Bon Voyage Dave (DMWNC1959)!!!

[dmwnc1959]

I plan to head down to Port Everglades or at least the bridge to check out the Royal Princess this week. However, I might leave hearing the Love Boat theme until I'm actually on the ship, I have to leave something for the cruise considering I've looked at every photo on the web that I could find so far.:D

 

I probably saw more pictures and knew more about Royal Princess than anyone prior to embarkation, and I still enjoyed everything as if it were the first time experiencing it all. ;) Have a great time while in Florida! :D

[dmwnc1959]

Just in case anyone missed it from earlier in the thread, here is what the Royal Afternoon Tea looks like:

 

 

 

 

 

[azdmelani]

One report of 2013 cruise ship innovations said "The cocktail craze hit the high seas in 2013, with Princess launching flair bartending (like Tom Cruise in the movie "Cocktail") on Royal Princess."

 

Dave or anybody else -- Did you see this while on the ship?

 

Yes, actually I did. The bartenders at the Sea View bar were often flairing (is that even a word?!) like in the movie :)

[dedosr]

One report of 2013 cruise ship innovations said "The cocktail craze hit the high seas in 2013, with Princess launching flair bartending (like Tom Cruise in the movie "Cocktail") on Royal Princess."

 

Dave or anybody else -- Did you see this while on the ship?

 

Yes we did!! It was a great show. Several bartenders participated. There was even some magic acts and music. The afternoon performance at the Seaview Bar was fantastic. It lasted quite awhile also. We were there for about 20 minutes enjoying every minute of it, but had to leave before it ended because we just had to participate in the water balloon toss and did not want to be late for that!!

Edited December 24, 2013 by dedosr

[CI66774]

We just got off on Sunday and I got home late Sunday night in Las Vegas. I am just going to touch on a few points since there are a lot of reviews already with many personal opinions .

 

Embarkation: It was to say a "Royal" mess . I have now been on 3 Princess crusies and this was the worst yet. We arrived at 10:15 to be able to be in group one boarding. We lined up outside with the regular passengers and next to the Elite & Plat. passengers. They opened the doors to the terminal about 10:30 and left the Elite in first. That was fine until we all noticed that they where also bringing others with them . Not only family and friends but just plain regular people also. We got in about 11:00 and want right to group one area and sat down. By 12:00 they stopped not only the Elite groups from going on but had a terminal full of people. The elite line most have had 200 to 300 lined up also. By 12:15 you could not move in the terminal and it began to fall apart. People started to get up from all the gruop areas and go to the door to get to the ship. At first no one was checking group #'s so people were getting through. They finally realized what had happened and they stopped the crowd. They made a mike announcement to tell everything want was going which was the first time in 2 hrs. We happened to make up front and got through the mess first. Passengers had a lot to say once they were on but the officers know what had happened and had a meeting. They really need to address the system they have which is terrible and take a look how the other lines do it ! So be ready!

 

Cabin: It was fine for us since we did have a 42" television . I can live with the balcony and the paper holder was a non- issue . We did have a air flow problem once in a while for some reason. The layout was fine and I was quiet pleased with the cabin.

 

Food and Dinning: The food was great and my dinning room staff was the best I have ever had. We ate in the Crown Grill and it was everything I wanted in a meal . We ate in Sabatinies and they change to dinner from 7 course meals to al la carte . I would rather have it the old way but the food was good. The only problem is that it took 3 hrs. and 20 min. to eat.We sat 55 mins. between two servings. The coke was flat the whole week for some reason. I wish they had pre- sailing reservation dinning site and would save a lot of time.

 

Enclave: All I will say it was worth the $320 for us the whole week. We used it twice a day.

 

Theme night: They have a " Latin Night " on Thursday night at the top deck pool area. They started out we a D.J. playing Latin music which was great and after 3 songs he stopped and this top 40 band took over and played old and new top 40 songs the whole night. Most of the crowd left and maybe 30 people were dancing . The show dancers came out and did one dance and left. There was no food or anything else to add flavor to the theme night like other cruise lines. The really need to learn how to do theme nights !

