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Regal Review - 4/12 - 4/15

Guest arowe6

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Guest arowe6

Guest arowe6

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I’ll try and keep this as short as possible. Although, I tend to be long winded.

 

Our cruise on the Regal Princess was pretty darn good. There! I did it!! More details are below. :D

 

**Pre cruise – We both made drastic job changes in the last 12 months; myself approximately a year ago and Brad in the last 6 months. We basically haven’t had a vacation since our last cruise on the Ruby in February 2014. After the train wreck of a Royal Princess cruise in November 2013, we were hesitant about booking the Regal. But unlike her sister ship, this cruise didn’t cost a small fortune and it was during Brad’s birthday (April 12th) so I thought, “Why not? I’ll take him on a cruise for his bday.” And I did just that.

 

Our usual pre cruise hotel was booked (Hyatt Regency Pier 66) so we settled on the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs. We booked a 1 night on 4/11. This is a beautiful hotel with amazing grounds (multiple pools, water slides, pool bars, water falls, etc). Check in was a nightmare. Basically they tried to give us a lesser room telling us it was the same category. I worked in a resort for 8 years. I called BS on them. They finally gave us what we booked. I won’t go into too many details and will save that for my Trip Advisor review. We would definitely stay here again. However, we would not eat at the restaurants. Service and food was horrendous. Also, if you’re particular about a room category, make sure to confirm everything and have screenshots of confirmations, room descriptions etc. (I did.)

 

**Day 1 – Embarkation – Woke up at 7. Enjoyed room service at 7:30. Left for Port Everglades at 9am. Arrived and parked at the port around 11am. Crazy long line for the “regular” check in and virtually no line for “priority” check in. Porters were few and far between so we ended up carrying on our entire luggage through security. No one said a word. Checked with the Wine Police and reported our 2 bottles then made our way through check in and to group 1 to board.

 

We were on board by noon at the latest, but I think it was earlier. We had cabin R101; right before the bridge. Great cabin and not a lot of movement or noise (Our neighbor was quiet too, which was great). Our cabin steward was useless. Told us we had to get our own wine glasses. Didn’t give us ice 2 of the 3 days. We said goodbye to him one day and he didn’t say a word. On a scale of 1 to 10, his personality is a 0. We explored the ship, made standing reservations for The Crown Grill for all 3 nights at 8:30 (more on this later), had a light lunch at Alfredo’s, got some sun up by the retreat pool and then enjoyed sail away with our bucket of beer from the Promenade (or lack thereof) deck.

 

At 8:30, we went to The Crown Grill for dinner. It was PACKED. Service was great, but the portions of some of the items got smaller. Example: I ordered surf and turf. I was given 1 lobster tail cut in half. It was literally 2 bites and the size of a medium shrimp. Also, the sides were smaller. We asked our server why it was so busy and he said because people booked online and had “vouchers.” Any idea what he’s talking about? It was so busy that it really took away from the atmosphere of a nice evening. After, we went back to the balcony and enjoyed wine on our balcony while the world drifted away.

 

**Day 2 – Princess Cays – Since this was our only stop, I assumed it would be a madhouse tendering to shore. We were up early and down in the IC for breakfast around 8 and tendering to shore at 9. We were one of the first ones there. Snagged our clamshell, floats and parked ourselves in the sun to enjoy the day. The weather was PERFECT. Seriously, one of the nicest days we’ve had at Princess Cays. I did some snorkeling. Walked around and took pictures. Lounged and listened to music. And had a bite to eat in the buffet. Around 1 we decided to head back to the ship to grab a lounger by the pool. The ship was deserted and we parked ourselves by the main pool to watch a Beyonce concert. Fun fact; the only thing that works harder than Beyonce at her concerts is her wind machine. That hair was WHIPPIN’.

 

After a leisurely afternoon, we headed back to The Crown Grill at 8:30. Here’s where it gets interesting. The head waiter (His name was Miriam or Mirian. Something like that) tried to sit us at one of those little tables for 2 that are all in a row along a booth. There was literally 10 inches between us and the table next to us. If I wanted to be seated like a sardine, I would have eaten in the dining room. Not cool. We asked to be moved and we would wait for something else if necessary. He told us we couldn’t move. Flat out said no. I have never been treated so unwelcome in a restaurant. I told Brad we could go someplace else. He said he would handle it. They exchanged words and about 5 minutes later we were seated at a larger table. The headwaiter then approached our table again and let us know that he was “doing us a favor” by seating us at a larger table. I literally had daggers shooting out of my eyes at this point. I looked at him and said, in the most sarcastic tone I could muster, “And thank YOU for being so warm and welcoming in your demeanor. You certainly picked the right career path in the hospitality industry!” At that point, he stomped away and we had our dinner. I decided at this point that we were going to cancel our reservation for the 3rd night. Brad tried to say something and then he saw the daggers glistening in my eyes and he decided to let it be. I have no desire to spend 50 dollars on dinner, another 40 (or more) on a bottle of wine and another 10 on a tip for the server to be treated as poorly as we were. If I wanted bad service and bad food, I would book a cruise on Carnival. (Kidding! Kind of....).

