Cunard/Celebrity cruiser..Would we like Princess?

[keithm]

We've done 6 Cunard & 2 Celebrity(Eclipse)cruises.:D They were from 10-14 days. We're looking at the Regal Princess for late Jan/early Feb. for 2 weeks. We know this is really 2 B/B 7 day cruises joined together.The ship in pics looks quite elegant.

A few facts about us: We're a gay middle aged couple who like really good/excellent food. Both of us are in the food industry. Cunard/Celebrity are noted for their food quality. Princess, I hear is not quite to that standard.(except in specialty Rest.) We tend to like more formal attire at night. We don't bring tuxes on Celebrity,but do on Cunard. How is the Princess Regal MDR's on formal nights? We're not fans of shorts & such at night,as cruising is a special time for us. Non Formal "Smart casual" to us is nice slacks/khakis,short or long sleeve dress shirt & nice shoes. We do, however dress very casual during the day. We choose to dine at a table for 2 to avoid potentially not gay friendly tablemates. It's not happened to us,but has to friends. Are there a lot of 2 top tables?

We like a ship that is generally announcement free..No crazy pool stunts last, chance art auction announcements etc. The "sidewalk" sales are fine..All lines do them. This is pretty much it,have at it,folks:D

Edited September 7, 2015 by keithm
punctuation

[WisCruiser2]

We haven't been on Cunard but have sailed twice on the Solstice. I find Princess pretty comparable to that -- was on the Royal this past year & really liked it (although that's as big a ship as we'd like to be on). From what I remember of the Solstice, the food quality in the MDR seemed about the same as Princess, have always found something we could eat! There are 2 top tables but be prepared for a wait for one with Anytime Dining. Definitely try Alfredo's on the Regal (similar concept as Bistro on 5 but no upcharge), and the International Cafe for "a little something" (as my mother would say). You might also want to spring for the Chef's Table -- from what I've read you need to sign up for that as soon as you get on the ship as it fills up quickly.

 

I think the demographics on Princess are similar to Celebrity -- also very few announcements. What we've liked about both lines is that we could do as much or as little as we wanted :) I'd say go for it!

[BILL-WI]

Have sailed on Celebrity and Princess a lot. Be warned that your balcony (if you get the type of cabin) on the Regal will be much smaller than Celebrity. The balcony is only about 4 feet deep.

 

Food: I actually prefer the food on Princess in the MDR to that on Celebrity. However, I can not say the same as to the specialty dining. Princess specialty dining is much cheaper and the food quality and service can SOMETIMES reflect it.

 

Ships: The comparison to the Celebrity "S" class ships that has been made is very accurate. Be warned that at mid-ship there are NO stairs on the Regal, but there are so many elevators that the wait is usually not long. I prefer stairs...I need to work off the food!

 

Music: The music on the Regal is much more traditional than what you find these days on Celebrity. I like both...

 

Age: Celebrity will skew a bit older, but age is just a number.

 

Have a Blast!

 

BILL

Edited September 7, 2015 by BILL-WI

[Mikeandme]

I have not sailed with Cunard but am Elite on both Princess and Celebrity. I don't know what venue you ate at on either line, but Luminae on Celebrity is much better than MDR food on Princess. I do prefer MDR food on Princess to MDR food on Celebrity, but that is just personal taste. Some would disagree. I believe there are more announcements on Princess, but my last Celebrity cruise seemed to have more than the usual announcements from the cruise director, who apparently loved getting on the PA system. There are lots of passengers who cruise both Princess and Celebrity, and I think you will find both offer a fine vacation.

[ssbeagle]

We've done 6 Cunard & 2 Celebrity(Eclipse)cruises.:D They were from 10-14 days. We're looking at the Regal Princess for late Jan/early Feb. for 2 weeks. We know this is really 2 B/B 7 day cruises joined together.The ship in pics looks quite elegant.

A few facts about us: We're a gay middle aged couple who like really good/excellent food. Both of us are in the food industry. Cunard/Celebrity are noted for their food quality. Princess, I hear is not quite to that standard.(except in specialty Rest.) We tend to like more formal attire at night. We don't bring tuxes on Celebrity,but do on Cunard. How is the Princess Regal MDR's on formal nights? We're not fans of shorts & such at night,as cruising is a special time for us. Non Formal "Smart casual" to us is nice slacks/khakis,short or long sleeve dress shirt & nice shoes. We do, however dress very casual during the day. We choose to dine at a table for 2 to avoid potentially not gay friendly tablemates. It's not happened to us,but has to friends. Are there a lot of 2 top tables?

