LIVE from the Royal Princess - 30 days, Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale - 9/27 - 10/27

[Firststatecruiser]

We were in E412 and loved the cabin. The balcony was a little larger due to the irregular shape. It was considered obstructed, but there was no real obstruction. It was a deluxe balcony with the little couch. Mid ship location, so you know the issue with the lack of a staircase. We are booked for a December cruise and have taken a location near the staircase.

[Pia1913]

Has anyone received their questionnaire from Princess yet? We usually get it a day or so after disembarking but no sign of it so far. Only wondering because my aol account gives me fits and doesn't always receive or send mail :(.

I wonder whether Princess would re-send in that case?:confused:

 

Mine was waiting for me when I got home. AOL has been giving lots of people fits lately. Two of my friends dumped them quite recently.

[jonikal]

Mine was waiting for me when I got home. AOL has been giving lots of people fits lately. Two of my friends dumped them quite recently.

 

Darn. I'll give Princess a call to see if they will send me one to another email account - but not holding my breath. AOL was disappointing in other ways too as several of the emails we sent from the ship were never received. It may be dump-time for me, too! ;)

[Pam in CA]

Darn. I'll give Princess a call to see if they will send me one to another email account - but not holding my breath. AOL was disappointing in other ways too as several of the emails we sent from the ship were never received. It may be dump-time for me, too! ;)

I have never had a problem getting the post-cruise email to my AOL email address. Mine was there Sunday morning before disembarking. I still have to fill it out.

[ssbeagle]

We have our surveys in our e-mail. My husband has completed his but I still need to do mine.

 

The rudeness I saw was not due to nationality differences as they were Americans who were causing the fights. I was a witness to one of them and one man on the elevators was very rude because it was crowded and he was cursing. Another woman accused my husband of pushing her when he hadn't even touched her. He just asked politely for her to please let him off the elevator which was not crowded at that time. Another person just stood in the middle and wouldn't move to allow anyone to get on. All fellow Americans!

[Pia1913]

I have never had a problem getting the post-cruise email to my AOL email address. Mine was there Sunday morning before disembarking. I still have to fill it out.

 

Maybe AOL works better in different regions? You would be the one to know that, Pam. ;) I had email trouble across the board while on the ship; could only access from internet cafe and not from my netbook. But netbook had no problems accessing everything else and all LIVE stuff was done from my cabin.

 

We learn to live with the quirks of technology. :)

[LewesBeach]

Ditto on the elevators, mostly mid ship. Heard many verbal abuses, nasty comments- someone would hold the "open" button waiting for people, and someone else would rush in and accuse them of trying to close the door; people accusing others of pushing, stepping on feet, etc - generally very uncivil behavior. By the end of the cruise after 7 sea days w/cabin fever, elevator cars resembled "Lord of the Flies". In the future I'll stay forward or aft & use the stairs when possible.

[Mom33]

Ditto on the elevators, mostly mid ship. Heard many verbal abuses, nasty comments- someone would hold the "open" button waiting for people, and someone else would rush in and accuse them of trying to close the door; people accusing others of pushing, stepping on feet, etc - generally very uncivil behavior. By the end of the cruise after 7 sea days w/cabin fever, elevator cars resembled "Lord of the Flies". In the future I'll stay forward or aft & use the stairs when possible.

 

We have found the fore and aft elevators to be the ones to go to on all our cruises with Princess, especially when disembarking. :D

[Pam in CA]

Maybe AOL works better in different regions? You would be the one to know that, Pam. ;) I had email trouble across the board while on the ship; could only access from internet cafe and not from my netbook. But netbook had no problems accessing everything else and all LIVE stuff was done from my cabin.

 

We learn to live with the quirks of technology. :)

The best way to use AOL on a netbook or computer onboard is to use the text version, not the full graphic version. I admit that I forget the URL to use since I access my AOL email on my iPhone but I believe as it loads on a netbook or computer, it'll give you the option to go to the text-based site. Downloading and reading email is much faster.

 

BTW, I didn't gain any weight on our cruise but I did catch the cold that was going around. It hit me yesterday morning. :(

Edited October 30, 2013 by Pam in CA

[cherylandtk]

I use the webmail address onboard with no problem on any device. webmail.aol.com

[sashas_mom]

Trying to cover all the bases on threads that people may be still following to make sure they get to see our Rockin Royals peformances, if they missed it or were part of it.

 

 

Loved working on this with everyone. It was a HUGE success!

 

 

Eileen

 

 

 

Royal Princess TA 2013 Rockin' Royals Song

 

Royal Princess TA 2013 Pop Choir Rockin' Royals

[H20 Lover]

whoops wrong message board

Edited October 31, 2013 by H20 Lover

[SeaTeach]

Just finished reading "Live from The Royal Princess". I enjoyed reading the positive and negative reviews, thus can take from each in order to make a balanced decision about the ship. Thanks to all contributors for taking time to keep us well informed.