 

The only show this cruise was Fiera. It was this evening at 10:30 and it was AMAZING. Any production that opens with a Lady Gaga song has me hooked. After, we gambled a bit and went back to our solace on the balcony to enjoy some more wine.

 

**Day 3 – Sea Day – We were ahead of the game again today. Assuming it would be busy, we were up and at the IC by 8 for breakfast and in a lounger by the Retreat Pool by 9. Another stunning day. And it was HOT. Every 30 minutes we would jump in the pool. After a few drinks by the pool, we headed back to the cabin and then to the buffet for lunch. I had a massive salad. Brad had Tacos. This was our first (and only) trip to the buffet. We forgot how great it is. And the salad bar always has a wonderful selection. After lunch, we explored the ship a bit more and found the new aft pool. Brad looked at it, laughed, and then said, “Umm it looks like a hot tub.” Yes honey, yes it does. But when I dipped my ankles in that water it sure did feel refreshing! In fact, my ankles have never felt so good!!

 

We headed back to the cabin to pack and take a short nap. We then spent a quiet afternoon and early evening reading on the balcony. Sidenote; “The Girl on the Train” is an incredible book. You know, if anyone is looking for a book recommendation from a random dude on CruiseCritic....

 

For dinner tonight we decided on Alfredo’s. We kept ordering more and more food and it was perfection. I know I said it about my Royal Princess review, but Alfredo’s is seriously an excellent new addition to these ships. After gorging ourselves, we wheeled ourselves to the casino to cash out and then back to the cabin to enjoy our ritual of champagne on the balcony. Cheers to us and to Brad’s birthday!

 

**Disembarkation – We were off the ship by 8am and in our car driving home by 9am. And our doggie greeted us at the door at 1pm.

 

Only downfall was that there were 3 Immigration agents working. 3,600 passengers and 3 agents. You do the math. Apparently the TSA can’t.

 

**Final thoughts - This was our first 3 day cruise. We were worried it was going to be a booze cruise, and it sort of was. On the first day, we were walking behind a couple. We watched him literally slap her @ss and say, “Lets go to the buffet and then get fu***d up.” That literally sums up the behavior for this cruise. But it certainly did provide some great people watching. The weather was perfect and the company even better. Unfortunately, The Crown Grill was not the best. But for the price we paid, this vacation did the trick. We’re relaxed, a little heavier, sun burned and ready for another cruise.

 

See you in November on the Emerald. :)

 

Here's a link to my pictures. Unfortunately I haven't had time to title or edit them. https://flic.kr/s/aHsk9D9CF7

 

Any questions, please ask.

 

-Andrew :)

Edited by arowe6
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Host CJSKIDS "Live from...." Rare

Host CJSKIDS

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I’ll try and keep this as short as possible. Although, I tend to be long winded.

 

Our cruise on the Regal Princess was pretty darn good. There! I did it!! More details are below. :D

 

**Pre cruise – We both made drastic job changes in the last 12 months; myself approximately a year ago and Brad in the last 6 months. We basically haven’t had a vacation since our last cruise on the Ruby in February 2014. After the train wreck of a Royal Princess cruise in November 2013, we were hesitant about booking the Regal. But unlike her sister ship, this cruise didn’t cost a small fortune and it was during Brad’s birthday (April 12th) so I thought, “Why not? I’ll take him on a cruise for his bday.” And I did just that.

 

Our usual pre cruise hotel was booked (Hyatt Regency Pier 66) so we settled on the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs. We booked a 1 night on 4/11. This is a beautiful hotel with amazing grounds (multiple pools, water slides, pool bars, water falls, etc). Check in was a nightmare. Basically they tried to give us a lesser room telling us it was the same category. I worked in a resort for 8 years. I called BS on them. They finally gave us what we booked. I won’t go into too many details and will save that for my Trip Advisor review. We would definitely stay here again. However, we would not eat at the restaurants. Service and food was horrendous. Also, if you’re particular about a room category, make sure to confirm everything and have screenshots of confirmations, room descriptions etc. (I did.)

 

**Day 1 – Embarkation – Woke up at 7. Enjoyed room service at 7:30. Left for Port Everglades at 9am. Arrived and parked at the port around 11am. Crazy long line for the “regular” check in and virtually no line for “priority” check in. Porters were few and far between so we ended up carrying on our entire luggage through security. No one said a word. Checked with the Wine Police and reported our 2 bottles then made our way through check in and to group 1 to board.

