On board the Royal.

[gnatz007]

This isn't a live thread, but just my trip so far. We are currently in st Thomas, waiting to hit the ground running...

 

Leaving SLC:

We left with plenty of time and got to the airport an hour and a half early. A quick stroll through the security line, and a little wait to board. After months of anticipation we were finally on our way to the caribbean

 

While waiting for for our flight, we received word from our other family members coming from San Francisco that they missed their flight! ( their daughter, from college was traveling with us). Evidently their security line wasn't a leisurely stroll and took much much longer than expected.

 

Our flight flew through Chicago, and we were not expected to switch planes. Unfortunately due to the snow and ice troubles across the country they had us switch planes in Chicago and wait for three hours before we took back off to Florida. A tense three hours knowing the troubles that others were facing with airports just hoping our flight would actually take off from Chicago. While waiting in Chicago we received word from our Californian wanderers that they were able to book flights via Los Angeles and Dallas, but wouldn't be arriving into Florida until Sunday morning. More nerves as we just hoped and prayed nothing else would happen and they would still make it.

 

One slight positive with them missing their flight, and traveling with their daughter, we now had our choice of hotels! We were booked into the Hyatt Park Place and they were booked in the Renaissance. We decided to take their room at the renaissance, allowing us to be closer to the ship.

 

The Renaissance is a great cruise hotel. The beds and pillows were very comfortable and there were many dining options very close by. We decided for a light dinner knowing the following day would be the start of foodapalooza. Just around the way is a Shula's hamburger. They don't have those in utah, and I have to say, all three of us loved it! Highly recommended!

 

Embarkation Day!

Got up around 7:30 and decided to go for a walk. From our 5th floor lobby you could see the top of the Royal over the buildings across the street. We went to the 17th street bridge to take pictures and get our first real view of the Royal. Pictures and webcam views just don't do it justice. It's a beautiful ship!

 

After our walk we received word that our Californians had made it safe and sound in Florida and would make it after all.

 

We headed down to the port around 11:30 and there was a considerable line outside. However, once we were in line we were immediately joined by out wayward Californians so all was well. Lines took about an hour and by 12:30ish we were in our cabin.

 

We stopped by the VERY crowded horizon court and decided against the cloud in favor for a slice of pizza near the pool and a quieter table bear the window overlooking the harbor.

 

 

Just a quick note, I loved the pizza!

 

Dinner was at 5:45, traditional dining in the Allegro dining room. The food was very good in our opinion. Both of us had the prime rib, at it was cooked to perfection. For dessert the love boat dream for me... Died and gone to heaven.

 

A few comments about the cabin. We are in c601 which is a regular balcony on the starboard side. The cabin is a little small, but for the two of us just fine. Also I miss the 1 foot deeper balcony, but it's still fine for us to sit on and hang out. No problems. The bathroom and shower are just fine. Plenty of pressure and hot water. The bed is a little on the firm side, but had no problems sleeping just fine. Was hoping for some Olympic coverage on the tv, but none to be found. Oh well... More time alone with my wife!

 

Princess Cays:

Up at 6:30 this morning. Watched as the ship skirted along Eleuthera. So fun to be on a ship and watch the seas and island pass you by. Absolutely nothing like it.

 

At 8:15 we headed down to the international cafe, (which is quickly becoming our favorite place to eat), for a breakfast sandwich and a glass of milk. Into the tender ticket line at 8:30 and onto the tender right at 9. We were lucky enough to sit on top, which is nice to do for great pictures and views of the Royal while she is resting at sea, our only opportunity since every other time we are outside she will be along side a dock.

 

Once on the island we enjoyed snorkeling near David Jones locker and a clamshell near the water. On the clamshell.. I'm not so sure that I would do that again. It was nice for some privacy and shade, but there were plenty of places in the shade for those that wish to do so. We had to rest the back of it on our chairs in order to let the breeze come through.

 

Princess cays was a much welcomed beach stop for us that have been surviving gray cold days. It was nice to finally get some warmth and sun. As always the Princess staff were friendly and smiling.

 

 

One negative. The food. Neither of us cared for anything that was offered. The food was on the bland side, and was luke warm at best. We tried the ribs, chicken, fish and none of them were great. We heard from others that the burgers were ok, but we decided to just wait and get a sandwich from the IC when we got back. Glad we did. The sandwich we got (sorry forgot the name) was incredible. By the way, get in line right at 11:30, by noon the lines were quite long and it was a bit hot waiting in line.

 

The tender line was very long when we decided to leave around 2:45. However it did move rather quick and took us about 20 mins in total to board the tender.

 

We got ready for dinner while watching them load the tenders on board. Tonight was surf and turf with filet mignon and shrimp. Yum...

 

After dinner was the Beatle Maniacs. So glad they were back on board. After reading Dave's review, I really wanted to see them. They were very good! Loved the show!

 

We turned in a little early as I think the sun sapped us a little.

 

Day at Sea:

Woke up and decided to stop by the running track and do a couple rounds around the track. It was very windy! Was nice because walking aft it felt like someone was pushing you aft... Of course the opposite was true going forward. Was very nice regardless to be walking outside.

