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

dmwnc1959

By dmwnc1959,
in Princess Cruises

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dmwnc1959

dmwnc1959

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I really do enjoy doing this, even though the likelihood is I won't cruise again for quite some time. But it's fun seeing everyone's excitement in their upcoming cruises on her, and I'll be able to 'armchair sail' with those doing Live reports and posting pictures.

 

Hopefully those embarking now know all of the differences between Regal Princess and her older fleet mates, and that there will be no unwelcomed 'surprises'.

 

An informed traveler is a happy traveler.

 

:D

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dmwnc1959

dmwnc1959

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DRATS!! We're on the "real" Inaugural Cruise on 5/20 and would love to also go on this Pre-Inaugural, but can't change our travel plans so quickly...

 

Maybe that's good thing. It may not be much of a relaxing Shakedown Cruise with so many shipyard folks in jumpsuits still aboard fine tuning things and running around. By time you embark in Venice she'll be all ready for ya. ;)

 

 

 

Hmmm interesting. This is why I followed the Royal knowing that Princess Kate was the godmother I knew they would do that one up and have lots of announcements and chatter....figured Regal would sorta be the step-sister and be left out of the hoopla!

 

I would have expected an announcement by now, maybe in the coming days since we will then be below the one month mark before the Maiden Voyage.

 

 

Since I don't drink or smoke or run around with women all night. And I work a part time job to pay for my addiction. I think it's justified. Right?

 

In each life some sacrifices must be made... ;)

 

 

There's something to be said for keeping traditions alive.

 

Well said.

 

:D

Edited by dmwnc1959
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lfk60

lfk60

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Dave,

 

Thanks for once again taking so much of your time to get us excited and informed about the newest ship in the fleet.

 

DH and I finally board the Royal tomorrow, and it is all the information you so kindly shared with us that has us so excited! :D

 

May you be 'sea worthy' very soon! :)

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SeaTheWorldBySea

SeaTheWorldBySea

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An informed traveler is a happy traveler.

 

:D

 

Adding my thank you to a question. We will be on the Regal Berlin to NY Sept. 2015. I was excited to snag E410 a deluxe (angled) balcony. Will it be fully covered? Is there enough space on these balconies to sit facing the ocean, using a foot rest.

 

Our usual booking is midship obstructed view on Emerald - or inside, as low and midship as possible. I do get seasick. No insides on Regal Emerald were available and as you know, no cabins available on Plaza. This is a new thing for us to spring for a balcony.

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Sapphire56

Sapphire56

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Thank you for all the information. Flights are now booked and I'm already checked in for the cruise!

 

Wonder when the allocations will show up? Probably when they have confirmed what cabins are finished / ready and which aren't I guess.

 

I saw the same flyer. The agent i booked with (princess' US call centre) was only able to select balcony gty. The deluxe was not coming up.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Hi, we are on this shakedown as well. We had booked the maiden voyage out of Venice, booked the flights into Venice two days earlier and booked a hotel for 2 nights prior to 20th! Needless to say we couldn't pass up this offer so I've had to re-arrange everything, flights, hotels, car park in UK and also transfer to a different airport so that we can still spend 2 days in Venice prior to going to Trieste to pick up the ship. It was a challenge changing everything but definitely worth it.

 

We will fly into Venice, spend two nights there. Today I booked the train from Venice to Trieste on 15th and will spend the night in Trieste ready to board the ship on 16th. It will be interesting to be on the ship on it's shakedown. No doubt lots of workers and travel agents on board going about their work. I understand that the ship will be sailing half full, this includes the various workers and travel agents that will be on board.

 

Looking forward to being in Venice and on board.

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Kenosha Cruiser

Kenosha Cruiser

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Dave, always enjoy your postings and the up dated news on the Regal Princess. If you could swing it, your always welcome to join us on the Nov. 9th Regal sailing. We have a great group of people already on the roll call. Larry "Winelover#1" is our roll call organizer and I know your acquainted with him. Thanks for all you do on cruise critic!!!

 

Cheers - Ken & Darlene

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Sapphire56

Sapphire56

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Adding my thank you to a question. We will be on the Regal Berlin to NY Sept. 2015. I was excited to snag E410 a deluxe (angled) balcony. Will it be fully covered? Is there enough space on these balconies to sit facing the ocean, using a foot rest.

