REGAL PRINCESS 10/24 10nt NYC to FLL

[Linerguy]

Great review. We were on the same cruise and agree with most of what you said, except our experience in the Crown Grill was excellent...but we had no loud mouths or large groups causing issues. As to the center staircase, our cabin was near dead center on deck 15 and the lack of stairs was truly a Royal (or we should say Regal) Pain. DW suggested that on the Royal and Regal..they could justify charging higher prices for cabins fore and aft and should discount the cabins in the center. And we need to add a plug for the International Cafe which is always our favorite spot on Princess ships that have this venue.

 

By the way, your mention of ordering the Ultimate Balcony Dinner from Room Service brought up are one very nasty issue with the Regal. As we posted in another thread, we were unable to get anyone to even answer the Room Service line for the first 4 days of the cruise (despite numerous attempts and lots of time on hold). This was only resolved by visiting Guest Relations and having them call (they have a special number) and hand us the phone.

 

Hank

 

Glad to hear you had an excellent experience in the CG; I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and hope our experience was due to the large groups they were trying to accommodate – which I give them kudos for.

 

As for the staircase, I deliberately picked a cabin that was close to the forward staircase; I just didn't want to deal with the whole slow elevator issue. The few times we did use the mid-ship elevators, you're right, they were a bit of a pain. Fortunately for us, the forward stair tower worked out well.

 

I suppose my getting through to Room Service, after many tries, was just luck of the draw.

[Hlitner]

Glad to hear you had an excellent experience in the CG; I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and hope our experience was due to the large groups they were trying to accommodate – which I give them kudos for.

 

As for the staircase, I deliberately picked a cabin that was close to the forward staircase; I just didn't want to deal with the whole slow elevator issue. The few times we did use the mid-ship elevators, you're right, they were a bit of a pain. Fortunately for us, the forward stair tower worked out well.

 

I suppose my getting through to Room Service, after many tries, was just luck of the draw.

 

That stairway issue drove us nutz. DW and I tend to spend a lot of time on the outside decks (usually 16 and 17 on the Regal) and we actually prefer to use steps while on cruises. For us to go up (or down) only one deck meant having to either wait for the center elevators or we could alternatively walk over 100 yards to for forward or aft staircases. But they took us to the wrong part the upper deck which mean another long walk to where we wanted to sit. After a few days we found ourselves getting lazy and actually using the elevators. At times we apologized to others in the elevator for stopping the elevator for a single floor.

 

What makes it even more sad is that the Regal (and Royal) do actually have a center stairway, but it was put in the crew area (it is used by passengers in the case of an emergency). We have been told that future builds of this ship design will include a center passenger staircase..because Princess is tied of hearing all the complaints.

 

Hank

[Grego]

What makes it even more sad is that the Regal (and Royal) do actually have a center stairway, but it was put in the crew area (it is used by passengers in the case of an emergency). We have been told that future builds of this ship design will include a center passenger staircase..because Princess is tied of hearing all the complaints.

 

Hank

 

.....and so am I. Yes, it would be nice to have a central staircase and yes there is one there for crew, muster drills and emergencies, but really it only takes a little over a minute to walk to either of the other stairways - we have timed it numerous times.

It is probable that the 3rd Royal Class ship may have a central stairway, however, it is destined for the Asian market. Possible refits of existing midship stairway could happen during a long dry dock but nothing firm thus far.

We are Royal/Regal fans having been on 3 of them thus far with one voyage being the inaugural transatlantic voyage of the Regal. Four voyages on these ships are planned beginning in about a week, then February next year and a BTB on the Regal in August for the Baltic and then the British Isles and a TA back to NY.

These are beautiful ships with a lot of positive new features.

[Grego]

Overall Impression – REGAL PRINCESS is a fantastic ship, but not perfect. However, whatever shortcomings she has, the positives certainly makes up for them. She delivers a solid cruising experience, and offers an almost endless array of dining and entertainment options. She’s big…I mean REALLY big. So big that her size just might turn some people off. But, for us, we enjoyed all she had to offer…or at least all we wanted to enjoy.

 

Great objective review. Thanks for taking the time. One of our favorite ships.

[Linerguy]

Possible refits of existing midship stairway could happen during a long dry dock but nothing firm thus far.

 

These are beautiful ships with a lot of positive new features.

 

It wouldn't take much to fix the few shortcomings the Royal Class ships have...even the lack of a wraparound promenade could be taken care of in a relatively simple manner. Whether or not Princess will do that is yet to be seen. However, even if they don't make any changes, it still wouldn't deter me from sailing on the REGAL again or the ROYAL – they have way too many fantastic features to write them off altogether.

[Linerguy]

Great objective review. Thanks for taking the time. One of our favorite ships.

 

THANKS! Glad you enjoyed it!

[GOLDENBONNY]

I'm still in the process of adding photos to my FB page but, for those interested in what I have so far, photos can be found at:

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1147807988581658.1073741877.100000574021023&type=1&l=3bfea10570

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1148342221861568.1073741878.100000574021023&type=1&l=40e723a3d0

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1148361741859616.1073741879.100000574021023&type=1&l=bd91d88d2f

 

-Russ

 

Embarkation – When our taxi arrived at the road that leads to the terminal in Red Hook, the line of personal vehicles and taxis was incredibly long, so we got out and walked most of the way. No biggie. Once we handed off our luggage to a porter, in took about twenty-five minutes from the time we entered the terminal until we boarded. Although we would have been able to use the check-in line for Elite passengers, the regular line was shorter and was moving faster, so we went that route. Interestingly, they don’t take your photo to embed on your cruise card until you’ve enter the ship’s Piazza. This caused a bit of a backup in the gangway, but, again, no biggie. Overall, it was a pretty easy embarkation.

