The ship
Crown-class Princess: Piazza and Crown Grill
Ruby Princess is Crown-class Princess from 2008: room for about 3,080 guests, with Piazza living, Crown Grill and Sabatini’s, Horizon Court and Movies Under the Stars on a large mid-size map.
Main dining rooms and Horizon Court cover included hours; International Café and pizza casual fill the gaps. Specialty dining is the paid layer: among them Crown Grill and Sabatini’s. Drinks packages and covers are extra — price those into the week.
Evenings run Princess Theatre productions and Piazza social hours, with Movies Under the Stars on deck. Daytime is pools, Sanctuary adults space and Lotus Spa. She is classic Princess soft product — not Royal-class SeaWalk hardware.
If you want Crown-class Princess with Piazza nights, Movies Under the Stars and Crown Grill, Ruby fits — budget specialty and drinks into the week.
On board
Dining, Piazza, Movies Under the Stars
- 01
Main dining and specialty
Main dining rooms and Horizon Court handle included meals; International Café covers coffee and bites. Specialty nights repay a reservation — among them Crown Grill and Sabatini’s. Book early on sea days. Specialty doors repay an embarkation-day reservation — the same 19:30 sea-day slot is popular across the ship. Keep one or two included nights in the plan so the week does not become cover-charge maths.
- 02
Princess Theatre
Princess Theatre runs production shows sized for Crown-class crowds. Programmes change by season — check your sailing. Arrive early for centre seats. Reserve popular specialty tables on embarkation day — sea-day 19:30 slots go first. Covers and drinks packages sit outside the simple cruise — price what you will actually buy.
- 03
Piazza after dark
The Piazza is the social heart after dinner. Drink packages sit outside many prices — price what you will actually drink. The mood is classic Princess evening energy. Live music, trivia and quieter cocktail corners fill the gaps between headline shows. Price drinks packages against what you will actually order; a short bar crawl still adds up on a long week.
- 04
Movies Under the Stars and Sanctuary
Movies Under the Stars own warm evening decks. Sanctuary is the quieter adults sun space; Lotus Spa treatments are mostly extra. Claim Sanctuary early if hush matters. On a ship carrying roughly 3,080 guests, timing matters more than the brochure photo. Families chase splash edges; adults often want the quieter rail. Thermal spa time is a separate spend on most lines — book a sea-day pass if heat loungers are your reset rather than another crowded sundeck.
- 05
Families
Youth clubs run Princess age bands. Peak weeks feel busier. Families who will use the clubs get good value; couples wanting hush should favour Sanctuary and spa hours. School-holiday weeks feel full — book popular club windows early. Families chase splash edges; adults often want the quieter rail. Thermal spa time is a separate spend on most lines — book a sea-day pass if heat loungers are your reset rather than another crowded sundeck.
Crown Grill
Crown Grill is Princess’s specialty steakhouse — one of the pricier covers. Quieter and more dressed-up than Horizon Court or the main dining rooms. Go here for a splurge dinner, not a cheap filler night.
Sabatini’s
Sabatini’s is the Italian specialty — more of an occasion than the main dining rooms or Horizon Court. Cover charge applies; expect a higher spend than the buffet. Book early on sea days if Italian is your treat night.
Main dining rooms
Main dining rooms handle the included evening meals — assigned or flexible depending on your cruise. Included in the included dining — no cover charge for the standard sitting. Best for guests who want a classic cruise dinner without budgeting extras every night.
Horizon Court
Horizon Court is the big casual option for breakfast, lunch and low-fuss evenings. Included in the included dining — no cover charge for the standard sitting. Ideal if you prefer self-serve or a fast seat on a port morning.
International Café
International Café covers coffee, pastries and grab-and-go bites by the Piazza. Some items low-cost; fancy coffees often extra. Perfect between meals when you do not want a full restaurant.
Pizza / casual
Casual pizza and easy plates for between-show hunger. Low-cost to modest extras versus a specialty cover. Ideal when you want something quick without a dining-room sitting.
Princess Theatre
Princess Theatre hosts Princess production shows — cruise-stage spectacle, not a fixed West End transfer. Programmes change by season, so check your sailing. Included; grab a centre seat on night one if the headline matters.
Piazza
Piazza is the after-dinner circuit — drinks, music and a place to sit when the theatre lets out. Drinks sit outside the simple cruise — price what you will actually order. Best when you want the evening to keep going without hiking the whole ship.
Movies Under the Stars
Pool-deck movies on warm evenings — blankets, popcorn energy and a big screen under the sky. Included with the cruise; drinks extra. Best when you want a low-fuss night without the theatre.
Lotus Spa
Lotus Spa is the calmer daytime reset — treatments and thermal loungers rather than pool-deck noise. Treatments and thermal access are mostly extra — not in the simple cruise. Book ahead on sea days if heat loungers and steam are your reset.
Fit
Who she is for
- Princess fans who want Piazza evenings, Movies Under the Stars and Crown Grill at Crown-class scale.
- Couples and families happy with classic Princess soft product rather than Sphere-class newness.
- Not for guests chasing SeaWalk thrills or quiet expedition travel. Choose Sky Princess or a smaller luxury line instead.
Where
Where Ruby tends to go
Princess rotates Crown-class ships through warm-water, coastal and European seasons. Exact homeports shift by year.
Treat this as the ship’s range, not a fixed timetable. When this guide is public, sailings with two or more UK agent prices will sit at the bottom.
Before you book
What the brochure skips
- Price drinks packages, specialty dining and spa into the week — Princess prices are only the start.
- Compare UK agents on the same sailing — same date, cruise-only, two guests.
Next step
Find a sailing
Compare cruise prices for Ruby Princess, or open the live map and see where she is now.
Compare all Princess Cruises prices