We like a ship that is generally announcement free..No crazy pool stunts last, chance art auction announcements etc. The "sidewalk" sales are fine..All lines do them. This is pretty much it,have at it,folks:D

 

Formal nights on Princess you will see everything from casual to tuxedo and long gowns. The rule is in the MDR, formal; the buffet, casual. There was a time it was formal everywhere but times are changing. No shorts or jeans allowed at night. They have a lot of tables for two. Princess is no different than Celebrity. I have met a few gay couples on Princess and they were always very nice. You might enjoy signing up for the Chef's Table. It's worth it and only a limited number get selected for it. The food is fantastic for that meal.

[pris993]

We've done 6 Cunard & 2 Celebrity(Eclipse)cruises.:D They were from 10-14 days. We're looking at the Regal Princess for late Jan/early Feb. for 2 weeks. We know this is really 2 B/B 7 day cruises joined together.The ship in pics looks quite elegant.

A few facts about us: We're a gay middle aged couple who like really good/excellent food. Both of us are in the food industry. Cunard/Celebrity are noted for their food quality. Princess, I hear is not quite to that standard.(except in specialty Rest.) We tend to like more formal attire at night. We don't bring tuxes on Celebrity,but do on Cunard. How is the Princess Regal MDR's on formal nights? We're not fans of shorts & such at night,as cruising is a special time for us. Non Formal "Smart casual" to us is nice slacks/khakis,short or long sleeve dress shirt & nice shoes. We do, however dress very casual during the day. We choose to dine at a table for 2 to avoid potentially not gay friendly tablemates. It's not happened to us,but has to friends. Are there a lot of 2 top tables?

We like a ship that is generally announcement free..No crazy pool stunts last, chance art auction announcements etc. The "sidewalk" sales are fine..All lines do them. This is pretty much it,have at it,folks:D

 

We are elite on both Princess and Celebrity... doing our 3rd cruise on Cunard this month, QM2. We cruised the OV twice a few years back, loved it for its style,formality, food, entertainment. We felt the experience on Cunard was our best overall experience (have more than 50 cruises) cruising in terms of food, services and entertainment.

 

Now to your question, the new Regal design is very similar to Celebrity modern ships, I have not been on the Regal myself. Ref your comment that Celebrity food is suppose to be better than Princess... yes if you listen to their PR. From our experience on Celebrity, speaking about MDR... we have always found the food and service to be hit and miss, same on entertainment. We feel the MDR on the newer Celebrity ships is too crowded and noisy - sowe skip it. We do like the buffet, generally find something to our liking there.

 

We are very picky about what we eat, focus on healthy foods. Like fish best. When we do go to the MDR on Princess or Cunard (any cruise line) we generally special order off menu by talking the Head waiter with the Mat'red's okay every night, checking out their menu in advance and ordering the night before. We have found Princess is far more accomodating then Celebrity. If you know what you want, if they have it on board they will be happy to respond to requests. We start off asking about the fish on board, start trying what they have and recommend. If we find something we really like we repeat it.

 

Don't know where you are cruising to... ref dress on board Princess. Some cruises are more casual than others. Regardless, we always dress for formal nights on board. My DH takes is Tux, white dinner jacket, suit... we enjoy dressing for dinner, always ask for late dinner and a table for 2. Dress on all lines has become more casual, even Cunard has become more relaxed. We enjoy the standards... wish cruise lines would stick to them but it is all about money and attracting the new cruisers.

 

Ref table for two... there are a fair # of tables for 2. We always head to the MDR on the day we board to check out our assigned table, if it is not what we want we request a change. When you board asked what diningroom the Mat'red or a representative will be in and time - so you can check out what your table is and make any requested changes. Having a table for two has some benefits, it is eaiser to get special off menu requests if you are at a table for two and then of course, you don't need to been concerned that you may be over dressed compared to other table mates.

 

Hope you have a great cruise on Princess.