 

Cabin – Originally, I had booked an inside room, but, as an anniversary surprise for my wife, I upgraded to a balcony…category BE, cabin C136 to be exact. She didn’t find out until after we boarded, when she tried to open the door of an inside room, which was directly across from the balcony room that was actually ours. When the key card didn’t work on the inside room, I turned around and said, “Let’s try this one”, and opened the balcony room. She was happy. The room itself was fairly spacious, with plenty of storage space, a big open closet, and a flat screen television. I’ve read some negative comments about the size of the REGAL’s balconies, but, to be honest, I’m not sure what all the fuss is about. We could both sit out on the balcony, or stand and look out…that means it pretty much did what it was supposed to do. On the other hand, the size of the bathroom was a bit shocking. It was probably the smallest bathroom on a ship we’ve ever had. Still, it served its purpose, so the size was no big deal. However, I imagine someone with substantial girth might have a problem. One thing my wife loved was the small step molded into the shower stall; it made shaving her legs a lot easier than normal.

 

The Ship – Without a doubt, REGAL PRINCESS is one of the most beautiful ships in which we've ever sailed. The attention to detail, aesthetically that is, is remarkable. The passenger flow is very good; we never waited in a long line for anything; and there are so many places for people to spread out that it never felt crowded. That is, except for the Princess Theater. For some reason, most people seemed to gravitate to the 10:15pm show, so it was always packed. One night we went to an earlier show and it was much better.

 

And now for the same old complaints that people talk about over and over again: the lack of a wraparound promenade, a forward-facing view, and a central staircase. As far as the lack of a wraparound promenade, it wasn’t really an issue for us. We have no problem walking front to back and back to front on the same side of the ship. In fact, we avoided the aft area of the starboard side of the promenade as it’s a designated smoking area. However, the fact that they closed off a forward third of what little promenade the ship does have was rather annoying. The wide, open deck in front of the first set of lifeboats was never open; it would have certainly taken some of the sting out of not having a wraparound promenade if people would have been able to walk the entire length of what is there. Having no forward-facing view (or at least not without having to pay for The Sanctuary to get it) is also a little annoying. But I knew about these going in, so I have no one to blame but myself if they were a bone of contention. The lack of a central staircase was never a problem for us…our cabin was just off the forward staircase, so we always just walked to the forward elevator bank and staircase and used them. I can see how some folks would find it inconvenient.

 

The Piazza: in a word, wonderful. So many choices for dining, drinking, shopping, entertainment, etc. There was almost always something going on….Zumba, live music, dancing, games, acrobatics, demonstrations and the like. Rarely did it feel crowded. One thing we really liked was the fact that the guest services desk is located out of the way, off the Piazza. Same for the shore excursions desk.

 

Dining – Well, let’s just say we didn’t go hungry. We had Anytime Dining and, out of ten nights, we went to the Concerto Dining Room five nights, the Symphony Dining Room one night, and then one night each at Sabatini’s, the Crown Grill, and the Horizon Court. We also had one night doing the Ultimate Balcony Dining. During the day, we ate at the Horizon Court and Bistro, Alfredo’s, Prego Pizza, Trident Grill, and the International Café.

 

Concerto and Symphony Dining Rooms – The Concerto Dining Room opens for ATD at 7:45 p.m. to 10 p.m., while the Symphony Dining Room is open for ADT between 5:00 p.m. and 9 p.m. For the most part, the food and service was very, very good. Food that was supposed to be hot, was always hot, and there was a fairly good selection. A few dishes that stand out are the Beef Stroganoff, all the soups, and the Fettuccini Alfredo. My wife enjoyed the fish dishes very much. Out of all of our meals in the ATD rooms, only one meal was a clunker. The last night, American night, I had to send my turkey back because the middle was raw. No problem, it happens. And I made no spectacle of myself when I discovered it. I simply said, to our waiter’s assistant, in a low voice, “I’m going to need a different plate because my turkey isn’t cooked through.” He took it away, brought me another, it was fine, and that was that.

 

Sabatini’s – I was a little skeptical about going. We went to Sabatini’s on SAPPHIRE PRINCESS a few years ago, and were less than impressed. This time, however, everything was wonderful. For appetizers, my wife had the Sformato di Carciofi Gratinati al Castelrosso (artichoke soufflé), and I had the Burrata alla Panna con Carpaccio di Pomodori (cow’s milk cheese with creamy lava center on tomato carpaccio). Both were excellent. We each had the salad, and then she had the Tris d’Aragosta (lobster three ways) and me the Lombata di Vitello al Forno (roasted veal rack). I also had an appetizer portion of the manicotti. For dessert, it was the Crema al Caffe (espresso crème brulee) and the Torta Profumata ai Limoni di Sorrento (citrus tart). Everything was perfect; an excellent meal.

 

Crown Grill – Here’s where things went a bit astray. Although we've been on many Princess cruises, we had not yet been to the steakhouse. I guess we expected something a little more intimate, quiet, and elegant. This was a chaotic mess. Two large groups of loud, obnoxious people (including one guy at the head of one of the tables, who let everyone know how much he knows about cruising); staff practically running throughout the place; people walking past our window outside looking in at us…it was just ridiculous. Perhaps it was our fault for having an incorrect perception of what it was supposed to be like. On top of that, the food, while good, wasn’t really anything to write home about. I guess the final straw was when it took nearly an hour for us to get our dessert. When the waiter finally brought it out, he said, “Sorry, I forgot to tell you that it takes a while.” In other words, he forgot to put the order in. I’m sure some will find this hard to believe, but, we've had a much better experience at the steakhouse on Carnival’s ships.

 

Horizon Court/Horizon Bistro – Wow, what a huge array of food; and, for the most part, everything we had was pretty darn good. At breakfast, I really liked how they had the same staples every day, but they would also change up several items daily. Lunch was different every day, and it was good. The one dinner we had at the Horizon Court was good, but we decided we’d rather be waited on in one of the main dining rooms. One cool thing is the pastry shop, located in the middle of the Horizon Bistro. Such a huge selection of cookies, jellos, pies, cakes, etc.; they also offered several sugar-free desserts. There’s also a coffee bar in the pastry shop where folks can get the same foo-foo coffees that are available at the International Café in the Piazza on Deck Five. For the first few days we didn’t know about it, and would go down to the International Café before heading up to the Horizon Court for breakfast. I think a lot of people didn’t know about it.

