pennst8r

Dear CruisingIsBest,

i’m so delighted to hear you have more positive comments than negative feelings about your Regal cruise.  Your initial remarks led me to believe you would be less than happy with your current experience.

I’ve enjoyed your observations...thanks.  You know, there were a couple of times I felt I was actually right there with you. 😉 😊

I'd love to know what an 'Upgraded' turn down service is.

I'm thinkin' warm milk and cookies delivered to your suite, then tuck-in service, a bedtime story and a lullaby! And, maybe a teddy bear to sleep with if you're sailing solo. ;) :D

Wow, I'm an amateur compared to those fancy decorations posted above! Nonetheless, I decorate my door for every cruise and I'm 62 years old.

Two weeks ago on a Royal Princess Caribbean cruise, I had a couple of pink flamingos (note my avatar), tropical flowers and a parrot -- all from a package of party decoration "cutouts" I got at Dollar Tree.

I am directionally challenged; with the decorations I can easily find my cabin whether I'm returning "home" from the midship or aft direction. It never fails that people on the way to their cabin, who see me entering mine, will comment that it helps them find their way. And, basically, I'm decorating my "home away from home," just as someone would put Christmas, Autumn or Spring wreaths or other decor on their homes. To me, it's festive, not childish; and on a cruise I'm definitely in a festive mood!

To the OP, decorate and enjoy! Others will enjoy them, too.

Princess had "Love Boat Legends," a lip-sync performance, complete with choreography and costumes, and performed by passengers in the main show lounge at the end of the cruise. Each performer had rehearsals every day prior to the show and were provided with a cassette player with the music for on-your-own rehearsals.

Among the cast of characters: Pavarotti, the Blues Brothers, Dolly Parton (with inflatable breasts -- portrayed by a male passenger), Michael Jackson and the Temptations. On three cruises, I was Shirley Temple and did "On The Good Ship Lolipop" with pink dress and a curly wig topped with a huge pink bow. The ship's male dancers were dressed as sailors and danced with me. What fun!

Michael Kors watches, too; on the Royal and Regal for sure.

Hi, I'm NOT a golden retriever but I have cruised solo more than a half-dozen times and it's great. I'm an introvert who works at coming off as an extrovert. You know...survival.

I went into the first one expecting nothing more than rest, relaxation and de-stressing and said anything beyond that would be a bonus. I've had the bonus experience...met a lot of nice people and found I was more comfortable with being alone on a ship than I thought I'd be. I don't think I could share a cabin with someone again. I love having all the drawers and cubbyholes for me, me, me! :D

I hope you have an absolutely fabulous cruise; I feel certain you will. I'd love to meet you one day on a cruise. I first started following along with you when I saw your avatar. I love dachshunds and just get a kick out of that cocked little head in yours. Now, of course, I'm hooked on your writing style and can't wait to enjoy your adventures through your eyes and words. Wish you had booked a longer cruise!

Cheers!

~ Roseann

 

 

 

Once, on another cruise line, I had a steward go into the drawers to find my nightclothes to make an animal out of them!! This was years ago when they would take your nightgown and spread it out on the bed in shapes. I hated that and would "hide" my nightgown. This steward clearly searched it out. That was annoying!

I laughed out loud when I read this! Was it on Costa Line? (I sailed several times with them in the early 1980s.) I returned to my cabin after dinner and found my nightgown, which had been hanging on the bathroom door hook, "displayed" on my bed with the waist area narrowed in and the bottom fanned-out fully. I was so embarrassed I hid my nightgown after that! LOL Brought back a memory from my early days of cruising.

 

Once, on another cruise line, I had a steward go into the drawers to find my nightclothes to make an animal out of them!! This was years ago when they would take your nightgown and spread it out on the bed in shapes. I hated that and would "hide" my nightgown. This steward clearly searched it out. That was annoying!

I laughed when I read this! Was it on Costa Line? (In the early 1980s, I sailed with them several times.) I returned to my cabin after dinner and found my nightgown, which had been hung on the bathroom door hook, "displayed" on my bed with the waist area narrowed and the bottom of the nightgown fanned out fully. I was so embarrassed, I hid my nightgown after that! LOL You brought back a memory from my early days of cruising.

[quote name=KruzPrincess

Once, on another cruise line, I had a steward go into the drawers to find my nightclothes to make an animal out of them!! This was years ago when they would take your nightgown and spread it out on the bed in shapes. I hated that and would "hide" my nightgown. This steward clearly searched it out. That was annoying![/quote]

I laughed when I read this. Was it on Costa Line? (I sailed on several of their cruises in the early 1980s.) I was so embarrassed when I returned to my cabin and found my nightgown "displayed" on the bed, with the waist area narrowed and the bottom part fanned out. I hid my nightgown after that. LOL. You brought back a memory of my early days of cruising.

Have a great trip!!!!

Thanks! I'll be saying some prayers for sunny weather, smooth seas and happy family members who want to cruise again!! :)

If you haven't done so already I suggest reading THIS THREAD

Thank you, Thrak, for the link to the review. And thank you, Caribill, for that fabulous review and amazing photos!

I did the cruise-tour 14 years ago but don't remember much of the particulars. I imagine, too, that things may have been done differently then. I do remember sending one piece of luggage directly to the ship.

After reading that review, I'm even more excited about my upcoming Alaska trip. Even more special -- especially since I usually travel solo -- is that I'll be sharing the experience with 11 other family members, including my four great-nephews and one great-niece!

Thanks to all who have been so generous with advice/information.

Thanks everyone for your advice; it all makes perfect sense!

Since I've already printed the luggage tags for the 12 of us, we'll just hold on to them in case we need them at the end of the land tour. I suppose we'll get further instructions once we arrive in Alaska as to the need to have the online luggage tags at all. Glad I printed them, though; better to be safe.

Loonbeam, I never even considered the potential for a bar code having an effect on the airline sorting system. Good point!

As always, a wealth of info to be had on these boards. I didn't get much help when I called Princess. (I guess that comes as no surprise from what I've read numerous times here. ;) :eek:)

What's your opinion regarding putting Princess luggage tags on suitcases before leaving your home airport when you have the Alaska land tour before the cruise?

When I go on a Caribbean cruise, I always tag my luggage from home, even though I spend the night before the cruise in a Fort Lauderdale hotel. I do this in case my luggage takes a trip that I'm not taking ;)! With the tag on, I feel it has a better chance of getting to the ship if it gets lost on the first day.

With a four-day land tour prior to the cruise, I wonder if I should wait to attach the tags until the end of the land portion. Your opinion/suggestion, please.

Thanks!

I got a beautiful Michael Kors watch on Royal Princess in April. Or, was it on Regal in December?? Well, it was one of the two! :o. With the two discounts mentioned in earlier posts, it beat the ones in port!

Happy Shopping!!

Hi, Barb, thanks for your email address; if I have more questions, I'll send you a message. YOU'RE the sweet one!

We sound like kindred spirits; I, too, am prone to motion sickness. I use Bonine (Meclizine) instead of the Scopalomine patch. My doc won't give me a 'script for it; he says there are too many side effects. I got so seasick on my first cruise that, even though I've been on many cruises, I continue to use the Meclizine...too afraid not to keep taking it! ;)

And I agree about the location on the ship. I book mid to mid-aft on a lower deck. No use taking chances, even though today's ships are so much larger. My first cruise was on a 12,000-ton ship (the original Pacific Princess) in the early '80s. Compare that to my most recent cruises on the Royal and Regal at around 141,000 GRT...huge difference!

I'll give my family a heads-up on the two days that may be the roughest. I want to make sure they take the Meclizine on those days, at least. I'll be bringing extras in case the tough guys think they don't need to pack it! :D

Thanks for the Customs info, too. I'm feeling better about everything.

~ Roseann

Barb, I just noticed you have two cruises planned on the Regal. I've sailed on the Regal a couple of times (the Royal, too); so, if you haven't been on that ship and have any questions, I'll be more than happy to try to answer them. Heck, you've been so generous with info for me!