[nojoke]

Give Princess a try! I have never sailed Cunard, but we are Elite on Celebrity. We love the S-type ships with the clean/white decor. Royal and Regal Princess will feel similar. We especially love “Alfredo’s” and the International Food Court area. These are 2 big differences from Celebrity. I hope you will at least try sharing a table. I have never heard any remarks disparaging gay couples while sharing a table on Princess. Meal time is fun socializing with others (usually!!). We book either Celebrity or Princess depending on itinerary and price. I can’t even say why, but we rate Celebrity just a smidgin higher than Princess. But, I think you will enjoy the ambiance and service and entertainment. We are not foodies--so are happy with the food on either line.

[LoriPhil]

We have cruised the Eclipse and Royal (sister to Regal); we thought the buffet was better on Princess as it has more variety and some portion of the buffet area is open throughout the day if you need nibbles (LOVE the Princess crunchy hard rolls). We've never had problems getting a table for 2 in the MDR, though some are close to other tables so we've been able to interact or not, as we choose. Princess also has the International Cafe on the main floor which is open 24/7 with a nice selection as well, and is across from the gelato shop.

 

A few non-food observations: Princess has public laundromats on each floor which we greatly missed on Celebrity. The other nice thing we enjoyed on the Royal/Regal class ship was Enclave, which is a "pay for" option in the Lotus Spa consisting of large warm water hydro pool, aroma-therapy showers, warm tile beds, sauna and steam rooms - open until 10 PM nightly so it was a great way for us to unwind and relax after a long day (fabulous robes for this in the Lotus Spa changing rooms). That being said we thought the adults only pool area on Celebrity was terrific. Also, Celebrity balcony cabins all have couches which you only get on Royal/Regal Princess with upgraded cabins like premium balcony or mini-suites, so big plus for Celebrity. We do prefer the dressing area on Princess which is between the closet and bathroom, as it provides some privacy if you have an early riser who doesn't want to wake their partner.

 

Though we are committed Princess cruisers we did love the layout of the Eclipse and enjoyed our overall experience there, and would happily sail her again if the price and itinerary were right. I hope your experience on Princess is equally enjoyable!

Edited September 7, 2015 by LoriPhil

[fishywood]

From my perspective of nine Princess cruises, four Cunard (two QM2 crossings) and one deeply regretted fortnight on a Celebrity M-class ship: I think Princess is the most similar to Cunard of all its corporate siblings (though the cheerleaders on the HAL board will say otherwise). Afternoon Tea on Princess is the only one remotely comparable to Cunard I have seen; Celebrity's "Elegant Tea" (sic) not even a speck in the distance. Though strictly a matter of taste I actually prefer Princess' scones to Cunard's, though their fake clotted cream may be even more horrid. But where Princess most blows away both lines is in accommodation and service in the dining room at all meals. No request is too small, pacing always just right, and if you choose traditional dining your preferences will be remembered. Menu also more varied than Cunard, with an "always available" daily list. But the one bump in your road is the table for two: Princess has very few in traditional dining, to be confirmed in one you must book as soon as your cruise opens and/or have a well connected TA. You may need to elect Anytime Dining where a table for two can usually be found though with a short wait. Regarding dress, yes you will see some slip into the MDR on smart casual nights in their warm-weather daytime attire, and the definition of "formal" is quite elastic on those nights. But on my last Princess cruise in November I brought my tux--as did the other gentlemen at my dinner table--and not for a second was regarded as overdressed even when about the ship in casual venues later in the evening.

 

Evening entertainment is also similar to Cunard, and you will always find some activity on even after dining late if that is your preference. You won't find any daytime programs such as on a QM2 crossing; casual R&R is what Princess does best on sea days. I must also say that you should not at all be worried being a first timer on Princess--you will not find nearly as many venues and activities restricted to upper loyalty members as there are on Celebrity, nor is one's status (loyalty or cabin category) normally used as a conversation starter.

[Mom33]

The Royal and Regal have many tables for two with good spacing in the Anytime dining rooms. Much more comfortable than the too close for comfort ones on the other Princess ships. :D

[geoherb]

We like Princess a little bit more than Celebrity. As Pris said, the dining room seems to be a little bit more accommodating on Princess than on Celebrity (although Celebrity is more so than HAL, which is our second favorite cruise line). The food isn't gourmet but they try. Princess does some things very well.

