Royal (and Regal) Staircases

[Dudleydog73]

I know the lack of center stairs has been beat to death on the new builds, but I thought that everyone had said that the forward and aft stairs were completely intact like we were used to on the Grand class.

 

My In-laws are on the Royal now in an aft room and have stated that the aft stairs do not go down past deck 7, so you cannot go to the DR directly from your rooms walking down the stairs. They said only the forward stairs go from deck 5 to 16.

 

They are irritated with the stair situation as it seems to be no ryhme or reason to get from point A to point B, but are enjoying the cruise so far. Can anyone confirm the aft staircase situation?

[ar1950]

I know the lack of center stairs has been beat to death on the new builds, but I thought that everyone had said that the forward and aft stairs were completely intact like we were used to on the Grand class.

 

My In-laws are on the Royal now in an aft room and have stated that the aft stairs do not go down past deck 7, so you cannot go to the DR directly from your rooms walking down the stairs. They said only the forward stairs go from deck 5 to 16.

 

They are irritated with the stair situation as it seems to be no ryhme or reason to get from point A to point B, but are enjoying the cruise so far. Can anyone confirm the aft staircase situation?

 

That is no different than how it is on the Grand class ships. The aft stairs lead to the traditional dining room on deck 6 from deck 7. If you want to go anywhere else you need to walk on deck 7 to the mid ship area and go down there.

[CABCruiser]

Beat to death or not, we just got off the Royal, and the lack of stairs and room in the elevators is a deal breaker for us. It was so frustrating to get anywhere. Plus, we would often return from an excursion, enter the ship on deck 5, and watch the elevators come down to deck 6, then head back up! People were so upset about having difficulty catching an elevator. Believe me, it's a long walk up to deck 15!!

 

 

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[Colo Cruiser]

Beat to death or not, we just got off the Royal, and the lack of stairs and room in the elevators is a deal breaker for us. It was so frustrating to get anywhere. Plus, we would often return from an excursion, enter the ship on deck 5, and watch the elevators come down to deck 6, then head back up! People were so upset about having difficulty catching an elevator. Believe me, it's a long walk up to deck 15!!

 

 

Thanks for the review!

[IECalCruiser]

We will be able to see for ourselves in three weeks, but I am not thinking the stairway will be an issue for us. We were on the Grand in March for 10 days in a WS of Fiesta deck. We were traveling with a friend that needed to use the elevator and we just went to the forward elevator bank. We didn't miss the center stair case. When we were on the Grand the first time in 2007 we didn't even realize that there was no center staircase because we didn't try to use it once. I agree that it probably is an issue for people who book cabins in the center of the ship but that isn't us. Just MHO to be confirmed in three weeks.

 

 

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Edited August 21, 2014 by IECalCruiser

[Mom33]

Beat to death or not, we just got off the Royal, and the lack of stairs and room in the elevators is a deal breaker for us. It was so frustrating to get anywhere. Plus, we would often return from an excursion, enter the ship on deck 5, and watch the elevators come down to deck 6, then head back up! People were so upset about having difficulty catching an elevator. Believe me, it's a long walk up to deck 15!!

 

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Were the 5th floor call buttons lit?

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

Beat to death or not, we just got off the Royal, and the lack of stairs and room in the elevators is a deal breaker for us. It was so frustrating to get anywhere. Plus, we would often return from an excursion, enter the ship on deck 5, and watch the elevators come down to deck 6, then head back up! People were so upset about having difficulty catching an elevator. Believe me, it's a long walk up to deck 15!!

 

 

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So why didn't you walk up to deck 6 to get an elevator?

[Pam in CA]

I know the lack of center stairs has been beat to death on the new builds, but I thought that everyone had said that the forward and aft stairs were completely intact like we were used to on the Grand class.

 

My In-laws are on the Royal now in an aft room and have stated that the aft stairs do not go down past deck 7, so you cannot go to the DR directly from your rooms walking down the stairs. They said only the forward stairs go from deck 5 to 16.

Of course the stairs go down to deck 6 since that's where the Traditional dining room is. As do the mid-ship and forward stairs. All you have to do is check the deck plans. Very, very simple... and clear.

 

 

I find it very easy to navigate the Royal and Grand-class ships. All you have to do is realize that on deck 6, the kitchen is located between the mid-ship and aft dining rooms so that you can't walk aft on deck 6 from mid-ship. Any deck from deck 7 on up, you can walk from one end of the ship to the other. It's no different from the Grand Princess.