 

This morning was our first stop in the horizon court for breakfast. In my opinion it was "ok". Nothing special, but certainly not bad. It was big, bright and easy to find something.

 

It has been some time for both of us since our last cruise, and I have forgotten how relaxed you can get cruising. While the balcony is smaller, it's been great to sit and just watch the water cruise on by. The best!

 

Tonight was formal night. After dinner we walked around, and then caught the "tan Elton John" show. Not bad. Because of St Thomas, we decided to turn in a little earlier.

 

One thing about the ship, I really really miss the promenade deck. It may even be a return trip killer for us. Especially on formal nights we loved walking around the promenade deck. Everyone else in our party feels the same. It's a real bummer.

 

St Thomas: next.

[gnatz007]

I will post a lot more pictures when I get home and a real internet connection. Holler if you want me to take any specific pictures.

Edited February 19, 2014 by gnatz007

[silverbird]

On a sea day, try to do the Art and Architecture Tour. You can pick up a guide in the Art Gallery. It was a beautiful way to fill in some time. Also, wander the hallways and look at the photography done by prior Princess cruisers. Some of the pictures are absolutely amazing.

 

Above all, enjoy your cruise and the company of your friends.

[Grego]

They are fixing the "Promenade Deck" issue on the Regal so it will be a true walk around. There also will be stairways in Piazza area which are absent in the Royal.

Edited February 19, 2014 by Grego

[jagoffee]

They are fixing the "Promenade Deck" issue on the Regal so it will be a true walk around. There also will be stairways in Piazza area which are absent in the Royal.

What is your definition of a "true walk around"?

Thanks

[NeurosurgeryNP]

Can you comment if the all inclusive (alcohol) beverage package was offered on embarkation day? Hearing mixed comments on this. Thanks.

[Grego]

What is your definition of a "true walk around"?

Thanks

 

What I meant was that on the Royal the Promenade walkway is U shaped in that you can walk from Port side to Starboard side going around aft but not by going around the forward area. Unlike the Grand Class ships where you can go around forward by using the stairway up to Emerald Deck, there aren't stairs on the Royal.

 

My understanding is that the Regal will have an open walkway around Deck 7 which to me is a "true" walk around.

[Mom33]

My husband and I will usually go out on the promenade deck after dinner or one of the shows to look at the sea and sky. We never stay out long because it is usually windy and I don't want to mess up my hairdo.:p:D Also, we have lifeboats hanging over our heads blocking the night sky. It will be interesting to walk out on the promenade deck of the Royal and look up directly at the sky.:D

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for checking in.

[kendon]

On the Royal last week there was a lecture in the Princess Live venue given by someone from corporate. There will be no midship stairs for passengers and the Promenade Deck will also not change. There are rumors that these things will be different on the Regal, but apparently are not true. Where have you heard about the changes to the Promenade Deck?

 

Honestly there were plenty of outdoor seating areas to view the sea both port, starboard, and aft, and there were plenty of midship elevators with a reasonable wait time to handle the load.

[kendon]

My husband and I will usually go out on the promenade deck after dinner or one of the shows to look at the sea and sky. We never stay out long because it is usually windy and I don't want to mess up my hairdo.:p:D Also, we have lifeboats hanging over our heads blocking the night sky. It will be interesting to walk out on the promenade deck of the Royal and look up directly at the sky.:D

 

You will really enjoy the outdoor areas they have now with great seating. Deck 16 aft has a huge covered outdoor seating area with a vast view and nice comfy seating arrangements.

[FishOn55]

This isn't a live thread, but just my trip so far.

 

Dinner was at 5:45, traditional dining in the Allegro dining room. The food was very good in our opinion. Both of us had the prime rib, at it was cooked to perfection. For dessert the love boat dream for me... Died and gone to heaven.

 

We got ready for dinner while watching them load the tenders on board. Tonight was surf and turf with filet mignon and shrimp. Yum...

 

 

Thank you so much for taking time to share your Royal experience with us all. I'm cruising on the Royal in March and really appreciate your first-hand information.

 

I'm a dessert person..loved to hear about Love Boat Dream you enjoyed.

 

Do you remember what desserts were offered/you ordered on Princess Cays night and last night on your first sea day? I'd love to know.

 

Kathy

[jagoffee]

What I meant was that on the Royal the Promenade walkway is U shaped in that you can walk from Port side to Starboard side going around aft but not by going around the forward area. Unlike the Grand Class ships where you can go around forward by using the stairway up to Emerald Deck, there aren't stairs on the Royal.

 

My understanding is that the Regal will have an open walkway around Deck 7 which to me is a "true" walk around.

 

Thank you. A little surprising that it would be U shaped because that is a significant change.

Edited February 20, 2014 by jagoffee

[dmwnc1959]

What I meant was that on the Royal the Promenade walkway is U shaped in that you can walk from Port side to Starboard side going around aft but not by going around the forward area. Unlike the Grand Class ships where you can go around forward by using the stairway up to Emerald Deck, there aren't stairs on the Royal.