 

These are just a few items I wanted to mention and give my thoughts. We had great weather and a good time . I have at least 500 photos of the cruise so if you have any question please ask . This ship is different and I saw many good things about it but I am not sure if I would sail her again or the Regal next year!

 

Thanks for your review. I, also, was on this voyage and had an entirely different boarding experience. Arrived at 12:30pm and immediately got into a fast moving line. Only had to wait for about 10 minutes before receiving our room cards and boarding the ship. Maybe I just got lucky!:D

[chamima]

Yes we did!! It was a great show. Several bartenders participated. There was even some magic acts and music. The afternoon performance at the Seaview Bar was fantastic. It lasted quite awhile also. We were there for about 20 minutes enjoying every minute of it, but had to leave before it ended because we just had to participate in the water balloon toss and did not want to be late for that!!

 

Was the "show" listed in the Patter or did you just happen to come upon it coincidentally?

[jangor]

Wonderfully detailed review!!! It was indeed a pleasure meeting you and Greg. :D

 

I saw both the 'regular' afternoon tea in the Symphony MDR and the Royal Afternoon Tea held outside of Vines (on the elevated glassed in podium behind the piano) during the week prior to your embarkation and asked them what the difference was.

 

The regular version involved several waiters walking around with large platters of small finger sandwiches etc. and pots of standard brewed tea that came from a very large stainless container, and everyone was seated in masse at the large tables in the MDR. It was more like a gathering than it was a true social event, and the noise level got a little high with all those in that section of the MDR talking at once.

 

The Royal version was by far a lot more intimate, seating was at small tables and couches for 2 or 4 people, and had a much higher quality of larger finger sandwiches and scones served on a tiered display with each table (usually just two people) getting their own individual assortment of tiered goodies, as well as three different types of herbal and specially brewed teas. This was served by one or two dedicated waiters and a hostess (Carmen) that gave details during the event. Each guest was given a ribbon-tied scroll of the event.

 

Both offered unlimited refills of sandwiches and beverages if desired. Either one would be fine depending on whether it would be worth it for someone to pay the $10 for the enhanced version and how many people you wanted to socialize with during tea.

 

The Royal Tea was absoolutely lovely and I agree that the small intimate setting with music made it very special. I would recommend it to others and certainly did not mean to infer otherwise. Your description is absolutely perfect and Carmen was delightful.

[dmwnc1959]

Was the "show" listed in the Patter or did you just happen to come upon it coincidentally?

 

Check this post, it's listed at 2:30pm...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=40854194&postcount=183

 

 

The Royal Tea was absoolutely lovely and I agree that the small intimate setting with music made it very special. I would recommend it to others and certainly did not mean to infer otherwise. Your description is absolutely perfect and Carmen was delightful.

 

I guess it boils down to if someone prefers the larger gathering or just isn't willing to part with the money. Either is fine, I personally preferred the smaller event. Much more elegant, and the piano music certainly added to the ambiance.

 

:D

[treesah]

Dave, after reading your comprehensive report including photos I am no longer apprehensive about boarding the RP in January. Some of the reviews were so negative I had my doubts about enjoying this brand new ship. However, I think I'll wear dark clothing while sitting on the aft balcony.

[dmwnc1959]

Dave, after reading your comprehensive report including photos I am no longer apprehensive about boarding the RP in January. Some of the reviews were so negative I had my doubts about enjoying this brand new ship. However, I think I'll wear dark clothing while sitting on the aft balcony.

 

It doesn't take much to enjoy Royal Princess, she is a gorgeous ship, and there were many more pluses and only a few minuses (even for me). But I didn't focus on those minuses anymore than a moment, and then continued enjoying the ship to it's fullest. Wish I had another week on her as there is so much to do.

 

I hope you have a great cruise and are able to enjoy all that Royal Princess offers! :D

[lynwar]

Merry Christmas! It's officially 1:04 AM EST, Christmas Day. I hope everyone enjoys the day and does whatever they love to do best; family, ice skating, eating a good meal, opening presents, or enjoying a wonderful cruise on a beautiful shop!!!

 

Ho Ho Ho!!! Lynne

[lfk60]

Wishing all the CC community a very Merry Christmas!