 

We were on board by noon at the latest, but I think it was earlier. We had cabin R101; right before the bridge. Great cabin and not a lot of movement or noise (Our neighbor was quiet too, which was great). Our cabin steward was useless. Told us we had to get our own wine glasses. Didn’t give us ice 2 of the 3 days. We said goodbye to him one day and he didn’t say a word. On a scale of 1 to 10, his personality is a 0. We explored the ship, made standing reservations for The Crown Grill for all 3 nights at 8:30 (more on this later), had a light lunch at Alfredo’s, got some sun up by the retreat pool and then enjoyed sail away with our bucket of beer from the Promenade (or lack thereof) deck.

 

At 8:30, we went to The Crown Grill for dinner. It was PACKED. Service was great, but the portions of some of the items got smaller. Example: I ordered surf and turf. I was given 1 lobster tail cut in half. It was literally 2 bites and the size of a medium shrimp. Also, the sides were smaller. We asked our server why it was so busy and he said because people booked online and had “vouchers.” Any idea what he’s talking about? It was so busy that it really took away from the atmosphere of a nice evening. After, we went back to the balcony and enjoyed wine on our balcony while the world drifted away.

 

**Day 2 – Princess Cays – Since this was our only stop, I assumed it would be a madhouse tendering to shore. We were up early and down in the IC for breakfast around 8 and tendering to shore at 9. We were one of the first ones there. Snagged our clamshell, floats and parked ourselves in the sun to enjoy the day. The weather was PERFECT. Seriously, one of the nicest days we’ve had at Princess Cays. I did some snorkeling. Walked around and took pictures. Lounged and listened to music. And had a bite to eat in the buffet. Around 1 we decided to head back to the ship to grab a lounger by the pool. The ship was deserted and we parked ourselves by the main pool to watch a Beyonce concert. Fun fact; the only thing that works harder than Beyonce at her concerts is her wind machine. That hair was WHIPPIN’.

 

After a leisurely afternoon, we headed back to The Crown Grill at 8:30. Here’s where it gets interesting. The head waiter (His name was Miriam or Mirian. Something like that) tried to sit us at one of those little tables for 2 that are all in a row along a booth. There was literally 10 inches between us and the table next to us. If I wanted to be seated like a sardine, I would have eaten in the dining room. Not cool. We asked to be moved and we would wait for something else if necessary. He told us we couldn’t move. Flat out said no. I have never been treated so unwelcome in a restaurant. I told Brad we could go someplace else. He said he would handle it. They exchanged words and about 5 minutes later we were seated at a larger table. The headwaiter then approached our table again and let us know that he was “doing us a favor” by seating us at a larger table. I literally had daggers shooting out of my eyes at this point. I looked at him and said, in the most sarcastic tone I could muster, “And thank YOU for being so warm and welcoming in your demeanor. You certainly picked the right career path in the hospitality industry!” At that point, he stomped away and we had our dinner. I decided at this point that we were going to cancel our reservation for the 3rd night. Brad tried to say something and then he saw the daggers glistening in my eyes and he decided to let it be. I have no desire to spend 50 dollars on dinner, another 40 (or more) on a bottle of wine and another 10 on a tip for the server to be treated as poorly as we were. If I wanted bad service and bad food, I would book a cruise on Carnival. (Kidding! Kind of....).

 

The only show this cruise was Fiera. It was this evening at 10:30 and it was AMAZING. Any production that opens with a Lady Gaga song has me hooked. After, we gambled a bit and went back to our solace on the balcony to enjoy some more wine.

 

**Day 3 – Sea Day – We were ahead of the game again today. Assuming it would be busy, we were up and at the IC by 8 for breakfast and in a lounger by the Retreat Pool by 9. Another stunning day. And it was HOT. Every 30 minutes we would jump in the pool. After a few drinks by the pool, we headed back to the cabin and then to the buffet for lunch. I had a massive salad. Brad had Tacos. This was our first (and only) trip to the buffet. We forgot how great it is. And the salad bar always has a wonderful selection. After lunch, we explored the ship a bit more and found the new aft pool. Brad looked at it, laughed, and then said, “Umm it looks like a hot tub.” Yes honey, yes it does. But when I dipped my ankles in that water it sure did feel refreshing! In fact, my ankles have never felt so good!!

 

We headed back to the cabin to pack and take a short nap. We then spent a quiet afternoon and early evening reading on the balcony. Sidenote; “The Girl on the Train” is an incredible book. You know, if anyone is looking for a book recommendation from a random dude on CruiseCritic....

