Live from the Regal Princess – Jan 17-31, 2016 – Diary of a conflicted hungry...

[lor74]

Last year Ro (dw) and I sailed on the Regal and it quickly became our favorite ship. We had a great week and I ate every meal like it was my last. If anyone read that “live from”, you may remember that I literally made myself sick by eating too much lamb gyro. When I got home from that trip which was a week on the Regal and a week on the AOS, I had put on 10 pounds!

Coming back on this ship was a very easy decision. I made my booking 7 months ago, when I received an incredible deal for 14 nights in a balcony cabin. It has been a long wait to board her again, but the timing is right, as winter is finally back to normal in Montreal. It is cold outside, get me out of here!

This trip is going to have one main theme: exercise vs food. I have been on a mission to get myself back into shape. It was 2.5yrs ago when I tipped the scales at 300lbs. I finished 2015 at 245lbs. Ro and I made a resolution to be “clean” for the 2 weeks leading up to the trip. Over the past 13 days, we have not had ANYTHING but 3 healthy meals a day. This is the longest I have ever gone “clean”, and wow it has been quite the ride. I have lost another 7 lbs and am loving the feeling of having no bloat. Ro has had similar success and we are both having anxiety about going on the floating buffet! Prior to these 2 weeks, it was my plan to exercise, EAT, and repeat. Now the thought of all this food scares me! It is my intention if my body will cooperate, to exercise 3 times a day. I want to run 5km as soon as I awake, then either do 50 laps in the pool right away or maybe shortly after a light breakfast. A visit to the gym would be scheduled in the late afternoon. I see breakfast as being the easiest meal to eat light...even though I LOVE breakfast! On our last cruise in September, which was on the NCL Getaway, I exercised everyday and did not touch a piece of bacon until day 4. I gained no weight over those 7 days. 14 days on the Regal will be a much harder task. Breakfast aside, it will take a ton of will power to not go overboard if the buffet is as great as it was last year. Good luck to me!

We flew in a day early and are staying at the Crown Plaza cruise port. This is our first time here. We called the hotel from the airport and were picked up by the shuttle in only a few minutes. Moments later we were at the hotel which is very close to both the airport and cruise port. I had made a request for early check-in, and the girl at the front desk was very pleasant and gave us a free upgrade to a room that was ready. It is very large room on the 11 floor with 2 queen beds and a sofa. We can see a Princess ship from the window. The room has very solid wifi at 12mb, and also Direct TV. There is a fridge, microwave, and coffee machine. Ro went to the gym for an hour while I had a nap. Dinner tonight was at Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, which is down the street from the hotel. It is a popular place and was almost full by 6pm. Ro had eggplant parm and I had a pizza with broccoli rabe & sausage....I felt less guilty having some bitter greens as part of the meal. We both enjoyed our food. When back at the hotel, we borrowed a stapler so that we could put our luggage tags on and not worry about it tomorrow. This is where I got my limited exercise for the day....I ran down & up 11 flights of stairs. One more sleep till the cruise...it is finally here!

 

* Since we have already been on this ship, I will not be taking that many pictures. All patters, menus, and food pics will be posted after the cruise.

* Last years pics:

* Feel free to ask any questions about the ship

*tomorrow is Ro's birthday...she is turning 40...you didn't hear it from me!

* I am using a great new app for free long distance and texting over wifi on IOS - Convoi - I highly recommend it.

 

Please excuse any iPhone typos [emoji3]

Edited January 17, 2016 by lor74

[Colo Cruiser]

Bon Voyage!

[dchip]

Enjoy your cruise!!! I feel your anxiety. Before our 28 day cruise, I was in a panic about weight gain. I ate and drank what I wanted without going crazy. That included bacon. :D I walked every morning for an hour, took the stairs always. It helped that we were very forward and our friends were in an aft suite. Lots of walking back and forth. After 28 days, I gained 3 pounds that were easily lost.

