Nervous about bad reviews!

[PR-Texas]

2 minutes ago, ratbin said:

Since my Mom picked the cruise, it seemed like a good idea! She can get around just fine. She is on a bowling league and walks and hangs laundry. Her OLDER sister golfs, does yoga, etc. We are a healthy long lived family.

Congrats on the health and enjoy the cruise.  If she picked the cruise and probably the activities in each port she knows what she can do.  The best thing to bring is a sense of humor.  Guaranteed that something will go wrong but probably something minor that you will laugh about years from now as you remember the wonderful time you spent with your family.

[susancruzs]

I think you'll be fine, as you know best about your family.  Don't let the reviews sway you, as others have said.  People zero in on things, deal breakers for them, which may not be important to others.  Enjoy your cruise!

[cr8tiv1]

Cruising is the best way to have a reunion.  My sister is 10 years older than I am and walked me to death in Japan.  My brother is approaching 90 and still plays golf.  

 

The ship provides food, drinks, and shelter.  You make the best/worst on board.  For me, I would not have picked a larger ship.  But she picked the ship and the cruise.  You all will be fine.

[mgtravelsalot]

23 hours ago, ratbin said:

We (myself, two brothers and spouses) are taking Mom on the Regal Princess for her 90th birthday in Sept. I have been reading reviews on Cruise Critic and am increasingly unsettled by the complaints. We are on the British Isles cruise which is pretty port intensive so maybe if we hate the ship it's not TOO big a deal. But I was assuming that Princess was a step up from other mass market lines. 

My husband, my mother and I have cruised on Crystal and Cunard. My brothers have been on Carnival (didn't love it) and one brother has been on RC. 

I know reviews are subjective and often have more to do with the reviewer than the subject. Help convince me that this is going to be great! 

My Mom did a cruise to England in her 90's she was active as well Her last one  before she died she was 95, Then Covid hit and we couldnt go anymore she died last year  at the age of 98.  Her Favorite line was Crystal we did a couple of World cruises  with them, but she also like HAL very much, they spoiled her so much which they seem to do with all the seniors very well They even escorted her into the dining rm every night by the maitre d as she was the oldest on the ship they would  serve her mashed potatoes when ever she wanted them lol even when they werent on the menu.  We also liked Cunard alot  because of all the lectures and my Mom loved dressing up.  Our very first cruise together was in fact on Princess and we did many trips with them together  She liked them as well just not quite as much as the others. we would go back and forth between Princess and HAL. I think you will be fine   Let them know its your Moms 90th so they do something special.

[ratbin]

Thanks everyone! I'm sure we will have a fine time. 

[Papa Yoda]

23 hours ago, memoak said:

No. Eat lunch on shore and come into the terminals after 1:00. No lines, no waits , no problems 

 

We get there at 10:30-11:00 and our usual wait is less than 1/2 hour.  Nothing like a Grand Marnier Souffle to start the cruise off right.

 

[Thrak]

21 hours ago, PR-Texas said:

It really depends on the 90 year old and what activities are planned for the port. Some 90 year olds are more active than some 60 year olds.

 

My mother-in-law had a friend who was on Letterman because, at the age of 100, she made a hole in one golfing. Age definitely hits folks in differing ways.

[Mississippian]

On 6/18/2024 at 10:40 PM, CU64 said:

Why would you take your 90 yr old Mother on a port intensive cruise?

is she planning to get off with you all on a few days? On the days you are in port, she is alone on the ship, which might be fine with her as she has Family around for dinner.

My elderly father managed a port-intensive Med cruise. We got him a transportation chair and pushed him around, and used private tours. It was essentially his last hurrah.

[con3]

On 6/18/2024 at 3:38 PM, ratbin said:

We (myself, two brothers and spouses) are taking Mom on the Regal Princess for her 90th birthday in Sept. I have been reading reviews on Cruise Critic and am increasingly unsettled by the complaints. We are on the British Isles cruise which is pretty port intensive so maybe if we hate the ship it's not TOO big a deal. But I was assuming that Princess was a step up from other mass market lines. 