Cheers!

~ Roseann

Roseann,

We didn't know what 'direct to bus' was last year either. We had pre-reserved the Princess transfer from the ship to the airport. Our luggage was picked up the night before like everyone elses.

The 'direct to bus' groups were sent to a separate area (Universe Lounge) and were escorted off the ship by a separate gangway. We were walked off the ship and went 'behind' the wall not stopping at the Canadian customs area OR getting our luggage. We were brought directly to a bus and taken to the airport. Once there, our luggage was delivered to an area in the terminal for Princess (HAL had a similar area set up). We then went through the regular process of checking in, security, etc. I understand the luggage was transported by truck to the airport and not on the bus with us.

 

It eliminated the process of finding our luggage in the terminal, which I had hoped to do this year!

 

I understand about your sister's reluctance! MY sister's 1st cruise was OUR 2nd - during HURRICANE SANDY! Princess took VERY good care of us - but even with a 50% of fare FCC, my sister has not been inclined to return to sea! I didn't have that same problem! ha!

 

You will certainly have a wonderful time with such a range of ages in your family - it is always exciting to see things through young peoples' eyes!

Have a great time and I hope to read your review here on CC! It has been such a GREAT source of information for me to learn the ins and outs of cruising!

Bon voyage!

Barb, thanks for the info about the bus. Do you think everything went OK for you not having those arrangements? Was going through customs at Canada Place a hassle?

I hope you don't mind all of my questions, especially since I thought of another one.:eek: How was your transit from Whittier to Vancouver; were the seas calm or did you have some rough day(s)? If there were some bad sea days, do you happen to remember where?

I would normally not be so concerned. If it was just me, I'd take each day as it came; but I'm worried for my less- or non-experienced family members. Watch, I'll be the only one who gets seasick! :D

I'm really hoping my sister enjoys the cruise so she and my brother-in-law want to cruise again. My preference is not to cruise alone! ;)

Thanks for all of you help and for the good wishes!

~ Roseann

Barb, thanks for your info. I'm feeling better about the choice to forego Princess transfers. Thanks, too, for the suggestion to check the Canada boards. Wonder why I didn't think of that?!? :confused:

Please tell me about the "direct to bus" thing. I've never heard of it.

Alaska is amazing and does call you back. This will be my fourth trip but the last one was in 2001...a long time ago! Half of our group have never been on a cruise; so, it will be even more special seeing them experience what I love so much. Of the five children in the family -- ranging in age from nine to 15 -- this will be a first cruise for three of them.

Since I cruise alone most of the time, having my family on this trip is so exciting. Just praying the seas will be calm so mal de mar isn't a factor. Because I'm cruise-addicted and sing its praises at any opportunity, I kinda feel responsible for everyone having a great experience. :eek: (Especially concerned about my sister who took her first -- and last -- cruise in the early '80s, got seasick and vowed she'd never cruise again!) It's taken me 30+ years to get her back on a ship!!

Thanks again!

~ Roseann

First, thanks for your review and photos...well done!

I will be on the Grand in July along with 11 other family members. We have not booked Princess transfers, feeling the cost for taxis would be less than the per-person cost for transfers. Now I'm a bit concerned.

Are taxis readily available at Canada Place? Did you see van taxis? I was also surprised that it was a 40-minute ride to the Vancouver airport. Our flight is around 12:15 p.m., should I be concerned? :eek:

Thanks for your help with my questions and for posting your review. I'm even more excited!

The Landfall Dinner sounds amazing. Was that the last night of the cruise (as expected ;) ) or another night?

I will be on the Grand southbound in July with 11 other family members. We want to do Crown Grill and, maybe, Sabatini's as well. With a large group of 12, I know it will be important to schedule specialty dining early in the cruise. I don't want to miss a particularly good dinner in the MDR that would be preferred by the five kids and several adults who are very careful about what they eat.