 

Ultimate Balcony Dining – Fantastic. Here’s how it works: once you receive the card in your room confirming you have the UBD, you call ROOM SERVICE to set everything up, NOT DINING. During the call, they will set up the day, time, and menu. You have a choice of a few entrees, and whatever cocktails you’d like (one each is included). You also get a half bottle of champagne, flowers, and a photographer comes to your room and takes a few pics (which are also included). My wife had the Surf and Turf, and I had the Steak Diane. We set everything up for 7 p.m. on 10/30.

 

At 7 p.m., there was a knock on the door and it was our waiter, his assistant, and two other men who were wheeling carts around in the hallway. Our waiter introduced everyone, brought in a folding table and set it up on the balcony. Everything was very professional, not at all intrusive, and they really made us feel special. Once the table was set up, we sat down and the photographer took the photos. From that point on, the waiter and his assistant were in and out (he had set our cabin door so it would not lock behind them)…it was just like we were in the dining room. They kept filling our water and champagne glasses, all the while bringing course after course. We had a plate of canapés, an appetizer of blue crab quiche, a huge salad, and our entrees. Not being a seafood lover, I only picked at the quiche. Everything else was very good. My steak was ten times better than the one I had at the Crown Grill. Then came the dessert. I can’t tell you what it was (some sort of chocolate mousse thing) but it was wonderful, and the presentation looked amazing. Altogether, the entire meal took about two hours, and was worth every penny of the $100 price tag. The waiter and his assistant did such a good job, I gave them each an extra $20…..well worth it.

 

Alfredo’s – A great alternative to the Horizon Court/Bistro or even the main dining rooms, Alfredo’s offers more than just gourmet pizza. They also have calzones, salads, Italian meat pies, and a few desserts. During peak times, there was a little bit of a wait (maybe five minutes), but no big deal, and certainly worth the wait. While I do like the pizza by the pool at Prego Pizza, the pizza at Alfredo’s is a step above. Super fresh, hot, and tasty. The calzone I had one day was very good.

 

Prego Pizza and Trident Grill – As mentioned above, the pizza is pretty good…but it is a little inconsistent. At times the crust was perfect, other times it was flimsy and not very good. Still, the flavor was there, and it was leaps and bounds better than some of the pizza I’ve had on other ships (including QUEEN MARY 2…think tasteless cardboard). We went to the Trident Grill twice and weren’t really blown away. The giant hot dogs were good, but the burgers were just okay. They also offer grilled chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers, brats and knockwurst. The fries were good.

 

The International Café – What a cool place. Depending on the time of day, they would offer pastries, sandwiches, salads, and desserts. It’s also where you can get foo-foo coffees and teas. Service was spot on. Unlike Starbucks – which can take days for someone to make a latte – these folks were slamming out orders at lightning speed. The place is extremely popular, and it gets quite busy….but we never had to wait more than just a few minutes. It was pretty amazing. And now a few words about the Coffee Card. Basically, you pay $29 for a punch card that entitles you to 15 specialty foo-foo coffees, unlimited premium regular coffee, tea, etc. However, you can also use it to get ice cream at Gelato’s, which is located just on the other side of the Piazza. One punch gets you three scoops of ice cream or a sundae or whatever. If you have Elite status, and don’t want the complimentary bar set up in your cabin, you can trade in the bar set up for two coffee cards. All you have to do is call room service and they will come to your cabin, take away the booze, and bring you the coffee cards. Painless. This is what we did, and it was well worth it.

 

Entertainment – A mixed bag. The production shows were okay…Bravo and Fiera being the best. I really liked the creepy sets, costumes and lighting of Fiera, but the tune selection was whacked-out. The selection in Bravo was better, but they need to get rid of a few of the performers; especially this one guy who sang Queen’s, “Somebody to Love”…absolutely no soul or mojo whatsoever. In contrast, Colin, the piano player/singer in Crooners, was outstanding. A killer player and vocalist, he had Crooners packed nearly every night. Great song selection, too. Being a musician myself, I will say that I was thrilled to see so many live bands all over the ship. In the Piazza, Crooners, the Wheelhouse Bar, the Princess Theater, out on deck, etc., and they rotated around the ship.

 

Princess Live! Yeah, I’ve read all the complaints about how they've eliminated the Explorers Lounge, and that they should get rid of PL and replace it with one, but, to be honest, the only difference is the décor. IMO, PL is simply too sterile and cold, décor-wise, when compared to the rest of the ship. And the seats are the most uncomfortable things I think I’ve ever sat in. I think that, had they softened up the room with the décor of the EL, people would like it a lot better. Some of the activities (trivia games, the marriage game, etc.) were all well-attended, but, for things like the morning show, the audience was sparse. We went to a trivia game about flags of the world – which interested my wife since she’s VP of production for the National Flag Company – and one of the marriage games. Both were fun.

 

The Water Fantasy shows, between the two pools on Deck 16 (Lido Deck), were pretty cool. They only last for about ten minutes, and they don’t do a show every night. When they do, the music is themed to a particular movie or artist. One night it was James Bond, another night it was Michael Jackson. They were all well-attended.

 

Movies Under the Stars – It is what it is. Either you like the thing going nearly twenty-four hours a day, or you don’t. I personally would have liked a lull here and there, but that’s just me. I will say that I was a bit taken aback by some of what they showed. The Devil Wears Prada…really? The Princess Bride….really? And as much as I love Rob Thomas, and The Killers, I’m not sure full concerts of each were the way to go for the average Princess passenger. People seemed to be just tolerating them. They did show Phil Collins and Paul McCartney concerts, and it was pretty obvious by people’s singing that those were smart choices. And they did show some fairly current movies, too…Ant Man, Tomorrowland, Lady in Gold, and the new Terminator flick.

 

In-Room Television – I guess this can be classified as entertainment. Lots of free movies, TV shows, Princess related videos, etc. As geeky as it sounds, one of the highlights for us was being able to watch nearly endless episodes of, “The Love Boat”. What terrific fun. I do think it’s odd that you can’t order room service, check your on board account, order shore excursions, etc. from your television.

 

Princess@sea app – I loved it. Basically, it’s an app you download to your mobile device or Ipad. It gives you the ability to message other passengers, check the daily program, tag events you’d like to attend, check your on board account, and connect to the ship’s internet. I used it on my Ipad to get on-line (didn’t go to the internet café), and it worked flawlessly.

