Princess couldn't fix soot on Regal and they are building a third?

[Mississippian]

The Royal and Regal feature:

 

1. Cabins even smaller than Princess' usual small standard.

2. Incredibly small balconies.

3. Aft balconies covered with soot.

4. No central staircase.

 

I think Princess is going to find that these ships will not age well. People are just going to avoid them for the much better Grand class ships. I can't believe they are building another one.

[jollyjones]

The Royal and Regal feature:

 

1. Cabins even smaller than Princess' usual small standard.

2. Incredibly small balconies.

3. Aft balconies covered with soot.

4. No central staircase.

 

I think Princess is going to find that these ships will not age well. People are just going to avoid them for the much better Grand class ships. I can't believe they are building another one.

 

Add to that list no proper promenade deck - that's very close to a deal breaker for me - compounded by limited viewing spaces on the upper decks.

[davecttr]

Is the third ship for Princess or is it Britannia for P&O?

 

Apparently Britannia will not have a MUTS after negative passenger feedback about the one on Azura.

 

Hopefully there will be no soot problem, not that I could afford an aft balcony :eek:

[Shogun]

Hi

 

Britannica is for P&O and is the third of the Royal class of ship

Princess has an order for a new ship which we all expect to be another Royal class but tonnage is slightly different so may be improvements have been made.

 

Yours Shogun

 

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Forums mobile app

[Mississippian]

I took my first Princess cruise in 2004 and at that time the "Royal" Princess was considered by many to be the best ship in the fleet, or at least it was based on some of the posts on this board. Was this by design, and if so for how long had this been the case?

 

The reason I ask, of course, is that now the "Royal" is no better than the "Regal," and many would rank it as a less desirable ship than some of the smaller vessels. On a personal level, I really wanted to sail on the old Royal; I have no real desire to sail on the current one.

 

Is there a "crown" jewel in the Princess fleet these days; one ship that is intentionally kept head and shoulders above the rest?

[caribill]

How can this problem be fixed? Soot comes out the stack, blows aft, the drifts on to an exposed balcony. What do you think Princess can do to fix this issue?

 

It is not a problem on all the Princess pre-Royal ships with exposed rear balconies.

[chamima]

It is not a problem on all the Princess pre-Royal ships with exposed rear balconies.

 

But all of the pre-Royal ships had flat backs with totally covered balconies.

I think soot, to one degree or another, is a problem on all ships (on all lines) with the stair step balconies.

 

EDIT: Just realized we were on the previous Royal (a Renaissance ship) with a stair step balcony and mild soot was sometimes an issue. Our balcony, however, had at least half cover so the covered part was always clean.

Edited October 8, 2014 by chamima

[Mom33]

But all of the pre-Royal ships had flat backs with totally covered balconies.

I think soot, to one degree or another, is a problem on all ships (on all lines) with the stair step balconies.

 

EDIT: Just realized we were on the previous Royal (a Renaissance ship) with a stair step balcony and mild soot was sometimes an issue. Our balcony, however, had at least half cover so the covered part was always clean.

 

I agree that the soot problem is related to the aft deck design. There have been soot complaints on Celebrity on the step design balconies.

 

Has anyone said anything about soot in the Regal aft pool? I haven't seen or heard anything about the aft pool.

[bdjam]

I think Princess is going to find that these ships will not age well. People are just going to avoid them for the much better Grand class ships. I can't believe they are building another one.

 

I can't believe they built the first one.

[Viesczy]

2 things:

 

1) who here doesn't wipe off anything prior to sitting down? You just plop yourself down on something w/o first making sure it is clean? You don't worry on the potential sea spray, bird excrement, stuff blowing onto your balcony from a the overhead public areas at all? Really?

 

2) why the love of the aft balconies? Yeah, they're bigger but the prop vibration rattles electrons free of atoms and all you do is see the past. It is almost like you're Dorian Gray and the picture is about to be uncovered before your eyes... while being shaken like a can of paint on a paint mixer.

 

YMMV

[shredie]

2 things:

 

1) who here doesn't wipe off anything prior to sitting down? You just plop yourself down on something w/o first making sure it is clean? You don't worry on the potential sea spray, bird excrement, stuff blowing onto your balcony from a the overhead public areas at all? Really?

