Sparks flew when Princess Cruises’ superliner, Ruby Princess arrived in Sydney for the first time yesterday. Literally. She was welcomed with a spectacular display of ruby red fireworks as she entered the harbour.
But the really cool thing about this entry was that Michelin Star Chef Curtis Stone used his Princess OceanMedallion to activate the fireworks!
Why Curtis Stone? Well, his incredible fine-dining restaurant SHARE is one of the star features onboard Ruby Princess.
We caught up with Curtis onboard Ruby Princess yesterday (yes, we did test out the six-course menu at SHARE and can confirm it is sublime).
Also, it is surprisingly affordable for passengers to have a delicious dining experience at SHARE with a six-course menu available for less than $40.
Curtis admits that welcoming Ruby Princess into the harbour in the small hours of the morning was equal parts nerve-wracking and exhilarating.
“So this morning I’m on my way to get on a barge with a bunch of fireworks to welcome a ship in the middle of the harbour,” he explained.
“I don’t know if any of you have noticed but this is a big ship. When The Ruby is bearing down on you you’ve got fireworks going in front of you, you’re going hey welcome but please don’t hit us”.
Curtis Stone
Princess Cruises Senior Vice President Asia Pacific Stuart Allison said the arrival of Ruby Princess to Australia marks the biggest season that Princess Cruises has ever had Down Under.
“We have 25% more capacity than last summer and five ships sailing from five different ports around the country. Majestic Princess will sail along Ruby Princess which means we have two megaliners in Sydney for the first time ever,” he said.
During her maiden season, Ruby Princess will be activated with Princess MedallionClass, making her the first “smart-ship” homeported in Australia. The activation of this clever new technology is scheduled to take place in later January 2020.
Ruby Princess departed Sydney yesterday afternoon on a 10-night cruise to Brisbane.
