Past Princess Cruiser -- new to Royal

[Janie1229]

My husband and I have cruised several times, all on Princess. We are very comfortable and familiar with the ins and outs of cruising Princess now.

 

Can anyone give me some tips on cruising Royal?

[mrsfuzzmo]

Excpect a lot more: entertainment, color, music, fun, energy.

 

We found Princess was very "vanilla". It was nice, but lacked the energy, artwork and liveliness of RCI.

[Clarea]

Not sure if this is different on Princess, but gratuities are not automatic on Royal. You have 3 choices to pay gratuities:

 

1) Prepay before the cruise.

2) Fill out a form on board to have gratutites charged to your on board account.

3) Pay cash at the end of the cruise.

 

Suggested gratuities are $11.65 per person per day. This includes the statroom attendant, waiter, assistant waiter, and headwaiter. In a Grand Suite or better, the total is $13.90 per person per day.

 

No 24 hr buffet on Royal

No grill on the pool deck

 

Other Royal terms

Daily schedule: Cruise Compass

Boarding pass: SetSail pass

Room key/charge card: SeaPass card

Kids program: Adventure Ocean

Buffet: Windjammer

Pool deck: Pool deck

[papaflamingo]

Depends which ship you are going on. If it's Voyager, Freedom, or Oasis class you'll find it remarkably different. I have only done Grand Princess and liked it. But Royal Caribbean ship designs, in my opinion, are better as you can get from bow to stern very easily. The Promenade deck is quite a place. All ships have a Viking Crown Lounge which has beautiful floor to ceiling windows and great to relax in.

Let us know what you think when you get back.

[smurf1635]

Just off the Enchantment, our first Royal Caribbean. I never complain about food, always thrilled to not cook, but enjoyed Princess food more, especially desserts. The outdoor movie screen is brand new for Enchantment, but so under used. No evening blankets on deck, no cool cloths when reboarding in ports.

 

These are little things that did not ruin my vacation. Have always heard good things about RCI, so I decided to purchase a future booking and will try a larger, newer ship.

 

Any cruise is better than no cruise!

[satxdiver]

I have been on several Princess and RCI ships as you can see. As one poster stated you have to designate how the daily tips will be paid on RCI while it is automatic (unless you stop it) on Princess. The WJ (buffet) closes between meals and overnight. They lock the door so you cannot even use the tables.

 

The royal promenade goes down the middle of the ship on deck 5 and reaches up to deck 8 on the voyager and freedom class ships. They try to make it look like a street scene with the interior staterooms on decks 6, 7 and 8 having big bow windows looking over the scene below. They charge more for those interior rooms. They have the usual glass elevators.

 

The International Cafe is called the cafe promenade with pretty much the same food and is open 24x7. It sells premium coffee and has a premium ice cream for sale.

 

The RCI ships do not have a grill or pizza near the swimming pools. That comes from the WJ which is closed sometimes. There are two pool areas, one for everyone including the junior set and one for adults only on the Lido deck (pool deck). Voyager class ships uses salt water and freedom class use fresh water.

 

The back of the WJ is a huge window looking out over the stern. Both class ships have a small ice skating rink down on deck 3 where they have two ice shows (repeats) and one hour of free skating on sea days.

 

I have found the food and shows to be similar.

[davy jones]

My opinion (others may vary)

 

Decor: Royal has more glitz. Princess more refined.

Cabins: Similar. Princess has hard mattresses.

Food: MDR: Princess better by a little. Buffet: Princess significantly better.

International Cafe vs. Cafe Prom: Tie. Princess food a bit better, but RC has the Seattle's best coffee, etc.

Entertainment: Production shows similar. Overall: Royal has more activities and variety

Service: Equal (good). Princess a bit more refined in MDR.

 

Either way, you should be happy

[smoosh21]

My opinion (others may vary)

 

Decor: Royal has more glitz. Princess more refined.

Cabins: Similar. Princess has hard mattresses.

Food: MDR: Princess better by a little. Buffet: Princess significantly better.

International Cafe vs. Cafe Prom: Tie. Princess food a bit better, but RC has the Seattle's best coffee, etc.

Entertainment: Production shows similar. Overall: Royal has more activities and variety

Service: Equal (good). Princess a bit more refined in MDR.

 

Either way, you should be happy

 

Princess CD staff is more formal than Royal, you could say stuffier

Princess Entertainers do a better job of interacting with passengers

Royal has better Shows (The main show we saw on Princess could have been called the Osmonds meet Motown).

Princess has Much better Pizza. You will be very disappointed with Sorentos versus what Princess serves

[bigeagle12]

I agree with the previous two posters .. especially about the pizza.

[JulieRose]

OMG! Everyone is shooting down some of my favorite things about Princess! I knew the pizza would be a letdown but sheesh! WJ closing between meals? What is "between meals"? We like to eat at what some would consider "weird" times. Buffet better on Princess? Food better on Princess? What have I gotten myself into?!?

