coolcruiser777

The prices should normally be the lowest of the low this late.

Hi, I am sailing on the Regal Princess in November and I have quite a few questions about it.

1. Is the outdoor promenade fully walkable? I have read some things that it is not good for joggers/runners, but is it fully accessible, even if thin in some places?
   
2. How does the casino app work? (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/princess-casino-slots-blackjack-poker-and-roulette/id963359228?mt=8) Can you actually win real prizes and play onboard (the app has zero reviews)?
   
3. When do ocean medallions ship out and where to you customize them? There is very little information on this and we are on the first weeklong cruise with them.
   
4. Are the balconies in a standard/deluxe cabin big compared to other ships?
   
5. Is there a way to open the balcony partitions?
   
6. Are stewards generally okay with people leaving other cards in the power slot to keep stuff charging while away?
   
7. Is the aft pool usually crowded? Do they leave it filled above the deep area?
   
8. We have a free specialty dining credit and we can eat both steak and seafood. Should we use the credit at Crown Grill or Sabatini's?
   
9. Due to the lack of a staircase mid, are the elevators there usually overcrowded/slow?
   
10. Are there any 24-hour restaurants?
    
11. Which restaurant(s) is used for anytime dining?
    
12. Is gelato an extra charge?
    
13. Can onboard credit be used before we board (for example: buying drink packages)?
    
14. Is the tender process relatively smooth?
    
15. Is the MDR open for breakfast and lunch?
    

I know this is a ridiculously long list, so it is okay if you only know the answer to one or two of these :). Thanks!

Yes, the Norwegian Sky calls there twice weekly.

The Anthem for sure.

The bar water and the sink water are both the same water. All water on the ship is filtered before being used. You are even using filtered water in your shower!

"No need to lug a case of water with you when you go cruising. The tap water on cruise ships is completely safe and drinkable, having been through rigorous filtration and testing, all of which are overseen by U.S. and European heath agencies. While some cruisers claim that the tap water in restaurants and bars tastes different from what comes out of the cabin bathroom, it is all, in fact, the same water." - http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1475

This is one of the reasons I dislike the Pride now. We had a great experience 3 years ago but the new things they added actually made it worse (such as this and the Dr. Seuss parade through the CASINO).

I think that the Anthem is a great option... we would have sailed on her this Summer, but she does a combination of nine and five day cruises in the Summer, and that doesn't work well with our schedule. Instead, we are going on the Breakaway to Bermuda for seven days. The Anthem goes out of Bayonne and the Breakaway out of Manhattan. The Anthem is one of the newest ships in RCCL's fleet and one of the most technologically advanced.

I just realized that two of the days I will be there are national holidays back to back...

I have personally been on the Gem and know somebody who has been on the Serenade. I can confidently say that they are both good ships. They are both newly renovated, but the Gem was completely redone and looks better than ever now.

Go on the Gem if you:

• have kids/like activities onboard like bowling
  
• want a bigger ship
  
• are booking a suite
  
• want better dining/more options
  
• live closer to New York
  

Go on the Serenade if you:

• are alone or traveling with other adults
  
• don't need the features of a bigger ship
  
• want a more relaxed environment
  
• want lots of windows
  
• live closer to Boston
  

We were docked next to the Sea Princess when we were embarking on NCL in Manhattan... it did not go to Brooklyn and it's a Carnival ship.

We must have been unlucky then because parking for us was horrendous.

Only the Getaway, Breakaway, Epic, and Escape will have them this Summer. The rest will have them by early 2018.

Yes. The parking is managed by the Baltimore port authority, not Carnival.

The June 11-15 sailing is a 4 night on the Liberty from PC.

https://www.carnival.com/itinerary/4-day-the-bahamas-cruise/pt-canaveral/liberty/4-days/bav?Military=N&PastGuest=N&Senior=N&numGuests=2&roomType=IS&sailDate=06252017

There is a June 12-17 which is a 5 night on the Conquest from FLL...

https://www.carnival.com/itinerary/5-day-western-caribbean-cruise/ft-lauderdale/conquest/5-days/wc0?Military=N&PastGuest=N&Senior=N&numGuests=2&roomType=IS&sailDate=06122017

These go to two different places from two different ports on two different dates... I would personally choose the Liberty because Ocho Rios isn't that good and Grand Cayman is a tendered port.

The Conquest and Liberty are sister ships, so they are pretty much the same. I would make your decision based on itinerary/homeport.

I am spending five days and three nights in Bermuda over the course of the Summer (docking at RND both times). Any good ideas for things to do? I know Horseshoe Bay is an option, but I don't need to spend all week there.

I am going on a big family cruise this Summer on the Breakaway and we are interested in doing an escape room.

We are wondering about:

• When they take place
  
• The cost per person
  
• How many people are in a group
  
• How long they take
  
• Age requirements
  
• When and where to make reservations (if needed)
  

I know that it's a long list, so it's okay if you only know some details. Thanks!

According to their website, you do have to prepay them (unless they have changed it without me knowing).

https://goo.gl/P4FgTT (I had to use a different url because they kept starring out the direct link for some reason...)

According to http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=2337, no, but sometimes those articles are outdated. Fantasy is also their oldest ship. I liked the old menus better too, the food was MUCH better on the Pride before the new menus.

When is your cruise? There is usually more free space farther from your sail date. Try to call RCCL because they usually can change it for you. Also, be sure to request a table for two early to avoid the risk of being assigned a group table. You can always to the maitre d' on the first day, but your chances are lower if you are new to RCCL.

If you want to do anytime dining you have to prepay gratuities, but I have no idea how long the waits are. We only do assigned dining.

Do not purchase the cups beforehand if you are getting a soda package. They come at a discount if you buy them on the ship with bottomless bubbles.

If you are parking, definitely plan on arriving earlier because the traffic is horrible. We were stuck in line for parking for over an hour last year on the Pride.

Our family of four recently booked a cruise on the Grandeur of the Seas for this Summer. We originally wanted balconies, but due to only one floor of the ship having those cabins and nearly double the price for each person, we were forced to book inside cabins. We have connecting cabins in the very front of the ship on deck four. Should we be worried about the noise coming from the theater above us or even possibly the Centrum? Is there anything else we should know about this ship?