 

Service – Other than the aforementioned issue in the Crown Grill, which wasn’t a deal-breaker, service throughout the ship was exceptional. Nearly everyone had a smile on their face. From dining staff to the guys painting around the ship, we were ALWAYS greeted in a friendly manner, and whenever we were leaving dinner, a show, or whatever, they thanked us for coming. I know it’s part of their job, but, after listening to some people whine and moan about the dumbest things, I don’t know how they do it. For us, the best part about the service was how they treated us like human beings…they joked, poked fun (at us and themselves), and they didn’t treat us like they had to tip-toe around us.

 

Fellow Passengers – Pretty much normal, everyday people. For the most part, the crowd was a little older than us (we’re both 51); probably averaging 60s and 70’s. Understandably, there wasn’t many children, and the children who were there were all well-behaved. Not once did I see or hear kids running around without an adult, or being obnoxious. That was reserved for some of the grownups.

 

St. Thomas, Antigua & Aruba – Although we had been to St Thomas 14 times, we had never taken the skyride to the top to see the remarkable view of Charlotte Amalie and the surrounding islands. While it’s only about a five minute walk from the dock at Havensight, REGAL PRINCESS docked at Crown Bay, on the other side of downtown, so we had to take a taxi. The process of getting a taxi was pretty flawless; very organized. You simply walk to the curb, there is one person asking where you want to go, and then they tell you which taxi to get it. Done. The Skyride is $21 per person, roundtrip. You can walk back down if you want, but, why would you want to do that? The views are amazing.

 

This was our first time in Antigua, and, to be honest, we couldn’t care less if we never go back. We were off the ship, maybe, 20 minutes before we had had enough of people (namely taxi cab drivers) tugging on us, following us around, getting in our face, etc. I’m not exaggerating when I say we had to shrug off at least 25 cab drivers, all asking the same thing. And when we told them no thank you, three of them actually followed us around, and just kept harassing us. Don’t get me wrong, I know this is how they make their living. But, after such an organized and hassle-free experience in St. Thomas, it just hit us the wrong way. I finally looked at my wife and said, “Well, I’ve had enough.” She agreed, and we went right back on board. It’s really a shame; I’m sure it’s a beautiful island, but it was just too much of a hassle to find out.

 

This was our second time in Aruba. This time, we bought a Princess excursion to snorkel on the wreck of the German cargo ship Antilla, which was scuttled by her crew in 1940. Absolutely fantastic. The wreck sits on her side in 55 ft. of water, and you can see everything crystal clear. Folks can find out about the ship at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Antilla_(1939). For $49 per person, it’s a bargain.

 

Overall Impression – REGAL PRINCESS is a fantastic ship, but not perfect. However, whatever shortcomings she has, the positives certainly makes up for them. She delivers a solid cruising experience, and offers an almost endless array of dining and entertainment options. She’s big…I mean REALLY big. So big that her size just might turn some people off. But, for us, we enjoyed all she had to offer…or at least all we wanted to enjoy.

 

Thank you. Balcony dining sounds great. Do you need to book it in advance or same day will work ? I would do it for my birthday but what if weather is not cooperating ?can I cancel it or re book for other evening ?

[Linerguy]

Thank you. Balcony dining sounds great. Do you need to book it in advance or same day will work ? I would do it for my birthday but what if weather is not cooperating ?can I cancel it or re book for other evening ?

 

I booked and paid for it prior to the cruise. Once on board, I received a confirmation card and I just called room service to set up the day, time and menu. Pretty easy. You can book on board by calling the same number. Not sure about canceling, but I'm sure they wouldn't want to be serving a dinner out on the balcony if it's pouring down rain. My guess is that it would be no problem re-booking for another evening.

[caribill]

Thank you. Balcony dining sounds great. Do you need to book it in advance or same day will work ? I would do it for my birthday but what if weather is not cooperating ?can I cancel it or re book for other evening ?

 

There are only a few slots to do this each evening, so booking as soon as you can after boarding is best. If you wait for the day you want to book, there may not be a slot available.

[dkrysansk]

I'm still in the process of adding photos to my FB page but, for those interested in what I have so far, photos can be found at:

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1147807988581658.1073741877.100000574021023&type=1&l=3bfea10570

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1148342221861568.1073741878.100000574021023&type=1&l=40e723a3d0

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1148361741859616.1073741879.100000574021023&type=1&l=bd91d88d2f

 

-Russ

 

Embarkation – When our taxi arrived at the road that leads to the terminal in Red Hook, the line of personal vehicles and taxis was incredibly long, so we got out and walked most of the way. No biggie. Once we handed off our luggage to a porter, in took about twenty-five minutes from the time we entered the terminal until we boarded. Although we would have been able to use the check-in line for Elite passengers, the regular line was shorter and was moving faster, so we went that route. Interestingly, they don’t take your photo to embed on your cruise card until you’ve enter the ship’s Piazza. This caused a bit of a backup in the gangway, but, again, no biggie. Overall, it was a pretty easy embarkation.

 

Cabin – Originally, I had booked an inside room, but, as an anniversary surprise for my wife, I upgraded to a balcony…category BE, cabin C136 to be exact. She didn’t find out until after we boarded, when she tried to open the door of an inside room, which was directly across from the balcony room that was actually ours. When the key card didn’t work on the inside room, I turned around and said, “Let’s try this one”, and opened the balcony room. She was happy. The room itself was fairly spacious, with plenty of storage space, a big open closet, and a flat screen television. I’ve read some negative comments about the size of the REGAL’s balconies, but, to be honest, I’m not sure what all the fuss is about. We could both sit out on the balcony, or stand and look out…that means it pretty much did what it was supposed to do. On the other hand, the size of the bathroom was a bit shocking. It was probably the smallest bathroom on a ship we’ve ever had. Still, it served its purpose, so the size was no big deal. However, I imagine someone with substantial girth might have a problem. One thing my wife loved was the small step molded into the shower stall; it made shaving her legs a lot easier than normal.