 

My understanding is that the Regal will have an open walkway around Deck 7 which to me is a "true" walk around.

 

Regal Princess will NOT have a walk-around promenade deck. There was talk that the current open areas would be 'connected' by the areas behind the lifeboats which is currently restricted for crew use only. There will be no aft walkway around the stern, nor forward around the bow. If what they were taking about did happen, the only walkable areas would be along the length of the ship, and the port side will not connect to the starboard side.

 

Here is the link the the article:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=5623

 

And when I was on Royal Princess in December, there was no way to walk around the aft of the ship on Deck 7, so unless they changed that since then, the exterior Promenade Deck is not 'U' shaped.

 

.

Edited February 20, 2014 by dmwnc1959

[Woobstr112G]

OP;

 

Thanks for checking in. In regards to the comments about the promenade deck; whatever version they come up with will still be sorely lacking. The "walkway" will be very very narrow and most all views will be blocked by the lifeboats. Not my idea of a promenade deck in any form/version.

 

Bob

[nhcruiser]

Thanks for the information. We are boarding the Royal this weekend.:)

[gnatz007]

St Thomas:

The day before we got to st Thomas it was looking like a 50% chance of rain with clouds and 20mph winds. Our original plan was the castaway girl sailboat and snorkel, but we figured why spend the money and be miserable so we canceled the day before, and decide to join our Californians to Megan's bay instead.

 

When we arrived in st Thomas there were some clouds looming, and a slight drizzle. Nothing too bad, and certainly not enough to forgo our new beach plan. By the time we got breakfast taken care of, and out to the taxi, the weather was improving dramatically and it looked like it was going to be a fantastic day. We had the funniest taxi driver, an older woman named Petra. She just brightened our day even more. She also suggested to skip Megan's bay and go to Coki instead. We decided to follow her advice and she took us to coki. So glad we did! What a beautiful beach! The sand was like sugar, and the water was calm and absolutely beautiful. We figured the pictures we had seen were doctored. Nope, it really is that beautiful. Our family members procured a couple of chairs under the tree, and we decided to walk the beach to grab some photos. At the far end there were several iguanas playing around and eating. A lot of fun to watch. By the time we got back, the beach was starting to fill in. Other ships were starting to invade the island! Spent an hour or two enjoying the beach and sun, then decided to check out the marine wildlife park.

 

Outside the entrance a nice couple gave us discount passes which knocked the price down a little. The park is nice, but not a ton to look at. Couple of sharks, rays, turtles and some friendly birds to feed.

 

We made our way into town for some shopping in Charlotte Amalie and back on board the ship. After dinner we attended the David Cats illusionist show. Some of it was great and some of it was very cheesy. He should drop the levitation bit...it didn't work very well.

 

St Maarten

We headed to Mullet Bay for our morning beach visit. Like coki, it was absolutely stunning. The water was beautiful, and the sand like fine sugar. After spending several hours on the beach, we took the short walk to Maho to watch the planes land. Awesome! A real party atmosphere as people cheered, etc.

 

Took a taxi back to philipsburg for more shopping and walking around the boardwalk. Our original plan was to just walk back to the ship from front street, but the heat was getting to us, so we opted for the water taxi. The pools on board were calling our name.

 

Unfortunately the retreat pool was PACKED! Not a chair to be found. So we headed for the very crowded main pool. Kind of a bummer experience considering we were at port and the ship was mostly empty. More on the pools later...

 

Tonight, was the comedian Robbie Prinz. He had us in stitches we were laughing so hard. He is performing again on Saturday night and we can't wait to see him again!

 

Two Days at Sea

Today we decided was a hang out at the pool day to relax. Unfortunately this is where our second seriously complaint comes in with the royal. The pool space and chair space! There just isn't enough pool real estate with the subtraction of the aft pool. The retreat pool was packed, the main and plunge pools were packed. It just felt like everyone was crammed in like sardines. We missed the aft pool of the star princess. It was also hard for us to find a deck chair. After thirty minutes of searching we finally found one that was ok. The rest of the afternoon we slowly chair swapped until we were finally in a great seat near the actual pools.

 

On to the great positive! The hamburgers, pizza, and ice cream are fantastic! The service was also fantastic and speedy. Once the chair situation was mostly resolved via musical chairs we enjoyed our time in the sun and really enjoyed the food, and drinks.

 

Tonight was lobster night, and it was cooked to perfection. I was in heaven! We also enjoyed time out on the midship promenade alone, watching the sea slowly drift by. The one positive with the current promenade is the ability to see the stars since it is open to the evening sky. We actually enjoyed this, I just wish you could walk all the way around. Oh well, point made...

[Sellstar]

Last week was glorious aboard Royal!

[Grego]

Thanks again for the review. We are looking forward to being on her in April and also to check out where they have placed our winning photos we submitted.

[-Lew-]

 

There also will be stairways in Piazza area which are absent in the Royal.

Which stairways in the area of the piazza were absent in the Royal?

 

I sailed on the Royal TA and there were stairways in the piazza between decks 5, 6 and 7. Also, there were stairways just aft of the midship elevators between decks 4, 5, 6 and 7.

 

Lew