 

(Okay, so maybe all I care about is the food!)

[Happy2cruise]

Did our first RC cruise 2 weeks ago. Have done 24 Princess cruises but went with an open mind. While we did enjoy our cruise, it was as not as good as expected. We are NOT high maintenance and just love being on the boat so these are not complaints only comparisons.

 

Pizza was only available in Windjammer and looked and tasted frozen. Missed the pizza available anytime by the pool and also the grill.

 

Room service menu is very, very limited and food bland tasting.

 

Shops and etc on Promenade Deck were nice and enjoyed them, but felt like I was in mall instead of a ship.

 

Beds and pillows much better than Princess. Bathroom area and shower a little bigger so easier to move around.

 

May have been our particular sailing, but crew was not as friendly as to what we are use to. We love to interact with crew. Not the case on our cruise.

 

Wheelchair assistance for embarking and disembarking on both Princess & RC were great. Only difference, once on ship Princess continues to help with things like offering to carry plates in the buffet, getting your beverage, assisting on and off the ramps when in ports as opposed to RC crew ignoring you.

 

Smoking in public areas and on balconies was something we had forgotten about as Princess does not allow it but RC does. Does make a difference.

 

Go and enjoy your cruise.....it's a new adventure that you may very well enjoy. Everyone is different and you will only know what you like/dislike by comparing. Good luck and happy cruising.

 

Love that you can go directly to your cabin on Princess when embarking as opposed to waiting until 1pm or later on RC.

[negc]

Just off the Enchantment, our first Royal Caribbean. I never complain about food, always thrilled to not cook, but enjoyed Princess food more, especially desserts. The outdoor movie screen is brand new for Enchantment, but so under used.

IMO, much better if it is "underused" than "overused". When "Movies Under the Stars" became "Movies Under the Sun and the Stars" and blastingly loud, intrusive videos and movies were shown from early morning to late evening as has been reported to be common on Princess and Carnival, the concept lost its attraction for many of us. So far RCI seems to have avoided that and has used discretion as to when and how to use this feature so that it adds to, rather than detracts from, the cruise experience.

[smoosh21]

OMG! Everyone is shooting down some of my favorite things about Princess! I knew the pizza would be a letdown but sheesh! WJ closing between meals? What is "between meals"? We like to eat at what some would consider "weird" times. Buffet better on Princess? Food better on Princess? What have I gotten myself into?!?

 

(Okay, so maybe all I care about is the food!)

 

The Windjammer will close at around 2 PM and not open again until 6 PM. It is not open between meals. You will need to go to the other venues to get snacks (or room service). I don't recall if all Princess ships have it, but I remember the Coral had a big spread at 3:30 or 4:00 with Prime Rib and Yorkshire pudding every day

 

Oh, I do like the showers better on Royal. They have solid doors versus shower curtains.

[Reina del Mar]

In a similar position, have sailed P&O, Union Castle, (Reina del Mar), Norwegian Caribbean (Vistafjord) and Princess, but about to take our first Royal Caribbean cruise. Now as the time approaches, my excitement is waning, as I read here several disappointing comments, that make me feel I should have read the small print more carefully, although we actually chose our forthcoming cruise for its itinerary- one which Princess doesn't offer.

 

Can anyone please help to restore my enthusiasm ?

 

My concerns are...

 

Smoking on balconies, no self service launderettes, not being allowed to take wine in excess of 2 x 750 cl bottles aboard per cabin.....(we're not great drinkers but do appreciate a pre dinner drink in our cabin,) prices of drinks and drink packages, to mention a few..

 

Hopefully someone can make some helpful comments ???

[Janie1229]

Thank you to everyone for your thoughtful replies. While we have not decided on a vacation, we haven't been on a cruise in almost 2 years (did diving trips last year) and I'm really craving a cruise again.

 

Princess has apparently stopped -- at least for now -- the itineraries out of San Juan, and I'm not sure why. I love leaving from San Juan b/c you have more port days and fewer sea days -- always a plus for us.

 

Also, RC has a couple of interesting Norway fjord cruises that sound interesting. I'm not sure why, but the thought of cruising the fjords sounds really cool to me :D

 

Thanks very much for all the tips and suggestions!

[powelweb]

The Windjammer will close at around 2 PM and not open again until 6 PM. It is not open between meals. You will need to go to the other venues to get snacks (or room service). I don't recall if all Princess ships have it, but I remember the Coral had a big spread at 3:30 or 4:00 with Prime Rib and Yorkshire pudding every day

 

Oh, I do like the showers better on Royal. They have solid doors versus shower curtains.