 

The Ship – Without a doubt, REGAL PRINCESS is one of the most beautiful ships in which we've ever sailed. The attention to detail, aesthetically that is, is remarkable. The passenger flow is very good; we never waited in a long line for anything; and there are so many places for people to spread out that it never felt crowded. That is, except for the Princess Theater. For some reason, most people seemed to gravitate to the 10:15pm show, so it was always packed. One night we went to an earlier show and it was much better.

 

And now for the same old complaints that people talk about over and over again: the lack of a wraparound promenade, a forward-facing view, and a central staircase. As far as the lack of a wraparound promenade, it wasn’t really an issue for us. We have no problem walking front to back and back to front on the same side of the ship. In fact, we avoided the aft area of the starboard side of the promenade as it’s a designated smoking area. However, the fact that they closed off a forward third of what little promenade the ship does have was rather annoying. The wide, open deck in front of the first set of lifeboats was never open; it would have certainly taken some of the sting out of not having a wraparound promenade if people would have been able to walk the entire length of what is there. Having no forward-facing view (or at least not without having to pay for The Sanctuary to get it) is also a little annoying. But I knew about these going in, so I have no one to blame but myself if they were a bone of contention. The lack of a central staircase was never a problem for us…our cabin was just off the forward staircase, so we always just walked to the forward elevator bank and staircase and used them. I can see how some folks would find it inconvenient.

 

The Piazza: in a word, wonderful. So many choices for dining, drinking, shopping, entertainment, etc. There was almost always something going on….Zumba, live music, dancing, games, acrobatics, demonstrations and the like. Rarely did it feel crowded. One thing we really liked was the fact that the guest services desk is located out of the way, off the Piazza. Same for the shore excursions desk.

 

Dining – Well, let’s just say we didn’t go hungry. We had Anytime Dining and, out of ten nights, we went to the Concerto Dining Room five nights, the Symphony Dining Room one night, and then one night each at Sabatini’s, the Crown Grill, and the Horizon Court. We also had one night doing the Ultimate Balcony Dining. During the day, we ate at the Horizon Court and Bistro, Alfredo’s, Prego Pizza, Trident Grill, and the International Café.

 

Concerto and Symphony Dining Rooms – The Concerto Dining Room opens for ATD at 7:45 p.m. to 10 p.m., while the Symphony Dining Room is open for ADT between 5:00 p.m. and 9 p.m. For the most part, the food and service was very, very good. Food that was supposed to be hot, was always hot, and there was a fairly good selection. A few dishes that stand out are the Beef Stroganoff, all the soups, and the Fettuccini Alfredo. My wife enjoyed the fish dishes very much. Out of all of our meals in the ATD rooms, only one meal was a clunker. The last night, American night, I had to send my turkey back because the middle was raw. No problem, it happens. And I made no spectacle of myself when I discovered it. I simply said, to our waiter’s assistant, in a low voice, “I’m going to need a different plate because my turkey isn’t cooked through.” He took it away, brought me another, it was fine, and that was that.

 

Sabatini’s – I was a little skeptical about going. We went to Sabatini’s on SAPPHIRE PRINCESS a few years ago, and were less than impressed. This time, however, everything was wonderful. For appetizers, my wife had the Sformato di Carciofi Gratinati al Castelrosso (artichoke soufflé), and I had the Burrata alla Panna con Carpaccio di Pomodori (cow’s milk cheese with creamy lava center on tomato carpaccio). Both were excellent. We each had the salad, and then she had the Tris d’Aragosta (lobster three ways) and me the Lombata di Vitello al Forno (roasted veal rack). I also had an appetizer portion of the manicotti. For dessert, it was the Crema al Caffe (espresso crème brulee) and the Torta Profumata ai Limoni di Sorrento (citrus tart). Everything was perfect; an excellent meal.

 

Crown Grill – Here’s where things went a bit astray. Although we've been on many Princess cruises, we had not yet been to the steakhouse. I guess we expected something a little more intimate, quiet, and elegant. This was a chaotic mess. Two large groups of loud, obnoxious people (including one guy at the head of one of the tables, who let everyone know how much he knows about cruising); staff practically running throughout the place; people walking past our window outside looking in at us…it was just ridiculous. Perhaps it was our fault for having an incorrect perception of what it was supposed to be like. On top of that, the food, while good, wasn’t really anything to write home about. I guess the final straw was when it took nearly an hour for us to get our dessert. When the waiter finally brought it out, he said, “Sorry, I forgot to tell you that it takes a while.” In other words, he forgot to put the order in. I’m sure some will find this hard to believe, but, we've had a much better experience at the steakhouse on Carnival’s ships.

 

Horizon Court/Horizon Bistro – Wow, what a huge array of food; and, for the most part, everything we had was pretty darn good. At breakfast, I really liked how they had the same staples every day, but they would also change up several items daily. Lunch was different every day, and it was good. The one dinner we had at the Horizon Court was good, but we decided we’d rather be waited on in one of the main dining rooms. One cool thing is the pastry shop, located in the middle of the Horizon Bistro. Such a huge selection of cookies, jellos, pies, cakes, etc.; they also offered several sugar-free desserts. There’s also a coffee bar in the pastry shop where folks can get the same foo-foo coffees that are available at the International Café in the Piazza on Deck Five. For the first few days we didn’t know about it, and would go down to the International Café before heading up to the Horizon Court for breakfast. I think a lot of people didn’t know about it.

 

Ultimate Balcony Dining – Fantastic. Here’s how it works: once you receive the card in your room confirming you have the UBD, you call ROOM SERVICE to set everything up, NOT DINING. During the call, they will set up the day, time, and menu. You have a choice of a few entrees, and whatever cocktails you’d like (one each is included). You also get a half bottle of champagne, flowers, and a photographer comes to your room and takes a few pics (which are also included). My wife had the Surf and Turf, and I had the Steak Diane. We set everything up for 7 p.m. on 10/30.