 

Our usual booking is midship obstructed view on Emerald - or inside, as low and midship as possible. I do get seasick. No insides on Regal Emerald were available and as you know, no cabins available on Plaza. This is a new thing for us to spring for a balcony.

 

You will not regret having a balcony BUT you will never want to go back to an inside or outside cabin again, only balcony will do after this cruise! Enjoy it.

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Orangefan

Orangefan

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Since that last Sea Trails update shown above, Regal Princess has been doing some 'test track loops' which you can see in this picture....

 

13910280902_21c22b802f_b.jpg

 

 

 

...and this is an enlargement of the loops...

 

13910241882_c5f3130efc_b.jpg

 

 

 

Dave, thank you for all the posts following our Regal Princess. I love seeing the pictures and the tracks from the sea trials. Are you going to be on a Regal cruise ? I appreciate you doing this.

Sali (Nov6 b2b )

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dmwnc1959

dmwnc1959

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Are you going to be on a Regal cruise?

 

Thanks for asking, but not this year. I'm aiming for Dec 2015 and another B2B, this time on Regal Princess. We'll see when the new Caribbean dates are released next month. :D

 

And as much as I would LOVE to join the mixed bag of nuts on the Caribbean B2B Inaugurals ;), you'll have to have that drink at Bellini's and Crooners without me. Again. Sorry....:(

 

 

 

As for Regal Princess, she spent a lot of the past 16 hours steaming off the coast of Italy near Ancona. Last year when Royal Princess completed her Sea Trials they anchored off of Ancona and dropped off some of the technical teams overseeing the tests. There is another (smaller) Fincantieri shipyard here that also builds ships.

 

Not sure what she was doing today, lots of quick starts, jumping around, and slow maneuvers, not as fun as yesterday high speed loops....

 

 

Past 16 hours up to current position

13943890825_cc5f95deb3_o.jpg

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Cruise Junky

Cruise Junky

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Thanks for asking, but not this year. I'm aiming for Dec 2015 and another B2B, this time on Regal Princess. We'll see when the new Caribbean dates are released next month. :D

 

And as much as I would LOVE to join the mixed bag of nuts on the Caribbean B2B Inaugurals ;), you'll have to have that drink at Bellini's and Crooners without me. Again. Sorry....:(

 

 

 

As for Regal Princess, she spent a lot of the past 16 hours steaming off the coast of Italy near Ancona. Last year when Royal Princess completed her Sea Trials they anchored off of Ancona and dropped off some of the technical teams overseeing the tests. There is another (smaller) Fincantieri shipyard here that also builds ships.

 

Not sure what she was doing today, lots of quick starts, jumping around, and slow maneuvers, not as fun as yesterday high speed loops....

 

 

Past 16 hours up to current position

13943890825_cc5f95deb3_o.jpg

 

 

New dates are on this thread

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2027420

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dmwnc1959

dmwnc1959

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Thank You.

 

You're welcome! If you've used the desktop version you'll know that it makes it easier to 'see' the passenger ship icon if you 'turn off' all of the other types of shipping. I will sometimes keep 'tugs' turned on but not often.

 

;D

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dmwnc1959

dmwnc1959

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When the Regal arrives in FLL, will there be a special welcome? I'm thinking fireboats etc.

 

Unfortunately there will be nothing. The reason is because she is arriving into Fort Lauderdale from her westbound transatlantic, and will most likely be in port very, very early in the morning and well before sunrise. The only time I have seen fireboats for a ships arrival is when it is coming in directly from the shipyard without revenue passengers or on a maiden arrival before she starts regular service.

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dmwnc1959

dmwnc1959

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I've been studying in depth a video I found of Regal Princess taken after she exited dry dock, and before she departed on her sea trials, and have noticed something new.

 

Just aft of The Sanctuary, there is a large arch of metal (seen in first half of image below) that may be part of a wind break designed to keep the Retreat from suffering some of it's high wind days.

 

In the second part of that image, the thick metal base frame that the canopy of The Sanctuary is tied to at the front (bottom), now extends all the way back past the beginning of the Retreat. Compare the Regal Princess image to that of Royal Princess and you'll see what I'm talking about....

 

13941722961_df8a4ceb4d_b.jpg

 

11543176145_25ea57d6cc_c.jpg

Edited by dmwnc1959
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