[Cruise Junky]

You will find most princess ships to be less formal than Eclipse out of Southampton. I know you like formal. Same rules apply, only formal in the dining rooms

[Pushka]

I think Princess is more like Cunard than Celebrity. We have been on a couple of cruises on each cruise line. I preferred the food on Princess!

 

The balconies on Princess are small. Celebrity wins there hands down. The buffets on Princess and Celebrity beat the QM2 by a mile and then some. Formality - I have found Princess more formal than Celebrity. Princess has an afternoon tea service but obviously Cunard excels there. The Celebrity afternoon tea service didnt appear on my cruises.

 

Entertainment - Celebrity has the Wow type of show. Princess and Cunard more traditional. Both Princess and Cunard have had fabulous general 'education' speakers on all our cruises. Celebrity - nope. Princess has MUTS. Celebrity movies were awful. I watched a couple of movies on QM2. Never heard of the movies shown by Celebrity.

 

If you enjoy Celebrity after Cunard then I think you will like Princess.

Edited September 8, 2015 by Pushka

[GUT2407]

In my opinion you are likely to be happy with Princess, P and Celebrity are, again just my opinion, more alike than different. Celebrity seems to have a younger clientele that's probably the most noticeable difference.

[seacruise9]

Hi,

 

Cunard, Celebrity and Princess are three of my favorite lines (in fact, I currently have cruises booked on all three lines). I have sailed aboard Cunard ships 15 times (most recently, transatlantic crossings on the QM2 in November 2014 and the Queen Victoria in late April/early May 2015), Princess ships 13 times (most recently, the Sun Princess in Australia in June 2015) and Celebrity ships eight times (most recently, the Celebrity Constellation in December 2013). Also, I sailed aboard the Regal Princess in June 2014 (on its third cruise).

 

If you like Cunard and Celebrity, I suggest trying Princess. The Regal Princess is a beautiful ship and I was very pleased with the food and service. As noted above, this ship is somewhat similar in design to the Celebrity Solstice class ships. Princess is not nearly as formal as Cunard, but I certainly enjoy the Princess experience. We had a mini-suite on the Regal Princess that was very spacious and featured a large balcony. With the exception of the more formal dress requirements for evenings on Cunard, I think the food, service and entertainment on these three lines are fairly comparable.

 

Chuck

[Bostonjetset]

Welcome Keithm! I recognize you from the Cunard forum :D

 

I have never sailed with Celebrity [and my first Cunard crossing is later this month] so cannot compare but I HAVE sailed on the Regal Princess and I must say she is a beautiful ship! The daily afternoon tea service on Princess is wonderful and much more beautifully served than any other line I've sailed with [i don't think Norwegian even does it at all!]. Cunard is supposed to be the best for afternoon tea so I will report back after my QM2 trip but Princess' service was what I imagined Cunard's to be like from photos/videos/reviews I have seen of it.

 

The MDR food on the Regal Princess was the best of any ship I've sailed [though the desserts on HAL were a bit better]. They have a lot of the classics found on ocean voyages of yesteryear that have disappeared on many of the cheaper lines...Beef Wellington, duck liver pate, etc. and were wonderfully executed. I did not eat in the specialty restaurant but my mother did and she said it was amazing...I believe it is only $25pp which is pretty inexpensive compared to other lines. We only ate in the buffet for breakfast and lunch on some days but it was still great and the options are endless...it's quite a huge space and well-designed. As other posters have stated, Alfredo's is worth a visit for a good pizza and International Cafe is divine [those doughnuts will make a naughty boy out of even the most disciplined dieter...of which I am not LOL]. The coffee card is well worth it if you like espressos/lattes. The only food venue I was not impressed with was Gelatos although some people love it. I found the gelato to not be that different from regular ice cream...it lacked the creamy richness that gelato is known for, IMO.

 

I don't know if you smoke, but this ship has a beautiful cigar lounge which is something I hear Celebrity is lacking in. The evening shows were well done with "Fiera!" being especially good. There are a few announcements throughout the day [much less than CCL/NCL but a couple more than HAL] and I think there was ONE hairy legs/chest competition [something I really don't care for!] but the overall atmosphere was definitely more sophisticated than NCL/CCL with a mid-age to older [not elderly though] clientele peppered with a few younger passengers.

