Royal Review - More Positives Than Negatives

[CI66774]

Let me begin by saying this was my very first Princess cruise. I have sailed on Cunard, Regent, Crystal, and Disney and enjoyed them all to a greater or lesser degree. I cruised with my 4 1/2 year old daughter and we stayed at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort for two days prior to the cruise (love this hotel). Here we go:

 

1. Superior to Other Cruise Lines

• TV System - Princess has hit this one out of the park, IMHO. Best selection of new movies, etc. on the high seas. We had two tvs in our cabin and both worked perfectly. Kid loved the selection of "family" movies and I loved everything else. There was a small electrical glitch on the 5th day, but it was fixed a short time later
  
• Food - I know this is subjective, but I loved the variety and quality. The Horizon Court/Bistro never seemed crowded and I loved the food here (so did kid). Great layout and I preferred dining there rather than the MDR. I had Anytime Dining and never had to wait.
  
• Food Venues - Loved the International Café and Alfredos is a hidden gem. Never crowded and service was impeccable. Didn't visit the "for fee" venues but they all looked yummy! I really was surprised how much I enjoyed the food - am six pounds heavier as a result!
  
• Kid's Club - Kid absolutely loved Princess Pelicans - even more than Disney! The key was the individual attention given and the variety of crafts and projects. Every night kid would leave with something she had made (puppets, necklaces, crown, cowboy hat, t-shirt, etc.). Loved the outdoor play and jungle gym area. She told me she wanted to live at the club! :-)
  
• Attention Paid to My Daughter - Even better than Disney. I was very surprised. Room steward made her towel animals and delivered chocolate chip cookies to her every night (responsible for two of the six pounds added to Mama's thighs!!). It seemed all the staff knew her name and doted on her. Treated her like a real princess!
  
• MUTS - Loved this and how staff would offer different treats during the movies.
  
• Piazza - Lovely! Always hopping with music, acrobats, dancing, etc. Lots of good dancers on this cruise. Great people watching!
  
• Demeanor and Attitude of Other Paxs - Met some wonderful people on this cruise. No shoving, no swearing, no fingering food in the buffet, etc. Just happy, shiny people who seemed to love my child. Always commenting on how beautiful and well-mannered she was. Lots of Americans and Canadians on this cruise (as well as a fine showing of always-warm and lovely Aussies!).
  

2. Comparable to Other Cruise Lines

 

• Cabin Configuration and Comfort - Had mini-suite M204. Very quiet in terms of hallway noise. Could hear some door, draw closing etc. Nothing bad - just the way it is in close quarters. Everything in room worked. Temperature perfect. Bed very, very comfortable. No complaints here.
  
• Overall Customer Service - Except for one complaint (see below in Inferior to Other Cruise Lines), overall customer service met expectations. "nuff said.
  
• Entertainment - Liked trivia, game shows, etc. Other entertainment on par with everyone else. Nothing spectacular, nothing horrible.
  
• Spa - Elemis spa. Pretty and high-priced. 'Nuff said.
  
• Room Service Timeliness - never had to wait more than 20 minutes. Good, efficient service.
  
• Fitness Center - always crowded, nothing amazing to report here.
  

3. Inferior to Other Cruise Lines

• Internet - SHAMEFUL! Took 10 times longer to access and utilize internet on this ship versus all other ships I've cruised on. Get with the 21st century, Princess. Infuriated many paxs and a waste of money. I had them credit my account for the amount of time I feel I wasted.
  
• No Venue Directory in the Cabin - ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? I've never NOT had a directory with all venue extensions in my cabin. No extensions to the dining venues. No extension to the spa, etc. I had to walk to the fitness center to re-schedule my training appointment because it didn't have a dedicated phone line. Princess is losing out on revenue due to this ridiculous omission. It appears Princess expects everyone to inundate the passenger services desk with phone calls - overwhelming them. The first two days I couldn't get anyone to answer at the pax service desk. However, after that, they answered on the first ring.
  
• Cleanliness of Public Restrooms - ICKY! Nice facilities (doors too heavy, though) but constantly in need of a thorough cleaning. Step up the cleaning schedule, Princess!
  
• Small Elevators - What brain trust designed the elevators???? Could barely accommodate a few stick thin model types. Moreover, why no air conditioning in these tiny tubes of terror???? Luckily, I used the stairs most of the time but people with disabilities or mobility issues had a tough time.
  
• No Central Stairs and No Promenade - Tight elevator quarters probably due to lack of staircase. Missed a true promenade. These errors have been discussed ad nauseam. 'Nuff said.
  
• Shampoo/Conditioner - felt like an oil slick on my hair. Thank God I brought some of my own stuff!
  

4. Absolute Non-Issues

• Placement of toilet tissue in bathroom. From all of the reports, I expected to have to contort my body in disgusting ways just to reach it. Very anti-climatic. Placement was fine - no problems here at all. Much overblown, IMHO.
  

5. Overall Verdict

 

I rate the Royal a 4 out of 5. Thoroughly enjoyed the cruise. Positives outweighed any negatives. Came away with a beautiful tan and larger thighs. I, without hesitation, would sail on her again (although many seasoned Princess cruisers did not care for this ship - they stated the Ruby, Emerald, etc. had more of a "family" feel to them). If I were to book again, I would book on the Lido deck. Appeared to be the quietest and most convenient location on the ship.