It would be great if someone who has sailed southbound on the Grand reads this and can post MDR menus by day either here or in another thread.

Enjoying your review and also your posts on the other thread! Thanks!!

I will be doing the southbound trip on the Grand in July, along with 11 family members! We want to dine one night in the Crown Grill and, maybe, once in Sabatini's.

With a group this large, I want to book the specialty dining as soon as I get on the ship but I don't want to choose nights with particularly good menus in the MDR. Do you happen to have copies of the dining room menus each evening? Also, which nights were formal?

Thanks!

Please ask Joey what the next 6 months look like for him. How much will I need to bribe him to jump ship (to the Crown) in October.

 

And please, let chocolate strawberries be on the formal night request form. What good is elite if they take away that perk.

I was on the Royal last month and I missed having those chocolate-covered strawberries on formal nights...very disappointed they weren't on the Elite hors d' oeuvres card either night. I had the strawberries in December on the Regal; so they disappeared in that four-month span.

I had to "settle" ;) for three shrimp apps and the prosciutto I took off of the little breadsticks. (Anyone who has had the latter, knows how soggy the breadsticks get between the time the appetizers are made and when they're delivered.) :D

Being thrify, I would save the grand and book Emerald. If the price was more equitable -- say, $200 difference -- I would absolutely book Regal!

I've sailed multiple times on both Grand Class and Royal Class ships and, in addition to being newer, the Royal Class (Royal and Regal Princess) has so much more to offer...dining and entertainment venues/opportunities, elegantly beautiful decor and fresh, well-maintained surroundings.

What some perceive as negatives on the Royal and Regal -- no center staircase, no full promenade, smaller balconies and hard-to-reach toilet paper rolls (that one really makes me laugh:D ) -- are, in my opinion, far outweighed by what the the Royal Class offers. For me, those "negatives" are non-issues.

Whatever you choose, have a wonderful time! You won't make a mistake with either one.

I take Bonine (Meclizine) every day. I start taking it the night before the cruise before I go to bed. If you're going to be drowsy, it would be nice to have that happen while you're trying to fall asleep. As someone who doesn't sleep easily, that's a bonus!

When I started cruising, I took it a half-hour to an hour before sailing, per package directions. I learned the before-bed thing from someone who posted on these boards and have continued to do that. Before reading that suggestion, I used to obsess about making sure I had the pills with me in case I was on deck or not in my cabin when we were due to sail.

As previously posted, you only need one every 24 hours. At least for me, it's easy to remember to take it as I'm getting ready for bed each night.

Even after a whole lot of cruises, I continue to take a pill each night. With today's large, stable ships, I may not need it every day; but, after getting seasick early on in my cruising, I don't want to take any chances! :D

I've got to agree about Crab Shack...not overly impressed. I had it on the Regal last month and, trust me, I've had better King Crab legs.

I ordered the pot with King Crab legs that was supposed to come with peel-and-eat shrimp. I love steamed clams and asked if I could have them instead of the shrimp (the clams were available in one of the other pot combinations).

I got what I asked for but was disappointed. The clam shells were the size of a quarter and the "meat" inside was weenie-teenie. The crab was sliced in half lengthwise and it was the smallest Alaskan King Crab leg I've ever seen. The original pot had three or four halves and it wasn't the whole leg. It looked like the last joint of the leg where it became skinny.

Each person was provided with about three crab "tools" which served little purpose as the "meat" was exposed. It was almost impossible to get a whole piece of crab from the shell because of the way it had been sawed (?) in half and was so thin.

Yes, the waiter willing brought more of what anyone in our roll call group of seven wanted. The guy sitting across from me had more crab and some larger shrimp that was available in one of the other pots and I ate his peel-and-eat shrimp. I LOVE King Crab but preferred the shrimp--a shellfish I generally can take or leave.

Based on what I ordered, I wouldn't do Crab Shack again. Those who had the pot with the larger shrimp and other stuff seemed to enjoy their meal, though. As had been said many times before, food is subjective. The company, however, was great and we had a good time!