Just Back from the Royal

[azdmelani]

I am in my early 30s, and this was my 10th princess cruise. I was in cabin C106 solo, and there were 8 of us total travelling together.

 

Here are my thoughts:

 

Cabin:

The inside cabin seemed fairly typical for Princess. I did notice the shower had a ledge, which was much appreciated for putting my shampoo etc on- it never fits in that little shelf in the back wall.

 

Im not sure what the toilet paper complaint was all about. I didnt see any issues.

 

The TV is a flat screen with a TON of on demand tv shows, movies etc. I loooooved this feature. You are able to pause, rewind and fast forward.

 

I will also state my cabin always seemed warm. I had the AC dial set to minus and it was still hot.

 

My cabin steward, Kosmas, was by FAR the best on any of my cruises. If you book one of his cabins you're in for a treat.

 

Dining:

 

I liked the Horizon Court/Horizon bistro set up, though it was kind of confusing. The food was pretty much the same as other ships, save for the Pastry Shop. There were some yummy desserts in there.

 

The dining room was fine, we did anytime dining. As a large group, they put us twice with a horrible wait staff. The first night they were extremely slow, and the other night we were seated with them it was a disaster. It was the chef's dinner and he didnt bring us the sorbet because "we had to order it." I didnt have to on my past cruises. Fortunately, the next night we had another team that was much better.

 

Sabatinis and Crown grill were both fabulous. Im glad I got to experience both.

 

Spa/Gym:

 

I was gifted a spa credit and this was my first time visiting on Princess. I thought the rooms were very elegant (even with Robe warmer!!!) and on par with the spas I visit at home.

 

I also took advantage of the 3 for $30 spin classes on sea days. The spin instructors had different styles, but I got a great workout in all three classes.

 

The Ship in general:

 

I liked the Royal overall. I loved the expanded piazza, and the classy decor of the ship. Princess Live was an interesting venue, and sometimes the seating made it hard to see vs the tables in the explorers lounge. I didnt really miss the stairs in the middle of the ship (though my cabin was in the front).

 

The casino was tiny, and had all electronic slot machines. Didnt stop me from winning at blackjack :)

 

I did NOT like Club 6 at all. I understand that the design of skywalkers on the Grand class of ships is not fuel efficient but this "club" was pathetic. The dance floor was tiny and right where you walk in. It was not in a central location that you are able to see no matter where you are sitting in the club. For a new and innovative ship, Princess could have done better.

 

The fountain/light show was not my cup of tea, and i was sad they took away some of the pool real estate. I love movies under the stars during the day, and thought they didnt show enough movies/concerts and had too many "nature" scene videos.

 

I also thought being able to connect to the ship's wifi (without signing in to the internet) and seeing the patter, venues and even your ship board account at royal.princess.com was a fabulous new idea, and I hope it will be (or has been) rolled out to other ships.

 

 

All in all i had a great cruise. I personally didnt have too many complaints about the ship, and look forward to sailing on the Regal Princess next year.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Thank you for your review!

[Pam in CA]

Thanks for the review. As an FYI, I didn't have a problem with the toilet paper location until I had a brand new roll that wouldn't roll. Then, I had no choice but to take it off and put it on the counter. If you're older and have arthritis in your back, it's not as easy to reach down and behind, particularly if the holder is on the left side and you're righthanded.

[azdmelani]

Thanks for the review. As an FYI, I didn't have a problem with the toilet paper location until I had a brand new roll that wouldn't roll. Then, I had no choice but to take it off and put it on the counter. If you're older and have arthritis in your back, it's not as easy to reach down and behind, particularly if the holder is on the left side and you're righthanded.

 

I'm a lefty, maybe that explains it ;)

[TorontoTL]

Thank you for your review, I enjoyed reading it.

[Mom33]

Glad you enjoyed your cruise on the Royal. Thanks for your review.:D

[windsor26]

Thanks for your review all interesting comments.

Sad that some waiters ruin the balance of good work in restaurants I hope you mentioned this to the Maitre D otherwise they would not know

[lovevacadays]

Thank you for your review. I think as more and more people sail the Royal and have a positive experience people will not be as hesitant to book her.:)

[JPEvans]

I just got off the Royal this morning. I don't know

What all the fuss was. I had no issues with the

Elevators. A trick was to make sure you push

The buttons on both sides. The ship felt quite luxurious. I loved the buffet. Lots of choices.

And liked that the servers were there to get you

Drinks. I just enjoyed my cruise on the Royal

Princess. Actually more than I expected I would.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Happy2cruise]

Nice review....thanks for sharing.

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[nimiq]

Thanks for the review.

I only got one question was there a lot of people at the dance club or was it quiet or dead ?

 

Thx

Sea ya

Eric

[azdmelani]

Thanks for your review all interesting comments.

Sad that some waiters ruin the balance of good work in restaurants I hope you mentioned this to the Maitre D otherwise they would not know

 

We did talk to the head waiter in the section. However rather than being apologetic he was more argumentative at first. He was instrumental in ensuring that our reservation was switched to a different (and better) section the next night, so all ended up fine.

[azdmelani]

Thanks for the review.

I only got one question was there a lot of people at the dance club or was it quiet or dead ?

 

Thx

Sea ya

Eric

 

It depended on the night. We did see a lot of people there sometimes (just sitting, only a few dancing). There was a large contingency of a singles group for those 40+ on board this week, so I think that helped fill out the club.

[nimiq]

Me again,

Did you do any other bars and what place is the best for before and after diner drink ?

Thx

Eric

[crewzr]

I am in my early 30s, and this was my 10th princess cruise. I was in cabin C106 solo, and there were 8 of us total travelling together.

 

Here are my thoughts:

 

Cabin:

The inside cabin seemed fairly typical for Princess. I did notice the shower had a ledge, which was much appreciated for putting my shampoo etc on- it never fits in that little shelf in the back wall.

 

Im not sure what the toilet paper complaint was all about. I didnt see any issues.

 

The TV is a flat screen with a TON of on demand tv shows, movies etc. I loooooved this feature. You are able to pause, rewind and fast forward.

 

I will also state my cabin always seemed warm. I had the AC dial set to minus and it was still hot.

 

My cabin steward, Kosmas, was by FAR the best on any of my cruises. If you book one of his cabins you're in for a treat.

 

Dining:

 

I liked the Horizon Court/Horizon bistro set up, though it was kind of confusing. The food was pretty much the same as other ships, save for the Pastry Shop. There were some yummy desserts in there.

 

The dining room was fine, we did anytime dining. As a large group, they put us twice with a horrible wait staff. The first night they were extremely slow, and the other night we were seated with them it was a disaster. It was the chef's dinner and he didnt bring us the sorbet because "we had to order it." I didnt have to on my past cruises. Fortunately, the next night we had another team that was much better.

 

Sabatinis and Crown grill were both fabulous. Im glad I got to experience both.

 

Spa/Gym:

 

I was gifted a spa credit and this was my first time visiting on Princess. I thought the rooms were very elegant (even with Robe warmer!!!) and on par with the spas I visit at home.

 

I also took advantage of the 3 for $30 spin classes on sea days. The spin instructors had different styles, but I got a great workout in all three classes.

 

The Ship in general:

 

I liked the Royal overall. I loved the expanded piazza, and the classy decor of the ship. Princess Live was an interesting venue, and sometimes the seating made it hard to see vs the tables in the explorers lounge. I didnt really miss the stairs in the middle of the ship (though my cabin was in the front).

 

The casino was tiny, and had all electronic slot machines. Didnt stop me from winning at blackjack :)

 

I did NOT like Club 6 at all. I understand that the design of skywalkers on the Grand class of ships is not fuel efficient but this "club" was pathetic. The dance floor was tiny and right where you walk in. It was not in a central location that you are able to see no matter where you are sitting in the club. For a new and innovative ship, Princess could have done better.

 

The fountain/light show was not my cup of tea, and i was sad they took away some of the pool real estate. I love movies under the stars during the day, and thought they didnt show enough movies/concerts and had too many "nature" scene videos.

 

I also thought being able to connect to the ship's wifi (without signing in to the internet) and seeing the patter, venues and even your ship board account at royal.princess.com was a fabulous new idea, and I hope it will be (or has been) rolled out to other ships.

 

 

All in all i had a great cruise. I personally didnt have too many complaints about the ship, and look forward to sailing on the Regal Princess next year.

 

Thanks for your review! I am really looking forward to my honeymoon cruise on the Royal this February!

[akeasley]

Glad to read your review. I am also in my early 30's so it's good to hear what someone around my age thinks of the Royal.

 

When I was on the Royal, Club Six was used for the elite and platinum lounge and the dance floor was where they served food. You're right about it being to small for a real club and not the best location for the dance floor.

[azdmelani]

Me again,

Did you do any other bars and what place is the best for before and after diner drink ?

Thx

Eric

 

I loved the drinks at Bellinis (deck 6 piazza), my favorite was one that had prosecco, white peach puree, passion fruit and some other liquor. I am not a sweet drink person, and this had a great balance. Vines is great if you like wine (they have wine flights and snacks). The wheelhouse bar on deck 7 aft has a whiskey flight and seemed to be popular. If you like piano music, crooners (deck 7 piazza) always seemed crowded at night. During the day the outrigger bar (deck 16 aft) had great looking margaritas that i didnt see until the last day of the cruise. The first three bars are open till "Late" in the patter, meaning they can close if there is no one there.

[azdmelani]

Glad to read your review. I am also in my early 30's so it's good to hear what someone around my age thinks of the Royal.

