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

[dmwnc1959]

And here is a close-up of her smoke stack and the exhaust pipes. Any guesses as to what the black 'band' is in the middle of the taller pipes? Compared to Royal Princess smokestack....

 

Edited April 21, 2014 by dmwnc1959

[caribill]

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....

 

 

 

 

 

Very interesting. Good spotting.

[dmwnc1959]

Here's the aforementioned video. An ad pops up a few seconds in, just 'X' out of it... ;) The music they used is a bit too dramatic for this video.

 

http://smashpipe.com/search.cfm#play/UXGL_IN7rEc

 

:D

Edited April 21, 2014 by dmwnc1959

[dmwnc1959]

It's just after 12noon local time over there and Marine Traffic now lists Regal Princess 'Destination' as Monfalcone, ETA in about 1hr20min. Sea Trials must be concluding.

 

[dmwnc1959]

Regal Princess returns to Monfalcone:

 

[Colo Cruiser]

And here is a close-up of her smoke stack and the exhaust pipes. Any guesses as to what the black 'band' is in the middle of the taller pipes? Compared to Royal Princess smokestack....

 

 

Looks like more of them are tapered ontop too.

[5:00_Somewhere]

Good eyes regarding the addition near the Sanctuary/Retreat area.

 

As for the black bands on the smokestacks, that looks like where they've added extra height to the existing stacks. The angles from which the 2 pictures were taken (of the Regal and Royal), so it's a little deceptive, but other pictures have shown that there are apparently extensions added to a number of the smokestacks (suspicions are that this is intended to help alleviate the soot/fume problem on the aft balconies.) The black banks look like they are right about the spot where the original stacks tapered in and terminated. I'm not expert of course, but that's sure what it looks like to me.

 

Both of these changes would seem to be relatively easy retrofits to the Royal somewhere down the road if they do indeed alleviate the problems, as we all seem to be suspecting.

 

And here is a close-up of her smoke stack and the exhaust pipes. Any guesses as to what the black 'band' is in the middle of the taller pipes? Compared to Royal Princess smokestack....

 

[TorontoTL]

Great observations Dave! It looks like Princess has been keeping track of at least some of the criticisms of the Royal and is trying to make alterations so that the Regal doesn't have the same issues. These fixes should be relatively easily retrofitted to the Royal whenever she goes into wet/dry dock.

[dmwnc1959]

Regal Princess returning back into Monfalcone from Sea Trials today:

 

 

 

 

 

(Credit all pictures to Katia Bonaventura)

[dmwnc1959]

 

 

 

 

(Credit all pictures to Katia Bonaventura)

[CCFC]

Great pictures thank you, the aft pool seems to a bit hard to spot still.

[#1winelover]

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

 

Ethel! I agree with David as far as ARRIVAL is concerned. However, we can always hold onto the thought that the Regal will get (hopefully) a similar sail away on her Inaugural Caribbean Sampler on 11/6/14 that the Royal did last year! Princess had helicopters in the air with cameras galore. Local news choppers were also in the area. The Royal actually departed "twice" so they could get more airborne shots from those choppers. We have the start of a great group of mixed nuts sailing on the 11/6 and 11/9 b2b, so it will be a blast regardless!

[#1winelover]

And here is a close-up of her smoke stack and the exhaust pipes. Any guesses as to what the black 'band' is in the middle of the taller pipes? Compared to Royal Princess smokestack....

 

 

Being a down-to-Earth sorta guy, I'd take my FIRST guess at an easy disconnect in case the purpose of the extended stack does not solve the problems it was put in place to resolve. Just MHO! ;)

[bhopal21]

I would guess a precipitator much like used by power plants for emissions.

 

And that is only a guess.

 

Mike:)

[Woobstr112G]

Dave;

 

Thanks for posting some great pictures.....:):):)

 

Bob

[5:00_Somewhere]

I would guess a precipitator much like used by power plants for emissions.

 

And that is only a guess.

 

Mike:)

 

OOOOOO, great thought! Fingers crossed. :D

[bhopal21]

OOOOOO, great thought! Fingers crossed. :D

 

Now don't get excited.;)

 

That is only a SWAG.

 

Mike:)

[TorontoTL]

Regal Princess returning back into Monfalcone from Sea Trials today:

 

 

 

(Credit all pictures to Katia Bonaventura)

 

 

You can really see the structure that they added to decrease the amount of wind that the Retreat Pool area will experience in this photo. Good pick up Dave.

[JPEvans]

What is that big rectangle thing on the side of the ship under the

Aft dining room windows? I'm sure it has been discussed before.

Does the ship open up for something?

[caribill]

You can really see the structure that they added to decrease the amount of wind that the Retreat Pool area will experience in this photo.

 

I wonder if it will also provide some true shade.

[dmwnc1959]

What is that big rectangle thing on the side of the ship under the

Aft dining room windows? I'm sure it has been discussed before.

Does the ship open up for something?

 

Hi JP,

 

When we first 'discovered' that same area on Royal Princess there was quite a bit of speculation as to what it was. Some of the guesses included a tendering platform, hull door for ease of engine replacement, ship replenishment hatch, among others.

 

These links show some closer detail:

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=38246817&postcount=2161

 

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=38248734&postcount=2173

 

 

What it turned out to be was a track system for the cables of the Marine Evacuation System, that large white box sitting on the aft promenade deck:

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=38256927&postcount=2181

 

:D

[dmwnc1959]

I wonder if it will also provide some true shade.

 

Now that we can basically see the structure complete with tarp, I'm thinking no additional true shade would be provided. It looks like it may stretch back as far as the Retreat Bar, but no further.

[dmwnc1959]

Great pictures thank you, the aft pool seems to a bit hard to spot still.

 

We'll use the term 'pool' loosely. ;) As I've said before I wouldn't expect a lot, but it will provide an additional albeit small 'wet area' to gather around. I'm sure as soon as the first real pictures emerge they'll be quite a bit of 'conversation'.

[dedosr]

And here is a close-up of her smoke stack and the exhaust pipes. Any guesses as to what the black 'band' is in the middle of the taller pipes? Compared to Royal Princess smokestack....

 

 

Maybe they are some type of fastener to hold the extensions in place.

[SeaTheWorldBySea]

And here is a close-up of her smoke stack and the exhaust pipes. Any guesses as to what the black 'band' is in the middle of the taller pipes? Compared to Royal Princess smokestack....

 

 

Duct tape?:eek: