COUNTDOWN to REGAL PRINCESS: News, updates, and general information!!!

[chamima]

Pictures of Regal Princess departing on Sea Trails this morning from Monfalcone. One thing I had noticed in some pictures post-drydock were what looked like funnel exhaust extensions. These new pictures seem to confirm this...a[/size]

 

 

 

Hopefully this will resolve the aft soot issue.

[5:00_Somewhere]

Pictures of Regal Princess departing on Sea Trails this morning from Monfalcone. One thing I had noticed in some pictures post-drydock were what looked like funnel exhaust extensions. These new pictures seem to confirm this...

 

Hopefully this will resolve the aft soot issue.

 

Those funnels definitely have extensions, as compared with the Royal. I agree: hopefully this will solve the soot problem. Would seem to be a relatively easy retrofit to the Royal, as well. Too bad it sort of ruins the aesthetic "line" of the funnel area, but that has to be secondary to solving the soot problem.

Edited April 16, 2014 by 5:00_Somewhere

[dmwnc1959]

Just off of the coast and within sight of land, Regal Princess did some slow speed tight maneuvering for about 40 minutes, as seen in these AIS Marine Traffic grab and some pictures...

 

 

Zoom in of the squiggly area shown above...

 

 

Almost looks like she is testing the bow thrusters and spinning

 

 

Credit all pictures Il Piccolo

Edited April 16, 2014 by dmwnc1959

[dmwnc1959]

Current position

[dmwnc1959]

From the local Trieste newspaper taking about her departure today:

 

"Accompanied by two tugs, ready to respond to any emergency at about 10.30 on Wednesday, the Regal Princess, the lastest cruise ship built at the Fincantieri Monfalcone, deaprted from the dock and maneuvered down the channel that connects the harbor to the open sea.

 

Off of the Trieste coast, where it remained until after 13.30, for the development and calibration of the main instruments, Regal Princess pointed her bow towards the South-West gradually increased speed. Around 14:30 the unit was already abeam of Piran, but along a route in the middle of the gulf.

 

The long series of tests prior to delivery to Princess Cruises, expected in mid-May, will continue for a few days and see the ship go up through the middle of the Adriatic.

 

The return to Monfalcone is expected on Easter Monday."

[Kmkub]

Just off of the coast and within sight of land, Regal Princess did some slow speed tight maneuvering for about 40 minutes, as seen in these AIS Marine Traffic grab and some pictures...

 

This put a huge smile on my face. We just hit "under a year 'til sail," today! We board the Regal on April 15!

[dmwnc1959]

This put a huge smile on my face. We just hit "under a year 'til sail," today! We board the Regal on April 15!

 

Let the Countdown officially begin!

 

:D

[susiefay]

So excited to see the ship. She is a beauty:D

 

Thank you so much for starting this thread and posting all the photos.

Can't wait to sail her in December:D:D

[JPEvans]

I was comparing photos of the Regal that Dave posted today and photos

From that were posted several weeks ago. I noticed the funnel extensions

Are quite a bit more noticeable today than earlier photos. Are they an

Addition or do they retract?

[dmwnc1959]

I was comparing photos of the Regal that Dave posted today and photos

From that were posted several weeks ago. I noticed the funnel extensions

Are quite a bit more noticeable today than earlier photos. Are they an

Addition or do they retract?

 

Hi JP - Here is a picture I found back on April 10th that was taken post dry dock, and at that time I wasn't quite sure yet if those were indeed exhaust extensions or not. I definitely do not remember seeing them there in the pictures after she moored pier side after coming out of dry dock, so I wasn't sure where/when they were modified. And I sure can't guess whether they are retractable or not. Sorry. As I mentioned before it sure looked like they were there in this following picture, but I wanted to see departure pictures from today to confirm one way or another what they were....

 

[CamCruiser]

Thank for the updates and pictures of Regal! We booked a year ago to board in July. Seeing this beautiful ship at sea trials really makes our distant, out-in-the- future cruise seem real.

[JPEvans]

Hi JP - Here is a picture I found back on April 10th that was taken post dry dock, and at that time I wasn't quite sure yet if those were indeed exhaust extensions or not. I definitely do not remember seeing them there in the pictures after she moored pier side after coming out of dry dock, so I wasn't sure where/when they were modified. And I sure can't guess whether they are retractable or not. Sorry. As I mentioned before it sure looked like they were there in this following picture, but I wanted to see departure pictures from today to confirm one way or another what they were....

 

]

 

 

It should be interesting to hear from the first passengers if the soot and exhaust problems were fixed.

 

 

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[DaDivaMom]

Less than 45 days for us and we are quite excited to be on the second sailing :)

[PhillyCruiser]

There is a brief video (not professional quality, but who cares?) of the Regal Princess sailing outside of Monfalcone in the local newspaper, Il Piccolo. Here is the link:

 

http://video.gelocal.it/ilpiccolo/locale/regal-princess-esce-per-le-prove-in-mare/27519/27580

 

This is exciting!

 

Joan

[#1winelover]

Those funnels definitely have extensions, as compared with the Royal. I agree: hopefully this will solve the soot problem. Would seem to be a relatively easy retrofit to the Royal, as well. Too bad it sort of ruins the aesthetic "line" of the funnel area, but that has to be secondary to solving the soot problem.

