Travel Weekly boarded Discovery Princess on the weekend to enjoy a guided tour, a fascinating dining experience and a chat with Captain Tony Ruggero about what makes this ship so special that even his wife lives onboard.
Built in 2021, the sixth and last of the Royal class ships, Discovery Princess arrived in Sydney for the first time in December last year showing off three decks of 25 restaurants, bars and cafes plus a host of high-end retail and expansive entertainment areas to entertain 3600 passengers and 1500 crew, although her maximum is 4200 passengers.
Discovery Princess will be a common sight around Australia and the Pacific over the coming months as she makes her way through an Australian itinerary covering Melbourne, maiden calls to Kangaroo Island, Adelaide and Port Lincoln in South Australia, then Hobart and Port Arthur in Tasmania. Then she’s off to Fiji, before another Great Barrier Reef cruise then one-way north from Sydney to Auckland and onwards to Honolulu, Los Angeles, and Vancouver.
“We’ve had so many good reviews,” says Captain Ruggero of his charge which he has been in command of for three years. “So, we’re very proud of that. It’s a good ship.
He enjoys it so much that his wife, Renee, is now a permanent passenger as their twin daughters are now in full-time study at university.
“Before (Discovery) I was on Crown. And before the Crown, I was on Sea Princess,” says Captain Ruggero. “Normally we do two and a half to three years on the same ship. But I did request to stay on this ship because we’re going back to North America, and our daughters are in North America, so it’s easy for them to travel and come to see us.”
Renee knows a bit about ships too, the pair having met on board. Renee joined Sun Princess in 1999 and held the positions of captain’s secretary, guest services associate and head cashier in the casino. It was during her first contract that she met third officer Tony and they were married three years later. In 2003, their daughters were born.
Favourite ports
While the Canada-based skipper’s favourite ports are in the Mediterranean, including his original home of Sardinia, Australia still holds a special place for him.
“My first command was here in this part of the world. I was on Sea Princess in 2018-19. So I enjoyed cruising around Australia,” he says.
“We did it clockwise, counter clockwise around Australia. It was beautiful. I really enjoyed it. And obviously in Australia, New Zealand, you know, it’s a perfect part of the world.”
During its stop in Sydney, Discovery Princess was replenished with 250 tonnes of produce, 95 per cent of it sourced locally and that included something in the vicinity of 12,000 eggs, along with 5 pallets of strawberries, among the produce.
Our tour included a quick look at several of the five pools (one for crew only), numerous Jacuzzis, the outside of the two currently-occupied 2 bed 2 bath staterooms with wraparound balconies with private hot tub, the adults only space The Sanctuary, plus a theatre that can accommodate 900 guests that offers two production shows per day with no obstructed views.
There is also a Lotus spa so on every Princess ship which takes up one-third of the floor space on Deck 5 and offers everything from a massage in a couples room, to facials and various spa treatments from 8am-10pm. Teeth whitening, manicures and pedicures, plus hairdressing are also available in the spacious salon.
It is purely coincidental that several of the restaurants onboard are Italian, including Sabatini’s, Bellini’s Bar and Gigi’s pizzeria which has been certified by the Italian Government as the real deal. But we are here for something extra special.
The restaurant 360 experience offers a journey around Europe where we hit Spain, Italy and France with matching food and wines, on a culinary journey with a video and narrative from Princess ambassador Brooke Shields. Our energetic onboard host Johannes offers this delicious experience twice a day with the US$149 meal (about AU$229) extending to an entertaining 90 minutes.
It is the first time the 360 Experience has appeared in Australia and was originally for suite guests but is now bookable on board for all Discovery Princess and Enchanted Princess passengers.
There are 660 guests in transit and tonnes of cargo to load during Discovery Princess‘s brief visit but Captain Ruggero has taken time out of what is no doubt a hectic schedule, to greet us alongside wife Renee.
“Obviously, after 26 years you can imagine, I love the company,” he says. “They’ve done a lot for us, but not only for me, also for many crew members. It’s a good company to work for, and it’s known for good service and friendliness.”
That we can vouch for.