 

Since then we have taken several 20 day cruises and I have never gained more than 2 pounds. Walk, walk and walk some more. Have fun!!

 

Happy Birthday, Ro!!!!!

Cheers, Denise

Edited January 17, 2016 by dchip

[trystran72]

I hope you have a wonderful cruise! I greatly enjoyed the deck with all of the exercise stops/stations on it. I went up there daily to balance out the consumption of peanut butter cups from the International Cafe. :D

[Pam in CA]

Have a great cruise! If you haven't already, download Chrome to your iPhone. I found that the Princess WiFi works far better and is more stable using Chrome than Safari.

[curlybelle2]

I hope you have a wonderful cruise! I greatly enjoyed the deck with all of the exercise stops/stations on it. I went up there daily to balance out the consumption of peanut butter cups from the International Cafe. :D

 

What!?! Peanut butter cups at the International Cafe! Yummy. I can't wait for our cruise.

[Steelers0854]

I feel your pain on weight gain on the cruise. I am in the gym daily, solely take the stairs and still come away with a few extra pounds after a seven day cruise. After reading your post I would advise you to rethink your strategy. Your on vacation, and while I too struggle constantly with my weight, managing my food is much easier at home than on a cruise. I don't mind spending an hour a day in the gym, but you want to be there 3 times a day? Why not just stay home at that point? I think if you eat a smart breakfast, get in a solid workout once a day you will have a better time than if you are constantly worrying about getting in 3 workouts a day. You have proven that taking weight off at home is attainable for you, enjoy your trip, enjoy the vacation and get rid of the excess weight once your back. Just my 2 cents ymmv.

 

Also, I find that just being home for 3 days usually drop about 4 pounds without doing anything any different. I look forward to reading your live from.

 

Have fun!

[cazzi]

Go and have fun just remember do everything in moderation and you will be fine. Best advice stay away from the buffet especially the desert area

[Mom33]

Bon Voyage! :D and thanks for the thread.

[CineGraphic]

I was on the Regal 1/3-1/10 and lost 10 pounds by eating right and doing lots of walking. Simple things like limiting soda intake and avoiding fried foods can make a huge difference. Enjoy yourself, but make smart choices.

[anthonyy7]

I loved the Regal and already counting down the days until I see her again. Hitting the gym 3x will be hard but if you only go once a day it will be success! Take the stairs and cut out dumb calories such as soda. Looking forward to your review!

[sunsetbeachgal]

Have a great. We are also both very weight conscious, and with all of the wonderful fruits and vegetables on the ships, especially at the buffet on the Regal and Royal, it makes the task easier.

[TracieABD]

Ahhhh- the struggle is real!

 

On our last cruise on the Coral, we never set foot into an elevator. Not once. I did some fast walking around the deck. I looked for opportunities to gain more step. I did eat... something about that sea air. I gained 3 pounds and they are gone now. Honestly, I think some of it is the high salt content in the food. We use almost no salt at home- so this might be quite a shock to our systems.

 

Bon voyage on your cruise! I can't wait to follow along!

[WISH84]

Enjoy your trip. Your "Live From" and the pictures you posted were viewed/read many times by me while waiting to sail on our Regal trip last month. Looking forward to hearing your comments about your second trip as we have our first B2B planned on her this December. If I remember correctly, you went on a B2B last year however went from the Regal to a RCL ship (possibly the Allure?). Also, didn't you stay in an Owner's Suite? What type of cabin have you booked this trip? We were also in an OS last month but decided to move into an Aft Deluxe Cabin for the B2B which just happens to be the room right next door to the OS we had last month.

[Woobstr112G]

Bon Voyage and have a wonderful cruise.....:):):)

 

Bob

[highgrovers]

Last year Ro (dw) and I sailed on the Regal and it quickly became our favorite ship. We had a great week and I ate every meal like it was my last. If anyone read that “live from”, you may remember that I literally made myself sick by eating too much lamb gyro. When I got home from that trip which was a week on the Regal and a week on the AOS, I had put on 10 pounds!