 

For dinner tonight we decided on Alfredo’s. We kept ordering more and more food and it was perfection. I know I said it about my Royal Princess review, but Alfredo’s is seriously an excellent new addition to these ships. After gorging ourselves, we wheeled ourselves to the casino to cash out and then back to the cabin to enjoy our ritual of champagne on the balcony. Cheers to us and to Brad’s birthday!

 

**Disembarkation – We were off the ship by 8am and in our car driving home by 9am. And our doggie greeted us at the door at 1pm.

 

Only downfall was that there were 3 Immigration agents working. 3,600 passengers and 3 agents. You do the math. Apparently the TSA can’t.

 

**Final thoughts - This was our first 3 day cruise. We were worried it was going to be a booze cruise, and it sort of was. On the first day, we were walking behind a couple. We watched him literally slap her @ss and say, “Lets go to the buffet and then get fu***d up.” That literally sums up the behavior for this cruise. But it certainly did provide some great people watching. The weather was perfect and the company even better. Unfortunately, The Crown Grill was not the best. But for the price we paid, this vacation did the trick. We’re relaxed, a little heavier, sun burned and ready for another cruise.

 

See you in November on the Emerald. :)

 

Here's a link to my pictures. Unfortunately I haven't had time to title or edit them. https://flic.kr/s/aHsk9D9CF7

 

Any questions, please ask.

 

-Andrew :)

 

We found the service the same at the Crown Grill. The same 2 small lobster halves and they were hard as heck to get out of the shell.

 

The people next to us also said that they had prepaid for the meal and had a voucher. They said it guarantees you to get into the alternative dining room.

 

Yesterday was extremely hot. It was just about unbearable up in the Sanctuary and like you, we also went in early.

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dmwnc1959

dmwnc1959

Posted
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Always a pleasure reading your reviews - such excellent writing skills: funny, sarcastic, and serious all wrapped into a neat little package.

 

I see Brad sitting in "my spot" back there on the aft promenade. lol ;) A great place to relax. I fell asleep back there on Royal Princess, so quiet and peaceful.

 

I'm glad everything went well for the most part. Sounds like you both had a really nice time.

 

:D

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Guest arowe6

Guest arowe6

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Thank you for another great review.

 

I looked at your pictures. The one you have titled "the best spot on the ship" - it looks like it is back by the wake??

 

Yep it was. Love that area. We usually book aft cabins for that reason. None available on this cruise by the time we booked though.

 

Andrew :)

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Guest arowe6

Guest arowe6

Posted
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Always a pleasure reading your reviews - such excellent writing skills: funny, sarcastic, and serious all wrapped into a neat little package.

 

I see Brad sitting in "my spot" back there on the aft promenade. lol ;) A great place to relax. I fell asleep back there on Royal Princess, so quiet and peaceful.

 

I'm glad everything went well for the most part. Sounds like you both had a really nice time.

 

:D

 

Oh Dave you're making me blush. Yes, a really nice time. Glad we went, but happy to be home. There seemed to be a lot of people herding on this cruise. Glad to have my personal space back again.

 

Andrew :)

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Gmanfl

Gmanfl

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Posted
I’ll try and keep this as short as possible. Although, I tend to be long winded.

 

Our cruise on the Regal Princess was pretty darn good. There! I did it!! More details are below. :D

 

**Pre cruise – We both made drastic job changes in the last 12 months; myself approximately a year ago and Brad in the last 6 months. We basically haven’t had a vacation since our last cruise on the Ruby in February 2014. After the train wreck of a Royal Princess cruise in November 2013, we were hesitant about booking the Regal. But unlike her sister ship, this cruise didn’t cost a small fortune and it was during Brad’s birthday (April 12th) so I thought, “Why not? I’ll take him on a cruise for his bday.” And I did just that.

 

Our usual pre cruise hotel was booked (Hyatt Regency Pier 66) so we settled on the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs. We booked a 1 night on 4/11. This is a beautiful hotel with amazing grounds (multiple pools, water slides, pool bars, water falls, etc). Check in was a nightmare. Basically they tried to give us a lesser room telling us it was the same category. I worked in a resort for 8 years. I called BS on them. They finally gave us what we booked. I won’t go into too many details and will save that for my Trip Advisor review. We would definitely stay here again. However, we would not eat at the restaurants. Service and food was horrendous. Also, if you’re particular about a room category, make sure to confirm everything and have screenshots of confirmations, room descriptions etc. (I did.)

 

**Day 1 – Embarkation – Woke up at 7. Enjoyed room service at 7:30. Left for Port Everglades at 9am. Arrived and parked at the port around 11am. Crazy long line for the “regular” check in and virtually no line for “priority” check in. Porters were few and far between so we ended up carrying on our entire luggage through security. No one said a word. Checked with the Wine Police and reported our 2 bottles then made our way through check in and to group 1 to board.