 

At 7 p.m., there was a knock on the door and it was our waiter, his assistant, and two other men who were wheeling carts around in the hallway. Our waiter introduced everyone, brought in a folding table and set it up on the balcony. Everything was very professional, not at all intrusive, and they really made us feel special. Once the table was set up, we sat down and the photographer took the photos. From that point on, the waiter and his assistant were in and out (he had set our cabin door so it would not lock behind them)…it was just like we were in the dining room. They kept filling our water and champagne glasses, all the while bringing course after course. We had a plate of canapés, an appetizer of blue crab quiche, a huge salad, and our entrees. Not being a seafood lover, I only picked at the quiche. Everything else was very good. My steak was ten times better than the one I had at the Crown Grill. Then came the dessert. I can’t tell you what it was (some sort of chocolate mousse thing) but it was wonderful, and the presentation looked amazing. Altogether, the entire meal took about two hours, and was worth every penny of the $100 price tag. The waiter and his assistant did such a good job, I gave them each an extra $20…..well worth it.

 

Alfredo’s – A great alternative to the Horizon Court/Bistro or even the main dining rooms, Alfredo’s offers more than just gourmet pizza. They also have calzones, salads, Italian meat pies, and a few desserts. During peak times, there was a little bit of a wait (maybe five minutes), but no big deal, and certainly worth the wait. While I do like the pizza by the pool at Prego Pizza, the pizza at Alfredo’s is a step above. Super fresh, hot, and tasty. The calzone I had one day was very good.

 

Prego Pizza and Trident Grill – As mentioned above, the pizza is pretty good…but it is a little inconsistent. At times the crust was perfect, other times it was flimsy and not very good. Still, the flavor was there, and it was leaps and bounds better than some of the pizza I’ve had on other ships (including QUEEN MARY 2…think tasteless cardboard). We went to the Trident Grill twice and weren’t really blown away. The giant hot dogs were good, but the burgers were just okay. They also offer grilled chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers, brats and knockwurst. The fries were good.

 

The International Café – What a cool place. Depending on the time of day, they would offer pastries, sandwiches, salads, and desserts. It’s also where you can get foo-foo coffees and teas. Service was spot on. Unlike Starbucks – which can take days for someone to make a latte – these folks were slamming out orders at lightning speed. The place is extremely popular, and it gets quite busy….but we never had to wait more than just a few minutes. It was pretty amazing. And now a few words about the Coffee Card. Basically, you pay $29 for a punch card that entitles you to 15 specialty foo-foo coffees, unlimited premium regular coffee, tea, etc. However, you can also use it to get ice cream at Gelato’s, which is located just on the other side of the Piazza. One punch gets you three scoops of ice cream or a sundae or whatever. If you have Elite status, and don’t want the complimentary bar set up in your cabin, you can trade in the bar set up for two coffee cards. All you have to do is call room service and they will come to your cabin, take away the booze, and bring you the coffee cards. Painless. This is what we did, and it was well worth it.

 

Entertainment – A mixed bag. The production shows were okay…Bravo and Fiera being the best. I really liked the creepy sets, costumes and lighting of Fiera, but the tune selection was whacked-out. The selection in Bravo was better, but they need to get rid of a few of the performers; especially this one guy who sang Queen’s, “Somebody to Love”…absolutely no soul or mojo whatsoever. In contrast, Colin, the piano player/singer in Crooners, was outstanding. A killer player and vocalist, he had Crooners packed nearly every night. Great song selection, too. Being a musician myself, I will say that I was thrilled to see so many live bands all over the ship. In the Piazza, Crooners, the Wheelhouse Bar, the Princess Theater, out on deck, etc., and they rotated around the ship.

 

Princess Live! Yeah, I’ve read all the complaints about how they've eliminated the Explorers Lounge, and that they should get rid of PL and replace it with one, but, to be honest, the only difference is the décor. IMO, PL is simply too sterile and cold, décor-wise, when compared to the rest of the ship. And the seats are the most uncomfortable things I think I’ve ever sat in. I think that, had they softened up the room with the décor of the EL, people would like it a lot better. Some of the activities (trivia games, the marriage game, etc.) were all well-attended, but, for things like the morning show, the audience was sparse. We went to a trivia game about flags of the world – which interested my wife since she’s VP of production for the National Flag Company – and one of the marriage games. Both were fun.

 

The Water Fantasy shows, between the two pools on Deck 16 (Lido Deck), were pretty cool. They only last for about ten minutes, and they don’t do a show every night. When they do, the music is themed to a particular movie or artist. One night it was James Bond, another night it was Michael Jackson. They were all well-attended.

 

Movies Under the Stars – It is what it is. Either you like the thing going nearly twenty-four hours a day, or you don’t. I personally would have liked a lull here and there, but that’s just me. I will say that I was a bit taken aback by some of what they showed. The Devil Wears Prada…really? The Princess Bride….really? And as much as I love Rob Thomas, and The Killers, I’m not sure full concerts of each were the way to go for the average Princess passenger. People seemed to be just tolerating them. They did show Phil Collins and Paul McCartney concerts, and it was pretty obvious by people’s singing that those were smart choices. And they did show some fairly current movies, too…Ant Man, Tomorrowland, Lady in Gold, and the new Terminator flick.

 

In-Room Television – I guess this can be classified as entertainment. Lots of free movies, TV shows, Princess related videos, etc. As geeky as it sounds, one of the highlights for us was being able to watch nearly endless episodes of, “The Love Boat”. What terrific fun. I do think it’s odd that you can’t order room service, check your on board account, order shore excursions, etc. from your television.

 

Princess@sea app – I loved it. Basically, it’s an app you download to your mobile device or Ipad. It gives you the ability to message other passengers, check the daily program, tag events you’d like to attend, check your on board account, and connect to the ship’s internet. I used it on my Ipad to get on-line (didn’t go to the internet café), and it worked flawlessly.

 

Service – Other than the aforementioned issue in the Crown Grill, which wasn’t a deal-breaker, service throughout the ship was exceptional. Nearly everyone had a smile on their face. From dining staff to the guys painting around the ship, we were ALWAYS greeted in a friendly manner, and whenever we were leaving dinner, a show, or whatever, they thanked us for coming. I know it’s part of their job, but, after listening to some people whine and moan about the dumbest things, I don’t know how they do it. For us, the best part about the service was how they treated us like human beings…they joked, poked fun (at us and themselves), and they didn’t treat us like they had to tip-toe around us.

