Tell Me About Regal Princess

[oldIrish]

I'm interested in the 10 Day San Francisco roundtrip to Alaska. Not familiar with the Regal. Is it an older ship? I do remember seeing some posts that were pro Regal. I know I need to get to a T/A to get a copy of the deck plan.

Thanks for any help.

[SharkieRools]

Here's our review, pictures, patters, etc. of the cruise that you are looking at now:

 

Alaska Cruise 2005

 

In short, yes the Regal Princess is an older ship and doesn't have all the features of a newer ship, but that shouldn't dissuade you from cruising aboard her. Excellent and more personalized service, larger rooms and less passengers onboard are just some of her advantages.

 

You don't need a TA to get the deckplans (although you may want to book with one.) The Princess website has deck plans and other info on the Regal Princess at:

 

Regal Princess

[chrysalis]

you can see the Regal's deck plan, online at the Princess website....

[Pam in CA]

Yes, the Regal is an older, smaller ship with about half of the passengers as you'll find on the larger ships. It has just one dining room so that there isn't Anytime dining although you can go to the Bistro at night. The buffet is called the Cafe del Sol, not Horizon Court.

 

The cabins are more spacious and the showers are tub-sized. There's a lot more storage in each cabin than the Grand-class ships (including the Coral/Island.) It has a "real" pizza restaurant with fabulous pizza. The Adagio and Bengal lounges are well-laid out. There is the Dome cocktail lounge at the top, forward part of the ship although the casino takes up the center of the Dome (a mis-use of space IMHO.)

 

I really liked the Regal and would sail her again any time the opportunity presents itself.

[barbarah33]

I spent 16-days on the Regal sailing Australia and New Zealand and I just loved her. We had 2 suites next to each other and they weren't as large as suites on some of the newer ships but they were a great size. The bathrooms, on the other hand, were very spacious for a cruise ship. She is older and smaller but that means better, more personalized, service and I appreciate things like that.

 

The only two complaints I have about her would be that the pizzeria - while making EXCELLENT pizza, does not allow you to take it out of the restaurant. (You can't bring it to your lounge chair by the pool or anything.) And you must order a whole pie there - no single slices. And the casino shares space with a bar/lounge/live music venue so at night if you want to hear the music and just relax you are more likely to hear people cheering at the craps tables or the ching of the slots. But those are two minute complaints. In general she is a great, smaller, ship. I would happily sail on her again anytime and I would NEVER let the fact that she was the ship on an itinerary I was considering deter me from taking that cruise.

[Druke I]

Well, I will try again. My laptop and the boards both seem to be acting up today.

 

Yes, the Regal Princess is smaller and older than many of her running mates in the Princess fleet, but she is well maintained, and a comfortable ship. Her cabins tend to run larger than the Princess norm, which is always a plus.

 

We have been on her three times, most recently 3-9/22-06, Buenos Aires to Valparaiso, 'round the Horn, and enjoyed the trip very much.

 

Should you hit heavy seas, Regal Princess, in my opinion, rides much better than the larger newer Grand class ships, which tend to bounce and wallow in heavy seas.

[NHCruisr]

We've sailed on the Regal two times. The first time was about 10 years ago to Alaska. The second time was 2 years ago on the Canada/New England route. We enjoyed both trips very much and love the Regal. She is smaller and older but, in my opinion, more elegant than some of the larger ships. We experienced a cruising style that was unique in terms of the ambience and tone of the ship. I love the glass windowed lounge at the top of the ship. When you are in colder climates, it's a great alternative to the open decks. There are not as many balconies on the Regal, one downside. Also, There is no true personal choice dining available. We did eat at the Bistro a few times and enjoyed that very much.

 

I hope you enjoy your time on the Regal as much as we did.

[Brownie Scout]

Do any of the previous Regal Alaska cruisers have a good estimate of the time it takes to disembark on San Francsico? I'm trying to make flight reservations based the approximate time it takes to get off the boat and take a shuttle to Oakland International. The best flight is at 11:00 a.m., but there's another one at 12:20 which I'm thinking might be a better choice.

[sailinsal]

Well, we totally enjoyed the layout of the ship and the smaller version of the huge, huge ships..........it seemed to us to be perfect for everything we like to do. If you like the excercise room it is the pits.....literally in the pits of the ship. The dining room we are pleased with; it is the oldest ship in the fleet of Princess and soon will be leaving with the next two years. In four days we embark for the ten day Alaskan cruise from San Francisco. Since we are elite passengers I can use the internet; thus I will be posting from the ship the whole ten days. So I will post under the date of our sailing on the princess cruise site on here........Cruise Critic.............so do stay tuned..........sailinsal

[Strawberry]

We have been on the Regal a number of times (most recently 3/06 Valparaiso to Ft. Lauderdale) and love it. It is our favorite Princess ship and we are so sorry to hear that it is going to the P&O fleet. Another posting on this board discussed how big the ships are getting and how crowded it makes the ports -- that is why we like the Regal -- it is nice and manageable. We have been on larger ships like the QMII but much prefer the Regal.