 

We were on board by noon at the latest, but I think it was earlier. We had cabin R101; right before the bridge. Great cabin and not a lot of movement or noise (Our neighbor was quiet too, which was great). Our cabin steward was useless. Told us we had to get our own wine glasses. Didn’t give us ice 2 of the 3 days. We said goodbye to him one day and he didn’t say a word. On a scale of 1 to 10, his personality is a 0. We explored the ship, made standing reservations for The Crown Grill for all 3 nights at 8:30 (more on this later), had a light lunch at Alfredo’s, got some sun up by the retreat pool and then enjoyed sail away with our bucket of beer from the Promenade (or lack thereof) deck.

 

At 8:30, we went to The Crown Grill for dinner. It was PACKED. Service was great, but the portions of some of the items got smaller. Example: I ordered surf and turf. I was given 1 lobster tail cut in half. It was literally 2 bites and the size of a medium shrimp. Also, the sides were smaller. We asked our server why it was so busy and he said because people booked online and had “vouchers.” Any idea what he’s talking about? It was so busy that it really took away from the atmosphere of a nice evening. After, we went back to the balcony and enjoyed wine on our balcony while the world drifted away.

 

**Day 2 – Princess Cays – Since this was our only stop, I assumed it would be a madhouse tendering to shore. We were up early and down in the IC for breakfast around 8 and tendering to shore at 9. We were one of the first ones there. Snagged our clamshell, floats and parked ourselves in the sun to enjoy the day. The weather was PERFECT. Seriously, one of the nicest days we’ve had at Princess Cays. I did some snorkeling. Walked around and took pictures. Lounged and listened to music. And had a bite to eat in the buffet. Around 1 we decided to head back to the ship to grab a lounger by the pool. The ship was deserted and we parked ourselves by the main pool to watch a Beyonce concert. Fun fact; the only thing that works harder than Beyonce at her concerts is her wind machine. That hair was WHIPPIN’.

 

After a leisurely afternoon, we headed back to The Crown Grill at 8:30. Here’s where it gets interesting. The head waiter (His name was Miriam or Mirian. Something like that) tried to sit us at one of those little tables for 2 that are all in a row along a booth. There was literally 10 inches between us and the table next to us. If I wanted to be seated like a sardine, I would have eaten in the dining room. Not cool. We asked to be moved and we would wait for something else if necessary. He told us we couldn’t move. Flat out said no. I have never been treated so unwelcome in a restaurant. I told Brad we could go someplace else. He said he would handle it. They exchanged words and about 5 minutes later we were seated at a larger table. The headwaiter then approached our table again and let us know that he was “doing us a favor” by seating us at a larger table. I literally had daggers shooting out of my eyes at this point. I looked at him and said, in the most sarcastic tone I could muster, “And thank YOU for being so warm and welcoming in your demeanor. You certainly picked the right career path in the hospitality industry!” At that point, he stomped away and we had our dinner. I decided at this point that we were going to cancel our reservation for the 3rd night. Brad tried to say something and then he saw the daggers glistening in my eyes and he decided to let it be. I have no desire to spend 50 dollars on dinner, another 40 (or more) on a bottle of wine and another 10 on a tip for the server to be treated as poorly as we were. If I wanted bad service and bad food, I would book a cruise on Carnival. (Kidding! Kind of....).

 

The only show this cruise was Fiera. It was this evening at 10:30 and it was AMAZING. Any production that opens with a Lady Gaga song has me hooked. After, we gambled a bit and went back to our solace on the balcony to enjoy some more wine.

 

**Day 3 – Sea Day – We were ahead of the game again today. Assuming it would be busy, we were up and at the IC by 8 for breakfast and in a lounger by the Retreat Pool by 9. Another stunning day. And it was HOT. Every 30 minutes we would jump in the pool. After a few drinks by the pool, we headed back to the cabin and then to the buffet for lunch. I had a massive salad. Brad had Tacos. This was our first (and only) trip to the buffet. We forgot how great it is. And the salad bar always has a wonderful selection. After lunch, we explored the ship a bit more and found the new aft pool. Brad looked at it, laughed, and then said, “Umm it looks like a hot tub.” Yes honey, yes it does. But when I dipped my ankles in that water it sure did feel refreshing! In fact, my ankles have never felt so good!!

 

We headed back to the cabin to pack and take a short nap. We then spent a quiet afternoon and early evening reading on the balcony. Sidenote; “The Girl on the Train” is an incredible book. You know, if anyone is looking for a book recommendation from a random dude on CruiseCritic....