 

And a special one to Dave! You kept our excitement level for the Royal high, and DH and I were now able to rebook our cruise after taking care of my medical issues! Sorry we won't be sailing with you, but thrilled to get on her final Caribbean cruise for her inaugural season! :D

[TorontoTL]

I probably saw more pictures and knew more about Royal Princess than anyone prior to embarkation, and I still enjoyed everything as if it were the first time experiencing it all. ;) Have a great time while in Florida! :D

 

Our flight down was delayed almost four hours so we didn't get to our condo until almost 3 am. The weather is gorgeous here in Fort Lauderdale and obviously better than in Toronto where we had the ice storm.

 

Merry Christmas I hope everyone has a great day today.

[JPEvans]

Our flight down was delayed almost four hours so we didn't get to our condo until almost 3 am. The weather is gorgeous here in Fort Lauderdale and obviously better than in Toronto where we had the ice storm.

 

Merry Christmas I hope everyone has a great day today.

 

 

That happens a lot. In April my mother and I did a cruise on the Allure. I booked a 9 pm flight out of NYC. Well, that flight didn't take off till after midnight. We arrived at our hotel at 4am. Yuck! When I did the Royal a couple weeks ago. Everything was on time. Even though the weather back home was bad. But we took a 27 hour train. :-)

 

 

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[JF - retired RRT]

But we took a 27 hour train. :-)

 

Do you mean you took the Amtrak from CT or NY to FL??

We have been thinking about doing that, but can't figure out the best way to get from the Amtrak station to the port.

If you DID do the "train". How did you get to the port:confused:

[JPEvans]

Do you mean you took the Amtrak from CT or NY to FL??

We have been thinking about doing that, but can't figure out the best way to get from the Amtrak station to the port.

If you DID do the "train". How did you get to the port:confused:

 

 

I took the Amtrak from Penn Station in Manhattan. Plus took Metro North

From Connecticut to Grand Central. Plus a subway ride to get to Penn Station. It was a tiring day before we even got on the train to FL. You would have to spend the night before the cruise if you take the train. Both trains from NYC. Arrive after 5pm. And sometimes the trains can be hours late. We took a cab from the port to the Train station in Ft. Lauderdale. It took about 15 minutes or so. I risked it and booked the 9am train from Ft. Lauderdale. That one is the shorter of the two, and gets into NYC around 11am. However we up early and walked off the ship at 6:30. We got to the station a little after 8am. One thing about the train is. You have no security to speak of. You can show up 5 minutes before they start boarding. In Florida the train stops for 2 minutes. You show the guy your ticket and he assigns a seat, you hop on.

 

I'm not sure I would take the train for that long again. I could not sleep, we had coach seats. Maybe a room would make things more enjoyable. But it adds a lot to the cost. Some of the people who take the train are strange. And also rude. On the way down I had a kid who played rap on his cell phone without earphones. And on the way home I had a woman sitting across from me talk on her phone all night long. 3 in the morning. Yak yak yak. Not my idea on a good time.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JF - retired RRT]

I took the Amtrak from Penn Station in Manhattan. Plus took Metro North

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the quick response. Very helpful. Still not sure if we will try the train.

Took Amtrak from NYC to AZ a couple of years ago (3 days) and had the "roomette". Very expensive and the upper bunk was unusable, so we both used the lower bunk (UGH!!). But the food was good.:rolleyes:

[missymerv]

It doesn't take much to enjoy Royal Princess, she is a gorgeous ship, and there were many more pluses and only a few minuses (even for me). But I didn't focus on those minuses anymore than a moment, and then continued enjoying the ship to it's fullest. Wish I had another week on her as there is so much to do.

 

I hope you have a great cruise and are able to enjoy all that Royal Princess offers! :D

 

Happy Holiday David. Phil and I hope you enjoy the day and best wishes for a happy and healthy new year.

 

Andrea

[LogansNini]

 

Hi Linda,

 

THANKS for the kind words. It was fun, wasn't it! On Week 2 every time I passed by your old cabin I would say 'Hi Linda' even though you weren't even on the ship any more. I'm glad that we had the chance to meet, and that your first cruise was amazing. :D

 

Dave, that is so sweet. I wish I could have opened that door and said 'surprise'!