[Pia1913]

Just finished reading "Live from The Royal Princess". I enjoyed reading the positive and negative reviews, thus can take from each in order to make a balanced decision about the ship. Thanks to all contributors for taking time to keep us well informed.

 

And one of these days we'll try Oasis too (I note you have two booked).

[shepp]

Hi Pia,

 

Still in Florida, dealing with family matters. But I wanted to say what a blast it was to cruise with you...and everyone else.

 

Yes, there were some puzzling/disappointing things about the ship, but I thought the positives far outweighed the negatives. I trained myself to reach around for the toilet paper dispenser, and thenceforth my husband and I had a great time.

 

God, I wish I were back onboard right now.

[stansthos]

We have our surveys in our e-mail. My husband has completed his but I still need to do mine.

 

The rudeness I saw was not due to nationality differences as they were Americans who were causing the fights. I was a witness to one of them and one man on the elevators was very rude because it was crowded and he was cursing. Another woman accused my husband of pushing her when he hadn't even touched her. He just asked politely for her to please let him off the elevator which was not crowded at that time. Another person just stood in the middle and wouldn't move to allow anyone to get on. All fellow Americans!

 

My husband and I were Rockin Royals on this cruise, also. I still am on page 43 of this tread trying to catch up. :confused: But I did want to comment on the comments of the rude passengers. Our experiences were similar to ssbeagle's. We have never traveled with such an excessive number of "rude" people. I found myself talking about this experience with others while at lunch and breakfast in Horizon and everyone agreed. Also, several times, we noted folks asking the waiters to bring them plates of food. Sometimes, they did not like the food these waiters brought them. And these people were not disabled. They could have gone to get their food of choice like the rest of us. :mad: And yes, Pam, some of the rude ones were from other countries (the group of women from some South American country we always kept running into, was very insensitive to anyone but themselves); but most of the bad behavior seemed to be on the elevator. They were Americans. I talked to one couple several times from NY/South Florida, (who were not CC people BTW.) They both said "Look at where most of the people are from on this ship..that's one of the main reasons for the boorish behavior. We are embarrassed by their behavior, and we are not like that." Their words, not mine. And while we are all sympathetic about handicapped people and try to be deferential, as we should be; I saw and heard several very rude comments being made by people on scooters who did not want anyone to get on the elevators if they were on. Part of the problem also, was that there were so many elderly people...it was like a nursing home. I know, I know, someday that will be me. But I hope if I am that cranky, I will not inflict it on my fellow travelers. It became such a pleasure for us to get on an elevator (we tried to take the stairs most times) and have people being friendly and laughing. The whole experience was like playing Russian Roulette....;)

[Pam in CA]

And yes, Pam, some of the rude ones were from other countries (the group of women from some South American country we always kept running into, was very insensitive to anyone but themselves); but most of the bad behavior seemed to be on the elevator. They were Americans.

Yeah... I saw those women in the buffet quite a few times, yelling/screaming for servers to get things for them as though they were their personal slaves. They wanted someone and they wanted them NOW... The elevators were very, very frustrating and people often lost their cool. :(

[stansthos]

I didn't intend for my previous post to sound so negative. Most of the rude people made me laugh, really. I do want to counterbalance this with my mentioning of our positive Royal experiences. My husband and I really liked the food on this ship. We had first seating dining and loved the food. The only exception was the one time we could order escargot (the third and last formal night); it did not taste right. Everyone at the table ate it and agreed. But that was the exception. Horizon was wonderful...food, table space, as well as number of tables. The piazza, as everyone has mentioned was the place to be. Beautiful, enough space on the three floors, and great entertainment. I thought the entertainment on this ship was good. The production shows were surprisingly good also (especially the last one..forgot the name). These singers and dancers, costumes, lighting, stage sets, everything was good and entertaining.. One note, all entertainment in the Princess Theater was shorter than normal...less than an hour...which was fine with us. Many evenings, there were 3 shows..another good idea! Ship is beautiful, also. Allegro's Restaurant was great. Loved the ice cream parlor mid ship. Casino was a popular venue. We lost our share of money at the slots, but we had fun..liked the staircase in the center from the 7th floor. We had good experiences with all the staff. No long lines at the Purser's Desk when we were there. Big, nice screen for movie showings in the the pool area. Lots of nice areas in and around this ship for relaxing. Room: we were in D721..last starboard room before aft rooms (we had a deluxe balcony). Bed was wonderful and tv worked mostly and was large. Lots of movie selections and other shows on tv.....much better than on other Princess ships. Room and balcony were ok..little small. Not as much storage or drawer space as we have been used to; but it worked ok for us.