 

Fellow Passengers – Pretty much normal, everyday people. For the most part, the crowd was a little older than us (we’re both 51); probably averaging 60s and 70’s. Understandably, there wasn’t many children, and the children who were there were all well-behaved. Not once did I see or hear kids running around without an adult, or being obnoxious. That was reserved for some of the grownups.

 

St. Thomas, Antigua & Aruba – Although we had been to St Thomas 14 times, we had never taken the skyride to the top to see the remarkable view of Charlotte Amalie and the surrounding islands. While it’s only about a five minute walk from the dock at Havensight, REGAL PRINCESS docked at Crown Bay, on the other side of downtown, so we had to take a taxi. The process of getting a taxi was pretty flawless; very organized. You simply walk to the curb, there is one person asking where you want to go, and then they tell you which taxi to get it. Done. The Skyride is $21 per person, roundtrip. You can walk back down if you want, but, why would you want to do that? The views are amazing.

 

This was our first time in Antigua, and, to be honest, we couldn’t care less if we never go back. We were off the ship, maybe, 20 minutes before we had had enough of people (namely taxi cab drivers) tugging on us, following us around, getting in our face, etc. I’m not exaggerating when I say we had to shrug off at least 25 cab drivers, all asking the same thing. And when we told them no thank you, three of them actually followed us around, and just kept harassing us. Don’t get me wrong, I know this is how they make their living. But, after such an organized and hassle-free experience in St. Thomas, it just hit us the wrong way. I finally looked at my wife and said, “Well, I’ve had enough.” She agreed, and we went right back on board. It’s really a shame; I’m sure it’s a beautiful island, but it was just too much of a hassle to find out.

 

This was our second time in Aruba. This time, we bought a Princess excursion to snorkel on the wreck of the German cargo ship Antilla, which was scuttled by her crew in 1940. Absolutely fantastic. The wreck sits on her side in 55 ft. of water, and you can see everything crystal clear. Folks can find out about the ship at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Antilla_(1939). For $49 per person, it’s a bargain.

 

Overall Impression – REGAL PRINCESS is a fantastic ship, but not perfect. However, whatever shortcomings she has, the positives certainly makes up for them. She delivers a solid cruising experience, and offers an almost endless array of dining and entertainment options. She’s big…I mean REALLY big. So big that her size just might turn some people off. But, for us, we enjoyed all she had to offer…or at least all we wanted to enjoy.

 

I remember that night at the Crown Grill. It was a large group from our Cruise Critic hook up at the Crown Grill. We had a great time and enjoyed our meal. You must be sitting very near. We would love to have you join our table celebrating. Princess made a video of our Group. We meet the entire ship staff and they gave us the royal red carpet treatment . Best meal and service.

Sorry you did not enjoy the Crown Grill. The fellow that you mention at the head of the table is very knowledgeable and he has been inspiring everyone to travel Princess for years... :)

[WISH84]

The fellow that you mention at the head of the table is very knowledgeable and he has been inspiring everyone to travel Princess for years... :)

 

I wasn't there, obviously, but from reading the review and coming from a Fine Dining background.. there is a time and place for celebration and being boisterous.

 

If you have a private room, by all means, be loud and be heard.

 

If you are sharing a room with a bunch of other people not associated with your group, then you should respect those around you who may be trying to have a nice romantic evening together. IMHO ;)

[Linerguy]

I remember that night at the Crown Grill. It was a large group from our Cruise Critic hook up at the Crown Grill. We had a great time and enjoyed our meal. You must be sitting very near. We would love to have you join our table celebrating. Princess made a video of our Group. We meet the entire ship staff and they gave us the royal red carpet treatment . Best meal and service.

 

Glad to hear you had a great time and that they gave you the royal treatment! For us, it just wasn't what we expected; perhaps next time we'll enjoy it a lot better, now that we know what it's like.

 

I do think it's sort of whacked-out how the Wheelhouse Bar is in front of the CG. I think that's another reason why things seemed so hectic.

[Linerguy]

I wasn't there, obviously, but from reading the review and coming from a Fine Dining background.. there is a time and place for celebration and being boisterous.

 

If you have a private room, by all means, be loud and be heard.

 

If you are sharing a room with a bunch of other people not associated with your group, then you should respect those around you who may be trying to have a nice romantic evening together. IMHO ;)

 

The room really isn't a good set up for large groups, and, to be honest, I think it threw the staff off balance, and the service for everyone else suffered. I'm not sure where they could have put them, but, I'm sure they did the best they could. Because the place was so packed, it certainly contributed to the volume in the room.

 

I really think the bulk of the problem we had was down to what our expectations were. We've been to the steakhouse on Carnival several times, and it's always been a quiet, dimly-lit affair, with soft piano music and impeccable service. It seemed that the staff of the CG wasn't prepared to handle such a large group. In fact, at one of the tables, I think they forgot one woman's entree, and it didn't come out until nearly everyone else was finished.

[patterson3]

Great review and excellent pictures!

[raleigh05]

I remember that night at the Crown Grill. It was a large group from our Cruise Critic hook up at the Crown Grill. We had a great time and enjoyed our meal. You must be sitting very near. We would love to have you join our table celebrating. Princess made a video of our Group. We meet the entire ship staff and they gave us the royal red carpet treatment . Best meal and service.

Sorry you did not enjoy the Crown Grill. The fellow that you mention at the head of the table is very knowledgeable and he has been inspiring everyone to travel Princess for years... :)

 

We were also on the Regal 10 day NYC to FLL cruise, celebrating our anniversary and my husband's birthday. Had a wonderful time, loved the ship and thought the service was top notch. Read the Roll Call and knew the Cruise Critic group would be at the Crown Grill on 10/27 so I definitely made a point of NOT going the same night. I was not surprised at all to read about Linerguy's disappointing experience at the Crown Grill. Glad your Cruise Critic group had a rip-roaring good time at your Crown Grill get together.... At the expense of couples/people who also paid (extra) to dine there that same night and were expecting a lovely, quiet, romantic dinner at the Crown Grill .. See it does pay to read the Roll Call.

