Regal/Royal Suites

[lovevacadays]

I have a couple of friends who are looking at the Regal Princess for a Caribbean sailing. They have not cruised Princess before. I was able to give them a lot of information. However, they are thinking about booking a suite. I have never cruised in a suite so I am no help.

 

Are there better suites than others on the Regal? Any to avoid? If you have cruised in suites on the Grand Class ships, how do they compare to the Regal/Royal?

[eandj]

What kind of suite......mini or larger?

[lrodsangel]

We cruised in the Royal's Vista Suite last November. It was a nice room but they have put this suite on the very front of the ships now instead of on the back. We were actually on the ship in this suite when Princess filmed their newest commercial. The balcony is no longer in the bedroom - but in the living room. The bedroom is facing the very front of the ship with a long window. It's a very large bedroom with a lot of drawer space. The balcony is not as large as the Vista suite on the older ships and there is just 2 chairs and a small side table on it. We love the Vista Suite on the older ships and our favorite is the Grand Suite! The Grands are booked a long time in advance - we had to book 1 1/2 years out to get it for next November. We have also sailed in the Owners Suite and although it is very nice - it is not that much difference than the Vista Suite - it has a small dining table - little larger entry way and those were the only thing different in the 2 cabins besides a much larger price tag.

Edited November 28, 2014 by lrodsangel

[capriccio]

Check out my thread based upon a cruise last December on the Royal Princess in an Owners Suite: http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1956349. As far as I know the Regal Owners Suites have the same layout. We liked the ship but would never pay for an Owners Suite again; in fact we have a mid ship mini with the angled balcony already reserved for next October.

[WendyG]

We are currently in B102 (S5) on the Regal and have that huge bedroom with the window looking directly out the front with the side NARROW balcony. We love the room although it was super rocky the first night, glasses rattling and room vibrations, but after that first night it either stopped or we just don't notice anymore. :)

 

The vistas on the back have a smaller bedroom, but the bigger balcony, they were not worth the extra $900 pp in my opinion. We had dinner the other night with a couple in the aft owners suite and they seem to love it but also mentioned a lot of vibrations in their cabin as well.

 

We popped into a mid ship suite on embarkation day, same size narrow balcony but the room seemed small.

 

We like our room, rocking and all....

[lovevacadays]

What kind of suite......mini or larger?

 

 

A regular suite. Not mini.

 

 

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[lovevacadays]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

 

 

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[-Lew-]

We have sailed in Penthouse Suites onboard the Royal and Regal. I would say the suites are perfect for the two of us in every way except for the narrow balcony. It's across the hall from the concierge lounge with its free cappuccino, latte and snacks...also the concierge to provide various services as needed.

 

We would consider an Owners' Suite at the aft of the ship if it were not for the ongoing soot issue back there. Until that is successfully addressed, we'll avoid them.

 

Lew

[Pam in CA]

As Lew says, avoid the aft suites until the soot issues are fixed.

[nukesubsailor]

I have a couple of friends who are looking at the Regal Princess for a Caribbean sailing. They have not cruised Princess before. I was able to give them a lot of information. However, they are thinking about booking a suite. I have never cruised in a suite so I am no help.

 

Are there better suites than others on the Regal? Any to avoid? If you have cruised in suites on the Grand Class ships, how do they compare to the Regal/Royal?

 

The penthouse suite on the Royal is better than on the Grand class ships except for the balcony. Suites are great and I think people should try one at sometime in their cruising career but I do not think the benefits of a suite compared to a mini suite are worth the considerable price difference. A person needs to keep in mind that your savings from booking a mini suite can be used to take more cruises.

[RocketMan275]

I have a couple of friends who are looking at the Regal Princess for a Caribbean sailing. They have not cruised Princess before. I was able to give them a lot of information. However, they are thinking about booking a suite. I have never cruised in a suite so I am no help.

 

Are there better suites than others on the Regal? Any to avoid? If you have cruised in suites on the Grand Class ships, how do they compare to the Regal/Royal?

 

I've read most of the soot threads here on cruise critic and the reports have varied widely. Some say it was non-existent. Others say it was very bad.

Others say Regal incorporated some fixes that seem to have fixed or seriously reduced the problem.

 

We decided the advantages of the aft suites outweighed the risks and we booked an aft suite on Regal for March. The size of the balcony is very important to wife and I. We would not consider any other cabins (suite, mini-suite, or balcony) on Regal or Royal as being acceptable because of the extremely small balconies.