Coming back on this ship was a very easy decision. I made my booking 7 months ago, when I received an incredible deal for 14 nights in a balcony cabin. It has been a long wait to board her again, but the timing is right, as winter is finally back to normal in Montreal. It is cold outside, get me out of here!

This trip is going to have one main theme: exercise vs food. I have been on a mission to get myself back into shape. It was 2.5yrs ago when I tipped the scales at 300lbs. I finished 2015 at 245lbs. Ro and I made a resolution to be “clean” for the 2 weeks leading up to the trip. Over the past 13 days, we have not had ANYTHING but 3 healthy meals a day. This is the longest I have ever gone “clean”, and wow it has been quite the ride. I have lost another 7 lbs and am loving the feeling of having no bloat. Ro has had similar success and we are both having anxiety about going on the floating buffet! Prior to these 2 weeks, it was my plan to exercise, EAT, and repeat. Now the thought of all this food scares me! It is my intention if my body will cooperate, to exercise 3 times a day. I want to run 5km as soon as I awake, then either do 50 laps in the pool right away or maybe shortly after a light breakfast. A visit to the gym would be scheduled in the late afternoon. I see breakfast as being the easiest meal to eat light...even though I LOVE breakfast! On our last cruise in September, which was on the NCL Getaway, I exercised everyday and did not touch a piece of bacon until day 4. I gained no weight over those 7 days. 14 days on the Regal will be a much harder task. Breakfast aside, it will take a ton of will power to not go overboard if the buffet is as great as it was last year. Good luck to me!

We flew in a day early and are staying at the Crown Plaza cruise port. This is our first time here. We called the hotel from the airport and were picked up by the shuttle in only a few minutes. Moments later we were at the hotel which is very close to both the airport and cruise port. I had made a request for early check-in, and the girl at the front desk was very pleasant and gave us a free upgrade to a room that was ready. It is very large room on the 11 floor with 2 queen beds and a sofa. We can see a Princess ship from the window. The room has very solid wifi at 12mb, and also Direct TV. There is a fridge, microwave, and coffee machine. Ro went to the gym for an hour while I had a nap. Dinner tonight was at Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, which is down the street from the hotel. It is a popular place and was almost full by 6pm. Ro had eggplant parm and I had a pizza with broccoli rabe & sausage....I felt less guilty having some bitter greens as part of the meal. We both enjoyed our food. When back at the hotel, we borrowed a stapler so that we could put our luggage tags on and not worry about it tomorrow. This is where I got my limited exercise for the day....I ran down & up 11 flights of stairs. One more sleep till the cruise...it is finally here!

 

* Since we have already been on this ship, I will not be taking that many pictures. All patters, menus, and food pics will be posted after the cruise.

* Last years pics:

* Feel free to ask any questions about the ship

*tomorrow is Ro's birthday...she is turning 40...you didn't hear it from me!

* I am using a great new app for free long distance and texting over wifi on IOS - Convoi - I highly recommend it.

 

Please excuse any iPhone typos [emoji3]

 

WOW you are making me get excited , we get on the Regal next week 1/24/16 I am sorry to rush your cruise I am very excited to get back on a Princess Cruise we went on the Royal Princess the after the Duchess of Cambridge Kate named the ship , it was just a sampler cruise going no where the weather was lousy around the English Channel and just for a change it rained non stop LOL I understand that the regal is the sister ship to the Royal and I have to say it was a beautiful ship, so I am really looking forward to sailing next week I am looking forward to reading whatever you have to say. Happy 39 th Birthday to your wife.

Enjoy the cruise

Elaine

[spyro1952]

Have a great cruise!!

 

We are on the Regal on Feb 28th-Mar 13th. DM, BFF, & myself. Can't wait as we have a suite for the 3 of us. I absolutely love the peanut butter cups from the IC, along with the donuts!! I am exercising now as 3 wks after the Regal it's the TA on the Emerald. Will be hitting the gym!!!