My husband, my mother and I have cruised on Crystal and Cunard. My brothers have been on Carnival (didn't love it) and one brother has been on RC. 

I know reviews are subjective and often have more to do with the reviewer than the subject. Help convince me that this is going to be great! 

We did the Regal Princess british isle cruise May 23 and loved it!

[pink845]

We loved the Regal.  Sailed on her twice last year (2023) One of those being British Isles.  You are always going to find people who are critical.  Food is so subjective. Ports on British Isles were lovely.  Make sure that if you are not taking tours, you do your research on getting to the attractions on your own.  Almost every port requires some sort of train, bus, etc.. We love the Royal Class ships because of the Piazza on Deck 5. We do miss the promenade deck from the older ships however.

[scorpioncrawl]

Ratbin:  If you have to ask for more opinions from what you are reading on cc, then maybe you should consider taking your mom on a different trip for her celebration.  You stated you have all cruised before, so this should be easy, not stressful and what you all make the trip for her to be.  Like someone pointed out to you prior, cruise critic is just that. People jump on here to complain and tell all about the things they don't like.  Things we may feel is not a big deal. We have been cruising for 25 yrs and would never not follow thru on a planned trip due to someone else's opinion.

[KKB]

On 6/18/2024 at 2:38 PM, ratbin said:

We (myself, two brothers and spouses) are taking Mom on the Regal Princess for her 90th birthday in Sept. I have been reading reviews on Cruise Critic and am increasingly unsettled by the complaints. We are on the British Isles cruise which is pretty port intensive so maybe if we hate the ship it's not TOO big a deal. But I was assuming that Princess was a step up from other mass market lines. 

My husband, my mother and I have cruised on Crystal and Cunard. My brothers have been on Carnival (didn't love it) and one brother has been on RC. 

I know reviews are subjective and often have more to do with the reviewer than the subject. Help convince me that this is going to be great! 

We spent 28 days on the Regal last month & LOVED it!

(now, it's not fair to compare to Crystal & Cunard...Princess is a mainstream line & they are luxury lines).

 

SO many great crew members.

The food in the MDR was overall the best we have had at sea. Our friends are big foodies & they agreed.

(Honestly we are always happy w/ MDR food on any ship/line--but more often than not, good, not great)

 

We have had a great time on every cruise we have been on--even Carnival (key: longer cruises, per the bartenders) & MSC (meh, it was a super cheap way to see UK & Norway, but you get what you pay for).

 

Attitude will be the defining factor for how good of a time you will have.

 

Curious after trying luxury lines, why are you choosing a mainstream line?

 

[KKB]

On 6/18/2024 at 3:04 PM, voljeep said:

a lot of your experience(s) may depend on when you can get off the ship for excursions in the ports - Princess excursions v free-style v status v no-status

 

Regal has a lot of passengers who will want to get off the ship as soon as they can in ports

Was on the ship last month & if you needed to get off early, the key was simply to be up early whether to get tender tickets or walk off. No issue otherwise. 

 

Honestly I was surprised how few people were up early to get tender tickets. We managed the 1st or 2nd tender each time (we had booked private tours)--we were in the Piazza area about 20 min. prior to when they said they would hand out tickets.

[KKB]

On 6/18/2024 at 4:39 PM, patrickmoran said:

You will be disappointed in the level of service on P, especially in the dining room. Post-covid, staffing cutbacks have left the wait staff over-extended. Getting drink refills is difficult. The food will be OK but your experiences, especially if they are pre-covid, are going to be better than P's ever were.

Did not experience this one day in the 28 days we were on last month--nor on any of our 8 Princess cruises since start up.

And as I said before, food on the Regal was VERY good last month--a step up for Princess!!

(again...suspect Crystal & Cunard to be another step up--expectations will be important on this cruise!)

 

Can't wait to hear how it goes, @ratbin! 