 

If your friends are happy with a small balcony, then the other suites would be an option for them particularly if they are unwilling to take the risk of an aft suite. The other suites are considerably cheaper too.

 

Here's a suggestion. Youtube has several very good videos taken in suites on the royal class of ships. There is a short but good video on the aft suites. And many more on the penthouse suites. You will see what I mean about the size of the balconies.

 

There are also videos on the vista, penthouse, and owners suites on the grand class ships too. Suggest you note the room number on the video and cross check against deck plans to understand which one you're looking at.

[f-mattox]

I would suggest the Penthouse Suites on Royal and Regal; the Owner's Suites are only slightly larger and very poorly designed--the Penthouse Suites utilize the space much more logically and to better advantage. The Owner's suites have huge balconies but until they resolve the soot problem I would never book one again. They also have very little shade and not much furniture for a balcony that size.

[Woobstr112G]

We are currently in B102 (S5) on the Regal and have that huge bedroom with the window looking directly out the front with the side NARROW balcony. We love the room although it was super rocky the first night, glasses rattling and room vibrations, but after that first night it either stopped or we just don't notice anymore. :)

 

The vistas on the back have a smaller bedroom, but the bigger balcony, they were not worth the extra $900 pp in my opinion. We had dinner the other night with a couple in the aft owners suite and they seem to love it but also mentioned a lot of vibrations in their cabin as well.

 

We popped into a mid ship suite on embarkation day, same size narrow balcony but the room seemed small.

 

We like our room, rocking and all....

 

Where are the Vista's on the aft portion of the Royal/Regal? I was under the assumption that the aft suites were all OS suites, one of which I stayed in.

 

Bob

[bhopal21]

The penthouse suite on the Royal is better than on the Grand class ships except for the balcony.

 

Can you tell me what you base that upon?

 

Since they have tiny balconies and no wetbar I am interested in what they have to offer.

 

Mike:)

[Woobstr112G]

Can you tell me what you base that upon?

 

Since they have tiny balconies and no wetbar I am interested in what they have to offer.

 

Mike:)

 

I was wondering the same thing myself.....

 

Bob

Edited November 29, 2014 by Woobstr112G

[bhopal21]

I was wondering the same thing myself.....

 

Bob

 

And you have first hand experience with the Royal unlike me.

 

Mike:)

[Woobstr112G]

And you have first hand experience with the Royal unlike me.

 

Mike:)

 

Yup:D. Thought I was in heaven when we upgraded. That ended as soon as I walked through the cabin door. Looking back, the Royal is a beautiful ship with a lot to offer. The OS suite however, is an absolute insane waste of money.

 

Bob

Edited November 29, 2014 by Woobstr112G

[mysaddlebred000]

Yes, I agree - a big waste of money

[f-mattox]

Yup:D. Thought I was in heaven when we upgraded. That ended as soon as I walked through the cabin door. Looking back, the Royal is a beautiful ship with a lot to offer. The OS suite however, is an absolute insane waste of money.

 

Bob

 

I agree completely: not at all worth the money.

[WendyG]

As Lew says, avoid the aft suites until the soot issues are fixed.

 

Just an FYI that many people have complained of soot on their balcony midship on the cruise I am currently on. That was the first I have heard that!

[lrodsangel]

Another issue we found on the Royal Vista suites is with those cabins now on the very front of the ship - every time the anchor was dropped the whole cabin shook like it was in the room with you. We will stick with suites mid-ship or all the way in the back!

[lovevacadays]

The penthouse suite on the Royal is better than on the Grand class ships except for the balcony. Suites are great and I think people should try one at sometime in their cruising career but I do not think the benefits of a suite compared to a mini suite are worth the considerable price difference. A person needs to keep in mind that your savings from booking a mini suite can be used to take more cruises.

 

 

That is my theory. However, there are people who want to sail in suites. To each his own.

 

 

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Edited November 29, 2014 by MichelleinOC

[long cruiser]

Once you are in suite it is very hard to go back even to a mini suite.

long cruiser

[bhopal21]

I'm still interested to find out how the suites on Royal/Regal are better than those on the Grand Class ships.

 

Mike:)

[lrodsangel]

Once you are in suite it is very hard to go back even to a mini suite.

long cruiser

You are SO right! We have sailed in all categories and once we sailed in a suite - we were hooked! My husband is 6'4" and loves the extra room in the suites. He doesn't do lines well so the boarding for suites suits him just fine! Me - I just go with the flow!