[CABCruiser]

Yes, all call buttons were pushed. And yes, we did try going up to 6 and higher, only to find large groups doing the same thing. There were several wheel chair passengers and their families that didn't have this as an option. Despite this frustration, I have to admit she's a beautiful ship. We loved the decor, atmosphere, and the piazza experience on the ship.

 

 

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[OCruisers]

Not having the central staircase is very inconvenient ... but not a deal breaker.

LuLu

[MandD]

 

My In-laws are on the Royal now in an aft room and have stated that the aft stairs do not go down past deck 7, so you cannot go to the DR directly from your rooms walking down the stairs. They said only the forward stairs go from deck 5 to 16.

 

That's strange, there were stairs from 7 to 6 (Allegro DR) last December.

[dmwnc1959]

My In-laws are on the Royal now in an aft room and have stated that the aft stairs do not go down past deck 7, so you cannot go to the DR directly from your rooms walking down the stairs.

 

That's strange, there were stairs from 7 to 6 (Allegro DR) last December.

 

 

Yes, there were. I distinctly remember using them, and have pictures of the stairwell art in that landing between Deck 7 and 6 aft on both sides.

 

Dudleydog73, your in-laws are most definitely wrong, so you may tell them to try again because they are there.

 

:D

[Woobstr112G]

Not having the central staircase is very inconvenient ... but not a deal breaker.

LuLu

 

It is for some.....

 

Bob

Edited August 22, 2014 by Woobstr112G

[pablo222]

It is for some.....

 

Bob

 

I don't know. There is so much whining about every topic here...

 

If people stood behind their whining, and the problems complained

about were 'deal breakers', there would be no one on ships.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

I don't know. There is so much whining about every topic here...

 

If people stood behind their whining, and the problems complained

about were 'deal breakers', there would be no one on ships.

 

Very true but if there were another Princess ship doing the same itinerary during that period it would be my second choice. All the negative comments I hear about don't want to make me cruise on it. This is very unlike all the past Princess ships that have been introduced over the years.

Now if I were a person with just a few Princess cruises with each cruise line I might be turned off by all the negatives & decide to continue cruising career elsewhere.

[kendon]

Of course the stairs go down to deck 6 since that's where the Traditional dining room is. As do the mid-ship and forward stairs. All you have to do is check the deck plans. Very, very simple... and clear.

 

 

I find it very easy to navigate the Royal and Grand-class ships. All you have to do is realize that on deck 6, the kitchen is located between the mid-ship and aft dining rooms so that you can't walk aft on deck 6 from mid-ship. Any deck from deck 7 on up, you can walk from one end of the ship to the other. It's no different from the Grand Princess.

 

I couldn't agree more. You're not walking any more, just a different route...same number of steps.

 

And yes, the stairs go down to the Traditional dining room. But that's all that's there.

[kendon]

Very true but if there were another Princess ship doing the same itinerary during that period it would be my second choice. All the negative comments I hear about don't want to make me cruise on it. This is very unlike all the past Princess ships that have been introduced over the years.

Now if I were a person with just a few Princess cruises with each cruise line I might be turned off by all the negatives & decide to continue cruising career elsewhere.

 

Try it, you might like it...or love it like I did. I was apprehensive and found it to be a wonderful ship.

[azdmelani]

Yes, there were. I distinctly remember using them, and have pictures of the stairwell art in that landing between Deck 7 and 6 aft on both sides.

 

Dudleydog73, your in-laws are most definitely wrong, so you may tell them to try again because they are there.

 

:D

 

The stairs to deck 6 only lead to the dining room back there if I remember correctly, maybe they were looking for a way to get to the Atrium.

 

We have a room towards the middle elevators next week on the Regal, but we will walk up to the front stairs if necessary to go up and down vs the elevators.

[dmwnc1959]

The stairs to deck 6 only lead to the dining room back there if I remember correctly, maybe they were looking for a way to get to the Atrium.

 

We have a room towards the middle elevators next week on the Regal, but we will walk up to the front stairs if necessary to go up and down vs the elevators.

 

 

One of be many design similarities that the Royal-class has with the Grand-class: the atrium is not accessible from the Deck 6 aft MDR. You have to go up to Deck 7 from there and then forward.

 

:D

[dmwnc1959]

My In-laws are on the Royal now....They are irritated with the stair situation as it seems to be no ryhme or reason to get from point A to point B...