 

Negatives: we were aft, so lack of a center staircase did not impact us as much. However, the elevators were mostly crowded and that did impact us. (See my previous post. :D). Sorry to not have the outside walk around deck on 7. Vista and the Princess Theater were poorly designed and contributed to people's anger. (i.e. very hard to sit in Vista Chairs..too close to sofas for any leg room and lack of side isles in Princess Theater meant people were again always crawling over each other to get to their seats.) But for us, we liked the cruise and could overlook the flaws mostly. The biggest problem was the LAUNDRY. It was truly a nightmare, and the subject of many conversations (every dinner night, there were more laundry stories). For example, one of our table mates received a laundry bag back with only one bra in it...and it wasn't hers. :eek: My husband's formal shirt was not back by the last formal night (and it was our anniversary night), but finally arrived as we were leaving the room still wet...this after a week after being sent out. The Purser's Desk lady sent us some wine, but still..... Hopefully, there will never be that many elites on another cruise and/or the next time the ship should be prepared for laundry issues.

 

Overall, I would give this cruise a B plus. More positives than negatives, but still I don't know if I will sail on the Royal or Regal again. Maybe.

[abbydancer2003]

Hi All,

 

I'm on the Royal right now, heading back to FLL and using up my minutes. My impression of the ship is mixed. As others have said, the Piazza is gorgeous, and we appreciate the additional seating - we were able to go down at about 11:45 on a sea and get a seat (and moved to a window soon after we arrived). There always seems to be seating, which is not always the case on other ships.

 

The food is about the best we've had on Princess. Last night we did our first ever balcony dinner - way fun. 6 of us were there, and it was an aft balcony, so that's why we fit.

 

My conclusion is that there are some awesome things about the Royal, but we would probably only book her if that was the only ship going where we want to go when we want to go there.

 

Why? Two big flaws from our perspective. The lack of a walkable Promenade on deck 7 (we usually spend a lot of time walking around enjoying the ocean) and what they did to the Wheelhouse.

 

We're dancers, and have danced in the Wheelhouse every night we've cruised, which hits 100 on this cruise. They moved the dancing to the Piazza. To our surprise, it is danceable, and people do stay out of the way, but it's a mixed bag. The good - because it's the Piazza it starts earlier than on other ships, so we can get some good dancing in before our late seating dinner. The bad - there isn't a band that plays dance music continually except for breaks.

 

So that's my .02 worth for now. Maybe more when I get home tomorrow and aren't watching my countdown timer.

[cricketts]

Last night we did our first ever balcony dinner - way fun. 6 of us were there, and it was an aft balcony, so that's why we fit.

I'm curious if there was (or has been) an issue with soot on the aft balconies.

[John99]

Much has been written on this thread about the aft soot problem.

 

I went to "search this tread" and typed in the word "soot". I found a total of 29 comments (two pages). Hope this helps.

[cricketts]

Yes, much has been written about the aft soot problem. However, none of the comments have been from a Caribbean sailing or about an aft Balcony Dinner. As much information as possible, from different viewpoints, is always helpful.

[HRPro]

Trying to cover all the bases on threads that people may be still following to make sure they get to see our Rockin Royals peformances' date=' if they missed it or were part of it.

 

 

Loved working on this with everyone. It was a HUGE success!

 

 

 

 

Royal Princess TA 2013 Rockin' Royals Song

 

Royal Princess TA 2013 Pop Choir Rockin' Royals

[/quote']

 

Thanks Eileen for all your hard work getting us organized and prepared and to Mark for recording the performance. It was so much fun! I enjoyed getting to. Now you and hope our paths cross on another cruise in the near future.

 

Susan

[High C's]

Hi All,

 

I'm on the Royal right now, heading back to FLL and using up my minutes. My impression of the ship is mixed. As others have said, the Piazza is gorgeous, and we appreciate the additional seating - we were able to go down at about 11:45 on a sea and get a seat (and moved to a window soon after we arrived). There always seems to be seating, which is not always the case on other ships.

 

The food is about the best we've had on Princess. Last night we did our first ever balcony dinner - way fun. 6 of us were there, and it was an aft balcony, so that's why we fit.

 

My conclusion is that there are some awesome things about the Royal, but we would probably only book her if that was the only ship going where we want to go when we want to go there.

 

Why? Two big flaws from our perspective. The lack of a walkable Promenade on deck 7 (we usually spend a lot of time walking around enjoying the ocean) and what they did to the Wheelhouse.

 

We're dancers, and have danced in the Wheelhouse every night we've cruised, which hits 100 on this cruise. They moved the dancing to the Piazza. To our surprise, it is danceable, and people do stay out of the way, but it's a mixed bag. The good - because it's the Piazza it starts earlier than on other ships, so we can get some good dancing in before our late seating dinner. The bad - there isn't a band that plays dance music continually except for breaks.

 

So that's my .02 worth for now. Maybe more when I get home tomorrow and aren't watching my countdown timer.

 

Hey Abby! Haven't seen you in a while!! Hope you are well. :)

[abbydancer2003]

We did a balcony dinner in a friends aft cabin this week. Didn't notice any soot in the food. (Of course after all the wine we drank, I might not have noticed).