 

For dinner tonight we decided on Alfredo’s. We kept ordering more and more food and it was perfection. I know I said it about my Royal Princess review, but Alfredo’s is seriously an excellent new addition to these ships. After gorging ourselves, we wheeled ourselves to the casino to cash out and then back to the cabin to enjoy our ritual of champagne on the balcony. Cheers to us and to Brad’s birthday!

 

**Disembarkation – We were off the ship by 8am and in our car driving home by 9am. And our doggie greeted us at the door at 1pm.

 

Only downfall was that there were 3 Immigration agents working. 3,600 passengers and 3 agents. You do the math. Apparently the TSA can’t.

 

**Final thoughts - This was our first 3 day cruise. We were worried it was going to be a booze cruise, and it sort of was. On the first day, we were walking behind a couple. We watched him literally slap her @ss and say, “Lets go to the buffet and then get fu***d up.” That literally sums up the behavior for this cruise. But it certainly did provide some great people watching. The weather was perfect and the company even better. Unfortunately, The Crown Grill was not the best. But for the price we paid, this vacation did the trick. We’re relaxed, a little heavier, sun burned and ready for another cruise.

 

See you in November on the Emerald. :)

 

Here's a link to my pictures. Unfortunately I haven't had time to title or edit them. https://flic.kr/s/aHsk9D9CF7

 

Any questions, please ask.

 

-Andrew :)

 

We were on the same cruise. This was definetly a wilder crowd than the norm for Princess. We decided to stay on the ship instead of doing Princess Cays since we have been there 3 times already so we had the Aft pool, if you can call it that, to ourselves. The ship is absolutely beautiful!! The Casino manager offered to send us to Sabatinis for dinner but I was a bit too sunburned so we passed. Should have done the Crab Shack though. Horizon Court is a big improvement on this ship. There didn't seem to be enough bartenders at the bars, waited forever to get a drink at more than one bar but hey...its vacation...I thought the wait people at the IC were incredibly rude. Overall, I had a great time but such a short, reasonably priced cruise tends to attract a different crowd and this was certainly the case here. We witnessed two near brawls in the Casino and that was just the women...lol...I think I'll stick to 7 and 10 day cruises. I got this trip free from the Players club so I'm glad I didn't pay for it. We walked off the ship at 6:30 and got to Tampa by 11....next up for Mark and I is Panama Canal in October on the Coral...lastly, the ships horn plays the Love Boat Theme and every time they blew the horn we just cracked up!!...Night Friends, Geno

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Gmanfl

Gmanfl

Posted
Posted
I’ll try and keep this as short as possible. Although, I tend to be long winded.

 

Our cruise on the Regal Princess was pretty darn good. There! I did it!! More details are below. :D

 

**Pre cruise – We both made drastic job changes in the last 12 months; myself approximately a year ago and Brad in the last 6 months. We basically haven’t had a vacation since our last cruise on the Ruby in February 2014. After the train wreck of a Royal Princess cruise in November 2013, we were hesitant about booking the Regal. But unlike her sister ship, this cruise didn’t cost a small fortune and it was during Brad’s birthday (April 12th) so I thought, “Why not? I’ll take him on a cruise for his bday.” And I did just that.

 

Our usual pre cruise hotel was booked (Hyatt Regency Pier 66) so we settled on the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs. We booked a 1 night on 4/11. This is a beautiful hotel with amazing grounds (multiple pools, water slides, pool bars, water falls, etc). Check in was a nightmare. Basically they tried to give us a lesser room telling us it was the same category. I worked in a resort for 8 years. I called BS on them. They finally gave us what we booked. I won’t go into too many details and will save that for my Trip Advisor review. We would definitely stay here again. However, we would not eat at the restaurants. Service and food was horrendous. Also, if you’re particular about a room category, make sure to confirm everything and have screenshots of confirmations, room descriptions etc. (I did.)

 

**Day 1 – Embarkation – Woke up at 7. Enjoyed room service at 7:30. Left for Port Everglades at 9am. Arrived and parked at the port around 11am. Crazy long line for the “regular” check in and virtually no line for “priority” check in. Porters were few and far between so we ended up carrying on our entire luggage through security. No one said a word. Checked with the Wine Police and reported our 2 bottles then made our way through check in and to group 1 to board.

 

We were on board by noon at the latest, but I think it was earlier. We had cabin R101; right before the bridge. Great cabin and not a lot of movement or noise (Our neighbor was quiet too, which was great). Our cabin steward was useless. Told us we had to get our own wine glasses. Didn’t give us ice 2 of the 3 days. We said goodbye to him one day and he didn’t say a word. On a scale of 1 to 10, his personality is a 0. We explored the ship, made standing reservations for The Crown Grill for all 3 nights at 8:30 (more on this later), had a light lunch at Alfredo’s, got some sun up by the retreat pool and then enjoyed sail away with our bucket of beer from the Promenade (or lack thereof) deck.