Merry Christmas!

[LogansNini]

Thanks for your review. I, also, was on this voyage and had an entirely different boarding experience. Arrived at 12:30pm and immediately got into a fast moving line. Only had to wait for about 10 minutes before receiving our room cards and boarding the ship. Maybe I just got lucky!:D

 

According to our Princess email, we were to board at 12:30 pm for the December 1st sailing. We arrived at 12:15 pm and walked straight through with no line at all. The only stop we made was for the photo opportunity.

[lynwar]

Hi,

I took the Amtrak from Sebring FL (south of Orlando) to Penn Station in 2008, to see my new 7 week old grandson. The train left here about noon and arrived in NYC about 3:00PM the next day. I still remember that experience and would do it again. The train track goes right behind the development where we live so I hear "my train" coming and going every day!! LOL. I was in coach, and happened to have a good group of people with me. One was a 20's age Asian "student" who had been on since Miami so had the window seat. I was given the aisle. His electronics were plugged in so no problem and all he could say was "thank you". Nice kid.

I will add that the car we were in was very cold at night so many were uncomfortable. I always travel with a heavy sweater and put that up over the back of my head to block the AC. The bathroom was not the best either, but I expected that.

My train originated from NYC coming home so I had my pick of seats so took the window, of course, with the plug ins. I had the list of all the station stops up and back so kept track for myself and others so became the official "secretary" for our group around me. LOL. The stewardESS coming home made it a point to inform the passengers that it was a family train and to make sure they kept the bathroom clean. It was much better and she had the Lysol handy.

Next time I would go, I would get the compartment-in Canada, I used to travel the trains a lot because of relatives working for the railroads, so I'm used to the rides (but I do concede it isn't like the 50's on these types of "service" routes.) The food was decent on my trip, too, and a lady I was with at a group table who had a compartment, gave me her dessert because it was part of her compartment cost. And, I was better prepared with a small blanket on the way back. No, I didn't sleep much either way.

 

Hubby and I have often talked about going down to Ft. Lauderdale on the train from here to catch a cruise, or even go down for the weekend. It's a 2 1/2 hour car drive from here so I would almost double the time. One issue would be the luggage for a cruise on the train.

 

 

As for de-embarkation, my husband really had the need to get off the ship earlier than tag color and we were allowed to do that, thanks to a great staff person, who let us go. One of the criteria was to make sure that our deck's luggage had been delivered to the terminal. We spent more time looking for it, than getting off!! I hope I didn't get that fellow in trouble because I gave him a good plug on the survey. Embarkation, on the other hand, was a zoo. Preferred cruisers with no directions and ushered to different rows by different people. This was the Nov. 17-24 sailing.

Once some clean lines were established, it didn't really take long to get to the ship. We wondered why the side entrance for preferred cruisers (we're platinum) wasn't used.

 

So, back to Christmas. I trust everyone is enjoying your day. It's like a Saturday for us. Ha Ha. But, every day is a Saturday once you're retired!!! :)

 

Take care. Lynne

[dedosr]

Was the "show" listed in the Patter or did you just happen to come upon it coincidentally?

 

It was listed as a Flair Show.

[chamima]

It was listed as a Flair Show.

 

Thanks!

I'll look for it.

[jangor]

Since my DH and I are the last two human beings on the planet who do not have smart phones or IPads (I know, don't flame me) :rolleyes:, is there a way to upload the photos from a site like Facebook or from the PC? (I do have a Galaxy Tab however, just so you don't think I am completely out of the techno-loop! :D

Believe it or not you're not the last of the techno-wizard. i still have not master flick'r for posting photos. However, my very unexpected Christmas gift from my husband was a model of the Royal Princess. I do not not know haow he hid it from me, but it is his recognition of how much I have enjoyed the Royal Princess threads and how much I loved this ship. Dec 2014 on the Regal? Maybe???

[sunsetbeachgal]

That is a very thiughtful gift, jangor!

 

And thanks to Dave, my IPHONE photos are getting a lot better. Now I just need to go on another cruise to test my skills!!