola comes from.



The main square in Cozumel overlooking the ocean.






We took a tour of the Galley and these pictures are from there. This ship has four different galleys where they prepare all the food.

The chefs preparing the fruit plates for dinner.

The salads chilling for dinner.





Carvings made out of breads.

The head Matre' d and the main chef.

King Crab legs night.

Starting at the left is our waiter Julian, from Bulgaria, Me, GwenMario from Italy(the head waiter), Fabiola, James and Ronnie from the Phillipines.

Our cabin stewards name was Marlo (not sure where he was from). He made this cute elephant and put it on our bed one night it is made from towels.

Me at Princess Cays, this is a privately owned Island that Princess Cruise Lines owns. The beaches are white sand.

The water at Princess Cays was crystal clear and green/blue.

More of Princess Cays. This is our ship when we were heading back to it.

The last night of the cruise we had Baked Alaska for deseret.

Our Waiter, "Julian" wearing this America Vest.

Coming back into Ft. Lauderdale. The houses along this inlet were huge.

Just as the sunsets in the West, the Cruise came to an end. This was one of the prettiest sunsets I have ever seen. Everyone should take a cruise at least once in their lifetime. Everyone save your money and we can all go.

I hope that this hasn't been boring - it is hard to condense seven days in a few pictures.