 

I would be happy to answer any questions you may have! :)

[tip]

I enjoyed reading your positive review. We board in less than two weeks and we expect to have a positive cruise because we shall have a positive attitude!:D

[Woobstr112G]

Glad you enjoyed your cruise on the Royal. One quick question about Club 6 if you can answer. When I was onboard in October, I never saw it used as a night club venue rather mainly used as an after thought to hold occasional trivia sessions. Did you ever see it used as a night club venue?

 

Bob

Edited December 23, 2013 by Woobstr112G

[capriccio]

Glad you enjoyed your cruise on the Royal. One quick question about Club 6 if you can answer. When I was onboard in October, I never saw it used as a night club venue rather mainly used as an after thought to hold occasional trivia sessions. Did you ever see it used as a night club venue?

 

Bob

 

Bob - I'm not the OP but when we were on the Royal the week of Dec 8, Club 6 as a nightclub venue was announced at all the shows (usually with that shopworn line from the CD/ACD: "who do we have planning to go to Club 6 tonight? <smattering of applause> I'll be joining all 3 (or 6 or 10) of you!")

 

OP - I share many of your opinions but never, ever had an issue with public restroom cleanliness (thank goodness).

Edited December 23, 2013 by capriccio

[TorontoTL]

Thanks for your thoughtful review, comparing the Royal Princess to those higher end cruise lines, I'm impressed she compared so favourably.

[crewzr]

Great review! Thanks for posting the good AND the bad. Sounds like a great ship and I can't wait for my honeymoon cruise in February on the Royal!

[CI66774]

Glad you enjoyed your cruise on the Royal. One quick question about Club 6 if you can answer. When I was onboard in October, I never saw it used as a night club venue rather mainly used as an after thought to hold occasional trivia sessions. Did you ever see it used as a night club venue?

 

Bob

 

Bob, Club 6 was used as a nightclub although by the time it was hopping, I already was tired and on my way to bed. Most of the trivia was held in the Wheelhouse Bar or in Princess Live. I, surprisingly, liked the Princess Live venue. Along with trivia, Wake show, and assorted game shows, Princess Live hosted cooking demonstrations, etc. Always something happening in there. :)

[lynwar]

Thanks for your good and honest review. I was only in Club 6 for Trivia sessions, after I finally realized where it was. I had always gone by it on the way to the Casino!! :D An added discovery--the back door of Club 6 led into the Casino!!!

 

I liked the new TV set-up, too, and was delighted to see that one of my favorite cable channels was among the choices provided.

 

I'm glad you had a great time, and it was so nice for you to know that your daughter was so well-liked and I'm sure she was happy for the attention.

 

Lynne

[CI66774]

Thanks for your good and honest review. I was only in Club 6 for Trivia sessions, after I finally realized where it was. I had always gone by it on the way to the Casino!! :D An added discovery--the back door of Club 6 led into the Casino!!!

 

I liked the new TV set-up, too, and was delighted to see that one of my favorite cable channels was among the choices provided.

 

I'm glad you had a great time, and it was so nice for you to know that your daughter was so well-liked and I'm sure she was happy for the attention.

 

Lynne

 

Lynne,

 

Daughter loved the attention - not only from the staff but from fellow paxs. So many lovely people came up to us and commented on her beauty (no kudos to myself as my daughter is adopted and truly must have had beautiful birth parents). Kid also met some other fun friends onboard and they would wave to each other, etc. when passing each other in the halls, etc.

 

Another thing I forgot to mention, I received a follow up call from the pax services desk re: the electrical problem with my tv. They wanted to know if it had been fixed (it had). I liked that.

[Kenosha Cruiser]

CI66774, enjoyed your review. I too loved the TV setup in our cabin, the movie selections were fantastic. We enjoyed the Royal so much, we recently just booked the Regal Princess for next November. We thought the Royal Princess was by far our favorite ship in the Princess fleet to date. We have been on several and liked them all, but the the Royal is our favorite now. Glad you enjoyed your cruise.

[CI66774]

CI66774, enjoyed your review. I too loved the TV setup in our cabin, the movie selections were fantastic. We enjoyed the Royal so much, we recently just booked the Regal Princess for next November. We thought the Royal Princess was by far our favorite ship in the Princess fleet to date. We have been on several and liked them all, but the the Royal is our favorite now. Glad you enjoyed your cruise.

 

Loved those movies!! Best system at sea (well, that I've experienced). I've booked the Royal for next year and then the Ruby after that. It's hard to have a crummy time when you're surrounded by stellar people, delicious food, and lovely scenery!!:p

[Astro Flyer]

Thanks for your review & I also felt that our Royal cruise had many more positives than negatives. I know that some passengers had no Wi-Fi in their cabins & that techs were working on the problem. Our cabin (D508) had great reception & during our Med & TA had good internet/intranet access on my iPhone. Techies tell me there are some meteorological conditions & locations that are better than others which may be why my experience was different.