 

Do you walk around with a rag at the ready to wipe off any seat you might encounter?

 

2) why the love of the aft balconies? Yeah, they're bigger but the prop vibration rattles electrons free of atoms and all you do is see the past. It is almost like you're Dorian Gray and the picture is about to be uncovered before your eyes... while being shaken like a can of paint on a paint mixer.

One man's paint mixer is another's peaceful view of the wake.

[cruiseintoheaven]

2 things:

 

1) who here doesn't wipe off anything prior to sitting down? You just plop yourself down on something w/o first making sure it is clean? You don't worry on the potential sea spray, bird excrement, stuff blowing onto your balcony from a the overhead public areas at all? Really?

 

2) why the love of the aft balconies? Yeah, they're bigger but the prop vibration rattles electrons free of atoms and all you do is see the past. It is almost like you're Dorian Gray and the picture is about to be uncovered before your eyes... while being shaken like a can of paint on a paint mixer.

 

YMMV

 

I think it's great that this forum exists for folks to share their experiences and opinions. As someone with a pretty high interest in this thread (sailing aft on the Regal in November), I've been trying to find as much info as I can on the soot issue/non-issue/degree, etc. This will be our first aft balcony, I hope not the last. When we were on the Ruby, we visited friends in an aft balcony and I was immediately in love with the view, the wake, the sense of expanse, and yes, even the vibration. The best I've ever slept in my life is on a cruise - there is something about the slightly discernible feeling that you're being rocked that is wonderful to me. I'm also a huge fan of white noise when I sleep, so to me, unless we have we have a pretty horrendous soot issue, and in light of how tiny the regular side balconies are, I'm hoping for the best, and if we are covered in soot....we'll take pictures and laugh down the road (or should I say "sea". :D

[Mom33]

No matter where my balcony is located, I wipe off the chairs in the morning. They have salt on them and sometimes they are damp from salt spray.:)

[chamima]

I think it's great that this forum exists for folks to share their experiences and opinions. As someone with a pretty high interest in this thread (sailing aft on the Regal in November), I've been trying to find as much info as I can on the soot issue/non-issue/degree, etc. This will be our first aft balcony, I hope not the last. When we were on the Ruby, we visited friends in an aft balcony and I was immediately in love with the view, the wake, the sense of expanse, and yes, even the vibration. The best I've ever slept in my life is on a cruise - there is something about the slightly discernible feeling that you're being rocked that is wonderful to me. I'm also a huge fan of white noise when I sleep, so to me, unless we have we have a pretty horrendous soot issue, and in light of how tiny the regular side balconies are, I'm hoping for the best, and if we are covered in soot....we'll take pictures and laugh down the road (or should I say "sea". :D

 

 

 

We love aft balconies for all of the same reasons you listed.

Is your cabin on Baja or Dolphin? Both of those have half covered balconies and that really minimizes the soot.

All of the stewards are aware of the problem and ours always left us plenty of extra towels. We used one to clean the chairs in the morning (so as to enjoy our morning coffee out there) and then used another one to cover the chairs.

Enjoy your aft balcony - I know we did! :D

[cruiseintoheaven]

[quote name='chamima']We love aft balconies for all of the same reasons you listed.
Is your cabin on Baja or Dolphin? Both of those have half covered balconies and that really minimizes the soot.
All of the stewards are aware of the problem and ours always left us plenty of extra towels. We used one to clean the chairs in the morning (so as to enjoy our morning coffee out there) and then used another one to cover the chairs.
Enjoy your aft balcony - I know we did! :D[/QUOTE]

Hi Karen - thanks for the reply and info. Curious which ship you were on, or if you just meant all aft balconies (?). We actually started out on Baha but cancelled our plans, lost that cabin and when we rebooked the only available aft balcony was on the Riviera deck. This is (as everything) good or the worst thing ever, depending on your preferences. The balconies are huge (yay!), but not covered or shaded (yay for sun-loving DH) and ?? In terms of potential for more soot. I tend to lean towards the optimistic "I don't have to cook or clean for a week, I can ignore my cell phone, and having a martini at noon is appropriate.....I'm good!" mentality......:)