Launched in 2008 and carrying 3,114 passengers, Ruby Princess is a big, beautiful ship with attractions for all the family as well as quieter spaces in which adults can relax.

There are several pools on deck, including one just for children, but adults gravitate to The Sanctuary, a restful area on deck where you can lie on a squashy lounger, listen to music, have a massage or snack on the iced fruit kebabs offered by attentive waiters. A giant movie screen overlooks the Calypso Pool, setting for Princess Cruises' trademark Movies Under The Stars, complete with popcorn.

Ruby Princess has three main dining rooms offering a choice of traditional dining in two sittings or Anytime Dining, when you can arrive at the time of your choice. For a treat, try the elegant Crown Grill. Save your appetite for Sabatini's, an Italian feast of magnificent antipasti, home-made pasta, Italian classics and decadent desserts.

The heart of the ship is The Piazza, at the base of an elegant atrium, where you can try wines by the glass in Vines, or watch the early evening entertainment of pop-up circus acts. After dark, have a quiet digestif in the elegant Adagio piano bar, or dance until the early hours in Skywalkers, the adults-only nightclub high atop the ship.

Ruby Princess has multiple cabin grades, including several family cabins and a choice of inside, outside, balcony cabins and luxurious suites. The ship sails in Alaska in summer so we're really recommend a balcony; you can't beat sitting outside in your own private space, watching the breathtaking scenery unfold.