 

OK, I think I got it! An engineering marvel! First: they defeat the consequences of the very huge, high MUTS screen thereby eliminating soot from AFT balconies. Drawing your initials in the soot is hereby eliminated! ;) Second: With the flick of a switch they rapidly convert into missile launchers offering additional protection from threats to national and international waters! This also includes those nasty pirates we've read about!! :rolleyes: This may also eliminate any chance of cruise companies arguing over who gets the best docking areas at US ports of embarkation and debarkation, as well as those pesky spots in St. Thomas!! :D Can't wait to see how many people actually "bite" on this one! :eek:

[#1winelover]

Current position

 

Thanks, David. I had this up on my screen just about all day! Love those "squiggly" drills! Also looked like she's got a tanker trailing along just in case she wants to refuel while in trials! And I noticed that the course she is running is keeping far away from other traffic in the area....I suppose that is so she can do radical moves when part of the test .... like that going from full ahead to full astern in the blink of an eye! (Yeah, I read that one somewhere too! .. hope no one is holding a glass of ANY liquid when they pull that one off!) I can't to that in my CTS!! Would really raise havoc with my tranny! :rolleyes:

[#1winelover]

I also liked the aerial picture of Britannia showing the location of her aft pool. I remember when it was first announced that this third in the series of Royal-class would have this feature, everyone was heralding how much better it made this one ship than the other two. We can now see (in #1winelover's words) that it's "not much bigger than a foot bath". However, I guess something is better than nothing. It will be interesting to see the first pictures of what Regal Princess' version of this foot bath will be. ;)

 

.

It offers one more venue for getting wet! ;) The question now will be "how many" and "how wet" and we shall await the observations from future passengers! Might be a nice place to "soak" prior to your pedicure in Lotus Spa! :confused:

[JPEvans]

It offers one more venue for getting wet! ;) The question now will be "how many" and "how wet" and we shall await the observations from future passengers! Might be a nice place to "soak" prior to your pedicure in Lotus Spa! :confused:

 

 

I have a feeling the pool added to the Regal will cause some controversy. I "believe" peoples gripe about the pool. Is not so much no pool, but the terraced design of the aft pool area on the Grand class ships.

 

 

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[#1winelover]

I have a feeling the pool added to the Regal will cause some controversy. I "believe" peoples gripe about the pool. Is not so much no pool, but the terraced design of the aft pool area on the Grand class ships.

 

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JP, I agree with you! And we both know that there will be NO satisfying all the folks with the addition of this "foot bath!" But look at it this way.....IF the folks that complained were given free reign of the design of future ships, can you possibly imagine WHAT would be the results of such a combined design :confused: Would it float? Would it fit into the existing water space of this planet?? Would it be even remotely affordable to book passage on this behemoth?? Just wondering? ;) :D

[SeaCBear]

I'll be happy to do some live updates once we're on board for the Regal's maiden voyage on May 20!

 

But, when were in an aft cabin on the Royal last January we didn't see a spot of soot on our balcony. I sat outside often in white shorts!

 

 

 

It should be interesting to hear from the first passengers if the soot and exhaust problems were fixed.

 

 

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[kendon]

JP, I agree with you! And we both know that there will be NO satisfying all the folks with the addition of this "foot bath!" But look at it this way.....IF the folks that complained were given free reign of the design of future ships, can you possibly imagine WHAT would be the results of such a combined design :confused: Would it float? Would it fit into the existing water space of this planet?? Would it be even remotely affordable to book passage on this behemoth?? Just wondering? ;) :D

 

Great post.

 

Do many people even use the aft pool? I never see more than 2-3 at any given time.

[kendon]

That's the big question going around since the first "in construction" pictures were made available. Given the space they had to put that "pool," it can't be much larger than a foot bath. Rest assured, those "huggy bear" dudes would fill that up after 3 of them showed up! :eek:

 

HAHA! I just happend to be on one of their cruises and they took up the entire aft of the ship...hundreds of them!

[#1winelover]

There is a brief video (not professional quality, but who cares?) of the Regal Princess sailing outside of Monfalcone in the local newspaper, Il Piccolo. Here is the link:

 

http://video.gelocal.it/ilpiccolo/locale/regal-princess-esce-per-le-prove-in-mare/27519/27580

 

This is exciting!

 

Joan

 

Joan! Thank you for sharing! Great shots, although not enough! :) I'm born and raised in the Philly area...Germantown Hospital is where I started, then out to W. Oak Lane some years later, then to Buck County (Warminster) until I entered the USAF in 1955. It's been a lifetime adventure, meeting friends all along the way! I'm on the Regal Maiden Caribbean Sampler on 11/6/14 so if you are interested, come join us on our roll call!

[Ethel5]

HAHA! I just happend to be on one of their cruises and they took up the entire aft of the ship...hundreds of them!

 

Gee, they just might have to use the main pool.

[#1winelover]

I'll be happy to do some live updates once we're on board for the Regal's maiden voyage on May 20!

 

But, when were in an aft cabin on the Royal last January we didn't see a spot of soot on our balcony. I sat outside often in white shorts!

 

Ahhh, one of my Canadian friends comes forth! PLEASE do post a "live from" when you start your maiden voyage. I shall try to find it, but you can make it easy by posting a link to it on this Thread! PLEASE! :) You may want to start that thread EARLY so we won't miss any of your fantastically interesting posts!

As for your lack of soot on the Royal...you have to thank your very conscientious cabin steward for his/her attention to the details of your balcony! Of course, IF your balcony was on the SIDE of the ship, and not the AFT of the ship, it probably was NOT a problem. ((but thank your cabin steward anyway! ))

Edited April 17, 2014 by #1winelover