First Regal Princess (1991-2007)

[BarbinMich]

Just curious if anyone else ever sailed on the first Regal P.   We did so in May 2003 for our first European cruise (but 11th cruise overall) as well as the ship's first there, I think.  The ship was in the midst of repositioning from Australia to Southampton.  She was a twin sister of the first Crown P (1990-2002), which we had seen in Alaska in 1996.  It was a dream itinerary from Rome to Copenhagen with stops in Barcelona, Lisbon, Vigo (Spain), Le Havre, Dover, Antwerp (yes, we docked right there), and Amsterdam.  There were a number of people already onboard, having gotten on in Australia.  Something unexpected happened when we were due to leave Lisbon--the ship lost power!  But eventually they "found" it and we left Lisbon hours late.The sister ships had a distinctive profile; I believe folks likened them to a dolphin or some marine animal.  Ultimately both ended up with P&O Australia (Pacific Dawn and Pacific Jewel).  Now the former Crown is heading to India this year and will be known as the Karnika. Old ships never die, they just move over to another line, get a new name and maybe a different color.  This has happened to a number of ships from the early years of our cruising, at least 3 of them going to German cruise lines, and we have seen several of them under their new name/owner.

 

We haven't sailed on the current Regal, but have sailed on her sister, the Royal, twice.  So different from their namesakes!

[gotta cruise again]

The original Regal was DH’s first cruise, my 4th cruise. I has previously sailed the original Star, Sky, and Crown.

 

Our Regal cruise was for our honeymoon and sailed from San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale is the Panama Canal. That size ship & number of pax is just perfect but we’re thankful that though ship size & number of pax has increased, Princess has managed to maintain the spacious feel (doesn’t seem crowded) of the current ships.

 

Very fond memories of the original Regal Princess!!

[caribill]

Panama Canal in 2002 and in Europe in 2004.

 

 

[Essiesmom]

33 minutes ago, caribill said:

Panama Canal in 2002 and in Europe in 2004.

 

 

 

That is the original Royal Princess...My first Princess cruise in 1999.  EM

 

 

Edited May 2, 2019 by Essiesmom

[fishywood]

I was on Regal #1 in October 1997, 10 night partial Panama Canal transit. Ship had just come out of drydock the month before and one of the changes was the buffet has been renovated to provide "Evening Bistro" table service from 7:30 PM to 4:00 AM. Menu was pretty good for what was essentially the first "specialty restaurant" on Princess--at no charge. (Princess was still a year away from its first paid specialty dining, Sabatini's and Painted Desert on Grand Princess). However this was also the start of the demise of the Midnight Buffet from all Princess ships; within three years it was gone from all but the original Island and Pacific.

 

OK now fast forward to the present: May 2018 on Golden Princess, I see an old(er) familiar face shaking hands at the Captain's Circle party. The ED on Golden, Tim Donovan, was the CD on that Regal cruise nearly 21 years earlier. Once we put two and two together he encouraged me to come down to Australia for my next cruise. But I don't think it would be on Pacific Dawn as I understand she has been renovated beyond any recognition of her former Princess identity. The giant tiger statue in the Bengal Bar did remain until just a few years ago, but its gone now too.

[skynight]

We were on the Regal's sister ship to Alaska, the original Crown Princess in 1995. While the cruise was nice we were not impressed with the ship's design. We switched to R.C., but went back to Princess in 2000 on the Grand. 

[JenRonn1104]

We sailed on the original Regal Princess through the Panama Canal in November 2006.  To this day it is one of our favorite cruising experience.  The service was fantastic.  The cruise came at the right time for us - a bit of stress at home - and it was great to get away and truly relax.  We have such fond memories of that ship.  It was the perfect size with the right amount of passengers.  I wish Princess would add some ships of this size again.  

 

Here is a picture of the ship docked in Costa Rica and one of the atrium decorated for Christmas.

 

[BarbinMich]

Thanks to all for your responses and especially the photos--I didn't get my first digital camera until the year after we sailed on the Regal.  My snapshots are in one of my photo albums--will have to dig that one out.

[Essiesmom]

Got my first digital in 2004 and in 2007 scanned a ton of albums into my computer.  Albums back to 1985.  EM

[RoePost]

We sailed the Regal in 2005 on a 10 day Mexican Riviera cruise...still remember it well.  Great crew and a terrific ship. 

[BabySarge]

Our first six cruises with Princess were on the Regal and Crown; loved them both.  Our first trip thru the Panama Canal was in 1997 on the Crown (partial transit) and we were incredibly fortunate to do the transit from the bridge of the ship as guests of the Captain.  Still one of my best cruise memories!