[tkbk]

Bon Voyage ! We will be boarding the Regal three weeks from today . You post is making me very excited and think I will begin count down mode! I to am dieting trying to shed some weight before , I have been on the purple cleanse diet for about a week now and have another week to go. Then will eat very clean on the shred diet for another week before boarding. I really need to drop about 15lbs that I have gained since I Retired seven months ago. I also have gym time a few days a week, so I totally get your preparation. I hope you are vey proud of yourself and your determination. Keep the post coming whenever you can. We are in a mini sweet in the coward of marina deck , the one wih the 40ft balcony. Never have been in that type of cabin before.

[LeeW]

First cruise I tried eating all meals and lots of snacks. Felt terrible. Then switched to light breakfast (smaller quantity, not necessarily "healthy"), active shore excursion often without lunch, and normal dinner. Generally don't gain weight and feel a lot better. No gym, no running, just things like snorkeling or swimming with maybe some fries when we get back for a late lunch.

 

Of course it depends on your metabolism, but those huge buffets and International Court on Regal can tempt you to fill a plate. Try a small plate and just take a spoonful of items that you want to try. Leave space between the items. Once you have finished that plate you can go back for a few more items, but you might not want to. Works for me.

 

And you might try splitting those new chocolate desserts. They are REALLY good.

 

You have had a great weight loss - keep up the good work!

[lor74]

I woke up very early and thought about going for a run. The hotel had cards which showed a route around a nearby park. I decided it would be best to wait for sunrise, but by then we were in a tornado warning. From our 11th floor window, I had a very good view of the storm coming in from Miami. The wall of grey quickly took us over and I watched a transformer behind the building explode. They said on the news that thousands of people along the cost had lost power. In the Sarasota area there was damage to buildings and homes. Within an hour the skies had cleared. We checked out around 10:30am and waited a minute for our Uber pickup. When I had checked earlier in the morning the estimated price was $5, but when we actually left there was a surge charge of 1.5x, so it ended up costing $6.79. From the moment we got to the security gates, our boarding experience was "off". We had our passports ready but the guard was insistent on seeing the uber drivers folio...his id was not good enough. Then when we got to the port a sherif was insistent that he go into an awkward parking position to drop us off. It was still before 11am, and there was already a very long line waiting for the doors to open. This line was mixed of first timers and preferred. It was after 11 when the doors finally opened, and there was confusion as to where the lines would separate. When we got through security, every rep we passed was hassling us about seeing both of our health forms. Then when we got to the check in area, it was initially being treated like there were preferred and regular lines, but everyone there was preferred. I do not remember the last time I had to wait in line to get into the Princess terminal. None of this was a big deal and we did not wait very long...it all just felt "off". Once checked in, we were directed to an elite lounge that was not there last year. There was coffee, juice, and a small assortment of pastries. I think it was 11:45am when we boarded. Our first stop was Alfredo's. Ro had a salad and mushroom pesto pizza. I had a minestrone soup and the veal ravioli. The food was very good. Once our order was placed, I went to the CG to reserve for tonight. Unfortunately they only had 8:30pm or later. The guy said that all the b2b people already filled the venue...plus the tables they need to keep for suite passengers. We are going tomorrow at 6:30pm. Next stop was our cabin. I had booked a guaranteed balcony and we are in a deluxe near the aft on Emerald deck. I am so close to the owners suite we had last year...how I miss it so! This is our first experience with the narrow balcony and tiny bathroom...the toilet paper is in an odd location [emoji12]. Our luggage had not arrived yet, but I was ready with my bathing suit in my backpack. The football game is on MUTS, so the Lido deck is busy. I had the pool to myself and did my 50 laps. We had a look at the buffet while passing through...there it is, the lamb...I'm scared! Our muster station is the CG. We got there early enough to get good seating in the wheelhouse. We needed to bring and try on the life jackets. After unpacking, we went to the Outrigger for the sail away. There was supposed to be an informal gathering of the m&g group. I didn't see anything that looked like a gathering. We spoke to random people as we left port. We were 2nd out of 7 to leave. I am relaxing right now in the cabin, watching Terminator Genesis as I type this. Ro is working out. Next stop will be the shops followed by dinner in the HC.