DM & I had a UK cruise booked for 2018 but due to DF's medical issues, we postponed...rebooked Med w/ DM & DD for May 2020. We know how that went. Then DM got cancer in 2021...we did manage a magical Caribbean cruise together that summer, but sadly lost her 2 years ago.

(she was so healthy too--I thought we'd be traveling for another 20 yrs together)

You will only regret the trips you didn't take!

Have a wonderful time!

Edited Saturday at 12:03 PM by KKB

[paddingtonbear]

I see what you mean about some of the recent reviews but honestly I can pick them all apart. Some could also be written by people from rival cruise lines!  🙂
Ignore them and enjoy your cruise. 

[ratbin]

Dear KKB,

Sorry to hear about your mother. Mine is developing glaucoma and we are trying to get in all her bucket list while she can still see it.

thank you for your reassuring comments. I was really starting to get anxious about the "bad food, bad service" comments, and there were a lot of them. I'm sure we will be fine!

[Globaler]

We sailed the Regal in April on a TA. Food was excellent esp the buffet (resturant head moved up after our cruise). I thought service was good. Only complaint I had was that there was a rowdy piano bar. entertainment director moved on after our cruise also.  Cruise director was very good. All in all a good cruise and will be doing the same cruise to Southampton next year.

[BamaVol]

3 hours ago, ratbin said:

Dear KKB,

Sorry to hear about your mother. Mine is developing glaucoma and we are trying to get in all her bucket list while she can still see it.

thank you for your reassuring comments. I was really starting to get anxious about the "bad food, bad service" comments, and there were a lot of them. I'm sure we will be fine!

You’re scaring me.  I have been in treatment for glaucoma for the last 4 years.  It is not worsening, but I have been forced to change eyedrops twice now since diagnosis.  Also, added a second drop this year when pressure spiked. My ophthalmologist has suggested surgery as an option when we can no longer get results from drops. I’m hoping to keep my vision and my doctor has suggested I will still be able to see if I reach 100 in 30 years. 
 

But there are different types of glaucoma and different potential treatments.  I wish your mother luck.

Edited Saturday at 04:44 PM by BamaVol

[tml1230]

On 6/18/2024 at 6:39 PM, patrickmoran said:

You will be disappointed in the level of service on P, especially in the dining room. Post-covid, staffing cutbacks have left the wait staff over-extended. Getting drink refills is difficult. The food will be OK but your experiences, especially if they are pre-covid, are going to be better than P's ever were.

we have been on 4 princess cruises post covid. our experinces and opinions are completely opposite of yours. the level of service on the 4 different ships was very good to simply outstanding.

[ratbin]

Thank you. She is doing well on her treatments so she can see okay in her left eye but the vision in her right eye is pretty well shot. She still is able to travel and go bowling every week so she's pretty active for 90. I will send good thoughts your way!

[elaine5]

On 6/18/2024 at 3:38 PM, ratbin said:

But I was assuming that Princess was a step up from other mass market lines. 

I've just spent 30+ days in April on Majestic/Royal, which are sister ships. I did Royal for BI in 2018 and will repeat this summer on Regal. Princess's BI cruise is lovely with some added local entertainment like Irish dancers, etc.

We like Royal Carib. and will sail on it in a few weeks. I'd say Princess is a step up from RC. I find it similar to Cunard, except Princess has more to do, more contemporary entertainment, and a bit more relaxed service. Rest assured, I do not think you'll "hate" the ship and should have a wonderful time.

[BlerkOne]

I was on Regal twice last year and don't remember anything negative about the ship. I might be more concerned about the port intensive itinerary, but since your Mom is the one that picked it, no worries. The ship is not the destination.

[tcdcruiser]

It will be great! I have cruised Cunard and RC. I would say that Cunard is a step up from Princess, but at those prices it should be! Hated RC and would never even attempt Carnival. We have chosen Princess many times, and it has always been lovely. Btw, the BI cruise was awesome!

 

Just keep in mind that the crew are people, too. Not their fault if management has understaffed the ship. Say something at the time if something goes wrong - crew will make it better.