 

Is this new- WJ closing for the afternoon? I haven't been on RCCL for a few years, but I do clearly remember going for their version of afternoon tea between 3-4 on the Voyager TA in 2008, and they had some wonderful scones and other pastries available.

[truffles2]

The Windjammer will close at around 2 PM and not open again until 6 PM. It is not open between meals. You will need to go to the other venues to get snacks (or room service).

 

Not true. They do not close but they do slow somewhat after lunch and then about 3-330 they have snacks, tacos, scones, all kinds of snack type foods.

[reney313]

I have cruised Princess twice in the last 2 years and 8 times on RCI.

 

There are a few items I've read here that are confusing to me...

 

1. WJ hours. I have never noticed WJ "closing" in the afternoon. They generally will close one side down after 2:00 as they get ready for the snacks....the other side continues with the lunch items until about 3:30. Then that side closes down and the other side opens up and stays open until about 5:30-6:00. At that point, the other side opens for the dinner selections and the one that closed gets set up. Then around 6:00 both sides are open for dinner...then one side closes later for the late night eaters. Then both close for good, I want to say 10:00ish? At that point Room Service is still available as well as Sorrentos and Cafe Promenade which are 24 hours. I can't remember Johnny Rockets hours, but they also go pretty late.

 

2. No pizza except for the WJ. On the Voyager, Freedom and Oasis class ships, there is pizza 24 hours in either Cafe Promenade (Voyager class) or the separate Sorrento's Pizza place (Freedom and Oasis). That all being said, I did prefer the pizza on Princess. I just didn't want anyone to think it was only available in WJ.

 

I find RCI and Princess more alike than different. The main difference being the "wow" factors of "most" of RCI ships...although there definitely is a difference between the Sovereign/Vision class vs. the Voyager/Freedom/Oasis class ships. And between the Voyager/Freedom, I definitely prefer Freedom class (Freedom, Liberty, and Indy).

 

Wine bar: RCI=Vintages and Princess=Vines. I like Vintages better. They have self serve machines which are really cool and allow the option to have a small "sample" (of course you pay with your sea pass). The bartenders in both are very good. RCI has tapas...they were free when we had wine. I can't recall Vines having food.

 

RCI Voyager/Freedom/Oasis have an ice rink which allows additional entertainment other than typical production shows. Freedom class have some wonderful broadway shows. Oasis has more than I could ever mention in a post. I did not see near the caliber on Diamond/Sapphire Princess. To be fair, I don't think Voyager/Vision/Sovereign class shows are as good.

 

I loved Crooners on Princess (the martini bar) although Boleros was a decent substitute. I prefer RCI's Schooner bar to Princess's Wheelhouse bar. I like the escalator to the nightclub on Princess and the nightclub was nice...but I LOVE the Viking Crown lounge for the views on RCI. They also have a separate 2 story nightclub on the Voyager and up ships...Also a Pub on the promenade. There truly are a lot more used public spaces onboard a Royal Caribbean ship. You can't be disappointed!

 

I did like the Sanctuary on Princess, but appreciate the adult only Solarium area on RCI that is free. Two different concepts, but both fit the need perfectly. I have not used the spa on either line..nor the fitness center.

 

Royal's sports deck is typically much more active (flow riders, mini golf, rock climbing wall, volleyball/basketball). I loved the layout at the aft end of the Princess ships.

 

For me, Princess fit the bill for the Alaska itinerary on both cruises. However, I do prefer RCI ships. Their service was comparable on both ships..I didn't feel one was better (or worse) than the other.

[uksimonusa]

The Windjammer will close at around 2 PM and not open again until 6 PM. It is not open between meals. You will need to go to the other venues to get snacks (or room service). I don't recall if all Princess ships have it, but I remember the Coral had a big spread at 3:30 or 4:00 with Prime Rib and Yorkshire pudding every day

 

Oh, I do like the showers better on Royal. They have solid doors versus shower curtains.

 

Have never seen a Windjammer close in the afternoon on any RCI ship, one side will close as they transition from breakfast to lunch, lunch to snacks, snacks to dinner etc, but once that sode has transitioned then the other side will close while it transisitons, I would say each side is only closed for less than 30 minutes.

[MrsKC08]

We have sailed Princess several times and is our favorite line for a few reasons. My husband sailed RCCL a couple times before we were married, but I however have never sailed on Royal. We having a cruise coming in May on Freedom of the Seas and are very excited about this new experience as the ships that DH sailed on with Royal before were a smaller class ship and didn't have a lot that the Freedom and Oasis class offer.

 

In my research I have noted somethings that I know we will miss on this upcoming voyage.

 

• We LOVE the pizza on Princess
  
• We are going to miss the "pasta bar"
  
• We are going to miss the cushioned lounges, blankets, warm cookies, and popcorn we have when watching MUTS on Princess.
  