[sunsetbeachgal]

My guess is that your daughter is a very well behaved, well mannered adorable child...the staff love children like that! We sailed on the Royal in July with daughter, son in law and two girls ages 4 1/2 and 8 and they sound like they got same treatment you did...all of the staff just couldn't do enough for them and we were all extremely appreciative of their efforts. The girls loved the kids program and begged to go back! We all loved the Royal and quite frankly hardly noticed the shortcomings. matter of fact, son in law said he doubts any cruise we take will ever measure up to that one on the Royal!

Edited December 23, 2013 by sunsetbeachgal

[Mom33]

Thanks for your review. Glad you enjoyed your cruise.:D

[caribill]

Thanks for a very nicely written review.

 

3. Inferior to Other Cruise Lines

 

 

• Internet - SHAMEFUL! Took 10 times longer to access and utilize internet on this ship versus all other ships I've cruised on. Get with the 21st century, Princess. Infuriated many paxs and a waste of money. I had them credit my account for the amount of time I feel I wasted.
  

This is Princess' largest ship and more passengers = more people trying to use the available bandwidth at the same time.

Did you ever try to use the Internet during a low usage time such as very late evening? If so, was the response just as bad then?

• Small Elevators - Moreover, why no air conditioning in these tiny tubes of terror????
  

My favorite part of your review.

 

:)

[CI66774]

Thanks for a very nicely written review.

 

Even the internet staff just shook their heads and knew the satellite system was inadequate. It was horribly slow every minute of any time I tried to use the internet - morning, noon, and late at night. It reminded me of the days when I had dial up back in the 1990s. :p

[CI66774]

My guess is that your daughter is a very well behaved, well mannered adorable child...the staff love children like that! We sailed on the Royal in July with daughter, son in law and two girls ages 4 1/2 and 8 and they sound like they got same treatment you did...all of the staff just couldn't do enough for them and we were all extremely appreciative of their efforts. The girls loved the kids program and begged to go back! We all loved the Royal and quite frankly hardly noticed the shortcomings. matter of fact, son in law said he doubts any cruise we take will ever measure up to that one on the Royal!

 

Yes, Mama made sure she always was on her best behavior. The minuses I noticed in no way diminished my overall enjoyment of the cruise. I (and the kid) had a great time and have some wonderful memories. It just surprised me that Princess actually treated my child better than Disney did - and Disney treated her wonderfully. The staff at the Hilton Beach Resort also treated her like a queen. Gave her free ice cream, etc. By the way, the Hilton was a fab stay, too. Also, I discovered a great clothes shop on Las Olas Blvd - the Bettie Page Shop. Amazing dresses - bought a beautiful one there and wore it on formal night. What a great vacation!!!!

[OCruisers]

Thanks so much for a very well written and honest review! :)

Quite helpful to those of us who have not yet sailed on Royal Princess.

 

LuLu

~~~~

Edited December 24, 2013 by OCruisers

[riclop]

Thanks for your thoughts.

[OuiOnboard]

Thanks for the well written and informative review. We have not gotten too excited about really large ships(tried NCL Epic and found it too loud and crowded) but in light of these opinions we might look into Regal for next fall.

[windplayer]

The Royal was our first cruise and we really enjoyed it. I agree with you on all points, although we did find the Horizon Court felt full at breakfast. However, we were on a port intensive European itinerary and everyone was wanting to get off at the same time, so certainly not unexpected. The food was good and the set up for movies in the room was fantastic, especially for the kids. In fact, on my wish list, but will never happen as we have just entirely blown the holiday budget for the next twenty years, is the Royal's cruise of Scandinavia and St Petersburg in 2014. Preceded by a few weeks in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. Ahh, champagne taste, beer budget.

[Woobstr112G]

Bob, Club 6 was used as a nightclub although by the time it was hopping, I already was tired and on my way to bed. Most of the trivia was held in the Wheelhouse Bar or in Princess Live. I, surprisingly, liked the Princess Live venue. Along with trivia, Wake show, and assorted game shows, Princess Live hosted cooking demonstrations, etc. Always something happening in there. :)

 

Thanks for the reply.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Keith1010]

I enjoyed your very well written review.

Keith

[lynwar]

We would try the Royal Princess again, although by the first reviews we saw we thought we'd probably stay with the Emerald and Ruby for future cruises. As I mentioned on other threads, once I learned that the general layout of the Royal was the same as the other ships, I found it very easy to navigate and had no problem with its size and grandeur.

 

As with any cruise, we have to save up our pennies, as we are both retired now and are on a limited income. So far, so good. :)

 

And, we've found that no cruise is a bad cruise. We've enjoyed all our experiences. Hubby always likes to go on the new ships, so perhaps the Regal will be next. And, he's always enjoyed the Princess ships (have been on 3 other lines, too) because of the service and polite personnel.

 

Lynne

[madgolfer3]

We also were on this cruise. Great review. We used the internet around 6:30--7:00 AM in our cabin. Found it to be very quick. Our main problem was with the "Walk-Off" program. Basically a "you get off now" situation. No attempt to control "first in, first out" policly. Also, as usual, TSA slow rolled everthing.