 

We will be soon be on the Regal for a 10-day roundtrip San Francisco/Alaska cruise departing on 6/5 and are really looking forward to it. We have done this particular cruise several times before and it is our favorite Alaska cruise. I am looking forward to reading Salinsals postings.

[chummboy]

My first and only cruise was 10/12/05 Mexican Riviera on the Regal. I loved it! I will be on the 10 day out of SF on 6/25 I'm hooked! Although I would like to experience another ship I am not at all disapointed, it's a great ship. The shows were entertaining, the food was good in the main dinning room, the pizza was great and the buffet was a typical buffet, some stuff was good and other stuff wasn't.

enjoy!

[oldIrish]

I would like to thank each of you for your replies. Certainly answered any doubts I had about the Regal. Looks like my next stop is the T/A.

Thanks Again

[Mindy97]

I used to use the Oakland Airport quite often; the TSA lines there were horrendous. Don't know if the situation has improved, but Southwest Airlines says allow 1.5 hours for checkin. So that means you'd have to be off the ship and have your luggage, AND a taxi/shuttle by 9AM. I wouldn't count on it.

 

Fern

[Jimsgirl]

Found this thread very interesting and informative. I have been wanting to get cruisers viewpoints on Regal for several weeks now.

 

I have a booking on her for the re-positioning cruise Aug 2007, 31 days from LA,to Hawaii, South Pacific Islands, New Zealand and ending in Australia. I have cabin P175 - inside but that is fine ( I can cat nap during the afternoon without being bothered by light from window). I have a plan of the ship taken from a brochure.

 

Another plus for inside cabins is that I can afford to take more cruises per year as an ordinary passenger, than if I chose to pay the same money for the luxury of larger cabins, butler, free champagne,canapes etc. for just 10 days to say Mexico and go only once a year

 

I will take cruising for 60 days a year over just 10 days any time.

[boom op]

Sailing 7/15/06. Sounds like a nice ship.

[Katiekakes]

We are looking forward to sailing the Regal on the Panama Canal 15 day cruise out of San Juan. I read every post I can to see what everyone's opinions are of the ship, and it sounds like it is a wonderful ship.

[AcaCandy]

Found this thread very interesting and informative. I have been wanting to get cruisers viewpoints on Regal for several weeks now.

 

I have a booking on her for the re-positioning cruise Aug 2007, 31 days from LA,to Hawaii, South Pacific Islands, New Zealand and ending in Australia. I have cabin P175 - inside but that is fine ( I can cat nap during the afternoon without being bothered by light from window). I have a plan of the ship taken from a brochure.

 

Another plus for inside cabins is that I can afford to take more cruises per year as an ordinary passenger, than if I chose to pay the same money for the luxury of larger cabins, butler, free champagne,canapes etc. for just 10 days to say Mexico and go only once a year

 

I will take cruising for 60 days a year over just 10 days any time.

 

Hi Jimsgirl, we are thinking of booking this cruise tomorrow, currently have that same cabin on hold :eek: I'm assuming that you either canceled or received an upgrade?

 

In any event, does anyone know whether that should be a quiet room? We have kitchen galley above us in the past on other ships, and it's been a nightmare, literally :)

[NSWP]

Welcome aboard, we are on Regal's last cruise too, leaving LA on 31 Aug for Sydney. We booked in October last year. I am claustraphobic so booked an ocean view, forward on Plaza Decks, see the waves fly by from the bow. Have a look at the roll call. I reckon the ship will be nearly full, hope your cabin allocation works out OK for you.

 

Best wishes from OZ:cool:

[mikjr]

Do any of the previous Regal Alaska cruisers have a good estimate of the time it takes to disembark on San Francsico? I'm trying to make flight reservations based the approximate time it takes to get off the boat and take a shuttle to Oakland International. The best flight is at 11:00 a.m., but there's another one at 12:20 which I'm thinking might be a better choice.

 

We disembarked from the Dawn last month in San Fran... by using the "express number system" which means carrying your own luggage off the ship... we were off and in our car by 9AM!

 

Although, I'm not sure the REGAL does the express disembarkation... we took the Regal earlier in the year and don't remember that option.

[lois1112]

I have been on the Regal twice (04 RT Hawaii and 4/07 RT Panama canal) and Love the ship :D . yes she is older.

I would say that the complaint about the pizza is a valid one. (we would have loved to take some to the pool as well) but it is a minor complaint.

having cruised on some of the bigger ships (sapphire etc) I find the personalized service and getting to really know your fellow passangers by far makes up for any space lost!