• We love the ultimate kids drink package that Princess offers at such a reasonable price for any drinks without alcohol (smoothies, milkshakes, mocktails, sodas, fresh squeezed juice, etc.)
  

 

However, we are looking forward to:

• Royal Promenade
  
• Ice show
  
• Flow Rider and Rock Wall experiences
  
• Different dining venues
  
• New experiences!
  

 

Each cruiseline has their perks and their downfalls. I hope that you enjoy your cruise non-the-less. I know that we will because we simply love cruising. I hope you come back and share your thoughts about this upon your return. I know that I will mark this forum so I can! :)

 

Oh, and keep the tips coming. I love hearing everyone's opinions...even though I go with a completely open mind.

[cathep]

Is this new- WJ closing for the afternoon? I haven't been on RCCL for a few years, but I do clearly remember going for their version of afternoon tea between 3-4 on the Voyager TA in 2008, and they had some wonderful scones and other pastries available.

 

I'm excited about the afternoon tea. I didn't realize they did this.

[Janie1229]

Lots of good tips and feedback here, thank you!

 

I think one of the biggest concerns I have with Royal is being run over by kids. I didn't see as many on Princess, and with all the activities on RCL (which I would love too), thinking there will be a lot more children.

 

However, I am not impressed with the Princess itineraries lately. Very disappointed Princess is not using San Juan as an embarkation port any longer, and I was also looking at something really different like a Norway cruise and I think RCL has a better itinerary. RCL also has some wonderful Southern Caribbean itineraries out of San Juan.

 

But it's all good! My husband and I were so surprised that we enjoyed cruising when we went with a big group in spring of 2007. We're both scuba divers and typically go on dedicated dive trips. But we not only enjoyed the cruise, we loved it. Very different and it's fun being pampered sometimes :)

[Topo Gigio]

Royal has very good beds in comparison with Princess. You will sleep like a baby.

[Janie1229]

I agree, 2 out of the 3 cruises we did on Princess had uncomfortable beds. We did get the mattress topper, which helped, but overall agree that the beds are not super comfortable.

[MickeyandLV]

This thread was originally started right before we were leaving on our first Royal cruise, so I took notes while on the cruise. We have cruised on Princess 5 times.

 

Royal: Jewel of the Seas

Princess: Island, Coral, Caribbean, Star and Golden

 

Princess (good things)

Free postcards in the room

Each side of the ship has different color carpet so you know which side is which

Better signage showing where you are in the ship

More demonstrations

Name outside the door, if you cannot remember your room number at least you can check your name on the door

More closet space

Closet is out of the way of the door

Chocolates on the pillow with turn-down

More electrical outlets

Muster drill inside

Sitting down during muster drill

“Where are we now” channel on TV gives more information, tells when sunrise and sunset will be

Bridge cams ( I love looking at the bridge cams of places we have been)

Better website that is easier to use

Map of the ship at check-in

Much faster service in the main dining room.

The names outside the doors also have if the person is gold, platinum, and elite. We always enjoy walking down the hall to see how many people are on their first Princess cruise.

Sofa is by the balcony, so you can sit on the sofa and look outside which was nice in Alaska when it was cold outside and so much to see

 

Princess minuses

Not always a robe in the room even when we asked for it

Always trying to sell something in the atrium

Only one line in the buffet

“Attack” shower curtains that really want to cling in the small showers

 

 

Royal +

Shower doors on the showers. Not being attacked by the shower curtains

Do not have to take the life jackets to the muster drill

2 sides/lines for the buffet

Glasses of drinks already poured in the buffet. You do not have to wait for staff to bring you a drink

Room number on card. The last 3 numbers of the room number are on the room-key, so you only need to remember what floor you are on.

Offer to have a picture with the captain.

Balcony room has a sofa

Towel animals (not really that important to me)

Tinting on the balcony glass is lighter, so easier to see out especially for really short like me

Heavy robe in the room without asking

Balconies rooms have a couch

 

Royal minuses

Muster drill outside and must stand up the whole time. I felt so sorry for the people having to stand with their walkers and canes. It was very warm outside. Not good directions of where we were supposed to go.

Not enough elevators. Only two sets and none in the back third of the ship

Poor signage

No name outside the door, so it was hard to find a room without the number. Hard to find our room and the rooms of our family

Not as much food out by the pool. We missed the hamburgers and pizza.

The buffet closes during parts of the afternoon

Harder to use website. I had to call Royal a few times to get questions answered

Told cannot bring soda on the ship but we did not have any trouble bringing it on the ship

Bed is by the balcony and sofa by the door.

2 to 2&1/2 hours for dinner in the main dining room. 45 minutes to 1 hour to get our appetizer or salad. We had early dining at assigned time and table.

 

We have been talking today about which cruise line we will take for our next cruise. We still feel more comfortable on Princess but we will consider Royal again.