 

As to the gay friendliness of the ship, DH and I had absolutely NO issues whatsoever. We have not had issues on any line we've sailed but Princess felt especially welcoming...our stateroom stewardess even started chatting to us about the RSVP trip they hosted a couple weeks before our sailing and said what fun all the gays were when they were onboard HAHA. We've sailed a few lines/ships and had some wonderful crew members on each trip but the crew on Regal Princess was one of the best overall [along with HAL] as far as pampering...nothing was too much and they genuinely aimed to make all passengers have a great time. One of their slogans is "the consummate host" and we felt that they met and even exceeded the expectations they set forth. We would definitely sail with them again.

 

Please come back and let us know what you decide!

 

David

 

P.S. You also get to watch LOVE BOAT reruns on demand in your stateroom for free! Who wouldn't love that!!! :D:D

[keithm]

Welcome Keithm! I recognize you from the Cunard forum :D

 

I have never sailed with Celebrity [and my first Cunard crossing is later this month] so cannot compare but I HAVE sailed on the Regal Princess and I must say she is a beautiful ship! The daily afternoon tea service on Princess is wonderful and much more beautifully served than any other line I've sailed with [i don't think Norwegian even does it at all!]. Cunard is supposed to be the best for afternoon tea so I will report back after my QM2 trip but Princess' service was what I imagined Cunard's to be like from photos/videos/reviews I have seen of it.

 

The MDR food on the Regal Princess was the best of any ship I've sailed [though the desserts on HAL were a bit better]. They have a lot of the classics found on ocean voyages of yesteryear that have disappeared on many of the cheaper lines...Beef Wellington, duck liver pate, etc. and were wonderfully executed. I did not eat in the specialty restaurant but my mother did and she said it was amazing...I believe it is only $25pp which is pretty inexpensive compared to other lines. We only ate in the buffet for breakfast and lunch on some days but it was still great and the options are endless...it's quite a huge space and well-designed. As other posters have stated, Alfredo's is worth a visit for a good pizza and International Cafe is divine [those doughnuts will make a naughty boy out of even the most disciplined dieter...of which I am not LOL]. The coffee card is well worth it if you like espressos/lattes. The only food venue I was not impressed with was Gelatos although some people love it. I found the gelato to not be that different from regular ice cream...it lacked the creamy richness that gelato is known for, IMO.

 

I don't know if you smoke, but this ship has a beautiful cigar lounge which is something I hear Celebrity is lacking in. The evening shows were well done with "Fiera!" being especially good. There are a few announcements throughout the day [much less than CCL/NCL but a couple more than HAL] and I think there was ONE hairy legs/chest competition [something I really don't care for!] but the overall atmosphere was definitely more sophisticated than NCL/CCL with a mid-age to older [not elderly though] clientele peppered with a few younger passengers.

 

As to the gay friendliness of the ship, DH and I had absolutely NO issues whatsoever. We have not had issues on any line we've sailed but Princess felt especially welcoming...our stateroom stewardess even started chatting to us about the RSVP trip they hosted a couple weeks before our sailing and said what fun all the gays were when they were onboard HAHA. We've sailed a few lines/ships and had some wonderful crew members on each trip but the crew on Regal Princess was one of the best overall [along with HAL] as far as pampering...nothing was too much and they genuinely aimed to make all passengers have a great time. One of their slogans is "the consummate host" and we felt that they met and even exceeded the expectations they set forth. We would definitely sail with them again.

 

Please come back and let us know what you decide!

 

David

 

P.S. You also get to watch LOVE BOAT reruns on demand in your stateroom for free! Who wouldn't love that!!! :D:D

Still undecided. With Cunard & more recently the Celebrity Eclipse..we got generally very good to outright excellent food. This IS really important to us. Being in the food industry & being foodies,really good food matters to us. The prices for the 14 day trip on the Regal are quite a bit lower than those on the Eclipse. Perhaps this is due to it really being 2 seven day cruises linked together. The price for an inside(something we've done on Celebrity)are pretty close. The prices for a balcony are hundreds less on the Regal.I think I'll turn it over to my TA,who books both lines regularly, but prefers Celebrity. I'll have him give us the pluses & minuses & try to decide. Just real hard to switch from one line where everything was top notch,to one you're not familiar with.