 

When I was on the Royal, Club Six was used for the elite and platinum lounge and the dance floor was where they served food. You're right about it being to small for a real club and not the best location for the dance floor.

 

It still is! They had the club lights on which cast such an unflattering light on the food. Sometimes I had to ask what something was because I couldnt tell with a red and blue cast on it.

 

I know Princess isnt a cruise known for their nightlife, but I was so disappointed that club 6 seemed like an afterthought rather than a chance to design a new and improved dance club. Hope to sail with you one day!

[IdahoCruises]

Thanks for the review.

 

I wish the Royal or Regal were going to be on the west coast for some cruises - definitely one I would book!

[capriccio]

It still is! They had the club lights on which cast such an unflattering light on the food. Sometimes I had to ask what something was because I couldnt tell with a red and blue cast on it.

 

 

So true! The first night we were there and didn't realize the lighting issue, the carrots were so pink I wasn't sure what they were and the guacamole was the color of refried beans (brown). People were asking 'where is the guacamole?':D

[princessprincej]

I am in my early 30s, and this was my 10th princess cruise. I was in cabin C106 solo, and there were 8 of us total travelling together.

 

Here are my thoughts:

 

Cabin:

The inside cabin seemed fairly typical for Princess. I did notice the shower had a ledge, which was much appreciated for putting my shampoo etc on- it never fits in that little shelf in the back wall.

 

Im not sure what the toilet paper complaint was all about. I didnt see any issues.

 

The TV is a flat screen with a TON of on demand tv shows, movies etc. I loooooved this feature. You are able to pause, rewind and fast forward.

 

I will also state my cabin always seemed warm. I had the AC dial set to minus and it was still hot.

 

My cabin steward, Kosmas, was by FAR the best on any of my cruises. If you book one of his cabins you're in for a treat.

 

Dining:

 

I liked the Horizon Court/Horizon bistro set up, though it was kind of confusing. The food was pretty much the same as other ships, save for the Pastry Shop. There were some yummy desserts in there.

 

The dining room was fine, we did anytime dining. As a large group, they put us twice with a horrible wait staff. The first night they were extremely slow, and the other night we were seated with them it was a disaster. It was the chef's dinner and he didnt bring us the sorbet because "we had to order it." I didnt have to on my past cruises. Fortunately, the next night we had another team that was much better.

 

Sabatinis and Crown grill were both fabulous. Im glad I got to experience both.

 

Spa/Gym:

 

I was gifted a spa credit and this was my first time visiting on Princess. I thought the rooms were very elegant (even with Robe warmer!!!) and on par with the spas I visit at home.

 

I also took advantage of the 3 for $30 spin classes on sea days. The spin instructors had different styles, but I got a great workout in all three classes.

 

The Ship in general:

 

I liked the Royal overall. I loved the expanded piazza, and the classy decor of the ship. Princess Live was an interesting venue, and sometimes the seating made it hard to see vs the tables in the explorers lounge. I didnt really miss the stairs in the middle of the ship (though my cabin was in the front).

 

The casino was tiny, and had all electronic slot machines. Didnt stop me from winning at blackjack :)

 

I did NOT like Club 6 at all. I understand that the design of skywalkers on the Grand class of ships is not fuel efficient but this "club" was pathetic. The dance floor was tiny and right where you walk in. It was not in a central location that you are able to see no matter where you are sitting in the club. For a new and innovative ship, Princess could have done better.

 

The fountain/light show was not my cup of tea, and i was sad they took away some of the pool real estate. I love movies under the stars during the day, and thought they didnt show enough movies/concerts and had too many "nature" scene videos.

 

I also thought being able to connect to the ship's wifi (without signing in to the internet) and seeing the patter, venues and even your ship board account at royal.princess.com was a fabulous new idea, and I hope it will be (or has been) rolled out to other ships.

 

 

All in all i had a great cruise. I personally didnt have too many complaints about the ship, and look forward to sailing on the Regal Princess next year.

 

Great write up. Agree with most things, but I enjoyed club 6. I have found the atmosphere in skywalkers to be a bit subdued. I have put this down to location. Being in the atrium will mean it will have a lot more visitors IMO

[lynwar]

Thanks for your review. Club 6 was also a venue for trivia some days. I finally realized where it was---next to the Casino and you could go into the casino from the back door.

 

We enjoyed our cruise, too. I learned the layout of the ship fairly quickly, once I knew the elevator stations. and knew to walk forward from the Vista Lounge. Ha. . Our cabin was on Aloha Deck, mid aft which was basically above the Wheelhouse Bar, area. We used the Aft elevators most of the time, that took us up to the Horizon Court. :D Once I knew the Lido Deck plan, it was basically like all other recent Princess ships.

 

I would not hesitate to book the Royal Princess again or the new Regal--once the prices come down a bit.

 

Lynne

[Woobstr112G]

Op;

 

Thanks for taking the time to post your review. Sounds like ou had a great cruise.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info ...