[princessfanboy]

My Favorite Ship of all times.
It was my first Princess cruise back in 2001 to Alaska, and then took it through the Panama canal from San Juan to Acapulco in 2006.
Love the seat down pizzeria in the top deck.
Great memories!

[GuardCruisers]

We sailed the original Regal in the Caribbean, 1992?

[FTBLCOACH]

She was my very first cruise in 1997...roundtrip Vancouver  to Alaska.  The feeling of "I did it.  I finally did it." as we passed under the Lion's Gate bridge was something I've always treasured.   I remember the elevated floor in the MDR, that huge tiger in the Bengal Bar, and the incredible food sculptures at the midnight buffet (breads, cake, ice, pastries).  Most importantly, I remember finding the "secret door" (Deck 10?) to the forward viewing area and that breathtaking first ride up Gasteneau Channel to Juneau.  Although I'm an Army doggie, I can see how sailors fall in love with their first ship.

 

Fair winds and calm seas....

[triple7tahoe]

Thanks for the memories- We sailed on the Regal to Midway Island for the 65th anniversary of the "Battle of Midway". A cruise never to be forgotten and we met our dearest friends (Diane and Jerry Pope). OH, and the  stories--That tiger played a major part in many of them.

[caribill]

12 hours ago, JenRonn1104 said:

We sailed on the original Regal Princess through the Panama Canal in November 2006. 

Here is a picture of the ship docked in Costa Rica.

 

 

 

 

This is a different Regal than the one pictured in post #4 above

[Essiesmom]

58 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

 

This is a different Regal than the one pictured in post #4 above

That's because the ship pictured in posts 3 & 4 are not Regal but the original Royal Princess.  EM

[polmcs]

We did our first Princess Cruise on the Regal back in 2003 on a HI circle cruise out of LA. I miss the Bengal bar 😞

 

 

[caribill]

2 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

That's because the ship pictured in posts 3 & 4 are not Regal but the original Royal Princess.  EM

 

Oops. Sorry.

[DougH]

Sailed on here several times,m first one was about 1997 from Tahiti to Hawaii. And we actually stopped at Christmas Island 🙂 Also trips to Alaska and I'm not sure where. I sailed on her sister the Crown Princess many times and loved them both. Spend many nighs up in the pizzeria, that and the dome were my favorite spots

[BarbinMich]

On 5/2/2019 at 12:36 PM, Essiesmom said:

Got my first digital in 2004 and in 2007 scanned a ton of albums into my computer.  Albums back to 1985.  EM

A very ambitious project or at least mine would be.  Course I don't spend a lot of time looking at old photos in whatever format they are 😉 

[SeaDog-46]

Pacific Dawn ex Regal Princess now works out of Brisbane Australia for P&O Australia.

It was my first recent cruise ship in 2008 when we did a great 28 day Pacific cruise out of Sydney.

Her sistership was recently sold to Indian owners & will sail as Karnika.

Pacific Dawn :-

1st photo @ Vavau - Tonga

2nd @ Papeete - Tahiti

3rd  @ Pango Pango - American Samoa

4th  @ Savu Savu - Fiji

5th  @ Apia - Samoa

6th  Karnika @ Singapore drydock

7th  Karnika dep. Singapore

 

[waltd]

Our first ever cruise was on the Regal sailing Alaska waters.   In a way it's kind of sad when these older ships move on.  Makes me feel old.  lol

[SRMueller1]

I'm exceptionally sorry to report that I just read the original Regal Princess and the original Crown Princess were scrapped in 2020.  Our first 5 Princess  cruises were on these 2 ships, and I am very sad!  With 1600 passengers, they were a great size ship on which we immensely enjoyed sailing.  They had both been a part of the P&O Australia fleet subsequent to Princess.

 

Original Regal Princess (1991-2007):

 

Original Crown Princess (1990-2009):

 

 

 

[yoyosma]

This article from March 28 Cruise Industry News tells of a different fate for the old Regal Princess. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24650-former-bitcoin-cruise-ship-sold-to-new-startup.html

 

It still may be scrapped, but there is a chance it won't be and the bit about bitcoin was interesting as well. 

 

I was once booked on the original Regal Princess but had to cancel.  I did sail on the old Crown Princess twice.  I showed the picture from the article to my husband and he was pretty astounded.  Not only did he remember the Crown, he felt it was a beautiful ship.