 

At 8:30, we went to The Crown Grill for dinner. It was PACKED. Service was great, but the portions of some of the items got smaller. Example: I ordered surf and turf. I was given 1 lobster tail cut in half. It was literally 2 bites and the size of a medium shrimp. Also, the sides were smaller. We asked our server why it was so busy and he said because people booked online and had “vouchers.” Any idea what he’s talking about? It was so busy that it really took away from the atmosphere of a nice evening. After, we went back to the balcony and enjoyed wine on our balcony while the world drifted away.

 

**Day 2 – Princess Cays – Since this was our only stop, I assumed it would be a madhouse tendering to shore. We were up early and down in the IC for breakfast around 8 and tendering to shore at 9. We were one of the first ones there. Snagged our clamshell, floats and parked ourselves in the sun to enjoy the day. The weather was PERFECT. Seriously, one of the nicest days we’ve had at Princess Cays. I did some snorkeling. Walked around and took pictures. Lounged and listened to music. And had a bite to eat in the buffet. Around 1 we decided to head back to the ship to grab a lounger by the pool. The ship was deserted and we parked ourselves by the main pool to watch a Beyonce concert. Fun fact; the only thing that works harder than Beyonce at her concerts is her wind machine. That hair was WHIPPIN’.

 

After a leisurely afternoon, we headed back to The Crown Grill at 8:30. Here’s where it gets interesting. The head waiter (His name was Miriam or Mirian. Something like that) tried to sit us at one of those little tables for 2 that are all in a row along a booth. There was literally 10 inches between us and the table next to us. If I wanted to be seated like a sardine, I would have eaten in the dining room. Not cool. We asked to be moved and we would wait for something else if necessary. He told us we couldn’t move. Flat out said no. I have never been treated so unwelcome in a restaurant. I told Brad we could go someplace else. He said he would handle it. They exchanged words and about 5 minutes later we were seated at a larger table. The headwaiter then approached our table again and let us know that he was “doing us a favor” by seating us at a larger table. I literally had daggers shooting out of my eyes at this point. I looked at him and said, in the most sarcastic tone I could muster, “And thank YOU for being so warm and welcoming in your demeanor. You certainly picked the right career path in the hospitality industry!” At that point, he stomped away and we had our dinner. I decided at this point that we were going to cancel our reservation for the 3rd night. Brad tried to say something and then he saw the daggers glistening in my eyes and he decided to let it be. I have no desire to spend 50 dollars on dinner, another 40 (or more) on a bottle of wine and another 10 on a tip for the server to be treated as poorly as we were. If I wanted bad service and bad food, I would book a cruise on Carnival. (Kidding! Kind of....).

 

The only show this cruise was Fiera. It was this evening at 10:30 and it was AMAZING. Any production that opens with a Lady Gaga song has me hooked. After, we gambled a bit and went back to our solace on the balcony to enjoy some more wine.

 

**Day 3 – Sea Day – We were ahead of the game again today. Assuming it would be busy, we were up and at the IC by 8 for breakfast and in a lounger by the Retreat Pool by 9. Another stunning day. And it was HOT. Every 30 minutes we would jump in the pool. After a few drinks by the pool, we headed back to the cabin and then to the buffet for lunch. I had a massive salad. Brad had Tacos. This was our first (and only) trip to the buffet. We forgot how great it is. And the salad bar always has a wonderful selection. After lunch, we explored the ship a bit more and found the new aft pool. Brad looked at it, laughed, and then said, “Umm it looks like a hot tub.” Yes honey, yes it does. But when I dipped my ankles in that water it sure did feel refreshing! In fact, my ankles have never felt so good!!

 

We headed back to the cabin to pack and take a short nap. We then spent a quiet afternoon and early evening reading on the balcony. Sidenote; “The Girl on the Train” is an incredible book. You know, if anyone is looking for a book recommendation from a random dude on CruiseCritic....

 

For dinner tonight we decided on Alfredo’s. We kept ordering more and more food and it was perfection. I know I said it about my Royal Princess review, but Alfredo’s is seriously an excellent new addition to these ships. After gorging ourselves, we wheeled ourselves to the casino to cash out and then back to the cabin to enjoy our ritual of champagne on the balcony. Cheers to us and to Brad’s birthday!

 

**Disembarkation – We were off the ship by 8am and in our car driving home by 9am. And our doggie greeted us at the door at 1pm.