 

 

I'm not sure if your In-Laws have been on any other Princess Cruises ships, and I had posted this on another thread, but this comment you made warrants a repost of my previous comments:

 

Aside from the lack of a passenger accessible central staircase above Deck 7, for all intent and purposes the interiors of the Royal-class and Grand-class aren't that much different in their general layouts:

 

- Main showrooms (Princess Theater and aft main showroom) are in the exact same place.

 

- Main Dining Rooms (all three of them) are in the same exact place.

 

- Atrium and it's three main venues (International Cafe, Vines, Crooners) are in the exact same locations.

 

- The gift shops are all pretty much in the same area.

 

- Not all Sabatini's and Crown Grill restaurants are in the same place on all Grand Class, nor are all casinos, however...

 

- The Casino is still basically in the same place.

 

- The three elevator banks are in the same place.

 

- The alternate entertainment venue (Princess Live) is in the exact same place as it's corresponding venue on the Grand-class ships.

 

- The main interior thoroughfare on Promenade Deck (from Princess Theater at the very front of the ship to the aft showroom at the stern) still runs along the same path.

 

- The main pool deck venues (Prego, Trident Grill, soft serve ice cream, Mermaids Tail bar) are all in the same general areas as on the Grand-class.

 

- The Horizon Court and Outrigger Bars are in the same place.

 

- The Sanctuary is in the exact same place.

 

I spent two weeks on Royal Princess and on Day 1 found it very easy to make my way around the ship. I'm sure having studied the deck plans for six months helped, but the general layouts of the Royal Princess really isn't that much different than Ruby Princess, which I was on the year prior.

 

:D

Edited August 22, 2014 by dmwnc1959

[CruisinJohn]

I spent two weeks on Royal Princess and on Day 1 found it very easy to make my way around the ship. I'm sure having studied the deck plans for six months helped, but the general layouts of the Royal Princess really isn't that much different than Ruby Princess, which I was on the year prior.

 

:D

 

I absolutely agree. Having also sailed for two weeks on Royal Princess last December, I found that getting around on this ship was quite easy. Never experienced any elevator issues, but I understand that this is still quite a problem for many passengers as well as the lack of a central staircase. I'm looking forward to experiencing the new Regal Princess soon after my California Coastal cruise on Star Princess in October. :)

[Av8tor]

I know the lack of center stairs has been beat to death on the new builds, but I thought that everyone had said that the forward and aft stairs were completely intact like we were used to on the Grand class.

 

My In-laws are on the Royal now in an aft room and have stated that the aft stairs do not go down past deck 7, so you cannot go to the DR directly from your rooms walking down the stairs. They said only the forward stairs go from deck 5 to 16.

 

They are irritated with the stair situation as it seems to be no ryhme or reason to get from point A to point B, but are enjoying the cruise so far. Can anyone confirm the aft staircase situation?

 

The aft stairs on Royal and Regal go from deck 6 all the way to the top deck. They are usable by passengers. Unless there is some sort of temporary maintenance going on, your in-laws should be able to use the aft stairs all the way down to the aft dining room. If they're eating in the forward deck 6 dining room, then they'd have to use the aft stairs down to deck 7, go forward to the mid stairs and then continue on down to deck 6, or they could just go forward to the mid-stairs and go right down to deck 6. It's the same set-up as other Grand-class ships in that to get from the aft deck 6 dining room to the forward deck 6 dining room, you have to go up to deck 7 because only the galley is between those two dining rooms...

Edited August 22, 2014 by Av8tor

[caribill]

If they're eating in the forward deck 6 dining room, then they'd have to use the aft stairs down to deck 7, go forward to the mid stairs and then continue on down to deck 6, or they could just go forward to the mid-stairs and go right down to deck 6. It's the same set-up as other Grand-class ships in that to get from the aft deck 6 dining room to the forward deck 6 dining room, you have to go up to deck 7 because only the galley is between those two dining rooms...

 

I assume you mean once they have walked from aft to mid-ship on deck 7.

[terrierjohn]

I have not experienced the missing central stairs yet, but we will be sailing on P&O's Britannia next year so we will find out if its a problem or not.

However there is one thing that I do find strange, what did the Grand class crew use for a central staircase after Princess switched them to passenger stairs from the Golden all the way up to the Ruby.

And what was so important that Princess had to change them back to crew only for the new Royal class.

I imagine that they will have saved a bit on stair carpets, decorarting and wall art, but I hardly imagine that was the main reason.

Makes we wonder though.:confused::rolleyes:

[caribill]

And what was so important that Princess had to change them back to crew only for the new Royal class.

 

Cost savings. A reported couple of million $ saved on a ship that was running over budget.