 

* The plan to exercise 3 times a day is just a slight change from my current normal routine. The early morning running is outside on the track. At home I run outside, but not in the winter. This is one of the benefits of a January Caribbean cruise. Need to take advantage of the opportunity! I have always been a swimmer, so once again I need to take advantage. Going to the gym and doing some weights is the new part of the routine. I do not know if this will happen, I generally do not go to the gym on vacation.

* I heard one of the crew saying there are 850 b2b passengers.

* The wifi is weak. I get 2 bars in the bed and nothing on the balcony. Bit is too slow to actually run a speed test.

[itravelalot]

Sounds like a great start so far.

 

We did a B2B on Regal Dec 27-Jan 10.. Had the best weather and a wonderful time. We stayed in A102 a Suite at the very front.. Loved the cabin but probably prefer the aft...

 

Can't wait to read more on your voyage.

Happy sailing!!

 

Wendy

[Morgsmom]

Bon Voyage! We just got off the Regal this morning. There are so many wonderful options in the buffet - tons of salads, crudités in bowls (YUM), and more fresh fruit than you could eat in a week (though some folks seemingly tried!!) I think the key is to really watch the desserts; we split one gelato sundae over the course of the week (and had an obligatory bite of a b'day cake they brought me). Otherwise, it was all "on limits." I haven't weighed myself yet (since I was not going to do mid-day when I got home :p, but hopefully the damage is minimal)

[CRUISER94044]

We watched the regal princess leave today. We leave on the Royal Princess Tuesday. Bon voyage!

[lor74]

Having booked this cruise many months ago, I originally had thoughts of planning surprises for Ro's birthday. I thought that if the meet & great would be on embarkation day, that it would be perfect for a surprise party. It will be on Tuesday morning, so I nixed that idea. My other idea was to try and plan in advance an Effy purchase on board. For many years we have been admiring the signature collection on our trips. They were always too expensive but the prices were slowly dropping. I never got around to calling Princess to try and arrange anything because a local store had a Thanksgiving week sale. Not only was the collection 70% off, but I was also able to use a coupon code on top. I ended up buying a white gold leopard ring in Canadian funds for less than Effy online was offering and much less than the ship. I gave it to her as an early birthday present, and she sure was surprised! So getting back to tonight....we went to the shops and spent some time in the Effy shop looking at different items and their prices...I got a great deal at home 🤑. After looking at the other stores, we went to have dinner. Only half of the buffet was open...which was still more than enough food! We both started with big salads. Mine was an assortment of veg, nuts, seeds, and bread. Hers was veg and poached salmon. I also had a small sampling of hot food...chicken, veal, potatoes, spring roll, quiche, Mac n cheese.....not as big a plate as it sounds, just a little taste of each item. For dessert Ro had fruit. I had 2 different chocolate macadamia cakes....omg they were good! We both had specialty coffees. Next we went back to the shops and bought perfume and a captains hat. We got 20% off with the elite discount. Ro looks good in that hat! The last stop of the night was the casino. With an exchange rate of 20%, I bought a lot of obc. I cashed some out using the slot machines, then played a few hands of let it ride. With lousy cards we didn't stay very long. The casino was packed!

 

That is it for the first day. I just watched the end of Terminator and am calling it a night. I have my running gear ready to go [emoji106]🏻

[mrswallace2012]

First of all, congratulations on your weight loss! I am current working towards a healthier body and life. I've been going the 21 day fix to get in shape .

Anyways, I am going to check out your previous thread too [emoji4]