[Linerguy]

We were also on the Regal 10 day NYC to FLL cruise, celebrating our anniversary and my husband's birthday. Had a wonderful time, loved the ship and thought the service was top notch. Read the Roll Call and knew the Cruise Critic group would be at the Crown Grill on 10/27 so I definitely made a point of NOT going the same night.

 

I had glanced at the Roll Call, but, at the risk of sounding anti-social – which we're not – we really just wanted time to ourselves. It was our 30th anniversary trip, and since we deal with a lot of people in our everyday lives, we sort of turn into introverts.

[latebloomer56]

We were also on this trip and celebrating our 34th ann. and hubby's 60th. birthday. The CG was to late for us to eat as was the Halloween dinner. Hearing how much fun everybody had at both makes me regret not going even if only for a small bite. The events we did join in were great.

Lineguy you should think about joining on your next trip. Go to the meet & greet and see how it goes. You don't have to join everything we didn't, but who knows you may find some folk's company enjoyable. We are loners also as we both deal with a variety of people every day and look forward to our alone time. But have to say this roll call group was wonderful.

[WISH84]

Sometimes its not about being a loner. My wife and enjoy the time she and I have to spend together because we both have very hectic jobs. However we also do join our roll calls and have a great time meeting people and interacting with them throughout the cruise.

 

However we also normally cruise over our wedding anniversary so there are sometimes when we would prefer to be alone. One thing great about Princess is the UBD. Always nice to have this as a "retreat"

[Linerguy]

We were also on this trip and celebrating our 34th ann. and hubby's 60th. birthday. The CG was to late for us to eat as was the Halloween dinner. Hearing how much fun everybody had at both makes me regret not going even if only for a small bite. The events we did join in were great.

Lineguy you should think about joining on your next trip. Go to the meet & greet and see how it goes. You don't have to join everything we didn't, but who knows you may find some folk's company enjoyable. We are loners also as we both deal with a variety of people every day and look forward to our alone time. But have to say this roll call group was wonderful.

 

Oh, I have no doubt the group had a great time, and I have participated in meet & greets in the past. Usually those were when I've been traveling with friends, alone or with a steamship group. This time, however, we just wanted the time for ourselves.

 

Besides, I needed the time to finally beat my wife at cards!

[GOLDENBONNY]

I booked and paid for it prior to the cruise. Once on board, I received a confirmation card and I just called room service to set up the day, time and menu. Pretty easy. You can book on board by calling the same number. Not sure about canceling, but I'm sure they wouldn't want to be serving a dinner out on the balcony if it's pouring down rain. My guess is that it would be no problem re-booking for another evening.

 

Thank you .I guess I will do the same. Book before cruise.

[dkrysansk]

I had glanced at the Roll Call, but, at the risk of sounding anti-social – which we're not – we really just wanted time to ourselves. It was our 30th anniversary trip, and since we deal with a lot of people in our everyday lives, we sort of turn into introverts.

 

No worries, it all good. I sat close to remember who you both were. You had darked hair and wore glasses.I am a introvert in my bedroom..lol... but the rest of the time it was extroverting with the group. If you travel on this jaunt again. I heard that a lot of the cruise critic group are coming back in October 2017 and take over the ship. I won't be there as I am taking a cruise somewhere else. Check cruise critic roll call and see what the activities are like and join in. I was laughing every night.. It was a great group. :D

[Linerguy]

No worries, it all good. I sat close to remember who you both were. You had darked hair and wore glasses.I am a introvert in my bedroom..lol... but the rest of the time it was extroverting with the group. If you travel on this jaunt again. I heard that a lot of the cruise critic group are coming back in October 2017 and take over the ship. I won't be there as I am taking a cruise somewhere else. Check cruise critic roll call and see what the activities are like and join in. I was laughing every night.. It was a great group. :D

 

Yep, that was most likely us. Glad to hear that everyone had a good time.

Edited November 13, 2015 by Linerguy

[blkspy]

The skinny on this nights group dinner went this way. Princess actually supported and encouraged all the activities we planned. Princess was contacted in September about reservations for all our dinner plans. We were offered the entire Crown Grill for our dinner. All 94 seats. We didn't have interest for that many. It was determined that the front 3 tables would seat 28...other seating were for parties of 6 or less. We condensed this to 2 tables of 13 each.....We accepted there time of 8pm.

 

We were given a dedicated photographer and video person. Who escorted us to nearly all our planned events...including our dinner here in the CG. Our reservations were confirmed with a cabin note upon boarding....We weren't a suprise. ....rather a planned, expected group. Our purpose wasn't to disrupt, but fun for members gathered from around the world. Any extensive knowledge of cruising among other topics were freely shared by and among the group.

 

The Halloween dinner gathering attracted 73 guest in costume in the MDR

 

The CC group totoled 163 patticipents. The ships sponsored video insert was included in the Cruuse's Reflections video which premierd in the Princess live theater on the final sea day.

 

In hind sight....booking the entire Crown Grill might have been the best route. We are about inclusion. ...NOT disruption. A poster stated they knew we were planning the group get together and booked anothet evening. I lean towards the poster who suggested joining.

 

In closing. ...this was the 6th year in a row we've met as a group....many are already planning for next year....Including Princess from a Post cruise phone call looking forward to next years Reunion.

 

If anyones dinner was disturbed or ruined due to our presence. ....it was NOT our intenion to do so. Other than Halloween. ...onboard gatherings next year will be few and Grown Grill doubtful.

 

Hope this clears some thjngs......Glad we had great weather and calm seas.

[Casco Bay Kid]

We chose not to participate in activities too. We don't like to be on any kind of schedule. We met a lot of nice people. Most not on CC. CC is just a small percentage of those on board. Cabin crawls and slot pulls really aren't up our alley. Hope to run into some of you next year.

[Griller]

We chose not to participate in activities too. We don't like to be on any kind of schedule. We met a lot of nice people. Most not on CC. CC is just a small percentage of those on board. Cabin crawls and slot pulls really aren't up our alley. Hope to run into some of you next year.

 

I absolutely agree about meeting nice people who are mostly not on CC, specially when you read some of the posts on here and you think - hey I hope I never meet that poster face to face on a ship.