 

Only downfall was that there were 3 Immigration agents working. 3,600 passengers and 3 agents. You do the math. Apparently the TSA can’t.

 

**Final thoughts - This was our first 3 day cruise. We were worried it was going to be a booze cruise, and it sort of was. On the first day, we were walking behind a couple. We watched him literally slap her @ss and say, “Lets go to the buffet and then get fu***d up.” That literally sums up the behavior for this cruise. But it certainly did provide some great people watching. The weather was perfect and the company even better. Unfortunately, The Crown Grill was not the best. But for the price we paid, this vacation did the trick. We’re relaxed, a little heavier, sun burned and ready for another cruise.

 

See you in November on the Emerald. :)

 

Here's a link to my pictures. Unfortunately I haven't had time to title or edit them. https://flic.kr/s/aHsk9D9CF7

 

Any questions, please ask.

 

-Andrew :)

 

We were on the same cruise. This was definetly a wilder crowd than the norm for Princess. We decided to stay on the ship instead of doing Princess Cays since we have been there 3 times already so we had the Aft pool, if you can call it that, to ourselves. The ship is absolutely beautiful!! The Casino manager offered to send us to Sabatinis for dinner but I was a bit too sunburned so we passed. Should have done the Crab Shack though. Horizon Court is a big improvement on this ship. There didn't seem to be enough bartenders at the bars, waited forever to get a drink at more than one bar but hey...its vacation...I thought the wait people at the IC were incredibly rude. Overall, I had a great time but such a short, reasonably priced cruise tends to attract a different crowd and this was certainly the case here. We witnessed two near brawls in the Casino and that was just the women...lol...I think I'll stick to 7 and 10 day cruises. I got this trip free from the Players club so I'm glad I didn't pay for it. We walked off the ship at 6:30 and got to Tampa by 11....next up for Mark and I is Panama Canal in October on the Coral...lastly, the ships horn plays the Love Boat Theme and every time they blew the horn we just cracked up!!...Night Friends, Geno

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Guest arowe6

Guest arowe6

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Sounds like the cruise was great except for the CG saga. :(

Glad you got to try the ankle dipping pool. :D

 

I was waiting for you to read that ;)

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Guest arowe6

Guest arowe6

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You found my favorite cabin ever! It is so quiet.

 

Right?! So great. And to the left (towards the bridge) was, I'm assuming, the Captain's cabin. It had a huge suite balcony and no one was ever one it. And the entrance to the cabin was only accessible through the secure bridge door.

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Sanibel*Gal

Sanibel*Gal

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Great review & love your pictures - we also enjoyed the Regal aft pool as well and the veal Ravioli at Alfredo's is outstanding, had it twice!!

 

Did you by chance try the Lime Crab Margarita (think that's what it's called:o) at the Ocean Terrace, that was delicious too!

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Guest arowe6

Guest arowe6

Posted
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Great review & love your pictures - we also enjoyed the Regal aft pool as well and the veal Ravioli at Alfredo's is outstanding, had it twice!!

 

Did you by chance try the Lime Crab Margarita (think that's what it's called:o) at the Ocean Terrace, that was delicious too!

 

Never made it to the Ocean Terrace. However, the veal ravioli is one of our FAVORITES!

 

The night we went, I ordered 3 portions of that. Shhhhh! :eek:

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Guest arowe6

Guest arowe6

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The waiter has always taken the lobster out of the shell and place the halves on our plates:confused:

 

Not this cruise. Although on the second night, we asked and he did. The lobster was very difficult to get out of the shell. It was weird. :confused:

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Colo Cruiser

Colo Cruiser

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In regard to the voucher thing, can you imagine how bad it would be if they started taking actual time reservations pre cruise? :mad: One would probably never be able to decide on a whim once onboard to walk up to eat. :cool:

 

I sure hope that's not where they are going with all this. :(

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Host CJSKIDS "Live from...." Rare

Host CJSKIDS

Posted
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Not this cruise. Although on the second night, we asked and he did. The lobster was very difficult to get out of the shell. It was weird. :confused:

 

I'm glad someone else can verify how hard it was to get out of the shell! It really was strange.

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Guest arowe6

Guest arowe6

Posted
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In regard to the voucher thing, can you imagine how bad it would be if they started taking actual time reservations pre cruise? :mad: One would probably never be able to decide on a whim once onboard to walk up to eat. :cool:

 

I sure hope that's not where they are going with all this. :(

 

I'm still hoping for one procedure across all ships. Apparently that's difficult too.

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Guest arowe6

Guest arowe6

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I'm glad someone else can verify how hard it was to get out of the shell! It really was strange.

 

 

Oh no, not just you. And by the time you got the meat out of the shell, it was all shredded and half of it was left stuck inside the shell.

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